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OCT  TO  1988 


BX  9315  .G66  1861  v. 2 
Goodwin,  Thomas,  1600-1680. 
The  works  of  Thomas  Goodwin 


NICHOL'S  SERIES  OF  STANDARD  DIVINES. 

PUEITAN  PEEIOD. 


THE 


WOEKS  OF  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  D.D. 

VOL.  II. 


COUNCIL  OF  PUBLICATION. 


W.  LINDSAY  ALEXAM)ER,  D.D.,  Professor  of  ITieology,  Congregational  Union, 
Edinburgh. 

THOMAS  J.    CRAWEOPvD,  D.D.,  S.T.P.,   Professor  of    Divinity,    University, 
Edinburgh. 

WILLIAM  CUNNINGHAM,  D.D.,  Principal  of  the  New  College,  Edinburgh. 

D.  T.  K.  DRUMMOND,  M.A.,  Minister  of  St  Thomas'  Episcopal  Church,  Edin- 
bui-gh. 

WILLDVil  H.  GOOLD,  D.D.,  Professor  of  Biblical  Literature  and  Church  His- 
tory, Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  Edinburgh. 

A2n)RE"\V  THOMSON,  D.D.,  Minister  of  Broughton  Place  United  Presbyterian 
Church,  Edinburgh. 


THE  WORKS 


OK 
/ 


THOMAS  GOODWIN,  D.D., 

SOMETIME  PRESIDENT  OF  MAGDALENE  COLLEGE,  OXEOED. 


aoiitlj  (15enecal  preface 

By  JOHN  C.  MILLER,  D.D., 

LINCOLN  college;    HONOEARy  CAMON  OF  WORCESTER;  RECTOR  OF  ST  MARTIN'S,  BIRMINOIIAat, 

By  ROBERT  HALLEY,  D.D., 

IBXSCIFA.1,  OF  THE  INDEPENDENT  NEW  COLLEGE,  LONDON. 


VOL.  IL, 
CONTAINING  AN  EXPOSITION 

OF  VARIOUS  PASSAGES 

OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS; 

AND 

PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK, 

BEING  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  JAMES  L  1-5. 


EDINBURGH:  JAMES   NICHOL. 

LONDON  :  JAMES  NISBET  AND  CO.     DUBLIN :  W.  ROBERTSON. 

M.DCCC.LXL 


edinburgh  : 

printed  bt  eallantyne  and  company, 

Paul's  work. 


CONTENTS. 


Memoir  of  Thomas  Goodwin,  D.D.,  by  Robeut  Hallet,  D.D., 
Memoir  of  Thomas  Goodwix,  D.D.,  by  his  Son, 


PAGB 

vii 
xlix 


An  Exposition  of  the  Second  Chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Ephesians,  Verses  1-11  — 

Sermon 


I.— Ver. 

1-10, 

IL— 

)} 

1,  2,  &c., 

III— 

jj 

2,     . 

IV.— 

)} 

9 

—}       • 

v.— 

}> 

3,     . 

VI.— 

}) 

3,     . 

VII.— 

}} 

3,     . 

VIII.— 

j> 

3,     . 

IX.— 

5) 

3,     . 

X.— 

J> 

4-6, 

XL— 

J> 

4-6, 

XIL— 

3) 

4-6, 

XIIL— 

» 

4-6, 

XIV.— 

>3 

5,6, 

XV.— 

5J 

5,     . 

XVL— 

'J 

6,     . 

XVIL— 

» 

6,     . 

XVIIL— 

>} 

7,     . 

XIX.— 

)) 

7,     . 

1 

16 
33 

49 
70 
85 
97 
111 
125 
140 
153 
170 
181 
196 
214 
233 
248 
266 
281 


VI 


CONTENTS. 

FAOR 

Seemon     XX. — Ver.  7,    . 

295 

XXL—    ,>     8-10, 

311 

„       XXII.—    „     8-10, 

325 

„     XXIIL—    „     8-10, 

341 

„      XXIV.-    „  11,    . 

348 

Exposition  of  Various  Portions  of  the  Epistle  to  the 

Ephesians — 

To  the  Reader,     .... 
A  Sermon  on  Chap,  II.  14-16 — Part  I., 
„  »  Part  II., 

A  Sermon  on  Chap.  III.  17, 
The  Second  Sermon  on  Chap.  III.  16-21, 
A  Sermon  on  Chap.  V.  30-32,       . 


359 
361 
373 
391 
407 
415 


Patience  and  its  Perfect  Work,  under  Sudden  and  Sore 
Trials  ;  being  an  Exposition  of  James  I,  1-5 — 

Section    I.,  .....  .  429 

II., 436 

„      III, 446 

„      rV., 460 


MEMOIR  OF  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  D.D. 


EOBEET  HALLEY.  D.D., 

PRINCIPAL  GF  NEW  COLLKGE,  ST  JOHN'S  WOOD,  LONDOK 


PfilfiOt 


MEMOIE  OF  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  D.D. 


Thomas,  the  eldest  son  of  Eichard  and  Catherine  Goodwin,  was 
born  at  Eollesby,  a  village  in  the  eastern  part  of  Norfolk,  within  a 
few  miles  of  Yarmouth,  on  the  5th  of  October  in  the  year  1600. 
The  long  and  prosperous  reign  of  Elizabeth  was  then  drawing  to  its 
close,  and  a  considerable  number  of  her  subjects,  especially  in  the 
counties  of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  were  desirous  of  obtaining  a  more 
complete  reformation  of  the  Church  than  that  which  had  been  effected 
by  her  father  or  her  brother.  They  cherished  some  hope  that  in  the 
expected  reign  of  a  Scottish  king,  educated  under  Presbyterian  dis- 
cipline, they  would  see  the  English  Church  brought  into  closer  re- 
lations and  nearer  resemblance  to  the  Keformed  Churches  of  Scot- 
land and  the  Continent.  In  these  expectations  they  were  bitterly 
disappointed.  The  ecclesiastical  rule  of  Elizabeth  had  been  oppres- 
sive to  them,  that  of  the  Stuarts  became  intolerable.  James,  on  his 
accession,  is  reported  to  have  said,  '  Do  I  mak  the  judges  ?  do  I 
mak  the  bishops?  then  I  mak  the  law  and  the  gospel.'  The  Puri- 
tans, ill-treated  by  James's  judges  and  bishops,  were  not  disposed  to 
regard  with  favour  either  his  '  law  '  or  his  '  gospel.'  Thus  arose  the 
long  conflict  between  the  Stuarts  and  the  Puritans. 

During  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  several  things  contributed  to  the 
prevalence  of  Puritanism  in  the  eastern  counties.  Many  of  the  Pro- 
testants of  the  Netherlands  who  were  driven  from  their  country  by 
the  Duke  of  Alva  settled  in  the  nearest  maritime  counties  of  England, 
and  brought  their  arts  and  manufactures  to  the  city  and  neighbour- 
hood of  Norwich."^'  Thoroughly  imbued  with  Presbyterian  principles, 
and  holding  them  tenaciously  as  they  had  suffered  for  them  severely, 
they  became  a  source  of  frequent  trouble  to  the  bishops  of  that  dio- 
cese. Their  neighbours,  associating  with  them  to  learn  their  arts 
of  dyeing  silk  and  worsted,  were  taught  also  to  value  their  simpler 

*  Hanbury's  ]Memorials,  vol.  i.,  p.  14. 


X  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

forms  of  ecclesiastical  government  and  religious  worship.  By  asso- 
ciating with  several  of  these  exiles,  Robert  Brown  was  induced  to 
separate  from  the  Establishment,  and  to  found  a  church  of  the  straitest 
sect  of  Independency.*  Barrow,  a  more  consistent  man,  who  suffered 
death  for  his  adherence  to  the  same  principles,  was  the  son  of  a 
Norfolk  yeoman  resident  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  exiles.f 

Under  the  mild  rule  of  Bishop  Parkhurst,  who,  having  found  an 
asylum  at  Zurich  during  the  Marian  persecution,  had  become 
attached  to  Presbyterian  principles,  the  exiles  were  protected,  and 
the  Puritans  openly  favom-ed,  until  he  incurred  the  censure  of  Arch- 
bishop Parker.  :j:  He  was  then  reluctantly  compelled  to  make  some 
show  of  discouraging  the  Puritans,  and  to  suppress  '  the  prophesy- 
ings,'  or  meetings  of  the  people  to  study  the  Scriptures.  These 
principles,  however,  during  his  episcopate  increasingly  prevailed 
throughout  the  diocese.  He  was  succeeded  in  1576  by  Dr  Freke, 
an  unrelenting  persecutor  of  Puritan  ministers.§  In  1583,  when 
Whitgift,  advanced  to  the  Primacy,  enforced  more  strictly  the  laws 
against  the  Pui-itans,  it  is  recorded  that  of  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  ministers  suspended  for  nonconformity,  no  less  than  one 
hundred  and  twenty-four  belonged  to  the  diocese  of  Norwich.  |1 
When  the  reading  of  the  Book  of  Sports  was  enforced,  Wren,  at  that 
time  Bishop  of  Norwich,  complained  that  numbers  of  clergymen  under 
his  jurisdiction  had  refused  it;  and  though  some  afterwards  com- 
plied, there  were  still  thirty  who  were  punished  for  their  pertinacity 
by  excommunication.^  In  1634,  Laud,  then  Primate  of  all  England, 
struck  at  what  seemed  to  him  the  root  of  the  evil,  and  ordered  the 
descendants  of  the  Dutch  exiles  to  be  prosecuted  for  their  noncon- 
formity.** Wren,  ever  ready  to  do  the  work  of  Laud,  is  said  to  have 
expelled  from  the  diocese  three  thousand  manufacturers  of  woollen 
cloth,  of  whom  some  employed  as  many  as  a  hundred  poor  people.tf 
In  Laud's  account  of  his  province  in  1635,  he  complained  of  the 
many  Puritans  w^ho  still  remained  in  the  diocese  of  Norwich.^]: 
Wren,  in  reply  to  one  of  the  articles  of  his  impeachment,  in  which 

*  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  i.,  p.  19.  t  Ibid.,  p.  35. 

J  Neal's  History  of  the  Puritans,  Second  Edition,  4to,  voL  i.,  p.  221.  Life  of 
Parker,  p.  461. 

§  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  i.,  p.  233. 

II  "  Dr  Scambler,  first  pastor  of  the  Protestant  Church  which  met  secretly  in 
London  during  Mary's  reign,  was  Bishop  of  Norwich  from  1584  to  1597,  and  en- 
couraged associations  among  the  clergy  for  the  diffusion  of  religion,  until  the 
Queen  put  an  end  to  such  proceedings  on  account  of  their  puritanical  tendency." 
— Wilson's  Hist,  of  Dissenting  Churches,  vol.  i.,  p.  4  ;  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  i.,  p.  268, 

H  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  i.,  p.  571.  **  Heyliu's  Life  of  Laud,  p.  276. 

ft  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  ii.,  p.  13.       XX  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  i.,  p.  685. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR    THOMAS  GOODWIN.  XI 

he  was  charged  with  suspending,  depriving,  and  excommunicating 
godly  ministers,  declared  that  severe  measures  were  necessary,  as 
throughout  his  diocese  there  was  general  dislike  of  the  doctrine  and 
discipline  of  the  Established  Church.*  Robinson,  the  founder  of 
Independency,  was  beneficed  in  Norfolk,  and  before  his  separation 
from  the  Church,  zealously  promoted  the  principles  of  the  Puritans.f 

Though  we  have  no  positive  inforaiation  that  the  parents  of  Good- 
win avowedly  belonged  to  the  Puritan  party,  still,  from  the  little 
that  we  do  know  of  them,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  were  in- 
fluenced by  the  evangelical  principles  which  so  generally  prevailed 
in  their  neighbourhood.  They  piously  educated  their  son,  making 
hira  from  his  infancy  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures,  and,  after  the 
manner  of  the  Puritans  of  that  age,  dedicating  him  in  his  early  boy- 
hood to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

Three  other  Goodwins,  distinguished  for  Puritan  principles, 
belonged  to  the  same  county :  Vincent  Goodwin, |  a  zealous  and 
devoted  minister,  suspended  for  nonconformity  by  Freke,  on  his 
accession  to  the  bishopric  of  Norwich  ;  Thomas  Goodwin,  §  who 
was  for  some  years  the  Puritan  minister  of  South  Weald,  in  Essex, 
where  'he  was  much  beloved  and  eminently  useful;'  and  John 
Goodwin,!!  the  celebrated  Arminian  nonconformist,  were  all  natives 
of  Norfolk.  To  the  inquiry  whether  any  of  them  were  related  to 
the  family  of  Dr  Goodwin,  I  can  only  reply  with  Brook,  in  his 
life  of  the  minister  of  South  Weald,  '  we  have  not  been  able  to 
learn. '^ 

Of  his  early  religious  impressions  little  more  is  known  than  may 
be  learnt  from  the  brief  account  in  '  The  Life  of  Dr  Thomas  Good- 
win, composed  out  of  his  own  papers  and  memoirs,'  and  reprinted  in 
this  edition  of  his  Works.  There  we  learn  that  he  was  a  child  of  a 
weakly  constitution,  and  on  that  account  a  source  of  anxiety  to  his 
pious  parents.  From  the  time  he  was  six  years  old  he  '  began  to 
have  some  slighter  workings  of  the  Spirit  of  God.'  He  speaks  of 
his  '  weeping  for  sin,'  and  '  having  flashes  of  joy  upon  thoughts  of 
the  things  of  God.'  He  was  '  affected  with  good  motions  and 
affections  of  love  to  God  and  Christ,  for  their  love  revealed  to  man, 
and  with  grief  for  sin  as  displeasing  them.'  In  his  seventh  year  he 
was  deeply  affected  with  the  reproof  of  a  godly  servant  of  his 
grandfather,  with  whom  he  then  resided.  Being  reproved  for  some 
sinful  act,  he  wept  for  his  sins,   and  afterwards  frequently  wept  for 

*  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  ii.,  p.  14. 

+  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  i.,  p.  437.  t  Ibid.,  vol.  i.,  p.  234. 

§  Brook's  Lives  of  the  Puritans,  vol.  iii.,  p.  300. 

II  Granger's  Biographical  History.  f  Brook,  vol.  iii.,  p.  301. 


XU  MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  , 

them,  when  he  could  weep  for  nothing  else,  though  he  had  not 
strength  effectually  to  resist  them.  The  religious  feelings  of  his 
childhood  were  to  him  a  subject  of  great  interest  in  later  life,  as  is 
evident  from  the  manner  in  which  he  described  them.  He  believed 
at  the  time  that  he  was  truly  converted,  though  subsequent  reflec- 
tion, and  the  experience  of  a  still  greater  change,  induced  him  to 
form  a  low  estimate  of  his  early  impressions.  He  was  undoubtedly 
sincere.  As  he  wept  for  sin  '  privately,  between  God  and  himself,' 
he  concluded  it  was  not  hypocrisy.  He  prayed  earnestly  and  con- 
fidently, pleading  the  promise,  '  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Father 
in  my  name,  I  will  do  it  for  you.'  It  is  interesting  to  inquire — 
What  subsequently  induced  him  to  conclude  that  tliese  early  reli- 
gious emotions  of  joy  and  grief,  hope,  confidence,  and  love  were  not 
the  elements  of  true  godliness  implanted  in  his  heart  by  the  Holy 
Spirit?  The  alternative  suggested  was  that  either  these  early 
emotions  were  the  beginnings  of  true  religion,  of  which  in  his  youth 
he  suffered  serious  declension,  and  afterwards  experienced  a  glorious 
revival,  or  else  they  were  natural  workings  of  conscience  under  the 
influence  of  a  good  education,  and  some  slighter  but  not  saving 
operations  of  the  Spirit.  The  latter  was  his  own  conclusion.  His 
reasons  for  it  were  that  his  good  aftections  were  not  strong  enough  to 
overcome  his  sinful  propensities ;  that  they  made  him  presumptuous 
and  proud,  so  that  he  thought  he  had  more  grace  than  others,  than 
his  relations,  or  than  any  inhabitant  of  his  town  ;  that  he  could  not 
divest  himself  of  a  sense  of  merit  which  God  must  accept,  and  that 
he  was  suffered  to  fall  into  a  state  of  indifference  in  the  early  part 
of  his  college  course,  when  he  sought  the  applause  of  men  rather 
than  the  honour  that  cometh  from  God.  Referring  to  that  time,  he 
says — '  God  was  to  me  as  a  wayfaring  man,  who  came  and  dwelt 
for  a  night,  and  made  me  religious  for  a  fit,  but  then  departed  from 
me.  The  Holy  Ghost  moved  upon  the  waters  when  the  world  was 
creating,  and  held  and  sustained  the  chaos  that  was  created,  and  so 
he  does  in  carnal  men's  hearts  ;  witness  their  good  motions  at  times. 
In  a  great  frost  you  shall  see,  where  the  sun  shines  hot,  the  ice 
drops,  and  the  snow  melts,  and  the  earth  grows  slabby;  but  it  is  a 
particular  thaw  only  where  the  sun  shines,  not  a  general  thaw  of  all 
things  that  are  frozen.  And  so  it  was,  that  for  these  lighter  impres- 
sions and  slighter  workings,  my  heart  did  grow  so  presumptuous 
that  I  thought  myself  not  only  to  have  grace,  but  more  grace  than 
my  relations.'  Whatever  may  have  been  the  nature  of  his  early 
convictions  of  sin  and  strivings  of  heart,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
by  them  God  was  preparing  him  for  great  usefulness  throughout  his 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  XUI 

subsequent  life.  The  doctrinal  views  of  godly  men  are  often  formed 
and  moulded  by  their  personal  experience.  How  tlie  religious  feel- 
ings of  Goodwin  affected  his  creed  and  disposed  him  to  accept  the 
decided  though  not  extreme  Calvinism  for  which  he  was  distin- 
guished, may  be  learnt  from  several  references  to  his  own  experience 
in  the  memoirs  compiled  by  his  son. 

His  parents  secured  for  him  the  best  classical  education  which 
could  be  obtained  in  the  schools  of  the  neighbourhood,  and  of  which 
he  so  diligently  availed  himself,  that  before  he  had  completed  his 
thirteenth  year,  he  entered  at  Christ's  College,  Cambridge,  as  a  junior 
sophister,  '  a  year  before  the  usual  time.'  Although  students  then 
matriculated  at  both  Universities  at  an  earlier  age  than  is  now  cus- 
tomary, Goodwin  referred  to  himself  as  '  the  smallest '  if  not  the 
youngest  in  the  whole  University.  The  discipline  enjoined  by  the 
original  statutes  of  the  University  was  at  that  time  generally  en- 
forced, and  the  position  of  a  young  student  was  not  very  different 
from  that  of  an  elder  boy  in  one  of  the  public  schools  of  the  present 
day.  He  entered  August  25,  1613,  eleven  years  before  John  Milton 
was  admitted  into  the  same  College.* 

At  that  time  the  Puritan  cause  had  so  many  adherents  both  in  the 
University  and  the  town,  that  Cambridge  was  said  to  be  a  ^  nest  of 
Pm-itans ; '  Goodwin  says  'the  whole  town  was  filled  with  the  discourse 
of  the  power  of  Mr  Perkins'  ministry.'  This  celebrated  preacher, 
who  had  in  his  youth  been  notorious  for  his  profligacy  and  vice,  be- 
came a  very  devoted,  earnest,  and  successful  preacher  of  the  gospel, 
which  he  had  found  to  be  the  power  of  God  to  his  own  salvation.  A 
Fellow  of  Christ's  College,  he  was  not  satisfied  with  promoting  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  youth  placed  under  his  tuition,  but  availed 
himself  of  every  opportunity  he  could  find  to  proclaim  to  his 
hearers  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ. f  He  zealously  preached  to  the 
neglected  prisoners  in  the  castle,  many  of  whom  'gladly  received 
the  word,'  until  he  was  appointed  minister  of  St  Andrews,  from 
which  church  no  offer  of  promotion,  however  advantageous,  could 
induce  him  to  remove.  Although  he  died  at  the  early  age  of  forty- 
four,  his  ministry  had  produced  so  lasting  an  impression  upon  the 
University,  that  ten  years  afterwards,  when  Goodwin  was  an  under- 
graduate, he  being  dead  was  yet  speaking — speaking  by  the  recollec- 
tions of  his  ministry  fondly  cherished  by  many,  by  the  influence  of 
his  writings  then  exceedingly  popular,  and  by  the  teaching  of  his 
pupils  who  were  deeply  imbued,  with  his  earnest  spirit  and  evangelical 

•  Masson's  Life  of  Milton,  p.  87. 

t  Fuller's  Abel  Redivivus  ;  and  Clark's  Ecclesiastical  History. 


XIV  MEMOIR  OP  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

doctrine.  "^^  His  successor,  Mv  Paul  Baines,  also  a  Fellow  of  Christ's 
College,  was  a  man  of  kindred  spirit,  and  equally  successful  in  the 
conversion  of  souls.  Though  deprived  of  his  lecture  for  noncon- 
formity, he  continued  to  preach  as  he  had  opportunity,  until  his 
death  in  1617,  harassed  by  persecution,  and  suffering  from  actuai 
poverty  and  want.f  He  had  been  made  the  instrument  of  the 
conversion  of  Richard  Sibbs,  who  was  at  that  time  lecturing  at 
Trinity  Church  :|:  on  tliose  great  truths,  which,  as  expounded  in  his 
waitings,  have  since  his  death  proved  so  helpful  and  consolatory  to 
many  devout  readers.  Preston,  who  succeeded  Sibbs  as  lecturer  at 
Trinity,  was  then  a  Fellow  of  Queen's,  devoting  himself  to  the  re- 
ligious instruction  of  his  numerous  pupils,  and  preaching  as  he  had 
opportunity,  though  not  without  opposition  from  many  who  were 
jealous  of  his  rising  reputation,  and  offended  by  the  richness  of  Cal- 
vinistic  doctrine  which  distinguished  all  his  discourses.§ 

Christ's  College,  selected  for  the  education  of  Goodwin,  was  at 
that  time  of  high  standing,  both  for  the  number  of  its  students  and 
the  reputation  they  had  acquired  for  scholarship  and  ability.  '  Of 
this  house,'  says  Fuller,  *it  may  without  flattery  be  said,  Many 
daughters  have  done  virtuously,  but  thou  excellest  them  all,  if  we 
consider  the  many  divines  who  in  so  short  a  time  have  here  had 
their  education.'  The  influence  of  Perkins  was  long  felt  in  the 
College,  as  many  whom  he  had  instructed  became  Fellows,  six  of 
whom  when  Goodwin  entered  'were  great  tutors,  who  professed 
religion  after  the  strictest  sort.'  Of  these  Mr  Bently,  a  man  living 
in  the  daily  expectation  of  death  from  apoplexy,  seems  to  have 
deeply  impressed  the  mind  of  the  youth  by  his  holy  life  and  con- 
sistent conversation,  Meade,  afterwards  celebrated  for  his  apocalyp- 
tical researches,  had  been  a  Fellow  since  1610.|| 

Of  Goodwin's  tutor,  William  Power,  little  is  known,  and  that  little 
is  not  creditable  to  him.  He  seems  to  have  been  in  good  repute 
with  no  party  in  the  University.  In  Milton's  time  he  was  disliked 
by  the  other  Fellows  of  the  College,^  and  suspected  by  many  of 

*  *  But  this  may  be  said  of  Master  Perkins,  that  as  physicians  order  infusions 
to  be  made  by  steeping  ingredients  in  them,  and  taking  them  out  again,  so  that 
all  their  strength  and  vii-tue  remain,  yet  none  of  the  bulk  or  mass  is  visible 
therein,  he  in  like  manner  did  distil  and  soak  much  deep  scholarship  into  his 
preaching,  yet  so  insensibly  that  nothing  but  familiar  expressions  did  appear. 
In  a  word,  his  church  consisting  of  the  University  and  town,  the  scholar  could 
hear  no  learneder,  the  townsman  no  plainer  sermons.' — Fuller's  Abel  Redivivus. 

t  Brook's  Puritans,  vol.  ii.,  p.  261 ;  and  Clark's  Lives  annexed  to  his  Martyr- 
ology,  p.  22.  %  Clark's  Lives  annexed  to  Martyrology. 

§  Ibid. :  and  Brook's  Puritans,  vol.  ii.,  p.  352. 

II  Masson's  Milton,  p.  101.  T  Ibid.,  p.  154 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 


being  a  Jesuit  in  'lisguise.  At  the  time  of  the  Earl  of  Manchester's 
visitation  of  the  ■  University,  in  February  1643-44,  he  was  ejected 
from  his  fellowship,  and  being  on  his  way  to  deliver  his  Latin 
lecture  as  Lady  Margaret's  Preacher,  was  hooted  by  the  populace, 
who  called  out,  '  A  pope,  a  pope,'  and  compelled  him  to  return,  glad 
to  escape  without  further  injury.*  Goodwin  says  little  of  his  tutor ; 
probably  he  could  say  nothing  good  of  him,  and  knew  that  others 
said  quite  enough  of  evil. 

The  religious  privileges  of  Cambridge  did  not  at  first  produce  so 
favourable  an  impression  as  might  have  been  expected  on  the 
mind  of  the  young  scholar.  His  early  fears  and  anxieties  respecting 
his  salvation  seem  to  have  subsided  as  he  devoted  himself  thoroughly 
and  earnestly  to  his  collegiate  studies.  He  was  undoubtedly  thus 
preparing  by  scholarly  training  and  literary  acquisition  for  the 
great  work  assigned  him  by  Providence,  of  defending  and  enforc- 
ing evangelical  doctrine  for  the  conviction  and  guidance  of  many 
teachers  of  the  succeeding  age.  But  the  eflect  at  the  time  was 
so  unfavourable  as  to  lead  him  to  conclude,  in  the  calm  review  of 
his  religious  experience,  that  his  earlier  convictions  and  strivings 
with  sin  were  the  result  of  some  common,  not  special  and  saving 
operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  had  therefore  failed  in  the  time 
of  temptation.  The  Puritan  theology,  as  well  as  the  plain  and  earnest 
manner  of  the  Puritan  preachers  of  Cambridge,  became  distasteful  to 
him.  His  views,  as  he  intimates,  were  at  that  time  inclining  to  Armi- 
nianism,andthe  preaching  which  he  admired  was  that  of  Dr  Senhouse, 
distinguished  rather  for  its  ostentatious  display  of  rhetoric  than  for  its 
clear  statement  of  evangelical  truth.f  Though  preserved  from  gross 
immorality,  he  was  living  to  himself,  laying  up  stores  of  information 
for  his  own  glory,  labouring  in  youth  that  he  might  obtain  high  pre- 
ferment in  coming  years,  and  especially  ambitious  of  becoming  an 
eloquent  and  popular,  rather  than  an  evangelical  and  useful  preacher. 
He  was  never  unfaithful  to  his  religious  convictions,  but  they  became 
feeble  in  his  fond  endeavom-s  to  obtain  literary  distinction  and  pro- 
fessional eminence. 

When  fom'teen  years  old  he  received  the  sacrament ;  though  con- 
scientiously seeking  for  evidence  of  his  having  received  the  gi-ace 
of  God  in  truth,  he  was  not  satisfied  that  he  had  done  well  in  mak- 
ing a  profession  and  engagement  of  unreserved  consecration  to  the 

*  "Walker's  Sufferings  of  the  Clergy,  p.  143. 

t  Senhou.se,  at  that  time  preacher  at  St  Mary's,  was  afterwards  promoted  to 
the  bishopric  of  Carlisle.  He  preached  at  the  coronation  of  Charles  I.  *  An 
eloquent  man  he  was  reputed,  and  one  that  could  very  well  express  a  passion.' 
• — Heylin's  Life  of  Laud. 


MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN, 


work  of  the  Lord.  In  hope  of  obtaining  more  comfort  on  the  next 
occasion,  he  carefully  prepared  for  the  service  with  much  prayer  and 
self-examination ;  but  just  as  he  was  rising  from  his  seat  to  approach 
the  step  on  which  the  scholars  knelt,  his  tutor,  who  could  have 
known  but  little  of  his  religious  feelings,  observing  his  juvenile  ap- 
pearance and  diminutive  stature,  sent  a  messenger  to  forbid  him  to 
communicate.  This  was  to  him  a  great  disappointment,  as  he  ex- 
pected that,  after  a  very  careful  preparation,  the  sacrament  would 
prove  so  helpful  and  strengthening  as  to  prevent  him  from  again 
falling  away  from  God.  It  was  the  more  humiliating,  as  he  was 
obliged  to  leave  his  place  in  the  college  chapel  and  retire  in  the  pre- 
sence of  his  companions,  who  were  allowed  to  remain.  Being  thus 
discouraged,  as  he  says,  '  I  knew  not  how  to  go  to  God.*  He  had 
not  then  attained  clear  views  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  and,  being  dis- 
appointed of  the  help  of  a  sacrament,  he  could  not  look  by  faith  from 
the  sign  to  the  great  truth  which  it  signified  and  sealed.  The  effect 
upon  his  mind  was  injurious.  Although  his  confidence  in  his  own 
good  works  was  shaken,  he  found  no  better  faith  to  take  its  place. 
He  became  indifferent  to  religion,  ceased  to  attend  the  preaching  of 
Dr  Sibbs,  whom,  until  that  time,  he  frequently  heard,  and  gave  him- 
self to  such  studies  as  would  enable  him  to  preach  in  the  manner  of 
Dr  Senhouse,  whose  '  flaunting  sermons '  at  St  Mary's  so  excited  his 
emulation,  that  (his  words  are)  '  if  God  would  give  me  the  pleasure  I 
desired,  and  not  damn  me  at  last,  let  him  keep  heaven  to  himself.  I 
often  thought  thus  with  myself.  They  talk  of  their  Puritan  powerful 
preachers,  and  of  Mr  Eogers  of  Dedham,  and  such  others,  but  I  would 
gladly  see  the  man  that  could  trouble  my  conscience.' 

These  thoughts  shew  that,  presumptuous  as  he  was,  he  was  not 
satisfied  with  the  preaching  he  so  passionately  admired.  It  did  not 
seem  to  him  the  way  to  heaven,  or  the  thought  would  not  have  en- 
tered into  his  mind  of  being  '  damned  for  it  at  last.'  How  differently 
he  learnt  to  think  of  '  flaunting  sermons,'  and  of  '  Puritan  powerful 
preachers,'  will  hereafter  appear.  The  sincerity  of  his  convictions 
and  the  justness  of  his  apprehensions  of  the  solemnity  of  preaching 
the  gospel  appeared  in  his  condemning  himself,  in  his  seasons  of 
religious  awakening,  for  the  love  of  fine  sermons.  The  desire  to 
preach  them  he  regarded  as  his  easily  besetting  sin,  of  which  he  had 
to  repent  before  God. 

During  the  remainder  of  his  six  years'  residence  at  Christ's  Col- 
lege, he  seems  to  have  continued  very  much  in  the  same  state  of  mind. 
At  intervals  the  religious  anxieties  and  feelings  of  his  boyhood  were 
revived,  and,  especially  on  the  recurrence  of  sacramental  occasions, 
he  became  thoughtful,  devout,  and  sincerely  desirous,  though  in  his 


MEMOIK  or  DK  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Xvii 

own  strength,  to  make  himself  a  more  worthy  communicant.  But 
throughout,  the  prevalent  desire  of  his  heart  was  to  he  distinguished 
as  a  popular,  learned,  and  eloquent  preacher,  '  like  the  great  wits  of 
St  Mary's,  who  strove  to  exceed  each  other  in  a  vain-glorious  elo- 
quence.' While  such  preaching  was  the  object  of  his  laborious 
imitation,  it  afforded  no  satisfaction  to  his  conscience  or  his  heart. 
Though  his  proud  spirit  would  not  allow  him  to  become  a  Puritan 
preacher,  his  secret  conviction  was  that  the  Puritans  were  doing 
God's  work.  After  hearing  from  his  favourite  preacher  what  he  calls 
*  the  eminentest  farrago  of  all  sorts  of  flowers  of  wit  that  are  found  in 
any  of  the  fathers,  poets,  histories,  similitudes,  or  whatever  has  the 
elegancy  of  wit  in  it,'  he  heard  Dr  Preston  in  the  college  chapel 
'  preaching  against  it  as  vain  and  unedifying.'  Although,  at  the 
time,  neither  Dr  Preston,  nor,  as  he  says, '  all  angels  and  men,'  could 
have  persuaded  him  '  to  alter  his  studies,'  he  never  forgot  the  dis- 
courses of  the  good  Puritan.  As  soon  as  he  was  taught  by  the 
grace  of  God  to  '  mortify  his  master-lust,'  the  love  of  applause,  he 
was  '  never  so  much  as  tempted  to  put  in  any  of  his  own  withered 
flowers  w^hich  he  had  gathered.' 

At  some  time  in  his  college  course,  but  whether  after  his  conver- 
sion, or  in  one  of  those  seasons  of  religious  aAvakening  which  fre- 
quently preceded  it,  is  not  certain,  he  went  to  hear  the  famous 
Puritan  lecturer  of  Dedham.  John  Howe,  in  a  lecture  ^  on  the  divine 
authority  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,'  preached  20th  February  1691, 
relates  the  following  anecdote  : — '  I  think  it  may  be  worth  our  while 
to  tell  you  a  short  passage  which  was  not  long  ago  told  me  by  a  per- 
son, (whose  name  is  well  known  in  London,  and,  I  hope,  savoury  in 
it  yet.  Doctor  Thomas  Goodwin,)  at  such  time  as  he  was  President  of 
Magdalene  College,  in  Oxford :  there  I  had  the  passage  from  him. 
He  told  me  that  being  himself,  in  the  time  of  his  youth,  a  student  at 
Cambridge,  and  having  heard  much  of  Mr  Rogers  of  Dedham,  in 
Essex,  purposely  he  took  a  journey  from  Cambridge  to  Dedham  to 
hear  him  preach  on  his  lecture  day,  a  lecture  then  so  strangely 
thronged  and  frequented,  that  to  those  that  came  not  very  early  there 
was  no  possibility  of  getting  room  in  that  very  spacious  large  church. 
Mr  Rogers  was  (as  he  told  me)  at  that  time  he  heard  him,  on  the 
subject  of  discourse  which  hath  been  for  some  time  the  subject  of 
mine,  the  Scriptures.  And  in  that  sermon  he  falls  into  an  expostu- 
lation with  the  people  about  their  neglect  of  the  Bible ;  (I  am  afraid 
it  is  more  neglected  in  our  days ;)  he  personates  God  to  the  people, 
telling  them,  "  Well,  I  have  trusted  you  so  long  with  my  Bible :  you 
have  slighted  it ;  it  lies  in  such  and  such  houses  all  covered  with 
dust  and  cobwebs.     You  care  not  to  look  into  it.     Do  you  use  my 

VOL.  II.  ^ 


XVIU  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

Bible  SO?  Well,  you  shall  have  my  Bible  no  longer."  And  he 
takes  up  the  Bible  from  his  cushion,  and  seemed  as  if  he  were  going 
away  with  it,  and  carrying  it  from  them ;  but  immediately  turns 
again,  and  personates  the  people  to  God,  falls  down  on  his  knees, 
cries  and  pleads  most  earnestly,  "  Lord,  whatsoever  thou  dost  to  us, 
take  not  thy  Bible  from  us ;  kill  our  children,  burn  our  houses,  de- 
stroy our  goods ;  only  spare  us  thy  Bible,  only  take  not  away  thy 
Bible."  And  then  he  personates  God  again  to  the  people :  "  Say 
you  so  ?  Well,  I  will  try  you  a  while  longer ;  and  here  is  my  Bible 
for  you,  I  will  sec  how  you  will  use  it,  whether  you  will  love  it  more, 
whether  you  will  value  it  more,  whether  you  will  observe  it  more, 
whether  you  will  practise  it  more,  and  live  more  according  to  it." 
But  by  these  actions  (as  the  Doctor  told  me)  he  put  all  the  congre- 
gation into  so  strange  a  posture  that  he  never  saw  any  congregation 
in  his  life ;  the  place  was  a  mere  Bochim,  the  people  generally  (as  it 
were)  deluged  with  their  own  tears ;  and  he  told  me  that  he  himself 
when  he  got  out,  and  was  to  take  horse  again  to  be  gone,  was  fain 
to  hang  a  quarter  of  an  horn*  upon  the  neck  of  his  horse  weeping, 
before  he  had  power  to  mount,  so  strange  an  impression  was  there 
upon  him,  and  generally  upon  the  people,  upon  having  been  thus  ex- 
postulated with  for  the  neglect  of  the  Bible.'  * 

In  his  sixteenth  year,  Goodwin  proceeded  to  the  degree  of  B.A., 
and  obtained  a  high  reputation  for  learning  in  comparison  with  many 
who  were  much  older  than  himself.f 

In  1619,  he  removed  to  Catherine  Hall ;  why  he  did  so  does  not 
very  clearly  appear.  That  house  was  far  inferior  to  Christ's  in  its 
literary  reputation,  the  character  of  its  exercises,  and  the  number  of 
its  scholars.  He  refen-ed  contemptuously  to  his  new  residence.  Why 
did  he  choose  it?  It  was  distinguished  for  evangelical  religion,  but 
I  fear  that  would  then  have  been  to  him  but  small  inducement  to 
make  the  change.  His  former  tutor  was  a  very  quarrelsome  man, 
who  seems  to  have  disagreed  with  everybody  else  with  whom  he  had 
anything  to  do,  but  we  do  not  find  that  he  ever  quarrelled  with 
Goodwin,  whose  amiable  disposition,  apparent  in  the  angry  contro- 
versies of  subsequent  years,  conciliated  many  men  as  quarrelsome  as 
even  William  Power.  Besides,  having  taken  his  degree,  he  had  no 
reason  to  care  for  his  unhappy  tutor.  Possibly  he  expected  to  obtain 
earlier  promotion  where  scholars  were  rare.  If  this  was  his  object, 
he  was  not  disappointed,  for  in  his  twentieth  year,  when  he  com- 
menced M.A.,  he  was  chosen  Fellow  and  lecturer  in  the  Hall.  During 
his  fellowship  he  was  associated  with  four  distinguished  colleagues, 

*  Hunt's  Edition  of  Howe's  Works,  vol.  vi.,  p.  493. 
t  Baker's  MS.  additions  to  Calamy,  Acad.  Reg. 


MEMOIE  OP  DR  TH0MA3  GOODWIN.  xix 

who  afterwards  sat  with  him  in  the  Westminster  Assembly — Strong, 
Arrowsmith,  Spiirstow,  and  Pcrne. 

Of  these,  William  Strong,*  the  author  of  a  celebrated  discourse  on 
the  Two  Covenants,  afterwards  became  pastor  of  an  Independent 
church  which  met  for  some  time  in  Westminster  Abbey.  He  was 
there  buried,  but  his  body  was  disinterred,  on  the  accession  of  Charles 
II.,  and  with  those  of  many  other  eminent  men  thrown  into  a  pit 
in  St  ]\Iargaret's  Churchyard.  John  Arrowsmith,t  distinguished  for 
learning  and  piety,  was  appointed  Master  of  St  John's,  and  afterwards 
of  Trinity.  William  Spurstow:j:  became  Master  of  Catherine  Hall 
in  1644,  but  lost  his  situation  for  refusing  to  take  the  engagement. 
He  was  one  of  the  writers  of  '■  Smectymnuus,'§  chaplain  to  Hampden's 
regiment,  one  of  the  commissioners  at  the  Savoy  conference,  and 
vicar  of  Hackney.  He  was  ejected  by  the  Act  of  Uniformity,  and 
died  in  1667.  The  fourth,  Andrew  Perne,  became  the  devoted,  labo- 
rious, and  successful  rector  of  Wilby  in  Northamptonshire,  refusing 
all  offers  of  preferment  in  London  that  he  might  devote  his  life  to  the 
people  whom  he  loved,  and  by  whom  he  was  revered  and  loved  as  a 
father.  1 1 

The  year  1620,  in  which  Goodwin  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  Cathe- 
rine Hall,  was  to  him  the  most  memorable  of  his  life.  Soon  after 
his  appointment,  passing  St  Edmund's  Church,  (Oct.  2,  1620,)  on 
his  way  to  join  a  party  at  his  old  college,  while  the  bell  was  tolling 
for  a  funeral,  he  was  persuaded  by  his  companion  to  stay  and  hear 
the  sermon.  Unwilling  to  remain,  he  was  ashamed  to  withdraw,  as 
he  had  taken  his  seat  among  several  scholars.  According  to  his  own 
account,  he  *  was  never  in  his  life  so  loath  to  hear  a  sermon.'  He 
however  agreed  to  stay  on  hearing  that  the  preacher  was  Dr  Bain- 
brigge,l[  who  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  witty  man.  The  sermon, 
which  Goodwin  had  heard  before,  was  foanded  on  Luke  xix.  41,  42, 
'  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it, 
saying,  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the 
things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace !  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes.'     The  first  words  of  the  preacher  attracted  his  attention. 

*  Brook's  Puritans,  vol.  iil,  p.  196.  +  Ibid.,  p.  315. 

%  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  86,  658. 

§  A  book  written  in  reply  to  Bishop  Hall's  '  Divine  Eight  of  Episcopacy,'  and 
so  called  from  the  initials  of  its  writers,  Stephen  Marshall,  Edmund  Calamy 
Thomas  Young,  Matthew  Newcomen,  and  William  Spurstow. 

II  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  ii.,  p.  465. 

Tl  The  Master  of  Christ's  CoUege,  called  Bamhridge  in  the  Life  of  Goodwin 
compiled  by  his  son,  Bainbrigge  in  the  copy  of  the  register  given  by  Masson  in 
his  Life  of  Milton,  Bamhrigg  by  Walker  in  the  'Sufferings  of  the  Clergy/ 
though  his  relative  is  in  the  same  account  called  Bamhridge, 


XX  MEMOIR  OF  DK  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

With  the  earlier  part  of  his  discourse  he  was  affected  in  the  same  way 
as  he  had  often  been  on  hearing  evangelical  sermons.  As  the  preacher 
earnestly  enforced  the  importance  of  immediately  turning  to  God  in 
this  the  day  of  grace,  before  these  things  should  be  for  ever  hidden 
and  lost,  he  was  more  deeply  impressed  than  he  had  ever  been 
before,  and  on  retiring  from  the  church  he  told  his  companion,  '  he 
hoped  he  should  be  the  better  for  the  sermon  as  long  as  he  lived.' 

Instead  of  going,  as  he  had  intended,  with  his  companion  to  the 
merry  party  at  Christ's  College,  he  returned  to  his  own  rooms  in 
Catherine  Hall,  refusing  to  spend  the  evening  with  his  friends,  who 
sent  a  messenger  to  remind  him  of  his  engagement.  There,  alone, 
he  felt  as  struck  down  by  a  mighty  power.  The  hand  of  God  took 
hold  of  him  and  would  not  let  him  go.  His  sins  were  brought  to 
his  remembrance.  He  was  led  by  a  way  he  had  not  known,  or,  as 
he  says,  '  he  was  rather  passive  all  the  while  than  active,  and  his 
thoughts  held  under,  while  that  work  went  on.'  His  own  illustra- 
tion of  the  manner  of  his  conversion  is  very  appropriate.  Appointed 
to  preach  some  two  years  afterwards  in  Ely  Cathedral,  where  Dr 
Hills,  the  Master  of  his  College,  held  a  prebendal  stall,  he  told  the 
audience  of  a  man  who  was  converted  (meaning  himself)  and  led 
through  unknown  and  intricate  paths  to  God  in  a  manner  as  won- 
derful '  as  if  a  man  were  to  go  to  the  top  of  that  lantern  (alluding 
to  the  beautiful  lantern-tower  of  the  cathedral)  to  bring  him  into 
all  the  passages  of  the  minster,  within  doors  and  without,  and  knew 
not  a  jot  of  the  way,  and  were  in  every  step  in  danger  to  tread  awry 
and  fall  down.'  He  often  refers  to  his  conversion  as  a  change  in 
which  he  was  entirely  passive,  strangely  guided  in  the  dark,  and 
*  acted  upon  all  along  by  the  Spirit  of  God.' 

His  convictions  of  sin  were  very  deep,  his  resolutions  very  strong, 
his  prayers  very  fervent,  and  his  searchings  of  heart  and  of  Scripture 
very  careful  and  prolonged ;  but  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  though 
so  thorough  and  mighty,  proceeded  but  slowly,  more  slowly  than 
might  have  been  expected,  from  his  sincerity,  earnestness,  and  religious 
education.  He  was  long  in  being  led  through  the  dark  and  intricate 
passages  of  the  toAver  before  he  was  brought  into  the  light  of  the 
cathedral.  He  tells  us  he  '  was  nearly  seven  years  ere  he  was 
taken  off'  from  searching  in  himself  for  signs  of  grace,  to  look 
simply  to  the  grace  of  God,  and  to  live  by  faith  in  Christ.  The 
long  experience  he  had  in  seeking  after  God  in  darkness  and  doubt 
was  the  method  of  God  to  lead  him  eventually  to  clearer  views  of 
evangelical  doctrine,  and  to  greater  skill  in  helping  others  in  trouble 
of  soul  to  accept  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding. 

The  instrument  by  which  God  led  him  to  the  full  enjoyment  of 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  xd 

peace  and  assurance  of  faith  in  Christ  was  Mr  Price,  a  godly  Puri- 
tan minister  of  King's  Lynn,  whither  his  parents  had  removed  from 
Rollesby,  after  he  had  commenced  his  college  course.  Previously 
to  his  conversion  he  had  known  Mr  Price,  who  from  open  profligacy 
and  vice  had  been  brought  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth  as  it 
is  in  Jesus.  His  extraordinary  conversion,  together  with  his  fervent 
preaching  and  exemplary  life,  had  rendered  him  an  object  of  great 
interest  in  the  University.  No  other  man  in  Cambridge  was  so 
greatly  revered  by  Goodwin,  wlio  occasionally  went  to  his  religious 
services,  and  was  so  affected  with  his  prayers  as  to  continue  under 
their  solemn  impression  in  bis  own  private  devotions  for  several 
days  together.  As  these  feelings  subsided,  he  often  resolved  not  to 
yield  to  them  lest  they  should  impede  his  success  in  that  vain- 
glorious style  of  preaching  which  he  had  proposed  as  the  great  end 
of  his  studies  and  life. 

In  the  sorrow  of  his  soul  he  had  recourse  to  the  friendship  of  Mr 
Price,  who  had  then  removed  to  Lynn.  The  letters  of  the  good 
Puritan  led  him  to  cease  from  man,  even  from  himself,  and  to  look 
simply  and  directly  to  Christ  his  only  Saviour,  who  had  died  for  his 
sins,  risen  for  his  justification,  and  ever  lived  to  make  intercession 
for  him.  Deeply  interesting  extracts  from  these  letters  may  be  found 
in  the  Life  of  Goodwin.  The  young  scholar  Avho  had  so  often 
resisted  the  appeals  of  Mr  Price,  and  had  determined  to  preach 
against  his  doctrine  when  he  found  an  opportunity  to  do  so  at  Lynn, 
was  thus  led  by  that  humble  and  holy  man  to  count  all  things  but 
loss,  even  his  learning  and  eloquence,  for  the  excellency  of  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord. 

The  convei-sion  of  Goodwin  suggests  three  important  lessons  : — 
1.  We  may  observe  how  completely  the  strongest  passion  of  his 
soul  was  subdued  by  the  grace  of  God.  Referring  to  a  maxim  of 
Dr  Preston,  he  says,  '  Of  all  others,  my  master-lust  was  mortified.' 
By  his  master-lust  he  meant  no  immoral  propensity  as  men  regard 
immorality,  but  his  desire  to  obtain  distinction  and  honour  by  elo- 
quent preaching.  This  desire,  which  by  many  would  be  regarded 
as  innocent,  or  even  as  laudable,  appeared  to  him  inconsistent  with 
unreserved  consecration  to  the  service  of  God.  He  no  longer  sought 
his  own  things,  but  the  things  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  From  that  time, 
he  studied,  and  preached,  and  lived  as  not  his  own,  but  bought  with 
a  price,  even  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  Self-seeking  in 
every  form,  and  especially  in  the  form  in  which  it  had  been  his 
easily  besetting  sin,  was  abhorrent  from  his  renewed  heart.  Sur- 
rendering his  love  of  literary  distinction  and  popular  applause,  he 
also  renounced  all  expectation  of  preferment  in  the  Church  or  in  the 


XXU  MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

Universitj.  His  preaching  assumed  a  new  form.  It  became  the 
simple,  earnest,  faithful  preaching  of  salvation  hy  grace  through 
faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  When,  many  years  afterwards,  he 
was  appointed  President  of  Magdalen  College,  Oxford,  he  was 
unwilling  to  accept  the  appointment,  and  was  induced  to  do  so  only 
hy  the  remembrance  of  the  many  instances  in  which  his  early 
ministry  had  been  made  effectual  in  the  conversion  of  the  scholars  of 
Cambridge.  Academical  preferment,  so  alluring  to  him  before  his 
conversion,  never  afterwards  occupied  his  thoughts. 

2.  The  experience  of  his  conversion  had  considerable  influence  in 
forming  or  modifying  his  theological  system.  The  religious  opinions 
of  good  men  are  frequently  moulded  by  their  experience  of  the  work 
of  the  Spirit  upon  their  hearts.  If  they  have  felt  that  Spirit  coming 
over  them  in  answer  to  their  prayers,  and  co-operating  with  their 
own  efforts, — if  they  have  been  brought  to  renounce  sin,  and  to 
accept  Christ  by  a  process  so  gradual  that  every  movement  of  the 
Spirit  seems  to  act  simultaneously  with  their  own  endeavours,  they 
are  naturally  induced  to  look  favourably  upon  Arminian  views  of 
Christian  doctrine.  So  it  was  with  John  Wesley,  with  Fletcher  of 
Madeley,  and  with  many  other  evangelical  Arminians.  But  if,  on 
the  contrary,  they  have  been  unexpectedly  stricken  with  a  sense  of 
guilt  they  know  not  how,  and  have  been  brought  to  feel  the  power 
of  God  working  upon  them  without  being  conscious  pf  having  pre- 
viously sought  His  grace,  so  that  they  have  been  impelled  to  re- 
nounce their  sins,  and  made,  as  by  a  miracle,  to  rejoice  in  Christ, 
they  frequently  regard  the  work  of  the  Spirit  as  subduing  their  wills, 
not  strengthening  them,  mastering  their  souls,  not  co-operating 
with  them.  In  this  manner  the  experience  of  Augustine,  of  Martin 
Luther,  and  of  many  others,  has  appeared  in  the  decided  character 
of  their  theology.  Good  men,  on  both  sides,  interpret  Scripture  by 
the  teaching  of  their  own  hearts  quite  as  frequently  as  by  the  appli- 
ances of  logical  reasoning  or  critical  learning. 

The  experience  of  Goodwin,  as  he  relates  it  himself,  may  illus- 
trate both  parts  of  this  statement.  It  had  two  sides,  one  favourable 
to  Arminianism,  the  other  to  Calvinism ;  the  former  belonging  to 
his  early  strivings,  the  latter  to  his  decided  conversion.  His  earlier 
religious  feelings,  closely  associated  with  his  own  desires  and  endea- 
vours to  become  a  true  Christian,  and  excited  on  occasions  of  special 
devotion,  as  when  he  was  preparing  for  the  sacrament,  led  him  to 
regard  favourably  the  Arminian  doctrine,  which  was  then  exciting  a 
great  deal  of  controversy  in  the  University.  His  son  '  often  lieard 
him  say  that,  in  reading  the  Acts  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  taking 
a  review  of  the  first  workings  of  grace  in  himself,  he  found  them 


MRMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  Xxiu 

consonant  wltli  the  Arminian  opinions  ;  but  comparing  his  own  ex- 
perience '  (that  is,  in  wliat  he  regarded  liis  conversion)  '  with  the  doc- 
trines of  the  orthodox  divines,  he  found  the  one  perfectly  to  agree 
with  the  other.  It  was  this  inward  sense  of  things,  out  of  which  a 
man  will  not  suffer  himself  to  be  disputed,  that  established  him  in 
the  truths  of  the  gospel.'  Whether  it  be  right  or  wrong  to  submit 
religious  doctrines  to  this  subjective  test,  few  truly  religious  men 
can  refrain  from  doing  so.  To  this  origin  we  may  trace  his  decided, 
but  not  extravagant  or  bigoted  Calvinism. 

3.  On  his  being  brought  through  deep  and  sorrowful  convictions 
of  sin  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  faith  in  Christ,  his  preaching  became 
exceedingly  useful  in  the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  guidance  of 
inquirers.  He  began  to  speak  from  the  fulness  of  his  heart.  He 
preached  earnestly,  for  he  preached  a  full  and  free  salvation  which 
had  been  the  life  and  joy  of  his  own  soul.  He  preached  experi- 
mentally, for  he  preached  as  he  had  felt,  and  tasted,  and  handled  of 
the  good  word  of  life.  His  great  desire  was  to  convert  sinners  to 
Christ ;  he  thought  no  more  of  the  applause,  reputation,  or  honour, 
which  had.  been  so  precious  to  him ;  he  desired  to  know  nothing 
among  men,  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.  God  gave  testi- 
mony to  the  word  of  his  grace.  The  scholars  of  the  University 
crowded  to  hear  him,  and  many  were  brought  by  his  preaching  to 
the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth,  of  whom  not  a  few  became  emi- 
nent preachers  of  the  gospel.  He  soon  openly  united  himself  with 
the  Puritan  party  in  the  University,  and  zealously  promoted  its 
interest.  On  the  sudden  death  of  Dr  Hills,  in  1626,  he  succeeded 
in  obtaining  the  appointment  of  Dr  Sibbs,  preacher  at  Gray's  Inn, 
as  Master  of  Catherine  Hall.* 

In  1625,  Goodwin  was  licensed  a  preacher  of  the  University ,t  sub- 
scribing the  three  articles,  which  affirm  the  king's  supremacy  in  all 
matters  ecclesiastical  and  civil,  the  accordance  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  with  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  scriptural  authority  of 
the  thirty-nine  articles ;  without  which  subscription  no  person  was 
suffered  to  preach,  or  catechise  in  any  place  as  a  lecturer.^    On  the 

*  Dr  Sibbs,  though,  ejected  from  his  fellowship  and  lectureship  at  Trinity 
Church  for  nonconformity,  retained  the  mastership  of  the  Hall  imtil  his  death. 
The  Pxiritan  character  of  Catherine  Hall  became  so  decided,  that  on  the  visita- 
tion of  the  Earl  of  Manchester  in  1644,  not  one  Fellow  or  Scholar  was  ejected 
for  irreligion,  negligence,  non-residence,  or  disaffection  to  the  Parliament. 

+  Reg.  Acad.     Baker's  MS.  additions  to  Calamy. 

J  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  i.,  p.  430.  It  appears  from  a  certificate  signed 
*  Thomas  Goodwin,  then  curate  of  the  said  church,'  that  he  was  curate  of 
St  Andrews  at  the  date  thereof,  April  6,  1628.  See  Baker's  MS.  Collec,  vol 
vi.,  p.  192,  xvi.,  298,  aa  cited  by  Brook  in  his  Lives  of  the  Puritans,  aa-t. 


XXIV  MEMOIR  OF  DK  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

death  of  Dr  Preston,  who  having  succeeded  Sihbs  as  lecturer  of 
Trinity  Church,  preferred  that  sphere  of  great  usefulness  to  a  bishop- 
ric offered  him  by  the  Duke  of  Buckingham,  Goodwin  was  appointed 
to  the  vacant  office,  and  most  zealously,  laboriously,  and  successfully 
devoted  his  time  and  strength  to  promote  the  spiritual  interests  of  the 
townsmen  and  the  numerous  scholars  who  attended  his  ministry. 
The  Bishop  of  Ely  at  first  refused  to  admit  him  unless  he  would 
solemnly  promise  not  to  preach  upon  any  controverted  points  of 
divinity'.  Without  making  any  such  promise,  he  was  eventually 
admitted,  and  was  presented  by  the  king  to  the  vicarage  of  the  same 
church  in  1632.  In  1630,  he  proceeded  to  the  degree  of  B.D.  One 
of  the  first  acts  of  Laud  after  he  had  attained  the  Primacy  was  to 
require  the  bishops  to  watch  strictly  over  the  lecturers,  and  to  send 
him  an  annual  report  respecting  them.  White,  at  that  time  Bishop 
of  Ely,  was  one  of  the  most  zealous  of  the  Primate's  adherents. 
Troubled  by  his  interference,  and  growing  dissatisfied  with  the 
restrictions  imposed  upon  preaching  the  evangelical  truth  which  he 
had  found  to  be  the  life  of  his  own  soul,  he  resigned  his  lectureship 
at  Trinity  Church  in  1634  *  as  well  as  his  fellowship  at  Catherine 
Hall,  and  removed  from  Cambridge. 

After  he  left  Cambridge,  little  more  is  known  of  him  for  the 
next  five  years  than  his  marriage  in  1638  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Alderman  Prescot  of  London.  As  Baillie  accuses  him  of  propagating 
the  opinions  of  the  Independents  before  he  went  to  Holland,!  it  is 
probable  that  he  was  engaged  in  studying  the  principles  of  church 
government,  corresponding  with  Independent  ministers  in  Holland 
and^ew  England,  preaching  as  he  had  opportunity  to  congregations 
of  Separatists,  and  frequently  incurring  the  risk  of  fine  and  imprison- 
ment. During  this  time  the  power  of  Laud  was  sufficient  to  suppress 
most  of  the  lectureships,  to  reduce  to  subservience  the  few  lecturers 
who  retained  their  situations,  and  to  enforce  by  severe  measures 
uniformity  of  worship,  especially  in  the  dioceses  where  the  bishops 
were  imbued  with  his  spirit,  or  sought  to  obtain  his  favour.  Many 
godly  ministers,  wearied  with  fines,  imprisonment,  every  kind  of 

Thomas  Edwards,  It  is  not,  however,  certain  that  this  was  the  same  Thomas 
Goodwin. 

*  He  had  resigned  the  vicarage  of  this  church  in  favour  of  his  friend  Dr 
Sibbs  in  1G33.     Brook's  Puritans,  vol,  ii.,  p.  417, 

+ '  Master  Robinson  did  derive  his  way  to  his  Separatist  congregation  at 
Ley  den,  a  part  of  them  did  carry  it  over  to  Plymouth  in  New  England  ;  here 
Master  Cotton  did  take  it  up  and  transmit  it  from  thence  to  Master  Thomas 
Goodwin,  who  did  help  to  propagate  it  to  sundry  others  in  Old  England  first, 
and  after  to  more  in  Holland,  till  now  by  many  hands  it  is  sown  thick  in  divera 
parts  of  this  kingdom,' — Baillie's  Dissuasive. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  XXV 

annoyance,  and  yet  resolved  to  maintain  a  good  conscience  at  all 
costs,  fled  from  the  country,  some  to  New  England,  others  to  such 
Protestant  towns  on  tlie  Continent  as  would  afford  them  liberty  of 
worshipping  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  consciences. 

In  some  towns  of  the  Low  Countries,  where  many  refugees  from 
Popish  lands  had  found  protection  from  their  persecutors,  there 
prevailed,  under  the  free  government  of  the  States-General,  prin- 
ciples of  toleration  and  religious  liberty  unknown  in  any  other 
part  of  the  world.  In  some  of  these  towns  English  merchant! 
had  settled,  and  as  many  of  them  were  religious  men,  they  naturally 
sought  to  obtain  the  same  freedom  of  worship  as  their  French  and 
Flemish  neighbours  enjoyed.  The  congregations  which  they 
formed  enjoyed  liberties  of  which  their  countrymen  in  England 
were  deprived  by  the  j)relatical  ascendancy.  It  was  to  be  expected 
that  the  Puritan  ministers,  harassed,  silenced,  fined  in  their  own 
country,  would  seek  to  exercise  their  ministry  among  those  free  con- 
gregations of  Holland.  So  many  went  over  that  the  attention  ol 
Laud  was  directed  to  their  proceedings,  and  he  made  several  attempts, 
though  in  vain,*  to  reduce  them  to  that  uniformity  which  he  had 
thoroughly,  as  he  thought,  established  throughout  England.  Pro- 
tected by  the  tolerance  of  the  Dutch  government,  they  adopted  such 
modes  of  church  discipline  as  seemed  to  themselves  most  agreeable 
to  Scripture.  Though  most  of  their  churches  were  Presbyterian, 
some  preferred  the  Congregational  discipline  brought  into  the  country 
by  Johnson,  Ames,  Robinson,  and  their  followers.  Most  of  the  books 
which  at  that  time  were  circulated  in  England  in  exposition  and 
defence  of  Congregational  principles  had  been  written  and  printed  in 
Holland,  where  they  were  favourably  received  and  generally  read  by 
English  exiles. 

Goodwin  at  first  settled  in  Amsterdam,!  where  he  had  frequent 
opportunities  of  conferring  with  Nye,  Burroughs,  Bridge,  and  Symp- 
son,  who  were  afterwards  united  with  him  as  '  the  dissenting  breth- 
ren,' or  Independents,  in  the  Westminster  Assembly.  The  influence 
of  Goodwin  over  the  minds  of  his  brethren,  so  apparent  in  later 
years,  commenced,  there  can  be  little  doubt,  in  the  friendly  consul- 
tations and  inquiries  of  the  society  with  which  they  were  connected 
at  Amsterdam.  The  teachers  being  numerous,  they  agreed  to  sepa- 
rate, and  Goodwin  removed  to  Arnheim,|  in  Guelderland,  where  ten 
or  twelve  English  families  had  previously  resided,  and  obtained  per- 
mission from  the  magistrates  to  assemble  regularly  for  divine  wor- 
ship.    The  congregation  consisted  of  about  one  hundred  persons, 

*  Heylin's  Life  of  Laud,  p.  274. 

+  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  ii.,  p.  42.  %  Ibid.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  140. 


XXVl  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

over  whom  Philip  Nje  had  been  for  some  time  settled.  In  the  free- 
dom of  this  society,  Goodwin  and  Nye  pursued  more  extensively 
their  inquiries  about  church  order  and  discipline,  and  arrived  at  the 
conclusions  which  they  afterwards  clearly  stated,  and  ably  defended, 
in  the  '  Apologetical  Narration.'  In  that  work  they  say — '  We  had 
of  all  men  the  greatest  reason  to  be  true  to  our  own  consciences  in 
what  we  should  embrace,  seeing  it  was  for  our  consciences  that  we 
were  deprived  at  once  of  whatever  was  dear  unto  us.  We  had  no 
new  commonwealth  to  frame  church  government  unto,  whereof  any 
one  piece  might  stand  in  the  other's  way  to  cause  the  least  variation 
from  the  primitive  pattern.  We  had  no  state  ends  or  political  inte- 
rests to  comply  with ;  no  kingdoms  of  our  age  to  subdue  into  our 
mould,  which  yet  will  be  co-existent  with  the  peace  of  any  form 
of  civil  government  on  earth ;  no  preferment  or  worldly  respects  to 
shape  our  opinions  for.  We  had  nothing  else  to  do  but  simply  and 
singly  to  consider  how  to  worship  God  acceptably,  and  most  accord- 
ing to  his  Word.'  While  their  principles  of  church  government 
were  nearly  the  same  as  those  of  the  Brownists,  they  carried  them 
into  practice  in  a  very  different  spirit  from  that  of  Robert  Brown  and 
his  adherents.  To  them,  and  certainly  to  Goodwin  quite  as  much 
as  to  his  brethren,  the  rigid  separatism  of  the  first  Independents  was 
exceedingly  offensive.  They  resolved,  as  they  say,  '  not  to  take  up 
our  religion  by  or  from  any  party,  and  yet  to  approve  and  hold  what- 
ever is  good  in  any,  though  never  so  much  differing  from  us,  yea, 
opposed  unto  us.'  Nor  did  they  refuse  to  acknowledge  as  members 
of  the  true  church  all,  to  whatever  church  they  might  belong,  who 
professed  themselves  believers,  and  evinced  the  sincerity  of  their  pro- 
fession by  the  sanctity  of  their  lives.* 

While  he  was  at  Arnheim  serious  differences  arose  in  the 
Independent  church  at  Rotterdamf  between  the  two  ministers 
Bridge  and  Ward,  on  the  subject  of  the  prophesy ings  of  private 
members,  which  had  been  generally  encouraged  in  the  Brownist 
churches.  As  the  controversy  produced  unhappy  dissensions,  and 
even  unfriendly  separation,  Goodwin,  accompanied  by  his  colleague, 
went  thither  to  compose  the  differences,  and  happily  succeeded  in 
allaying  the  irritation,  and  restoring  peace  to  the  reunited  church. 
Heylin,:}:  who  exultingly  describes  this  division  at  Rotterdam  as  the 
natm-al  fruit  of  the  separatist  spirit,  is  obliged  to  confess,  though 

*  How  firmly  Goodwin  maintained  these  liberal  views  may  be  seen  in  his 
thirty-sixth  sermon  on  Eph.  i.  The  consistency  of  his  practice  is  shewn  by 
his  kind  and  liberal  proposal  to  John  Howe  to  unite  with  his  church  in  Oxford, 
though  differing  from  some  of  his  opinions.    See  hereafter,  p.  xxxv. 

t  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  iii.,  p.  140.  J  Life  of  Laud,  p.  367. 


MEMOIE  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWrHT.  XXVll 

with  a  bad  grace,  that  at  Arnheim  the  ministers  maintained  unity 
among  themselves,  and  harmony  among  the  people.  This  testimony 
is  valuable  as  coming  from  '  lying  Peter,'  the  unscrupulous  advocate 
of  Laud,  and  not  the  less  so  as  found  in  connexion  with  gross  mis- 
representation of  Goodwin  and  his  friends. 

^A'^hile  Goodwin  was  studying  in  Holland  the  principles  and  prac- 
tices of  the  apostolic  churches,  a  great  change  came  over  the  aspect 
of  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical  affairs  in  his  native  land.  During  the 
two  years  of  his  expatriation,  the  English  government,  by  its  unscru- 
pulous efforts  to  suppress  civil  and  religious  liberty,  brought  both 
patriots  and  Puritans  to  unite  in  resisting  its  usurpation.  The  Long 
Parliament  impeached  Laud,  and  invited  the  return  of  all  who  had 
left  their  country  for  nonconformity. 

Goodwin  soon  availed  himself  of  the  liberty  to  return,  and,  settling 
in  London,  gathered  an  Independent  church  in  the  parish  of  St 
Dunstan's-in-the-East.*  The  site  of  his  meeting-house  cannot  be 
ascertained,  though  it  was  near  Thames  Street.  Over  this  church  he 
presided  with  much  comfort  and  prosperity  for  ten  years, — that  is, 
through  the  whole  time  of  the  civil  war, — until  in  1650  he  was  selected 
for  the  presidency  of  Magdalene  College,  Oxford.f 

Wliile  engaged  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  pastorate, 
Goodwin  rose  to  eminence  as  a  preacher ;  and  on  occasion  of  the 
solemn  fast  on  the  27th  of  April  1642,  he  was  selected  to  preach 
before  the  House  of  Commons.  The  sermon,  which  was  an  earnest 
exhortation  to  promote  the  work  of  further  reformation  in  Eng- 
land, was  founded  on  Zech.  iv.  6-9.  It  was  printed  by  order  of  the 
House,  and  entitled,  '  Zerubbabel's  Encouragement  to  Finish  the 
Temple.'  This  sermon  is  still  worthy  of  perusal.  Its  object  may  be 
inferred  from  the  brief  dedication  '  to  the  Honourable  House  of 
Commons  assembled  in  Parliament.'  As  that  dedication  affords 
some  illustration  of  the  character  and  pursuits  of  its  author,  who, 
though  often  engaged  in  controversy,  was  far  from  being  the 
fierce  controversialist  he  is  sometimes  represented,  it  is  here  in- 
serted : — 

*  Wilson's  Dissenting  CHurclies,  vol.  i.,  p.  214. 

•j-  The  church  thus  formed  and  strengthened  by  Dr  Goodwin  became,  under 
his  successors,  and  continued  for  many  years,  the  most  important  and  influen- 
tial of  the  Independent  churches  in  London.  No  congregation  for  many  years 
made  so  large  collections  for  the  Independent  fund.  They  erected  a  commodi- 
ous meeting-house  in  Lime  Street,  Leadenhall  Street,  where  they  continued  to 
worship  until  1755,  when  it  was  removed  to  afiord  a  site  for  the  India  House. 
A  division  then  took  place,  and  the  more  considerable  part  removed  to  Miles 
Lane,  thence  to  Camomile  Street,  and  eventually  to  the  Poultry  Chapel,  where 
the  church  stiU  flourishes  imder  the  able  ministry  of  the  Kev.  Dr.  Spence. 


XXVIU  MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

*  Your  command  giving  me  the  opportunitj,  I  took  tlie  boldness 
to  urge  and  to  encourage  you  to  clmrch  reformation,  which  is  the 
main  scope  of  this  sermon,  a  subject  which  otherwise,  and  in  all 
other  auditories,  I  have  been  silent  in,  and  am  in  no  whit  sorrjj  for 
it.  For  I  account  it  the  most  fit  and  happy  season  to  utter  things 
of  this  nature  unto  authority  itself  (although  the  people  likewise  are 
to  know  their  duty.)  My  comfort  is,  that  what  I  have  spoken 
herein,  I  have  for  the  general  (and  I  have  spoken  but  generals)  long 
believed,  and  have  therefore  spoken. 

'  You  are  pleased  so  far  to  own  me  as  to  betrust  me  with  this  service 
to  be  God's  mouth  in  public  unto  you,  and  also  this  sermon  of  mine 
as  to  command  the  publishing  of  it.  Wherefore  as  in  propriety  it  is 
now  become  yours  more  than  mine  or  all  the  world's,  so  let  it  be  in 
the  use  of  it.  If  it  shall  add  the  least  strengthening  to  your  resolu- 
tions, to  keep  this  purpose  for  ever  in  the  thoughts  of  your  hearts,  I 
have  what  I  aimed  at.  Go  on,  worthy  fathers,  and  elders  of  this 
people,  and  prosper  in  (yea,  by)  this  work,  without  which  nothing 
that  you  do  will  prosper.  But  the  rest  I  shall  speak  to  God  for  you. 
Let  me  be  known  to  you  by  no  other  thing  than  this :  to  be  one 
whose  greatest  desires  and  constant  prayers  are  and  have  been,  and 
utmost  endeavours  in  my  sphere  shall  be,  for  the  making  up  of  the 
divisions  of  the  church  in  these  distracted  times  with  love  of  truth 
and  peace ;  and  therein,  to  use  David's  words,  am 

'  Wholly  at  your  commanding, 

'  Tho.  Goodt7IN.' 

In  1643,  the  celebrated  Assembly  of  Divines  met  at  Westminster, 
of  which  Goodwin  was  appointed  a  member.  W^ith  him  were  asso- 
ciated his  four  companions  in  exile,  Nye,  Bridge,  Burroughs,  and 
Sympson,  who  Avere  generally  known  as  '  the  dissenting  brethren,' 
on  account  of  their  opposition  to  that  uniformity  of  Presbyterian 
discipline  which  the  Assembly  desired  to  have  established  throughout 
England.  In  the  several  accounts  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Assem- 
bly, Goodwin  is  frequently  mentioned  as  their  leader,  and  undoubt- 
edly the  several  documents  which  they  offered  were  drawn  up  by 
him.  Nye  was  a  powerful  speaker.  Burroughs  an  acute  reasoner. 
Bridge  a  persuasive  pleader,  but  Goodwin  was  the  strength  of 
the  party.  Although  he  took  so  decided  and  prominent  a  part  in 
opposition  to  the  cherished  opinions  of  the  majority  of  the  Assembly, 
his  Christian  temper  and  gentle  deportment  conciliated  the  esteem  of 
all,  even  of  those  who  most  widely  differed  from  him  in  the  views 
for  which  he  most  earnestly  pleaded. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  XXIX 

Of  all  who  were  present,  few  were  so  decidedly  opposed  to  '  the 
dissenting  brethren'  as  the  Scottish  Commissioners,  and  of  them 
Baillie  was  certainly  quite  as  earnest  as  any  in  his  desire  to  see 
Presbyterian  uniformity  established  in  the  south  as  well  as  the  north 
of  the  island.  But  he  scarcely  ever  refers  to  Goodwin  without  some 
expression  of  esteem,  even  when  most  vexed  with  his  proceedings. 
Thus  in  Letter  xlil,  he  says — '  While  we  were  sweetly  debating,  in 
came  Mr  Goodwin,  who  incontinent  assayed  to  turn  all  upside  down, 
to  reason  against  all  directions.  He  troubled  us  so  that  after  long 
debates  we  could  conclude  nothing.  For  the  help  of  this  evil  we 
thought  it  best  to  speak  with  him  in  private :  so  we  invited  him  to 
dinner,  and  spent  an  afternoon  with  him  very  sweetly.  It  were  a 
thousand  pities  of  that  man  :  he  is  of  many  excellent  parts.'  Baillie 
speaks  of  his  Treatise  on  Sanctification  as  one  which  he  must  bring 
with  him,  and  calls  him  and  his  brethren  '  learned,  discreet,  and 
zealous  men,  well  seen  in  cases  of  conscience.'*  To  him  pre-eminently 
may  be  applied  Baillie's  words, '  The  Independents  truly  speak  much, 
and  exceedingly  well.'f  He  was  chosen  to  pray  in  the  solemn 
meeting  of  seven  hours'  duration  in  which  the  Assembly  prepared  to 
enter  on  the  debate  concerning  the  discipline  of  the  church.J  That 
he  usually  spoke  with  remarkable  moderation  and  forbearance  may 
be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  on  one  occasion,  Baillie  speaks  of 
'hotter  words  than  were  expected  from  Goodwin. '§  Every  reader  of 
the  intemperate,  vituperative  pamphlets  of  the  time,  especially  in  re- 
ference to  these  discussions,  must  admire  his  calm  reasoning  and  free- 
dom from  the  angry  tone  and  spirit  which  were  generally  prevalent, 
and  in  some  degree  excused  by  the  excited  state  of  the  disputants 
among  all  parties. 

The  estimate  formed  of  his  ability  and  influence  by  the  Court  party 
may  be  inferred  from  a  statement  of  Whitelock,  who  says,  that  in 
January  1643-4,  '  Ogle,  for  the  King,  wrote  to  Mr  Thomas  Goodwin 
and  Mr  Nye,  of  the  Independent  judgment,  to  make  great  promises 
to  them  if  they  would  oppose  the  Presbyterian  government,  intended 
by  the  Scots  to  be  imposed  upon  England,  and  much  to  that  purpose. 
These  two  being  persons  of  great  judgment  and  parts,  acquainted 
their  friends  herewith,  and  were  authorised  to  continue  a  correspond- 
ence with  Ogle,  who  gained  no  ground  with  them.'  || 

In  1644,  he  and  Nye  published  '  Cotton's  Keys  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven,  and  Power  thereof,  according  to  the  Word  of  God,'  in 
the  preface   of  which   they   expounded  their   views    of  ecclesias- 

•  Baillie's  Letters  and  Journals,  1775,  vol.  i.,  p.  253.  +  Ibid.,  p.  401. 

X  Lightfoot's  Works,  vol.  xiii.,  p.  19.  §  Letter  ill 

II  Whitelock's  Memorials,  p.  76. 


XXX  MEMOIE  OF  DK  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

tical  goyernment  in  accordance  with  those  of  the  New  England 
churches.* 

The  Directory  for  Puhlic "Worship  being  completed  hj  the  Assembly, 
Goodwin  was  one  of  the  members  appointed  to  present  it  to  the  Par- 
liament on  the  21st  of  December  IGM.f  On  February  25,  1645,  he 
preached  again  before  Parliament.  The  discourse,  founded  on  Psalm 
cv.  14,  15,  '  He  suffered  no  man  to  do  them  wrong :  9/ea,  he  reproved 
kings  for  their  sakes ;  saying,  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my 
prophets  no  harm^  was  ordered  to  be  printed,  and  entitled  'The 
Great  Interest  of  States  and  Kingdoms.' 

Few  of  its  members  attended  the  Assembly  so  regularly  as  Good- 
win, or  took  so  much  interest  in  its  proceedings.  In  1647,  by  an 
order  from  the  House  of  Lords,  he  was  appointed  with  Jeremiah 
Whitaker  to  have  the  oversight  and  examination  of  the  papers  to  be 
printed  for  the  Assembly.  %  His  notes,  taken  for  the  most  part  in 
short-hand,  fill  fourteen  volumes,  which  are  preserved  in  Dr  Wil- 
liams' Library  in  Redcross  Street. 

Under  date  of  23d  May  1649,  Whitelock  has  this  entry,  '  Upon  a 
letter  from  the  General '  (who  was  then  being  solemnly  welcomed 
and  highly  feasted  at  Oxford  on  his  return  from  putting  down  the 
levellers)  '  for  a  lecture  to  be  set  up  in  Oxford,  and  for  Dr  Reynolds, 
Mr  Caryl,  and  ]\Ir  Thomas  Goodwin  to  be  lecturers  there,  referred  to 
the  committee  to  have  it  done.'  § 

On  the  7th  of  June  1649,  the  day  appointed  by  Parliament  for 
public  thanksgiving  for  the  quelling  of  the  insurrection  of  the 
levellers,  Goodwin  and  Owen  preached  before  Cromwell  and  the 
Parliament,  at  Christ  Church  in  the  city.  On  the  following  day 
*  the  hearty  thanks  of  the  House  were  voted  for  their  sermons,  and 
it  was  referred  to  the  Oxford  Committee  to  prefer  Mr  Thomas  Good- 
win and  Mr  Owen  to  be  Heads  of  Colleges  in  that  university.'  On 
the  recommendation  of  that  Committee,  it  was  ordered  on  the  8th  of 
January  following  that  ^  Mr  Thomas  Goodwin  be  President  of 
Magdalene  College  in  Oxford,  and  it  be  referred  to  the  Committee 
of  the  Universities,  how  the  Heads  of  Houses  in  the  several  Univer- 
sities may  be  settled  and  disposed  of  without  trouble  to  the  House.' 
Whoever  else  were  to  be  promoted  by  the  Committee,  the  appoint- 
ment of  Goodwin  to  the  high  and  responsible  office  of  President  of 
Magdalene  was  made  by  order  of  the  House. 

That  Goodwin  was  well  qualified  for  the  office  by  his  learning, 
ability,  piety,  and  habits  of  business  must  be  readily  acknowledged 

*  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  ii.,  p.  259. 

t  Baillie's  Letters,  vol.  ii.,  p.  73 ;  Letter  Ixxxv. 

X  Brook's  Puritans,  vol.  iii.,  p.  19L  §  Whitelock's  Memorials. 


MEMOIR  OF  DK  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  XXXI 

by  all  who  are  acquainted  with  his  life  and  writings.  His  early 
training  and  scholarly  acquirements  in  Cambridge,  his  successful 
practice  as  a  tutor  and  lecturer  in  that  University,  the  biblical  and 
theological  learning  which  he  had  acquired  in  Holland  and  in  Lon- 
don, his  love  of  all  literature  as  it  appeared  in  the  noble  library 
which  he  had  diligently  collected,  were  quite  suflScient  to  justify  the 
appointment,  had  he  not  rendered  eminent  service  to  the  Common- 
wealth, for  which  Parliament  conferred  on  him  this  honourable  ex- 
pression of  its  approbation.  That  the  presidency  of  a  college  was 
his  appropriate  reward,  may  be  inferred  from  the  hopes  and  en- 
deavours of  other  colleges  to  obtain  the  honour  and  advantage  of 
his  government.  In  1649,  Tillotson,  then  a  scholar  in  Clare  Hall, 
Cambridge,  wrote  to  his  friend  Mr  Henry  Eoot,  pastor  of  a  Congre- 
gational church  at  Sowerby,  near  Halifax, — '■  As  for  our  University 
affairs  they  are  as  before  1  came  into  the  country,  only  wehave^ess  hopes 
of  procuring  Mr  Thomas  Goodwin  for  our  Master  than  we  then  had.'* 

Why  he  accepted  the  office  so  honourably  conferred  is  explained 
by  himself  in  the  account  of  his  life  published  by  his  son.  On  leav- 
ing Cambridge  he  had  resigned,  '■  for  his  whole  life,  all  ecclesiastical 
preferment.'  He  never  sought,  he  never  expected  to  recover  it ;  but 
he  loved  to  assist  godly  young  men  in  their  studies  for  the  min- 
istry. This  was  his  favourite  employment  in  Cambridge,  and  in  it 
he  had  been  eminently  successful.  After  his  return  from  Holland,  he 
had  for  some  years,  well-nigh  every  month,  serious  and  hearty  acknow- 
ledgments from  several  young  men  who  had  received  '  the  light  of 
their  conversion  '  by  his  ministrations  in  the  University.  His  great 
motive  in  accepting  the  presidency  of  !^Iagdalene  was,  not  love  of 
academical  distinction,  but  the  desire  ^  to  bring  in  young  men  that 
were  godly,  both  Fellows  and  scholars,  that  should  serve  God  in  the 
ministry  in  after-times.'  His  chief  encouragement,  in  dependence 
upon  God,  was  the  remarkable  success  of  his  labours  in  his  former 
university  life. 

The  separation  from  the  church  over  which  he  had  presided  with 
■uninterrupted  comfort  and  prosperity  for  nearly  ten  years  was  his 
principal  difficulty.  Three  years  before,  when  it  was  doubtful  whether 
toleration  would  be  granted  to  the  Independents,  he  regarded  an 
invitation  from  Mr  Cotton  of  Boston  to  labour  in  New  England  as  a 
call  of  Providence,  and  proceeded  to  secure  his  passage,  and  put  a 
large  part  of  his  valuable  library  on  board  the  vessel,  but  at  the  last 
the  entreaty  and  persuasion  of  his  beloved  friends  prevailed,  and  in- 
duced him  to  remain  as  their  pastor  in  London.  The  time  to  leave 
them  was  now,  as  he  thought,  fully  come,  but  he  thought  so  because 
•  Palmer's  Nonconformists'  Memorial,  Second  Edit.,  voL  iii.,  p.  481. 


XXXU  MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

there  was  a  great  work  to  be  done  at  Oxford,  for  whicTi  he  was 
especially  qualified  h  j  previous  attainments  and  prolonged  experience. 
On  his  resignation  of  the  pastoral  oiSce  it  must  have  been  a  source 
of  satisfaction  to  have  been  able  to  commend  his  church  to  so  able 
and  successful  a  preacher  as  Mr  Thomas  Harrison,*  his  succes- 
sor, under  whose  ministry  the  meeting-place  in  St  Dunstan's  was 
crowded  every  Lord's-day.  Goodwin  had  been  some  time  a  widower, 
when,  in  the  prospect  of  returning  to  college  life,  he  married  Mary 
Hammond,  of  an  ancient  and  honourable  Shropshire  lineage.  Al- 
though he  was  in  his  fiftieth  year,  he  selected  a  lively  girl  of 
seventeen  to  be  the  partner  of  his  college  pleasures  and  cares. 
Though  so  young,  she  seems  to  have  made  the  reverend  Pre- 
sident a  prudent  and  excellent  wife.  There  are  some  strange 
rumours  of  the  austerity  and  gloom  which  prevailed  in  the  College 
during  his  government ;  but  Goodwin  was  far  enough  from  being  an 
austere  and  gloomy  man.  The  Independents  of  the  Commonwealth, 
however  earnest  and  devout,  were  not  the  most  austere  of  the  Puri- 
tans. Owen  is  said  to  have  been  foppish  in  his  dress,  and  spruce  in 
his  boots  and  snake-bands.  H  Goodwin  was  not  so  stylish  as  his 
friend  at  Christ  Church,  he  may  be  recognised,  by  several  well- 
authenticated  incidents  of  his  life,  as  an  active,  pleasant,  genial,  and 
even  occasionally  facetious  man.  In  the  account  of  an  interview  of 
a  young  gentleman  with  the  Puritan  head  of  a  college  given  by 
Addison  in  the  '  Spectator'  (No.  494),  Goodwin  may  be  recognised  by 
his  nightcaps,  for  he  had  become  especially  careful  in  protecting  his 
brains  from  the  cold.f  The  exaggeration  is  founded  on  the  well- 
known  anxiety  of  the  President  to  encourage  pious  youth  whom  he 
believed  to  be  prepared  and  called  by  Divine  grace  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry.  The  young  gentleman  (one  of  the  Henleys  of  Oxford- 
shire) well-instructed  in  classical  literature,  though  unaccustomed .  to 
religious  inquiries,  wished  to  consult  the  President  about  entering 
the  college.  '■  A  gentleman,'  says  the  '  Spectator,'  '  who  was  lately  a 
great  ornament  to  the  learned  world,  has  diverted  me  more  than 
once  with  an  account  of  the  reception  which  he  met  with  from  a  very 

*  "Wilson's  Dissenting  Churches,  vol.  i.,  p.  221. 

t  His  son,  when  in  Eome,  is  said  to  have  been  very  civilly  received  by  Car- 
dinal Howard,  who,  referring  to  his  father's  work  on  the  Revelation,  inquired 
if  he  had  made  any  further  discovery  relating  to  the  Pope.  An  evasive  answer 
being  returned,  referring  to  the  difficulty  of  understanding  so  obscure  a  book, 
the  cardinal  replied,  '  Yes,  especially  when  a  man  has  half-a-dozen  nightcaps 
over  his  eyes.' — Biog.  Brit.,  vol.  v.,  p.  505,  note.  Wilson,  repeating  this  anec- 
dote, says  the  porti-ait  '  represents  him  with  at  least  two  or  three'  nightcaps, 
evidently  mistaking  the  President's  cap,  with  its  band,  for  two  or  three  caps. 
History  of  Dissenting  Churches,  vol.  iii.,  p.  448. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  XXxiii 

famous  Independent  minister  who  was  head  of  a  college  in  those 
times.  This  gentleman  was  then  a  young  adventurer  in  the  republic 
of  letters,  and  just  fitted  out  for  the  University  witii  a  good  cargo  of 
Latin  and  Greek.  His  friends  were  resolved  that  he  should  try  his 
fortune  at  an  election  which  was  drawing  near,  in  the  college  of 
which  the  Independent  minister  whom  I  have  before  mentioned  was 
governor.  The  youth,  according  to  custom,  waited  on  him  to  be 
examined.  He  was  received  at  the  door  by  a  servant  who  was  one 
of  that  gloomy  generation  that  were  then  in  fashion.  He  conducted 
him  with  great  silence  and  seriousness  to  a  long  gallery,*  which  was 
darkened  at  noon-day,  and  had  only  a  single  candle  burning  in  it. 
After  a  short  stay  in  this  melancholy  apartment,  he  was  led  into  a 
chamber  hung  with  black,  where  he  entertained  himself  for  some 
time  by  the  glimmering  of  a  taper,  until  at  length  the  Head  of  the 
College  came  out  to  him  from  an  inner  room,  with  half-a-dozen 
nightcaps  upon  his  head,  and  religious  horror  in  his  countenance. 
The  young  man  trembled ;  but  his  fears  increased,  when  instead  of 
being  asked  what  progress  he  had  made  in  learning,  he  was  exa- 
mined how  he  abounded  in  grace.  His  Latin  and  Greek  stood  him 
in  little  stead ;  he  was  to  give  an  account  only  of  the  state  of  his 
soul,  whether  he  was  of  the  number  of  the  elect,  what  was  the 
occasion  of  his  conversion,  upon  what  day  of  the  month  and  hour  of 
the  day  it  happened,  how  it  was  carried  on,  and  when  completed. 
The  whole  examination  was  summed  up  with  one  short  question, 
namely,  Whether  he  was  prepared  for  death?  The  boy,  who  had 
been  bred  up  by  honest  parents,  was  frighted  out  of  his  wits  at  the 
solemnity  of  the  proceeding,  and  by  the  last  dreadful  interrogatory ; 
so  that  upon  making  his  escape  out  of  this  house  of  mourning,  he 
could  never  be  brought  a  second  time  to  the  examination,  as  not 
being  able  to  go  through  the  terrors  of  it.' 

To  Addison,  the  idea  of  a  moral,  well-conducted  young  man  asked 
to  give  an  account  of  the  time  and  manner  in  which  he  '  had  received 
Divine  grace '  was  amusingly  unreal ;  but  to  Goodwin,  who  looked 
upon  that  event  as  the  grand  reality  of  his  life,  it  was  very  natural 
and  proper  to  propose  such  an  inquiry.  Had  the  young  gentleman 
not  been  prejudiced  by  an  introduction  to  which  he  was  unac- 
customed, he  would  have  perceived  little  else  than  kindly  and  affec- 
tionate interest  in  the  manner  of  the  venerable  President. 

Though  Goodwin  regarded  personal  religion  as  of  the  utmost  im- 

*  *  The  long  gallery  referred  to  was  taken  down  in  1770  for  the  improvement 
of  the  President's  lodgings.  In  the  Oxford  Almanac  for  1730,  there  is  an  out- 
side view  of  it,  having  only  one  window  with  three  lights,  and  as  many  brackets 
underneath.' — Granget^s  Biographical  History. 

6 


XXXIV  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOOD^yI^T. 

portance,  he  was  far  from  being  indifferent  to  the  literary  reputation 
of  his  College,  or  to  the  secular  learning  of  its  scholars.  The  civil 
wars  had  brought  the  University  to  the  brink  of  ruin ;  but  under  the 
government  of  the  pious  and  learned  men  whom  Cromwell  appointed 
as  Heads  of  Houses,  the  Colleges  speedily  regained  their  former  repu- 
tation, and  their  scholars  were  prepared  to  occupy  with  honour  and 
usefulness  the  most  prominent  positions  of  church  and  state.  With 
Owen,  appointed  Dean  of  Christ  Church  at  the  same  time  as  Goodwin 
was  made  President  of  Magdalene,  he  associated  in  the  closest  and 
most  confiding  friendship,  and  zealously  co-operated  in  all  his  endea- 
vours to  promote  the  piety,  scholarship,  and  general  welfare  of  the  stu- 
dents. To  shew  how  earnestly  they  worked  together,  we  have  abundant 
evidence.  Previously  to  their  time  it  had  been  customary  to  appoint 
the  I  ellows  of  the  several  Colleges  to  preach  in  rotation  on  the  Sab- 
bath afternoons  in  St  Mary's  Church ;  but  in  order  to  promote  to  the 
utmost  the  religious  instruction  of  the  scholars,  Owen  and  Goodwin 
undertook  to  discharge  that  duty  between  them.  With  what  effect 
they  did  it,  Philip  Henry  could  tell  us,  for  he  was  a  student  at 
Christ  Church  at  the  time.  In  the  memoir  of  him,  his  son  Matthew 
says,  '  He  would  often  mention  with  thankfulness  to  God  what  great 
helps  and  advantages  he  then  had  in  the  University,  not  only  for 
learning,  but  for  religion  and  piety.  I  have  heard  him  speak  of  the 
prudent  method  they  then  took  about  the  University  sermons  on  the 
Lord's-day  in  the  afternoon,  that  used  to  be  preached  by  the  Fellows 
of  Colleges  in  their  course :  but  that  being  found  not  so  much  for 
edification,  Dr  Owen  and  Dr  Goodwin  performed  that  service  alter- 
nately, and  the  young  Masters  that  were  wont  to  preach  it  had  a 
lecture  on  Tuesday  appointed  them.'  * 

But  the  Sabbath  afternoon  lecture  was  a  very  small  part  of  the 
ministerial  labours  which  were  willingly  undertaken  by  Goodwin, 
and  carried  on  with  great  efficiency  during  the  ten  years  of  his  resi- 
dence in  Oxford.  His  useful  labours  in  the  earlier  years  of  his 
ministry  at  Cambridge  were  resumed  in  his  more  prominent  position 
in  Oxford,  and  were  rendered  more  efiective  by  the  great  reputation 
and  influence  which  through  many  years  he  had  been  gradually 
acquiring.  While  his  interest  in  pious  youth  had  not  diminished, 
he  became  the  honoured  pastor  and  teacher  of  some  of  the  most  able, 
learned,  and  devout  men  of  the  University.  He  formed  a  Congre- 
gational church,  into  which  were  admitted,  among  many  influen- 
tial citizens  and  collegians,  Mr  Thankful  Owen,  President  of  St 
John's ;  Mr  Howell,  Master  of  Jesus ;  Theophilus  Gale,  Fellow  of 
Magdalene  J  Stephen  Charnock,  Fellow  of  New  College;  Blower, 
*  Memoir  of  Philip  Henry,  by  his  son,  p.  19. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  XXXV 

Fellow  of  jMagcIalcne;  Teriy,  Fellow  of  University  College;  Mr  Moses 
Lownian,  the  learned  expositor  of  the  Apocalypse ;  and  many  others 
then  or  afterwards  distinguished  for  their  learning  and  dcvotedness 
to  evangelical  truth. 

There  was  one  member  of  Magdalene  College  whose  principles  and 
piety  were  such  as  to  give  occasion  for  some  surprise  that  he  was  not 
attached  to  the  church  under  the  pastorate  of  liis  own  President. 
This  was  John  Howe.  The  explanation  is  honourable  to  both 
parties.  Goodwin  inquired  of  Howe  the  reason  of  his  keeping  away 
from  their  communion,  and  being  told  that  the  only  reason  which 
prevented  him  from  uniting  in  their  fellowship  was  the  stress  which 
was  laid  upon  certain  peculiarities  of  church  order,  of  the  importance 
of  which  he  was  not  convinced,  Goodwin  immediately  embraced  him, 
and  readily  agreed  to  admit  him  upon  liberal  and  catholic  grounds  to 
the  privileges  of  their  society.*  This  is  one  of  many  proofs  that 
Goodwin  was  not  that  narrow  and  bigoted  sectary  which  he  has  been 
often  represented.  In  few  men  have  there  been  united  more  earnest 
devotedness  to  religious  truth  with  more  catholicity  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  religious  ordinances.  Strong  as  were  his  convictions  of 
truth,  he  never  assumed  the  airs  of  infallibility.  Decided  in  his 
views  of  Independency,  he  was,  I  am  disposed  to  think,  less  sec- 
tarian in  practice  than  most  of  the  early  Independents. 

December  22,  1653,  he  had  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  D.D., 
on  which  occasion  he  was  described  in  the  register  as,  In  scripti's  in 
re  theologicd  quam plurimis  orhi  notus. 

Goodwin's  labours  in  the  University,  onerous  as  they  undoubtedly 
were,  did  not  comprise  all  that  was  expected  from  him  in  those 
times  of  excitement  and  change.  To  prevent  incompetent  persons 
from  being  admitted  to  the  numerous  vacant  livings  in  the  church, 
thirty-eight  ministers,  partly  Presbyterian,  and  partly  Independent, 
of  acknowledged  ability,  learning,  and  piety,  were  appointed  to 
examine  all  candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  certify  their  approval 
on  just  and  sufficient  reasons.f  These  were  the  well-known  Triers, 
of  whom  Goodwin  was  one  of  the  most  diligent  and  careful  in  the 
discharge  of  the  important  duties  of  his  responsible  office. 

The  powers  of  the  Commissioners  who  had  been  appointed  by  the 
Long  Parliament  to  visit  and  regulate  the  Universities,  having  lapsed 
with  the  fall  of  that  government,  an  ordinance  was  passed,  September 
2,  1654,  appointing  visitors  for  both  Universities,  and  the  schools  of 
Westminster,  Winchester,  &c.:j:  Goodwin  was  one  of  the  number 
who  were  authorised  to  visit  all  colleges  and  halls  in  the  Uuiver- 

*  Calamy's  Life  of  Howe,  pp.  10,  11. 

t  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  iii.,  p.  422.  $  Ibid.,  p.  428. 


XXXVl  MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

sitles  and  public  schools,  examining  their  studies,  recommending 
alterations  where  necessary,  correcting  abuses,  and  removing  scan- 
dalous offenders. 

On  the  4th  of  September  in  the  same  year,  Cromwell's  second 
Parliament  assembled  with  much  formality  and  state.  Goodwin, 
who  had  become  a  favourite  of  the  Protector,  preached  on  the  occa- 
sion, his  Highness  (says  Whitelock)  '  being  seated  over  against  the 
pulpit,  and  the  members  of  Parliament  on  both  sides.'  The  sermon 
is  not  extant,  but  we  may  infer  its  subject  from  the  references  made 
to  it  by  Cromwell  in  the  speech  with  which  he  introduced  the  pro- 
ceedinsrs  of  the  House: — • 

'■  It  hath  been  very  well  hinted  to  you  this  day  that  you  come  hither 
to  settle  the  interests  above  mentioned,  for  your  work  here  in  the  issue 
and  consequences  of  it  will  extend  so  far,  even  to  all  Christian  people.' 

'  Truly,  another  reason,  unexpected  by  me,  you  had  to-day  in  the 
sermon ;  you  had  much  recapitulation  of  providence,  much  allusion 
to  a  state  and  dispensation  of  discipline  and  coiTection,  of  mercies 
and  deliverances — to  a  state  and  dispensation  similar  to  ours— to,  in 
truth,  the  only  parallel  of  God's  dealing  with  us  that  I  know  in  the 
world,  which  was  largely  and  wisely  held  forth  to  you  this  day, — to 
Israel's  bringing  out  of  Egypt  through  a  wilderness  by  many  signs 
and  wonders  towards  a  place  of  rest,  I  say  towards  it ;  and  that 
having  been  so  well  remonstrated  to  you  this  day,  is  another  argu- 
ment why  I  should  not  trouble  you  with  a  recapitulation  of  those 
things,  though  they  are  things  which,  I  hope,  will  never  be  forgotten, 
because  written  in  better  books  than  those  of  paper,  written,  I  am 
persuaded,  upon  the  heart  of  every  good  man.' 

'■  You  were  told  to-day  of  a  people  brought  out  of  Egypt,  towards 
the  land  of  Canaan,  but  through  unbelief,  murmuring,  and  repining, 
and  other  temptations  and  sins  wherewith  God  was  provoked,  they 
were  fain  to  come  back  again  and  linger  many  years  in  the  wilder- 
ness before  they  came  to  the  place  of  rest.'  Cromwell  concluded 
his  speech  with  the  words,  '  I  do  therefore  persuade  you  to  a  sweet, 
gracious,  and  holy  understanding  of  one  another,  and  of  your  busi- 
ness, concerning  which  you  had  so  good  counsel  this  day,  which,  as 
it  rejoiced  my  heart  to  hear,  so  I  hope  the  Lord  will  imprint  it  upon 
your  spirits.'* 

Ten  days  afterwards,  at  a  solemn  fast,  when  most  of  the  members 
of  Parliament  were  present,  Mr  Marshall,  Dr  Goodwin,  and  Mr 
Cheynell  were  appointed  to  preach.f 

During  the  prosperity  of  the  Independents,  under  the  protection 

*  Cromwell's  Letters  and  Speeches,  by  T.  Carlyle. 
t  Introduction  to  Burton's  Diary,  p.  xxxvi. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  XXXVll 

of  Cromwell,  Goodwin  and  others  thought  it  desirable  to  publish  a 
declaration  of  th^ir  faith  and  discipline,  in  order  to  clear  themselves 
from  the  imputations  to  which  they  were  subjected  through  the  wild 
and  fanatical  notions  of  men  who  agreed  with  them  in  little  else  than 
in  their  much  misrepresented  principle  of  toleration.  On  June  15, 
1658,*  a  preliminary  meeting  was  convened  by  an  invitation  which 
seems,  as  it  was  signed  by  Scobell,  to  have  been  of  an  official  cha- 
racter, though,  according  to  Neal,f  permission  to  hold  the  synod  was 
reluctantly  conceded  by  Cromwell.  On  the  29th  of  September,^  two 
hundred  delegates,  representing  one  hundred  and  twenty  churches,  met, 
and  appointed  Goodwin,  Owen,  Nye,  Bridge,  Caryl,  and  Greenhill,  to 
draw  up  a  confession  of  their  faith  and  order.  Eventually  the  con- 
fession, in  composing  which  Goodwin  had  been  much  engaged,  was 
submitted  to  a  meeting  of  elders  and  messengers,  held  in  the  Savoy 
on  October  the  12th,  and  by  them  unanimously  approved,  and  pub- 
lished as  a  declaration  of  the  faith  and  order  owned  and  practised  by 
the  Congregational  churches  in  England. 

Before  the  meeting  of  this  assembly  an  event  occurred  which  dis- 
appointed many  fond  hopes  of  the  Independent  leaders,  who,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  court  favour,  were  growing  unmindful  of  their  favourite 
text,  '  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.'  On  a  stormy  3d  of  Sep- 
tember, the  anniversary  which  Cromwell  never  suffered  to  pass 
unnoticed,  that '  rest'  from  his  labours,  for  which  he  had  so  touchingly 
prayed,  was  mercifully  given  to  the  Protector.  Goodwin  and  others, 
in  the  ante-room,  were  praying  for  his  recovery,  too  confidently 
perhaps,  for  it  must  have  been  hard  for  them  to  think  that  he  whom, 
as  they  thought,  God  had  raised  up  to  make  England  a  truly  Pro- 
testant country,  was  about  to  be  removed  while  his  great  work  was 
unfinished.§  They  prayed,  perhaps,  too  eagerly,  and  even  passion- 
ately for  his  life,  for  they  were  but  men,  and  might  not  have  known 
what  spirit  they  were  of.  It  may  have  been  so.  I  do  not  say  it 
was,  for  the  account  is  not  well  authenticated.  In  the  excitement 
caused  by  their  disappointment,  Goodwin  is  reported  to  have  said,  in 
the  words  of  Jeremiah,  '  0  Lord,  thou  hast  deceived  me,  and  I  was 
deceived,'  Jer.  xx.  7.  II  If  he  did  say  so,  he  undoubtedly  appro- 
priated the  words  of  the  prophet  in  their  original  signification,  as 
expressive  of  very  sore  disappointment.  That  he  had  any  other 
meaning  than  Jeremiah  intended  to  express  is  very  improbable.     I 

*  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  iii,,  p.  516.         +  Neal's  Puritans,  voL  ii.,  p.  506. 

$  Hanbury's  Memorials,  vol.  iii.,  p.  517. 

§  Echarc''  i  History  of  England  ;  Ludlow's  Memoirs. 

II  Birr^  Life  of  Tillotson,  p.  19. — Burnet  represents  these  words  as  repeated 
by  Gr^' '  An  at  a  fast  a  week  after  Cromwell's  death.  If  uttered  at  all,  they 
would  mean, '  Thou  hast  suffered  us  to  be  deceived.'    Own  Times,  vol.  i.,  p.  114 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIX 


am  not,  however,  very  anxious  to  vindicate  Goodwin  from  tlie  use  of 
incautious  language  in  such  an  emergency,  for  the  temperament  of 
the  good  man  was  certainly  nei  cher  lethargic  nor  stoical.  He  has  been 
often  accused  of  attributing  to  God  an  intention  to  deceive  him  by  ex- 
citing his  confident  expectation  of  the  recovery  of  Cromwell,  when, 
according  to  the  account  of  his  accusers,  he  only  repeated  words 
of  Scripture  in  what  he  believed  to  be  the  scriptural  signification. 

As  to  the  oft-repeated  story,*  that  the  Protector,  shortly  before  his 
death,  asked  his  chaplain  whether  a  man  was  safe  if  he  had  ever 
been  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  that  he  received  the  reply  that  such  a 
man  was  certainly  safe  for  ever ;  it  is  not  easy  to  say  what  thoughts 
might  have  risen  in  the  fever  of  a  dying  man,  or  what  words  might 
have  been  spoken  to  allay  his  disquietude  by  a  kind  and  sympathis- 
ing minister.  The  chaplain  is  sometimes  said  to  have  been  Good- 
win, sometimes  Sterry.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain — Goodwin 
would  not  have  represented  any  past  experience  as  a  safe  ground  of 
confidence  in  the  prospect  of  death.  He  had  learnt  another  lesson 
in  the  early  struggles  and  conflicts  of  his  own  soul,  and  his  writings 
clearly  shew  that  it  was  a  lesson  which  he  never  could  have  forgotten. 

The  great  man,  whose  strong  hand  had  restrained  all  the  elements 
of  strife  which  were  ready  to  rage  over  the  country,  being  laid  in  his 
grave,  the  question  of  his  successor  engaged  the  anxious  thoughts  of 
the  leading  men  of  all  parties.  Dr  Goodwin,  with  Generals  Whalley 
and  Gofie,  attested  upon  oath,  before  the  Privy  Council,  that  Oliver 
in  his  last  hours  had  nominated  Richard  as  his  successor,  who  was 
proclaimed  accordingly,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  Independents,  f 

The  Parliament  of  the  new  Protector  assembled  on  January  27, 
1688-9,  when  Goodwin  preached  at  the  Abbey,  '  where  his  High- 
ness and  the  Lords  sat  together,  and  the  House  of  Commons  sparsijn. 
His  text  was  Ps.  Ixxxv.  10,  his  scope  healing,  inviting  to  unity, 
and  to  mix  mercy  and  truth,  righteousness  and  peace  together,  to 
give  liberty  for  erroneous  consciences,  but  not  so  much  encom-age- 
ment  as  to  true  professors.  As  soon  as  he  had  finished,  a  Quaker 
rose  and  spoke  at  some  length.  His  Highness  listened  patiently, 
and  then  passed  quietly  to  the  House. 'f 

On  the  restoration  of  royalty,  Goodwin's  work  at  Oxford  was 
finished,  and  in  1660  he  left  the  University,  greatly  respected  and 
beloved  by  all  Avitli  whom  he  had  been  connected.  He  was  long  re- 
membered with  afiectionate  regard  by  those  who  remained,  although 
they  for  the  most  part  disapproved  of  his  views  both  of  church  govern- 
ment and  state  policy. 

•  Neal's  Puritans,  vol.  ii.,  p.  512.  f  Guizot's  Richard  Cromwell,  p.  3. 

t  Burton's  Diary,  vol.  iii.,  p.  1. 


MEMOin  OF  DU  TUOMAS  GOODWIN. 


He  removed  to  London.  The  members  of  his  chureh — of  whom 
some  were  compelled  to  leave  the  University  with  him,  and  others 
greatly  preferred  his  ministry  to  any  they  could  find  in  Oxford — 
followed  him  in  sufficient  numbers  to  justify  the  statement  that  the 
church,  with  its  pastor,  removed  to  London,  at  first  worshipping 
privately  in  some  place  which  cannot  now  be  identified.  That 
church  remains  to  the  present  time.  From  the  Revolution,  it  has 
been  accustomed  to  meet  for  worship  in  Fetter  Lane ;  previously 
to  1732,  in  a  meeting-house,  since  occupied  by  the  Moravians,  and 
subsequently  in  the  building  erected  for  them  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street.*  Among  the  pastors  of  the  church  have  been  Thank- 
ful Owen,  the  successor  of  Goodwin ;  Thomas  Goodwin,  jun.,  his 
son ;  Stephen  Lobb,  Thomas  Bradbury,  and  George  Bui'der,  for 
many  years  the  respected  secretary  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety.    Their  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  R.  G.  Harper. 

From  this  time  the  life  of  Goodwin  passed  quietly,  as,  submissive 
to  the  powers  that  be,  he  no  longer  interfered  with  politics,  but  gave 
himself  wholly  to  his  theological  studies  and  pastoral  duties.  The 
black  Bartholomew's  day,  which  deprived  so  many  of  his  frienda 
and  pupils  of  their  livelihood,  brought  to  him  no  further  trouble,  as 
he  had  previously  sustain. d  the  loss  of  his  fellowship  in  Eton  College.f 
Quietly  labouring  among  his  people  through  the  perils  of  persecution 
and  of  the  awful  year  of  the  plague,  he  was  resident  in  the  parish 
of  St  Bartholomew  the  Greater,  when  the  fire  of  London  in  1666 
threatened  his  dwelling.  Anxious  to  preserve  his  books,  dearer  to 
him  than  ever  in  his  comparative  seclusion,  he  removed  a  large  part 
of  them  to  the  house  of  a  friend,  where  it  was  supposed  they  would 
be  safe,  but  the  conflagration  spreading  in  that  direction,  destroyed 
them,  while  those  in  his  own  home  were  preserved  from  the  flames, 
through  the  care  of  his  intimate  friend,  Moses  Lowman.  How  severely 
he  felt  his  loss,  and  yet  how  meekly  he  bore  it,  may  be  learnt  from 
the  beautiful  exposition  he  wrote  on  the  occasion,  and  published 
under  the  title  of  '  Patience  and  its  Perfect  AVork,  under  Sudden  and 
Sore  Trials.':}:  He  found  admonition  as  well  as  comfort  in  the  part  of 
the  library  which  was  spared  to  him,  for  he  observed  that  it  consisted 

*  There  was  a  meeting-house  in  Fetter  Lane  previously  to  the  fire  of  London 
in  1666,  in  which  Mr  Turner,  the  ejected  minister  of  Sunbury  in  Middlesex, 
preached  for  some  years.  The  Episcopalians  took  forcible,  possession  of  it  when 
their  churches  were  burnt  down,  and  restored  it  to  its  owners  when  they  had 
no  further  need  of  it.  It  consisted  of  '  four  rooms  opening  into  each  other,  and 
had  seventeen  pews,  with  divers  benches.'  Whether  this  was  the  place  in  which 
Goodwin's  church  first  assembled  is  uncertain.  See  Maitland's  London,  vol.  i., 
p.  452  ;  "Wilson's  Dissenting  Churches,  vol.  iii.,  p.  420.  +  Cal.  Ace,  p.  116. 

X  This  rare  work  is  reprinted  in  this  volume. 


xl  MEMOm  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

of  religions  and  theological  works,  while  his  books  of  general  litera- 
ture were  almost  entirely  destroyed.  After  his  loss  he  devoted  himself, 
so  far  as  his  pastoral  duties  would  allow  him,  almost  exclusively  to 
theological  studies,  writing  many  of  the  books  which  were  published 
after  his  death.  In  this  period  of  his  life,  the  visions  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse engaged  a  large  proportion  of  his  thoughts,  as  he  looked  forward, 
through  the  dark  clouds  which  seemed  to  be  settling  upon  his  own 
times,  to  the  glorious  accomplishment  of  prophecy,  when  the  Papacy 
should  fall,  all  its  alliances  be  destroyed,  and  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ. 

Notwithstanding  the  Conventicle  and  Five  Mile  Act,  and  the 
persecutions  which  nonconformist  ministers  had  to  suffer,  Good- 
win continued  in  the  discharge  of  his  pastoral  duties,  assisted  by  his 
faithful  friend.  Thankful  Owen,  availing  himself  of  the  indulgence 
granted  for  a  short  time,  and  on  its  repeal  quietly  persevering  in  his 
labours.  He  was  suffered  to  proceed  in  his  useful  course  unmolested, 
ministering  to  many  who  had  occupied  prominent  positions  in  the 
Commonwealth,  until  he  reached  the  number  of  years  assigned  to 
the  man  who  exceeds  the  usual  term  '  by  reason  of  strength.'  In 
the  eiglitieth  year  of  his  age  he  was  seized  with  a  malignant  fever, 
and  under  its  power  he  felt  assured  that  he  was  dying.  But  death 
had  to  him  no  terror.  So  far  from  fearing  it,  he  rejoiced  in  the 
assurance  of  faith  that  he  was  going  to  enjoy  that  blessedness  which 
he  had  so  often  and  so  earnestly  recommended  others  to  seek,  and 
to  which  for  nearly  sixty  years  he  had  been  hopefully  looking.  His 
friend,  Mr  Collins,  who  was  at  that  time  pastor  of  the  church  which 
he  himself  had  gathered  in  the  east  of  London  on  his  return  from 
Holland,  visited  him,  and  prayed  that  '■  God  would  return  into  his 
bosom  all  those  comforts  which  he  had  by  his  ministry  of  free  grace 
poured  into  so  many  distressed  souls.'  The  dying  saint  received 
the  answer  to  that  prayer ;  his  consolations  abounded.  No  dark 
cloud  rested  upon  his  last  hours ;  his  end  was  peace,  or  rather,  holy 
joy  and  rapture.  Among  his  last  sayings  are  these,  '■  I  could  not 
have  imagined  I  should  have  had  such  a  measure  of  faith  in  this 
hour ;  no,  I  could  never  have  imagined  it.  My  bow  abides  in 
strength.  Is  Christ  divided?  No.  I  have  the  whole  of  His 
righteousness.  I  am  found  in  Him,  not  having  my  own  righteous- 
ness which  is  of  the  law,  but  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me.  Christ 
cannot  love  me  better  than  he  doth.  I  think  I  cannot  love  Christ 
better  than  I  do  ;  I  am  swallowed  up  in  God.'  Exhorting  his  two 
sons  to  be  faithful,  and  in  his  last  moments  remembering  his  mother, 
whose  image  seemed  to  come  before  him  after  the  interval  of  many 


MEMOIR  OP  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  xlJ 

laborious  years,  he  spake  to  them  of  the  privilege  of  the  covenant. 
*  It  cannot  be  valued  too  much,  nor  purchased  with  a  great  sum  of 
money.  It  hath  taken  hold  of  me.  My  mother  was  a  holy  woman.' 
He  seems  to  have  referred  to  the  privilege  of  having  pious  parents. 
Were  it  not  for  this  affectionate  remembrance  of  his  mother,  I  do 
not  think  we  should  have  known  what  manner  of  woman  she  was. 
It  is  not  the  only  instance  in  which  pious  mothers,  having  been 
seldom  thought  of  amidst  the  hurry  of  a  busy  life,  have  been  present 
to  the  last  earthly  recollections  of  sons  and  daughters.  He  added, 
'  Now  I  shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord/  and  thus  sweetly  fell  asleep  in 
Jesus,  Feb.  23,  1679. 

He  was  buried  at  the  east  end  of  the  cemetery  in  Bunhill  Fields, 
under  a  low  altar  tomb,  on  which  was  engraved  the  following  epi- 
taph, composed  by  Mr  T.  Gilbert,  whom  Wood  called  the  general 
epitaph-maker  for  the  Dissenters.*  It  is  now  completely  obliterated. 
The  words  inserted  in  brackets  were  omitted  by  order  of  the  censor, 
who  must  have  surpassed,  in  the  power  of  discovering  sedition,  the 
worthy  official  who  objected  to  license  '  Paradise  Lost '  on  account 
of  the  well-known  simile  of  the  sun  eclipsed. 

THOMAS  GOODWIN,  S.  T.  P., 

AGRO  NORFOLCIENSI  ORIUNDUS  ; 

RE  ANTIQUARIA,  PRiESERTIM  ECCLESIASTICiB 

NEC  ANGUSTjE  LECTIONIS,  NEQUE  INEXPEDIT-ffl, 

SACRIS  SI  QUIS  ALIUS  SCRIPTURIS  PRjEPOTENS, 

INVENTIONE  ADMODUM  FERACI, 

NEC  SOLIDO  MINUS  SUBACTOQUE  JUDICIO, 

VARnS  INTER  SE  LOCIS  ACCURATE  COLLATIS 

RECONDITOS  SPIRITUS  SANCTI  SENSU3 

MIR  A  CUM  FELICITATE  ELICUIT. 

HYSTERIA  EVANGELII  NEMO  MORTALIUM 

AUT  PERITIUS  ILLO  INTROSPEXIT 

AUT  ALUS  CLARIUS  EXPOSUIT 

[mATERIAM,  FORMAM,  REGIMEN,  OMNIA, 

ECCLESIARUM    A    CHRISTO    INSTITUTARUM 

SOLERTIA  PARUM  VULGARI,  INDAGAVIT  J  ^ 

SI  NON  ET  INVENIt] 

THEOLOGIA  QUAM  VOCANT  CASUUM  VERSATISSIMUS 

[CONSCIENTIIS  TURBATIS  PACEM  CONCILIA VIT, 

ERRORUM  TENEBRIS  INV0LUTA3 

VERITATIS  LUCE  IRRADIAVIT  ; 

IMPEDITISQUE  SCRUPULOS  EXEMIT.] 

*  Calamy  says  that  only  two  other  epitaphs  can  be  identified  as  his,  that  of 
Dr  Owen  and  that  of  Ichabod  Chancey.    Cal.  Ace,  p.  573. 


adii  MEMOIK  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

COGNITIONE,  PRTJDENTIA,  DICENDI  FACULTATE 

ECCLESI^  PASTOR  OMNIMODO  EVANGELICUS. 

MULTOS  TAM  PRIVATO  QUAM  PUBLICO  MINISTERIO 

CHRISTO  LUCRIFACTOS  PORRO  iEDIFICAVIT, 

DONEC  QUA  AGENDO,  QUA  PATIENDO 

OMNIBUS  EXANTLATIS  PRO  CHRISTO  LABORIBUS 

PLACIDAM   ASSECUTUS    EST   IN    CHRISTO   QUIETEM 

AB  EDITIS,  EDENDISQUE  OPERIBUS 

[VIRI  MAXIMI  OPTIMO  MONUMENTO] 

NOMEN  REPORTATURUS,  UNGUENTO  PRETIOSIUS 

IPSOQUE  CUI  INSCRIBITUR  MARMORE  PERENNIUS, 

ANNO  .ERiE  CHRISTIANS  MDCLXXIX. 

JETAT  LXXX.  DIE  FEBR. 

This  epitaph  has  been  thus  translated  by  Dr  Gibbons  : — * 

HERE  LIES  THE  BODY  OF 

THE  REV.  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  D.D. 

BORN  AT  ROLSEBT, 

IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  NORFOLK. 

HE  HAD  A  LARGE  AND  FAMILIAR  ACQUAINTANCE 

■WITH  ANCIENT, 

AND,   ABOVE  ALL, 

WITH  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

HE  "WAS  EXCEEDED  BY  NONE 

IN  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OP  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 

HE  WAS  AT  ONCE  BLESSED  WITH  A  RICH  INVENTION 

AND  A  SOLID  AND  EXACT  JUDGMENT. 

HE   CAREFULLY    COMPARED    TOGETHER 

THE    DIFFERENT    PARTS    OF    HOLY    WRIT  ; 

AND  WITH  A  MARVELLOUS  FELICITY 

DISCOVERED  THE  LATENT  SENSE 

OP   THE    DIVINE   SPIRIT 

WHO  INDITED  THEM. 

NONE  EVER  ENTERED  DEEPER 

INTO  THE  MYSTERIES  OP  THE  GOSPEL, 

OR    MORE    CLEARLY    UNFOLDED    THEM 

FOR  THE  BENEFIT  OF  OTHERS. 

THE  MATTER,   FORM,   DISCIPLINE, 

AND  ALL  THAT  RELATES 

TO  THE  CONSTITUTION  OP  A  TRUE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST, 

HE  TRACED  OUT  WITH  AN  UNCOMMON  SAGACITY, 

*  Wilson's  Dissenting  Churches,  vol.  iii.,  p.  431. 


MEMOIIJ  OF  DU  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  xliii 

IF  HE  WAS  NOT  RATHER  THE  FIRST  DIVINE 

WHO  THOROUGHLY  INVESTIGATED  THEM. 

HE  WAS  EMINENTLY  QUALIFIED, 

BY  THE  LIGHT  OF  SACRED  TRUTH, 

TO  PACIFY  TROUBLED  CONSCIENCES, 

TO  DISPEL   THE    CLOUDS    OF    MISTAKE, 

AND  REMOVE  NEEDLESS  SCRUPLES 

FROM    PERPLEXED    AND    BEWILDERED    MINDS. 

IN  KNOWLEDGE,  WISDOM,  AND  ELOQUENCE, 

HE  WAS  A  TRULY  CHRISTIAN  PASTOR. 

IN  HIS  PRIVATE  DISCOURSES, 
AS  WELL  AS  IN  HIS  PUBLIC  MINISTRY, 

HE  EDIFIED  NUMBERS  OF  SOULS, 

WHOM  HE  HAD  FIRST  WON  TO  CHRIST, 

TILL  HA  VINO  FINISHED  HIS  APPOINTED  COURSE, 

BOTH  OP  SERVICES  AND  SUFFERINGS 

EN   THE  CAUSE   OP  HIS  DIVINE  MASTER, 

HE  GENTLY  FELL  ASLEEP  IN  JESUS, 

HIS    WRITINGS    ALREADY    PUBLISHED, 

AND  WHAT  ARE  NOW  PREPARING  FOR  PUBLICATION, 

THE  NOBLEST  MONUMENTS  OP  THIS  GREAT  MAN'S  PRAISE, 

WILL  DIFFUSE  HIS  NAME  IN  A  MORE  FRAGRANT  ODOUR 

THAN  THAT  OF  THE  RICHEST  PERFUME, 

TO  FLOURISH  IN   THOSE  PAR  DISTANT  AGES, 

WHEN  THIS  MARBLE,  INSCRIBED  WITH  HIS  JUST  HONOUR, 

SHALL  HAVE   DROPT  INTO  DUST. 

HE  DIED  FEBRUARY  23D,  1679, 
IN  THE  EIGHTIETH  YEAR  OF  HIS  AGE. 

The  -writings  mentioned  as  puMished  and  preparing  for  publication 
have  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Gilbert,  surviving  the  perishable  in- 
scription on  the  stone  -which  the  visitor  to  Bunhill  Fields  tries  in 
vain  to  identify,  and  remaining  as  a  lasting  monument  of  all  that  is 
recorded  of  him  on  his  grave.  The  posthumous  works  were  pub- 
lished by  James  Barron,  who  had  been  divinity  reader  at  Magdalene 
College  during  Goodwin's  presidency,*  and  by  his  faithful  friend, 
Thankful  Owen,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  pastoral  office,  and  who, 
a  fortnight  after  his  appointment,  and  immediately  after  finishing  the 
preface  to  the  works  of  his  venerated  friend,  was  suddenly  called  to 
rejoin  him  in  a  higher  sphere. f  His  body,  at  his  own  request,  was 
laid  in  the  same  vault.  The  inscription  on  his  tombstone  is  sub- 
joined, as  the  last  expression  of  a  friendship  which  had  survived 
many  trials,  and  suffered  no  interruption. 

*  Cai  Ace,  p.  98.        '        +  Wilson's  Dissenting  Churches,  vol.  iii.,  p.  439. 


Xliv  MEMOIK  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN". 

SANCTOS  CUM  GOODWINO  CESTERES  CARISSIMTJS  ILLI  COMMISCUTT 

THANKFUL  OWEN,  S.  T.  B., 

ELAPSA  VIX  HORULA  POST  ABSOLTJTUM  PROLOQUItTM 

AD    MAGNUil    ILLIUS    GOODWINI    IN    EPIST.    AD    EPHE8. 

OPUS,  CUJUS  EDITIONEM  CURAVIT. 

EADEM  QUA  VIXERAT  ^QUANIMITATE 

ABSQUE  ULLO, 

PRiETERQUAM  CORDIS  AD  CHRISTUM 

BUSPIRIO,  ANIMAM  EXPIRAVIT 

DIE  APRIL  1,  AN.  SAL.  MDCLXXXI. 

.ffiTATIS  LXIIL 


THANKFUL  OWEN,  S.  T.  P., 

HERB  MINGLES  HIS  SACRED  DUST  WITH  THAT  OF  GOODWIN, 

TO  WHOM  IN  LIFE  HE  WAS  MOST  DEAR. 

HE  SCARCE  SURVIVED  AN  HOUR 

THE  FINISHING  OF  A  PREFACE  WHICH  HE  HAD  BEEN  WRITING 

TO  THAT  GREAT  WORK  OF  GOODWIN  ON  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS, 

THE  PUBLICATION  OF  WHICH  HAD  FALLEN  TO  HIS  CARE. 

DTTNO  WITH  THE  SAME  CALMNESS  WITH  WHICH  HE  HAD  LIVED,  WITHOUT  A  feIGH, 

SAVE  OP  THE  HEART  TO  CHRIST, 

ON  THE  1ST  OF  APRIL  1681, 

IN  THE  SIXTY-THIRD  YEAR  OF  HIS  AGE. 


Of  the  character  or  writings  of  Dr  Goodwin  it  will  be  needful  to 
say  but  very  few  words.  His  character  appears  in  every  page  of  his 
life,  for  a  more  transparent  character  never  shone  amidst  the  imper- 
fections of  a  changing  and  eventful  life.  In  the  ardour  of  his  colle- 
giate course,  in  the  obtaining  and  resigning  of  university  honours 
and  preferments,  in  his  ministrations  when  an  exile  for  conscience,  in 
the  prominent  part  he  took  as  a  member  of  the  Westminster  Assem- 
bly, in  his  government  of  Magdalene  College,  and  in  his  persevering 
labours  until  death  as  a  London  pastor,  every  one  who  was  near 
Goodwin  knew  what  he  was  and  what  he  meant,  what  were  his  opi- 
nions, his  feelings,  his  purposes,  and  his  means  of  attaining  them. 
In  an  age  of  great  events,  in  which  he  w^as  specially  interested,  act- 
ing with  and  against  men  of  wary  device,  of  evasive  policy,  and  too 
often  of  deep  dissimulation,  Goodwin  was  ever  true-speaking  and 
out-speaking,  trusted  by  his  friends  and  his  opponents  too.  All  par- 
ties could  depend  upon  him,  and  therefore  all  parties  respected  him. 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  xlv 

The  commendation  of  liim  by  Baillie  Is  no  more  than  the  expression 
of  the  general  feeling  of  the  Presbyterians  in  the  Assembly ;  the 
honourable  mention  of  him  by  Dr  Fairfax,  Fellow  of  Magdalene  under 
his  presidency,  is  no  more  than  was  said  of  him  by  the  pious  confor- 
mists of  Oxford  University.  In  an  age  of  bitter  controversy  scarcely 
is  there  to  be  found  another  man  who  succeeded  in  gaining  the  re- 
spect of  all  his  opponents.  Baxter,  though  undeserving  of  their 
enmity,  made  many  enemies ;  Owen,  though  upright  and  honourable, 
alienated  some  friends ;  but  who  spake  ill  or  thought  ill  of  Thomas 
Goodwin?  Baxter  was  a  little  of  a  politician;  Owen,  not  a  little; 
but  Goodwin  had  no  other  policy  than  the  determination  to  discharge 
to  the  best  of  his  ability  the  duties  of  every  situation  in  which  he 
was  placed. 

The  respect  of  his  opponents  was  not  obtained  by  any  want  ot 
decision  or  show  of  compromise  in  the  avowal  and  defence  of  his  own 
opinions.  Neither  his  ecclesiastical  polity  nor  his  theological  system 
ever  had  a  more  uncompromising  defender.  The  misapprehension  of 
some  respecting  him  is  to  be  attributed  to  his  firm  and  decided  man- 
ner of  expressing  his  own  convictions.  Because  he  spoke  so  plainly 
as  to  appear  unmistakeably  a  Calvinist  and  an  Independent,  he  has 
been  regarded  as  an  intolerant  Calvinist  and  a  bigoted  Independent. 
He  was  neither.  I  know  no  Calvinist  of  the  age  so  decided  as 
Goodwin,  who  thought  so  kindly  of  Baxter  and  Howe.  I  know  no 
Independent  who  contended  so  strenuously  as  he  did, — in  opposition 
to  the  Brownists, — that  ever  since  the  Reformation  there  have  been 
^  churches  to  God  in  all  the  Reformed  chui-ches.'  *  He  was  no 
Brownist,  no  sectary.  He  saw,  I  think,  more  clearly  than  Owen  or 
any  of  the  early  Independents,  (unless  Burroughs  be  excepted,)  the 
temple  of  God  raised  by  the  Lutherans,  the  Episcopalians,  the  Pres- 
byterians, by  all  Christian  people  meeting  together  for  the  enjoyment 
of  religious  ordinances.  Well  might  his  son  say  of  him,  '  His  can- 
dour, ingenuous  nature,  and  catholic  charity  for  all  good  men  of  dif- 
ferent persuasions,  won  the  hearts  of  those  who  had  been  most  averse 
to  him.'  Men  who  have  laboured  most  diligently  to  obtain  the  truth 
are  often  the  most  decided  in  their  own  convictions,  and  the  most 
charitable  in  their  construction  of  other  men's  opinions.     The  bigot, 

*  Exposition  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  Sermon  xxxvi  : — *  Whereas  now 
in  some  of  the  parishes  in  this  kingdom,  there  are  many  godly  men  that  do 
constantly  give  themselves  up  to  the  worship  of  God  in  pubUo,  and  meet  to- 
gether in  one  place  to  that  end,  in  a  constant  way,  under  a  godly  minister, 
whom  they  themselves  have  chosen  to  cleave  to, — though  they  did  not  choose 
him  at  first, — these,  notwithstanding  their  mixture  and  want  of  discipline,  I 
never  thought,  for  my  part,  but  that  they  were  true  churches  of  Christ,  and 
sister  churches,  and  so  ought  to  be  acknowledged.' 


Xlvi  MEMOIR  OF  DR  TSOMAS  GOODWIN. 

strange  as  it  may  seem,  is  frequently  a  man  of  very  feeble  convic- 
tions. Enough  has  been  said  to  support  the  conclusion  that  Thomas 
Goodwin  was  a  true  man ;  a  truthful,  upright,  active,  painstaking, 
generous,  loving,  catholic  Christian. 

Of  his  fervent  piety  I  need  say  nothing.  His  life  is  his  '  epistle  of 
commendation.'  And  if  that  be  not  sufficient,  '  he  being  dead,  yet 
speaketh  '  by  his  numerous  practical  and  experimental  writings,  in 
which  the  sanctified  thoughts  and  emotions  of  a  renewed  heart  are 
expressed  in  appropriate  words  of  truth  and  soberness. 

Of  his  writings  it  may  be  observed  that  they  have  never  yet  been 
presented  to  the  public  in  a  form  worthy  of  their  author,  or  of  their 
merits.  Most  of  them  were  published  after  his  death,  and,  like  many 
orphans,  they  have  been  introduced  into  the  world  under  great  dis- 
advantages. The  folio  edition,  in  five  volumes,  abounds  in  typogra- 
phical errors  and  unaccountable  inaccuracies.  So  negligent  were  the 
editors,  that  they  suff'ered  the  printers  to  antedate  his  death  by  ten 
years.  A  great  service  is  done  to  his  memory,  as  well  as  to  the 
Church  of  Christ,  by  giving  to  the  public  his  works  in  a  readable 
form,  free  from  the  errors  of  previous  editions,  and  though  without 
the  corrections  which  he  would  have  made,  had  he  prepared  them  for 
the  press,  yet  in  some  degree  worthy  of  his  high  reputation. 

His  writings  are  not  rhetorical.  The  reason  is  obvious.  He  had 
been  tempted  in  his  youth  to  compose  such  sermons  as  would  gratify 
the  bad  taste  of  the  age,  and  secure  distinction  and  popular  applause, 
but  he  was  early  taught  to  renounce  the  love  of  ornament  and  dis- 
play as  his  easily  besetting  sin.  He  never  again  would  stoop  to 
gather  any  of  the  old  favourite  flowers  with  which  he  once  loved  to 
garnish  his  discourses.  So  far  as  words  were  concerned,  he  studied 
nothing  but  great  plainness  of  speech.  This  with  him  was  a  matter 
of  conscience. 

One  thing  pre-eminently  distinguishes  the  writings  of  Goodwin. 
He  wrote  as  he  felt.  His  experience  found  expression  in  all  his  prac- 
tical works,  and  exerted  a  powerful  influence  over  his  theology.  It 
made  him  what  he  was  as  a  divine,  a  preacher,  and  an  author.  No 
truth  satisfied  him  until  he  had  spiritually  discerned  it  and  tasted  it, 
and  so  found  it  to  be  the  good  word  of  life.  His  strong  convictions, 
Lis  personal  experience,  his  unswerving  integrity,  and  his  unstudied 
speech,  all  contribute  to  expose  the  inner  man,  and  to  make  his 
writings  the  accurate  representation  of  God's  work  in  his  own  soul. 

As  a  theological  writer,  he  occupies  his  own  place,  which  may  be 
clearly  distinguished  from  that  of  any  other  man  of  his  own  or  of  a 
subsequent  age.  That  place  is  somewhere  between  the  Puritans  be- 
fore the  Protectorate  and  the  Nonconformists  after  the  Eestoration. 


MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  xlvii 

He  breathes  the  spirit  and  speaks  the  language  of  Perkins,  Sibbs, 
and  John  Rogers,  but  his  thoughts  are  kindred  to  those  of  Owen 
and  Charnock.  A  Puritan  in  heart  to  tlie  last,  his  studies  and  inter- 
course with  eminent  men  kept  him  abreast  of  the  scholarly  divines 
who  were  rising  to  occupy  the  places  of  the  departing  Puritans.  Of 
the  theologians  of  the  Commonwealth,  he  has  been  often  compared 
with  Owen,  and  with  no  other  is  it  easy  to  find  many  points  of  com- 
parison. But  these  two  patriarchs  and  atlases  of  Independency,  as 
Wood  calls  them,  were  in  several  particulars  very  unlike.  Goodwin 
was  more  of  a  Puritan  than  Owen,  Owen  more  of  a  Biblical  scholar 
than  Goodwin.  If  Owen  had  more  profound  critical  learning,  Good- 
win was  not  inferior  to  him  in  general  scholarship.  Goodwin  had 
his  favourite  authors,  and  he  loved  them  fondly;  Owen  indis- 
criminately read  whatever  of  theology  he  could  lay  his  hand  upon. 
Goodwin  concentrated  his  thoughts  upon  a  given  subject;  Owen 
spread  his  widely  over  it  and  around  it.  Both  were  said  to  '  hunt 
down  a  subject,'  but  Goodwin  would  drive  it  into  a  corner  and  grasp 
it  there  ;  Owen  would  certainly  find  it  by  searching  carefully  in 
every  place  in  which  it  was  possible  for  it  to  stray.  Goodwin  haa 
been  called  diffuse  and  obscure  by  some  admirers  of  Owen,  but  in 
these  respects  he  seems  to  me  the  less  faulty  of  the  two.  There 
are  few  passages  in  which  his  meaning  is  not  obvious,  and  those 
would  probably  have  been  made  perspicuous  had  he  revised  them. 
With  Baxter  he  had  little  in  common  except  his  catholicity  of  spirit, 
and  in  this  they  were  both  superior  to  Owen.  The  three  were  fond 
of  reasoning,  but  from  different  principles  and  in  very  different  man- 
ner. Goodwin  reasoned  from  his  own  experience;  Owen  from  his 
critical  and  devout  knowledge  of  Scripture ;  Baxter  from  the  fitness 
of  things.  Goodwin  and  Owen  are  valuable  expositors ;  but  Good- 
win well  interpreted  Scripture  by  the  insight  of  a  renewed  heart — 
Owen,  distrusting  his  own  experience,  by  the  patient  and  prayer- 
ful study  of  words  and  phrases.  Baxter  had  neither  the  tact  nor 
patience  for  a  good  expositor.  All  were  great  preachers :  Owen 
preached  earnestly  to  the  understanding,  Baxter  forcibly  to  the  con- 
science, Goodwin  tenderly  to  the  heart.  Though  there  was  little 
cordiality  between  Baxter  and  Owen,  they  both  esteemed  Goodwin — 
the  former  respectfully,  the  latter  affectionately.  A  man  is  known 
by  his  friends.  After  the  Eestoration,  Owen  associated  with  the  sur- 
viving statesmen  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  numbered  among  his 
friends,  the  Earl  of  Orrery,  the  Earl  of  Anglesea,  the  Lords  Wil- 
loughby,  Wharton,  and  Berkeley.  Goodwin  passed  the  serene 
evening  of  his  life  in  the  intimate  friendship  of  learned  theologians, 
of  whom  the  dearest  to  him  were  Moses  Lowman,  Theophilus  Gale, 


Xlviii  MEMOIR  OP  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

Stephen  Charnock,  and  Thankful  Owen.  The  former  three  are  well 
known  for  their  vast  store  of  theological  learning ;  and  though 
Thankful  Owen  is  not  so  well  known  as  thej,  Dr  Owen  said  of 
him  publicly,  on  announcing  his  funeral  sermon,  '  He  has  not  left 
behind  him  his  equal  for  learning,  religion,  and  good  sense.'  Such 
were  the  bosom  friends  of  Dr  Groodwin,  and  they  had  reason  to  be 
proud  of  his  friendship,  as  they  were  all  indebted  to  him  for  instruc- 
tion, advice,  and  paternal  superintendence. 


MEMOIR  OF  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  D.D. 

COMPOSED  OUT  OF  HIS  OWN  PAPERS  AND  MEM0IR8, 

BY  HIS  SON. 


MEMOIR  OF  THOMAS  GOODWIN,  D.D, 


COMPOSED  OUT  OF  HIS  OWN  PAPERS  AND 
MEMOIRS,  BY  HIS  SON. 


Thomas  Goodwin,  the  eldest  son  of  Richard  and  Catherine  Goodwin,  the 
name  of  whose  famUy  was  Collingwood,  was  bom  October  5, 1600,  at  Rollesby, 
a  little  village  in  Norfolk.  He  was  brought  up  religiously  by  his  parents, 
and  they,  devoting  him  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  gave  him  also  a  learned 
education.  After  some  time  spent  in  school,  having  got  the  knowledge  of 
the  Latin  and  Greek  tongues,  he  was  sent  to  Cambridge,  August  25,  1613, 
and  placed  in  Christ's  College,  under  the  tuition  and  instruction  of  Mr 
WUliam  Power,  one  of  the  Fellows  there.  He  contumed  about  sis  years  in 
that  coUege,  which  flourished  in  a  fulness  of  all  exercises  of  learning,  and  in 
the  number  of  scholars,  there  being  two  hundred  of  them  :  but,  a.d.  1G19, 
he  left  it,  and  removed  to  Catherine  HaU,  the  state  of  which  seemed  so  con- 
temptible to  him,  there  being  no  more  than  sixteen  scholars,  and  few  acts  or 
exercises  of  learning  had  been  performed  for  a  long  time,  that  though  he  was 
chosen  Fellow,  and  also  lecturer  for  the  year  1620,  yet  he  had  some  thoughts 
of  leaving  it  again.  He  had,  by  an  unwearied  industry  in  his  studies,  so 
much  improved  those  natural  abilities  which  God  had  given  him,  that 
though  so  very  young,  he  had  gained  a  great  esteem  in  the  University.  But 
aU  this  time  he  walked  in  the  vanity  of  his  mind ;  and  ambitious  designs 
and  hopes  entirely  possessing  him,  all  his  aim  was  to  get  applause,  to  raise 
his  reputation,  and  in  any  manner  to  advance  himself  by  preferments.  But 
God,  who  had  destined  him  to  higher  ends  than  what  he  had  projected  in  his 
own  thoughts,  was  graciously  pleased  to  change  his  heart,  and  to  turn  the 
course  of  his  life  to  his  own  service  and  glory.  But  as  the  account  of  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  his  soul  will  be  most  acceptable  as  related  by 
himseK,  I  shall  present  it  in  his  own  words  : — 

*  Though  by  the  course  of  nature  in  my  first  birth  I  was  not  like  to  live, 
being  born  before  my  time,  and  therefore  of  a  weak  constitution,  yet  God  so 


lii  MEMOIR  OP  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

kept  and  strengthened  me,  that  he  preserved  me,  as  David  says,  when  I  hung 
upon  my  mother's  breasts ;  as  one  in  whom  he  meant  to  manifest  his  grace, 
in  the  miraculous  conversion  of  my  soul  unto  himself.  He  did  often  stir  up 
in  me  in  my  childish  years  the  sparks  of  conscience,  to  keep  me  from  gross 
sins,  and  to  set  me  ujjon  performing  common  duties.  I  began  to  have  some 
slighter  workings  of  the  Spirit  of  God  from  the  time  I  was  six  years  old ;  I 
could  weep  for  my  sins  whenever  I  did  set  myself  to  think  of  them,  and  had 
flashes  of  joy  upon  thoughts  of  the  things  of  God.  I  was  affected  with  good 
motions  and  affections  of  love  to  God  and  Christ,  for  their  love  revealed  to 
man,  and  with  grief  for  sin  as  displeasing  them.  This  shewed  how  far  good- 
ness of  nature  might  go,  as  well  in  myself  as  others,  to  whom  yet  true 
sanctifying  grace  never  comes.  But  this  I  thought  was  grace  ;  for  I  reasoned 
within  myself  it  was  not  by  nature.  I  received  the  sacrament  at  Easter, 
when  I  was  fourteen  years  old,  and  for  that  prepared  myself  as  I  was  able. 
I  set  myself  to  examine  whether  I  had  grace  or  not ;  and  by  all  the  signs  in 
Ursin's  Catechism,  which  was  in  use  among  the  Puritans  in  the  College,  I 
found  them  all,  as  I  thought,  in  me.  The  love  of  God  to  such  a  sinner,  and 
Christ's  dying  for  me,  did  greatly  affect  me ;  and  at  that  first  sacrament  I 
received,  with  what  inward  joy  and  comfort  did  I  sing  with  the  rest  the  103d 
Psalm,  which  was  usually  sung  during  the  administration !  After  having 
received  it,  I  felt  my  heart  cheered  after  a  wonderful  manner,  tliinking  my- 
self sure  of  heaven,  and  judging  all  these  workings  to  be  infallible  tokens  of 
God's  love  to  me,  and  of  grace  in  me  :  all  this  while  not  considering  that 
these  were  but  more  strong  fits  of  nature's  working.  God  hereby  made  way 
to  advance  the  power  of  his  grace  the  more  in  me,  by  shewing  me  how  far  I 
might  go  and  yet  deceive  myself,  and  making  me  know  that  grace  is  a  thing 
surpassing  the  power  of  nature ;  and  therefore  he  suffered  me  to  faU  away, 
not  from  these  good  motions,  for  I  could  raise  them  when  I  would,  but  from 
the  practice  of  them  ;  insomuch  as  then  my  heart  began  to  suspect  them  as 
counterfeit. 

*  I  made  a  great  preparation  for  the  next  ensuing  sacrament  at  Whitsuntide, 
and  in  the  meantime  I  went  to  hear  Mr  Sibbs,  afterward  Dr  Sibbs,  then 
lecturer  at  Trinity  Church  to  the  town  of  Cambridge,  whose  lectures  the 
Puritans  frequented.  I  also  read  Calvin's  Institutions,  and  oh,  how  sweet 
was  the  reading  of  some  parts  of  that  book  to  me  !  How  pleasing  was  the 
delivery  of  truths  in  a  solid  manner  then  to  me  !  Before  the  sacrament  was 
administered,  I  looked  about  upon  the  holy  men  in  Christ's  College,  where  I 
was  bred ;  and  how  affected  was  I  that  I  should  go  to  heaven  along  with 
them  !  I  particularly  remember  Mr  Bently,  a  Fellow  of  that  College,  who 
was  a  dear  child  of  God,  and  so  died,  and  I  then  looked  on  him  with  joy,  as 
one  with  whom  I  should  live  for  ever  in  heaven. 

'  When  I  was  in  my  place  in  the  chapel,  ready  to  receive  the  sacrament, 
being  little  of  stature,  the  least  in  the  whole  University  then,  and  for  divers 
years,  it  fell  out  that  my  tutor,  Mr  Power,  seeing  me,  sent  to  me  that  I 
should  not  receive  it,  but  go  out  before  all  the  College,  which  I  did.  This 
so  much  damped  me,  as  I  greatly  pitied  myself,  but  chiefly  for  this  that  my 


MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Jiil 

soul,  which  was  full  of  expectation  from  this  sacrament,  was  so  unexpectedly 
disappointed  of  the  opportunity.  For  I  had  long  before  verily  thought  that 
if  I  received  that  sacrament,  I  should  be  so  confirmed  that  I  should  never 
fall  away.  But  after  this  disappointment  I  left  oflf  praying,  for  being  dis- 
couraged, I  knew  not  how  to  go  to  God.  I  desisted  from  going  to  hear  Dr 
Sibbs  any  more;  I  no  more  studied  sound  divinity,  but  gave  myself  to  such 
studies  as  should  enable  me  to  preach  after  the  mode,  then  of  high  applause 
in  the  University,  which  Dr  Senhouse  brought  up,  and  was  applauded  above 
all  by  the  scholars. 

*  It  now  fell  out  that  Arminianism  was  set  afoot  in  Holland,  and  the  rest 
of  those  Provinces,  and  it  continued  hottest  at  that  very  time  when  I  was 
thus  wrought  upon.  I  perceived  by  their  doctrine,  which  I  understood, 
being  inquisitive,  that  they  acknowledged  a  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
begin  with  men,  by  moving  and  stirring  the  soul ;  but  free-will  then  from  its 
freedom  carried  it,  though  assisted  by  those  aids  and  helps.  And  this  work 
of  the  Spirit  they  called  grace,  sufficient  in  the  first  beginnings  of  it,  excit- 
ing, moving,  and  helping  the  will  of  man  to  turn  to  God,  and  giving  him 
power  to  turn,  when  being  thus  helped  he  would  set  himself  to  do  it :  but 
withal  they  affirmed,  that  though  men  are  thus  converted,  yet  by  the  freedom 
of  the  same  will  they  may,  and  do,  often  in  time  fall  away  totally ;  and  then 
upon  another  fit  through  the  liberty  of  the  will,  again  assisted  with  the  like 
former  helps,  they  return  again  to  repentance.  Furthermore,  I  am  yet  to 
tell  you  how  I  was  withal  acquainted  during  this  season  with  several  holy 
youths  in  Christ's  College,  who  had  made  known  imto  me  the  workings  of 
God  upon  them,  in  humiliation,  faith,  and  change  of  heart.  And  I  observed 
that  they  continued  their  profession  steadfast,  and  fell  not  off  again. 

'Though  the  Arminian  doctrines  suited  my  own  experience,  in  these 
natural  workings  of  conscience  off  and  on  in  religion,  yet  the  example  of 
those  godly  youths  in  their  constant  perseverance  therein  made  so  strong  an 
impression  upon  me,  that  in  my  very  heart  and  judgment  I  thought  the 
doctrine  of  Arminianism  was  not  true ;  and  I  was  fixed  under  a  conviction 
that  my  state  was  neither  right  nor  sound ;  but  yet  I  could  not  imagine 
wherein  it  faUed  and  was  defective.  But  notwithstanding  my  falling  thus 
away,  yet  I  still  upon  every  sacrament  set  myself  anew  to  examine  myself, 
to  repent,  and  to  turn  to  God ;  but  when  the  sacrament  was  over,  I  returned 
to  a  neglect  of  praying,  and  to  my  former  ways  of  unregenerate  principles 
and  practices,  and  to  live  in  hardness  of  heart  and  profaneness.  When  I  was 
thus  given  over  to  the  strength  of  my  lusts,  and  further  off  from  all  goodness 
than  ever  I  had  been,  and  utterly  out  of  hope  that  God  would  ever  be  so 
good  unto  me  as  to  convert  me ;  and  being  resolved  to  follow  the  world,  and 
the  glory,  applause,  preferment,  and  honour  of  it,  and  to  use  all  means 
possible  for  these  attainments ;  when  I  was  one  day  going  to  be  merry  with 
my  companions  at  Christ's  College,  from  which  I  had  removed  to  Catherine 
Hall,  by  the  way  hearing  a  bell  toll  at  St  Edmund's  for  a  funeral,  one  of  my 
company  said  there  was  a  sermon,  and  pressed  me  to  hear  it.  I  was  loath  to 
go  in,  for  I  loved  not  preaching,  especially  not  that  kind  of  it  which  good 


Uy  memoir  of  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

men  used,  and  which  I  thought  to  be  dull  stuff.  But  yet,  seeing  many 
echolars  going  in,  I  thought  it  was  some  eminent  man,  or  if  it  were  not  so, 
that  I  would  come  out  again. 

*  I  went  in  before  the  hearse  came,  and  took  a  seat ;  and  fain  would  I  have 
been  gone,  but  shame  made  me  stay.  I  was  never  so  loath  to  hear  a  sermon 
in  my  life.  Inquiring  who  preached,  they  told  me  it  was  Dr  Bambridge, 
which  made  me  the  more  willing  to  stay,  because  he  was  a  witty  man.  He 
preached  a  sermon  which  I  had  heard  once  before,  on  that  text  in  Luke 
xix.  41,  42.  I  remember  the  first  words  of  the  sermon  pleased  me  so  well 
as  to  make  me  very  attentive  all  the  wMle.  He  spake  of  deferring  repen- 
tance, and  of  the  danger  of  doing  so.  Then  he  said  that  every  man  had  his 
day,  it  was  "  this  thy  day,"  not  to-morrow,  but  to-day.  He  shewed  also 
that  every  man  had  a  time  in  which  grace  was  offered  him ;  and  if  he 
neglected  it,  it  was  just  with  God  that  it  should  be  hidden  from  his  eyes. 
And  that  as,  in  things  temporal,  it  was  an  old  saying  that  every  man  had  an 
opportunity,  which  if  he  took  hold  of  he  was  made  for  ever ;  so  in  spirituals, 
every  man  hath  a  time,  in  which,  if  he  would  know  the  things  which  belong 
unto  his  peace,  he  was  made  for  ever,  but  otherwise  they  would  be  hid  from 
his  eyes.  This  a  little  moved  me,  as  I  had  wont  to  be  at  other  sermons. 
Then  he  came  to  shew  that  the  neglect  of  this  had  final  impenitency,  blind- 
ness of  mind,  and  hardness  of  heart ;  concluding  with  this  saying,  "  Every 
day  thou  prayest,  pray  to  God  to  keep  thee  from  blindness  of  mind,  and 
hardness  of  heart." 

*  The  matter  of  the  sermon  was  vehemently  urged  on  the  hearer,  (whoever 
he  was  that  deferred  his  repentance,)  not  to  let  slip  the  opportunity  of  that 
day,  but  immediately  to  turn  to  God  and  defer  no  longer;  being  edged 
with  that  direful  threatening,  lest  if  he  did  not  turn  to  God  in  that  day,  the 
day  of  grace  and  salvation,  it  might  be  eternally  hid  from  his  eyes.  I  was 
so  far  affected,  as  I  uttered  this  speech  to  a  companion  of  mine  that  came  to 
church  with  me,  and  indeed  that  brought  me  to  that  sermon,  that  I  hoped 
to  be  the  better  for  this  sermon  as  long  as  I  lived.  I  and  that  companion 
of  mine  had  come  out  of  our  own  chambers  at  Catherine  Hall,  with  a  fixed 
design  to  have  gone  to  some  of  my  like  acquaintance  at  Christ's  College, 
where  I  had  been  bred,  on  purpose  to  be  merry  and  spend  that  afternoon; 
but  as  I  went  along,  was  accidentally  persuaded  to  hear  some  of  the  sermon. 
This  was  on  Monday  the  2d  of  October  1620,  in  the  afternoon.  As  soon 
as  we  came  out  of  the  church,  I  left  my  fellows  to  go  on  to  Christ's  CoUege; 
but  my  thoughts  being  retired  then,  I  went  to  Catherine  HaU,  and  left  all 
my  acquaintance,  though  they  sent  after  me  to  come. 

*  I  thought  myself  to  be  as  one  struck  down  by  a  mighty  power.  The 
grosser  sins  of  my  conversation  came  in  upon  me,  which  I  wondered  at,  as 
being  unseasonable  at  first;  and  so  the  working  began,  but  was  prosecuted 
still  more  and  more,  higher  and  higher :  and  I  endeavouring  not  to  think 
the  least  thought  of  my  sins,  was  passively  held  under  the  remembrance  of 
them,  and  affected,  so  as  I  was  rather  passive  aU  the  while  in  it  than  active, 
and  my  thoughts  held  under,  whilst  that  work  went  on. 


MEMOIR  OP  DR  TUOMAB  GOODWIN.  Iv 

'  I  remember  some  two  years  after,  I  preaching  at  Ely  in  the  minster,  as  they 
call  it,  in  a  turn  of  preaching  for  Dr  Hills,  prebend  of  that  church.  Master  of  our 
College ;  I  told  the  auditory,  meaning  myself  in  the  person  of  another,  that  a 
man  to  be  converted,  who  is  ordinarily  ignorant  of  what  the  work  of  conversion 
shovdd  be,  and  what  particular  passages  it  consists  of,  was  yet  guided  through 
Jill  the  dark  corners  and  windings  of  it,  as  would  be  a  wonder  to  think  of, 
and  would  be  as  if  a  man  were  to  go  to  the  top  of  that  lantern,  to  bring 
him  into  all  the  passages  of  the  minster,  within  doors  and  without,  and  knew 
not  a  jot  of  the  way,  and  were  in  every  step  in  danger  to  tread  awry  and  fall 
down.  So  it  was  with  me ;  I  knew  no  more  of  that  work  of  conversion  than 
these  two  general  heads,  that  a  man  was  troubled  in  conscience  for  his  sins, 
and  afterwards  was  comforted  by  the  favour  of  God  manifested  to  him.  And 
it  became  one  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  work  of  grace  upon  me,  when  I 
reviewed  it,  that  I  had  been  so  strangely  guided  in  the  dark.  In  all  this 
intercourse,  and  those  that  follow  to  the  very  end,  I  was  acted  all  along  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  being  upon  me,  and  my  thoughts  passively  held  fixed,  until 
each  head  and  sort  of  thoughts  were  finished,  and  then  a  new  thought  began 
and  continued;  that  I  have  looked  at  them  as  so  many  conferences  God  had 
with  me  by  way  of  reproof  and  conviction.  My  thoughts  were  kept  fixed 
and  intent  on  the  consideration  of  the  next  immediate  causes  of  those  fore- 
gone gross  acts  of  sinning.  An  abundant  discovery  was  made  unto  me  of 
my  inward  lusts  and  concupiscence,  and  how  all  sorts  of  concupiscences  had 
wrought  in  me;  at  which  I  was  amazed,  to  see  with  what  greediness  I  had 
sought  the  satisfaction  of  every  lust. 

'Indeed,  natural  conscience  will  readily  discover  grosser  acts  against 
knowledge ;  as  in  the  dark  a  man  more  readily  sees  chairs  and  tables  in  a 
room,  than  flies  and  motes :  but  the  light  which  Christ  now  vouchsafed  me, 
and  this  new  sort  of  illumination,  gave  discovery  of  my  heart  in  all  my  sin- 
nings,  carried  me  down  to  see  the  inwards  of  my  beUy,  as  Solomon  speaks, 
and  searched  the  lower  rooms  of  my  heart,  as  it  were  with  candles,  as  the 
prophet's  phrase  is.  I  saw  the  violent  eagerness,  unsatiableness  of  my  lusts; 
and  moreover  concerning  the  dispensation  of  God  in  this  new  light,  I  found 
the  apparent  di£Ference,  by  experience  of  what  I  had  received  in  former 
tunes.  I  had  before  had  enlightenings  and  great  stirrings  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  both  unto  and  in  the  performance  of  holy  duties,  prayer,  and  hearing, 
and  the  like ;  and  yet  I  had  not  the  sinful  inordinacy  of  my  lusts  discovered, 
which  had  been  the  root  and  ground  of  all  my  other  sinnings.  And  these 
forementioned  devotions  were  difiierent  also  in  this  respect  from  the  present 
sight  of  my  inward  corruptions,  that  in  aU  the  former,  though  I  felt  myself 
much  stirred,  yet  I  had  this  secret  thought  run  along,  that  God  could  not 
but  accept  those  real  services  which  I  thought  I  did  perform;  and  so  I  fell 
into  the  opinion  of  merit,  which  thought  I  could  not  get  rid  of,  though  the 
common  received  doctrine  taught  me  otherwise.  But  now  when  I  saw  my 
lusts  and  heart  in  that  clear  manner  as  I  did,  God  quitted  me  of  that  opi- 
nion, which  vanished  without  any  dispute,  and  I  detested  myself  for  my 
former  thoughts  of  it.     And  the  sinfulness  of  these  lusts  I  saw  chiefly  to  lie 


Ivi  MEMl;IB  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

in  ungodliness  as  the  spring  of  them;  forasmuch  as  I  had  been  a  lover  of 
pleasure  more  than  a  lover  of  God;  according  to  that  in  Jeremiah,  "My 
people  have  committed  two  evils :  they  have  forsaken  me  the  fountain  of  living 
waters,  and  have  made  unto  themselves  cisterns  that  wiU  hold  no  water." 
And  these  lusts  I  discerned  to  have  been  acted  by  me  in  things  that  were 
most  lawful,  answerably  unto  that  sayiijg  in  Scripture,  "  The  very  ploughing 
of  the  wicked  is  sin : "  and  by  the  clear  light  thereof,  the  sinfulness  of  my 
sin  was  exceedingly  enlarged;  for  that  light  accompanied  me  through  all 
and  every  action  that  I  could  cast  my  remembrance  upon,  or  that  my  view 
went  over. 

*  And  by  and  through  the  means  of  the  discovery  of  those  lusts,  a  new 
horrid  vein  and  course  of  sin  was  revealed  also  to  me,  that  I  saw  lay  at  the 
bottom  of  my  heart,  in  the  rising  and  working  of  all  my  lusts ;  namely,  that 
they  kept  my  heart  in  a  continual  course  of  ungodliness, — that  is,  that  my 
heart  was  wholly  obstructed  from  acting  towards  God  any  way,  or  from 
having  any  holy  or  good  movings  at  all. 

*  God  having  proceeded  thus  far,  I  perceived  I  was  "  humbled  under  hia 
mighty  hand,"  as  James  speaks,  with  whom  only  and  immediately  I  had  to 
do,  and  not  with  my  own  bare  single  thoughts.  But  God  continued  orderly 
to  possess  my  thoughts  with  a  further  progress  as  to  this  subject;  I  being 
made  sensible  of  God's  hand  in  it,  and  myself  was  merely  passive :  but  still 
God  continued  his  hand  over  me,  and  held  me,  intent  to  consider  and  pierce 
into  what  should  be  the  first  causes  of  so  much  actual  sinfulness;  and  he 
presented  to  me,  as  in  answer  thereunto, — for  it  was  transacted  as  a  conference 
by  God  with  me, — the  original  corruption  of  my  nature,  and  inward  evil  con- 
stitution and  depravation  of  all  my  faculties;  the  inclinations  and  disposed 
nesses  of  heart  unto  all  evil,  and  averseness  from  all  spiritual  good  and  accept- 
ableness  unto  God.  I  was  convinced  that  in  this  respect  I  was  flesh,  which 
was  to  my  apprehension  as  if  that  had  been  the  definition  of  a  man,  "  that 
which  is  bom  of  the  flesh  is  flesh." 

'  And  here  let  me  stand  a  -while  astonished,  as  I  did  then :  I  can  compare 
this  sight,  and  the  workings  of  my  heart  rising  from  thence,  to  be  as  if  I  had 
in  the  heat  of  summer  looked  down  into  the  filth  of  a  dungeon,  where  by  a 
clear  light  and  piercing  eye  I  discerned  millions  of  crawling  living  things  in 
the  midst  of  that  sink  and  liquid  corruption.  Holy  Mr  Price's  comparison 
was,  that  when  he  heard  Mr  Chattertom  preach  the  gospel,  his  apprehension 
was  as  if  the  sun,  namely  Jesus  Christ,  shined  upon  a  dunghiU;  but  my 
sight  of  my  heart  was,  to  my  sense,  that  it  was  utterly  without  Christ.  How 
much  and  deeply  did  I  consider  that  all  the  sins  that  ever  were  committed 
by  the  wickedest  men  that  have  been  in  the  world  had  proceeded  from  the 
com^tion  of  their  nature ;  or  that  the  sins  which  any  or  all  men  did  com- 
mit at  any  time  were  from  the  same  root;  and  I  by  my  nature,  if  God  had 
left  me  and  withdrawn  from  me,  should  have  committed  the  same,  as  any 
temptation  should  have  induced  me  unto  the  Hke.  But  what  much  afi'ected 
me  was  a  sight  and  sense  that  my  heart  was  empty  of  aU  good;  that  in  me, 
that  is,  in  my  flesh,  there  dwelt  no  good,  not  a  mite  of  truly  spiritual  good, 


MEMOIR  OF  DB  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Ivii 

as  the  Scripture  describes  true  inherent  grace  to  be  some  good  in  us  toward 
the  Lord  our  God,  which  none  of  my  goodness  nor  ingenuity  was,  which  I 
boasted  o£  What  is  all  such  goodness  to  God  who  is  only  good,  and  is  the 
only  true  measure  of  all  that  is  called  good?  which  is  so  only  so  far  as  it  re- 
spects him,  as  he  is  holy  and  good,  as  of  the  law  it  is  said,  Rom.  viL  Thus 
at  present  I  was  abundantly  convinced. 

'But  next  I  was  brought  to  inquire  into  and  consider  of  what  should 
have  been  the  original  cause  at  the  bottom  of  all  this  forementioned  sinful- 
ness, both  in  my  heart  and  life.  And  after  I  had  well  debated  with  myself 
that  one  place,  Rom.  v.  12,  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death 
by  him,  and  passed  upon  all  men,  in  whom,"  or  in  that,  "all  have  sinned :" 
that  it  was  in  him  they  all  sinned,  for  they  had  not  in  and  of  themselves 
sinned  actually,  as  those  that  die  infants,  "  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's 
transgression;"  which  limitation  is  cautiously  there  added  by  the  Apostle,  to 
shew  that  they  had  not  actually  sinned  of  themselves,  but  are  simply  in- 
volved in  his  act  of  sinning;  and  that  sin  wherein  we  were  all  involved,  as 
guilty  of  it,  is  expressly  said  to  be  the  disobedience  of  that  one  man  ;  for  by 
one  man's  disobedience,  many  of  his  children  of  the  sons  of  men  were  all 
made  sinners,  for  disobedience  notes  an  act  of  sinning,  not  a  sinful  nature  or  a 
habit.  This  caused  me  necessarily  to  conceive  thus  of  it,  that  it  was  the 
gmlt  or  demerit  of  that  one  man's  disobedience  that  corrupted  my  nature. 
Under  such  like  apprehensions  as  these  did  my  spiiit  lie  convicted  so  strongly 
of  this  great  truth,  that  being  gone  to  bed  some  hours  before,  and  filled  with 
these  meditations,  I  in  the  end  of  all  rose  out  of  bed,  being  alone,  and 
solemnly  fell  down  on  my  knees  before  God,  the  Father  of  all  the  family  in 
heaven,  and  did  on  my  own  accord  assume  and  take  on  me  the  guUt  of  that 
sin,  as  truly  as  any  of  my  own  actual  sins.  But  now  when  I  was  thus  con- 
cluding in  my  own  heart  concerning  my  sinfulness,  that  all  that  I  had  acted 
was  wholly  corrupt,  and  that  in  me  there  was  nothing  but  flesh,  as  bom  of 
flesh,  so  that  all  the  actions  that  came  jfrom  me  were  wholly  corrupt,  and 
in  me,  that  is  in  my  flesh,  there  dwelt  no  good  thing,  Rom.  vii.,  my  pro- 
nouncing this  conclusion  with  myself  was  presently  interrupted  by  the  re- 
membrance, which  not  tiU  now  did  come  in  full  upon  me,  in  this  nick  of 
time  and  not  before. 

'  The  interruption  was  made  by  these  intervening  thoughts,  that  I  had 
forgot  myself,  and  should  wrong  myself  to  end  in  this  conclusion;  for  I  had 
had  abundance  of  experience,  as  I  thought,  of  the  workings  of  true  grace, 
enlightenings  and  ravishments  of  spirit  and  of  faith  in  Christ,  at  sacrament 
and  at  other  times.  I  recalled  the  course  of  my  spirit  untU  I  was  towards 
thirteen  years  old,  for  I  was  not  thirteen  when  I  came  to  the  University; 
and  I  recalled  to  my  remembrance,  that  during  that  space  when  I  was  seven 
years  old,  my  grandfather,  whom  I  lived  with,  had  a  servant,  who  observing 
some  sin  in  me,  reproved  me  sharply,  and  laid  open  hell-torments  as  due  to 
me,  whither,  he  said,  I  must  go  for  such  sins,  and  was  very  vehement  with 
me;  and  I  was  accordingly  afi"ected  with  thoughts  of  God  and  matters  of 
religion  from  thenceforth.    I  was  indeed  but  in  my  infancy,  in  respect  of  my 


Iviii  MEMOIK  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

knowledge  of  religion,  having  childish  thoughts,  which  I  began  to  build  my 
hopes  on.  For  my  conscience  was  opened  with  the  sight  of  my  sins  when  I 
committed  any,  and  from  that  time  I  began  to  weep  and  mourn  for  my  sins, 
and  for  a  while  to  forbear  to  commit  them,  but  found  I  was  weak,  and  was 
overcome  again;  but  I  could  weep  for  my  sins  when  I  could  weep  for 
nothing :  and  I  doing  this  privately  between  God  and  myself,  concluded  it 
was  not  hypocrisy.  I  thought  of  Hezekiah's  example,  who  turned  to  the 
wall  and  wept,  and  how  it  moved  God;  for  I  was  brought  up  to  read  the 
Scriptures  from  a  child,  and  I  met  with  that  promise  of  our  Saviour's, 
"  Whatever  you  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  I  will  do  it  for  you :" 
and  that  made  me  confident,  for  to  be  sure  I  would  use  his  name  for  what- 
ever I  would  have  of  God.  Yet  still  I  fell  into  sins,  renewing  my  repent- 
ance for  them.  As  Paul  says,  when  I  was  a  child,  my  thoughts  were  as  a 
child,  and  I  judged  that  whatever  is  more  than  nature  must  be  grace ;  and 
when  I  had  my  afi"ections  any  way  exercised  upon  the  things  of  the  other 
world,  thought  I,  This  is  the  work  of  God,  for  the  time  was  I  had  no  such 
actings. 

'  And  thus  my  younger  time  was  at  times  spent ;  but  God  was  to  me  as  a 
wayfaring  man,  who  came  and  dwelt  for  a  night,  and  made  me  rehgious  for 
a  fit,  but  then  departed  from  me.  The  Holy  Ghost  moved  upon  the  waters 
when  the  world  was  creating,  and  held  and  sustamed  the  chaos  that  was 
created,  and  so  he  does  in  carnal  men's  hearts;  witness  their  good  motions 
at  times.  In  a  great  frost,  you  shall  see,  where  the  sun  shines  hot,  the  ice 
drops,  and  the  snow  melts,  and  the  earth  grows  slabby ;  but  it  is  a  particular 
thaw  only  where  the  sun  shines,  not  a  general  thaw  of  all  things  that  are 
frozen.  But  so  it  was,  that  for  these  lighter  impressions  and  slighter  work- 
ings, my  heart  did  grow  so  presumptuous,  that  I  thought  myself  not  only  to 
have  grace,  but  more  grace  than  my  relations,  or  any  inhabitant  of  the  town 
that  I  knew  of,  and  this  for  the  time  I  was  a  schoolboy  before  I  came  to  the 
University. 

*  When  I  was  past  twelve  years  old,  towards  thirteen,  I  was  admitted  into 
Christ's  College  in  Cambridge,  as  a  junior  sophister,  a  year  before  the  usual 
time  of  standing;  and  there  being  the  opportunity  of  a  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  appointed  to  be  administered  pubUcly  in  the  College,  and  all 
of  that  form  that  I  was  now  in  being  taken  into  receiving,  I  was  ashamed 
to  go  out  of  the  chapel  alone  and  not  receive,  and  so  I  adventured  to  obtrude 
myself  upon  that  ordinance  with  the  rest.  I  had  set  myself  to  the  greatest 
preparation  I  could  possibly  make,  in  repenting  of  my  sms  and  examining 
myself,  and  by  meditations  on  the  sufi'erings  of  Christ,  which  I  presumed  to 
apply  to  myself,  with  much  thankfulness  to  God.  And  that  which  now,  since 
I  came  to  that  College,  had  quickened  and  heightened  my  devotion,  was,  that 
there  remained  still  in  the  College  six  Fellows  that  were  great  tutors,  who 
professed  religion  after  the  strictest  sort,  then  called  Puritans.  Besides,  the 
town  was  then  filled  with  the  discourse  of  the  power  of  Mr  Perldns'  ministry, 
still  fresh  in  most  men's  memories;  and  Dr  Ames,  that  worthy  professor  of 
divinity  at  Franeker,  who  wrote  Furitanismus  Anglicanus,  had  been  Fellow 


MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  OOODWIN.  ILx 

of  that  College,  and  not  long  before  my  time  had,  by  the  urgency  of  the 
Master,  been  driven  both  from  the  College  and  University.  The  worth  and 
hoUncss  of  that  man  are  sufficiently  known  by  what  he  did  afterwards  in  the 
Low  Countries.  These  Puritan  Fellows  of  that  College  had  several  pupils 
that  were  godly,  and  I  fell  into  the  observation  of  them  and  their  ways.  I 
had  also  the  advantage  of  Ursin's  Catechism,  which  book  was  the  renowned 
summaries  of  the  orthodox  religion,  and  the  Puritan  Fellows  of  the  College 
explained  it  to  their  pupils  on  Saturday  night,  with  chamber  prayers.  This 
book  I  was  upon  this  occasion  acquainted  with ;  and  against  the  time  of  the 
forementioned  sacrament,  I  examined  mysehf  by  it,  and  I  found,  as  I  thought, 
all  things  in  that  book  and  my  own  heart  to  agree  for  my  preparation. 

*  As  I  grew  up,  the  noise  of  the  Arminian  controversy  in  Holland,  at  the 
Synod  of  Dort,  and  the  several  opinions  of  that  controversy,  began  to  be 
every  man's  talk  and  inquiry,  and  possessed  my  ears.  That  which  I 
observed,  as  touching  the  matter  of  my  own  religion,  was,  that  those  godly 
Fellows,  and  the  younger  sort  of  their  pupils  that  were  godly,  held  constantly 
to  their  strict  religious  practices  and  principles,  without  falling  away  and 
decUning,  as  I  knew  of  I  judged  them  to  be  in  the  right  for  matter  of 
religion,  and  the  Arminians  in  the  wrong,  who  held  falling  away ;  yea,  and 
I  did  so  far  reverence  the  opinions  of  the  orthodox,  who  are  against  the 
power  of  free-will,  and  for  the  power  of  electing  grace,  that  I  did  so  far  judge 
myself  as  to  suspect  I  had  not  grace  because  of  my  so  often  falling  away; 
whereof  I  knew  not  any  probablier  reason  that  it  was  not  true  grace  which  I 
had  built  upon,  than  this,  that  still  after  sacraments  I  fell  away  into  neglects 
of  duties  and  into  a  sinful  course,  which  those  godly  youths  I  had  in  my  eye 
did  not. 

*  But  that  which  chiefly  did  serve  most  to  convince  me,  was  the  powerful 
and  steady  example  of  one  of  those  godly  Fellows  in  the  College,  Mr  Bently, 
who  was  a  man  of  an  innocent,  meek,  humble  spirit  and  demeanour,  ajid  an 
eminent  professor  of  religion  in  the  greatest  strictness,  whose  profession  was 
further  quickened  and  enhanced  by  this,  that  he  lived  in  a  continual  fear  of 
death,  having  had  two  fits  of  an  apoplexy  that  laid  him  for  dead,  and  daily 
expecting  a  third.  This  blessed  man  I  observed  and  reverenced  above  all 
other  men  but  Mr  Price,  who  then  was  of  the  University,  an  eminent  example 
of  conversion  in  the  eyes  of  all,  and  who  was  afterwards  minister  of  the 
gospel  in  Lynn  Kegis.  I  remember  that  when  I  came  to  the  prayers,  I 
used  to  have  usually  great  stirrings  of  affections  and  of  my  bodily  spirits  to 
a  kind  of  ravishment,  and  so  I  continued  in  private  devotion  for  a  week 
after;  yet  still  all  those  impressions  proved  to  be  but  morning  dew,  and 
came  to  nothing,  and  I  utterly  forbore  to  pray  privately,  or  exercise  any 
other  good  duty,  and  so  all  my  religion  was  soon  lost  and  came  to  nothing. 
But  again,  when  the  time  of  the  next  sacrament  came,  I  renewed  the  former 
exercises,  and  then  I  grew  into  a  love  of  the  good  scholars  of  the  College,  both 
of  Fellows  and  others,  and  began  to  continue  more  constant  in  duties  for  a 
longer  time  together. 

*  And  I  left  going  to  St  Mary's,  the  university  church,  whore  were  all  the 


IX  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

florid  sermons  and  strains  of  wit  in  which  that  age  abounded,  the  great  wits 
of  those  times  striving  who  of  them  should  exceed  each  other.  But  from 
these  the  work  I  had  the  next  sacrament  upon  me  did  so  far  withdraw  me, 
as  for  eight  weeks  together  I  went  with  the  Puritans  of  that  College  to  hear 
Dr  Sibbs,  whose  preaching  was  plain  and  wholesome ;  and  to  improve  my 
time  the  better  before  sermon  began,  I  carried  with  me  Calvin's  Institu- 
tions to  church,  and  found  a  great  deal  of  sweetness  and  savouriness  in  that 
divinity.  In  those  weeks  I  kept  constantly  to  private  prayer,  and  calling  to 
mind  the  sweetness  of  this  course,  of  those  eight  weeks  in  these  exercises, 
and  acquainting  myself  more  with  the  youths  of  that  CoUege  who  held 
steadfast  in  their  profession.  Oh,  how  did  I  long  for  the  receiving  of  the 
next  sacrament,  in  which  I  hoped  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  received 
with  due  preparation,  which  I  endeavoured  to  make  to  the  utmost  of  my 
ability,  would  confirm  me  in  the  way  I  had  begun  and  continued  in  so  long, 
and  would  strengthen  me  for  ever  from  falling  into  the  same  way  of  liking 
florid  and  scholastic  sermons. 

'  I  went  to  chapel  for  the  sacrament,  as  I  was  wont  to  do,  and  expected 
no  other  but  to  receive  it ;  but  in  the  nick,  when  every  communicant  was 
rising  to  go  to  kneel  at  the  step,  as  the  manner  was,  my  tutor,  Mr  Power, 
(who  was  the  only  tutor  that  ever  I  had,)  sent  a  messenger  to  me  to  com- 
mand me  out  of  the  chapel,  and  to  forbear  to  receive;  which  message  I 
received  with  extreme  dolour  of  heart  and  trouble ;  but  he  beiag  my  tutor, 
I  obeyed  him.  But  upon  this  disappointment  I  was  so  discouraged,  that  1 
left  off  private  prayer  for  the  first  week  after,  and  at  last  altogether,  and 
from  thence  after  went  constantly  to  St  Mary's,  where  the  flaunting  sermons 
were;  and  though  I  never  fell  into  the  common  sins  of  drunkenness  or 
whoredom,  whereunto  I  had  temptations  and  opportunities  enough,  yet  I 
returned  unto  the  lusts  and  pleasures  of  sinning,  but  especially  the  ambition 
of  glory  and  praise,  prosecuting  those  lusts  with  the  whole  of  my  soul.  And 
though  I  did  not  walk  in  profane  ways  against  religion,  yet  with  a  lower 
kind  of  enmity  against  good  men  and  good  things,  resolving  to  have  preached 
against  those  at  Lynn  and  their  ways,  and  to  have  taken  part  with  the 
whole  town  against  them ;  which  my  wicked  spirit  was  too  eager  and  fitted 
to  do  by  the  studies  I  had  pursued;  it  came  to  this  at  last,  that  if  God 
would  give  me  the  pleasure  I  desired,  and  the  credit  and  preferment  I  pur- 
sued after,  and  not  damn  me  at  last,  let  him  keep  heaven  to  himself;  and  I 
often  thought  thus  with  myself,  They  talk  of  their  Puritan  powerful  preach- 
ing, and  of  Mr  Rogers  of  Dedham,  and  such  others,  but  I  would  gladly  see 
the  man  that  could  trouble  my  conscience. 

'When  God  now  by  a  true  work  of  grace  effectually  converted  me  to  him- 
self, the  vanity  of  my  former  religion  was,  by  serious  reflections  on  these 
passages  mentioned,  sufficiently  manifested.  The  deficiency  of  the  root  of 
all  my  devotions  did  also  abundantly  add  to  the  discovery.  For  God  did 
vouchsafe  me  a  new  and  further  light  into  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  to 
discern  that  self-love  and  self-flattery,  acted  by  the  motives  of  the  word  so 
far  as  they  will  extend,  were  but  the  roots  of  all  these  gaudy  tulips  which  I 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Ixi 

counted  grace :  and  I  needed  no  other  scripture  than  that  in  the  parable, 
together  with  my  own  heart,  for  the  proof  of  it :  Mark  iv.  5,  6,  "  Some  fell 
upon  stony  ground,  where  it  had  not  much  earth ;  and  immediately  it  sprang 
up,  because  it  had  no  depth  of  earth  :  but  when  the  sun  was  up,  it  was 
scorched;  and  because  it  had 'no  root,  it  withered  away."  And  with  this 
one  blast,  and  thus  easily,  did  the  flower  of  all  my  former  devotions  wither 
and  come  to  nought,  because  they  wanted  moisture  in  the  heart  to  nourish 
them. 

'  By  the  prospect  of  all  these  heads  of  sinning  which  I  lay  under,  I  was 
surrounded  and  shut  up,  and  saw  no  way  to  escape  :  but  together  with  the 
sight  of  all  this  sinfulness,  hell  opened  his  mouth  upon  me,  threatening  to 
devour  and  destroy  me ;  and  I  began  withal  to  consider  the  eternity  of  time 
that  I  was  to  pass  through  under  this  estate,  that  it  was  for  ever  and  ever. 
But  though  I  was  subjugated  and  bound  over  to  these  apprehensions,  yet 
God  kept  me  from  the  soreness  of  his  wrath,  and  its  piercing  my  soul 
tlirough  and  through  :  that  though  I  had  a  solid  and  strong  conviction  of 
God's  wrath  abiding  on  me,  as  being  in  a  state  of  unbelief,  yet  my  soul 
suffered  not  the  terrors  of  the  Almighty,  though  I  lay  bound  as  it  were 
hand  and  foot,  subacted  under  the  pressure  of  the  guilt  of  wrath,  or  of 
being  subject  to  the  just  judgment  of  the  Lord,  as  the  word  is  to  be  trans- 
lated, Rom.  iii.  19.  How  long  my  soul  lay  filled  with  these  thoughts,  I  per- 
fectly remember  not ;  but  it  was  not  many  hours  before  God,  who  after  we 
are  regenerate  is  so  faithful  and  mindful  of  his  word,  and  his  word  of  pro- 
mise, as  to  suffer  us  not  to  be  tempted  above  what  we  are  able,  but  will  with 
the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  we  may  be  able  to  bear  it ; 
and  he  loving  us  with  the  same  love  as  we  are  his  own  dear  elect,  does  not 
often  suffer  a  destroying  apprehension  to  continue  long  upon  us,  but  out  of 
the  same  faithfulness  and  pity  to  us  finds  a  way  to  escape. 

I  do  not  speak  now  of  temptations,  but  of  the  just  conviction  which 
many  such  souls  have,  previous  unto  their  believing.  See  what  God  says, 
Ezek.  xvi.,  of  the  whole  body  of  his  elect  church,  comparing  their  condition 
to  that  of  a  child  born  dead,  and  covered  over  with  blood,  as  it  came  out 
of  the  womb,  the  navel  not  cut,  neither  washed  in  water,  but  in  this  plight 
cast  out  into  the  open  field,  as  a  child  that  was  dead,  among  the  carcases. 
And  therefore  God,  when  he  was  said  to  have  compassion  on  him,  said  to 
him,  Live,  which  implies  that  he  was  dead.  In  this  plight  was  my  soul, 
dead  in  sins  and  trespasses  from  my  nativity,  and  firom  thence  so  continuing 
to  that  very  day,  together  with  that  heap  of  actual  sins,  that  were  the  con- 
tinual ebullitions  of  original  sin.  And  no  eye  pitied  me  or  could  help  me,  but 
as  God  there,  in  Ezek.  xvi.,  on  the  sudden, — for  it  is  spoken  as  a  speedy  word, 
as  well  as  a  vehement  earnest  word,  for  it  is  doubled  twice,  'yea,  I  said  unto 
you.  Live,' — so  God  was  pleased  on  the  sudden,  and  as  it  were  in  an  instant, 
to  alter  the  whole  of  his  former  dispensation  towards  me,  and  said  of  and  to 
my  soul,  Yea,  live ;  yea,  live,  I  say,  said  God  :  and  as  he  created  the  world 
and  the  matter  of  all  things  by  a  word,  so  he  created  and  put  a  new  life  and 
spirit  into  my  soul,  and  so  great  an  alteration  was  strange  to  me. 


Ixii  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

'  The  word  of  promise  which  he  let  fall  Into  my  heart,  and  which  was  but 
as  it  were  softly  whispered  to  my  soul ;  and  as  when  a  man  speaks  afar  off, 
he  gives  a  still,  yet  a  certain  sound,  or  as  one  hath  expressed  the  preachings 
of  the  gospel  by  the  apostles,  that  God  whispered  the  gospel  out  of  Zion, 
but  the  sound  thereof  went  forth  over  the  whole  earth  :  so  this  speaking  of 
God  to  my  soul,  although  it  was  but  a  gentle  sound,  yet  it  made  a  noise 
over  my  whole  heart,  and  filled  and  possessed  all  the  faculties  of  my  whole 
soul.  God  took  me  aside,  and  as  it  were  privately  said  unto  me,  Do  you  now 
turn  to  me,  and  I  will  pardon  all  your  sins  though  never  so  many,  as  I  for- 
gave and  pardoned  my  servant  Paul,  and  convert  you  unto  me,  as  I  did  Mr 
Price,  who  was  the  most  famous  convert  and  examijle  of  religion  in  Cam- 
bridge. Of  these  two  secret  whispers  and  speeches  of  God  to  me,  I  about  a 
year  after  did  expressly  tell  Mr  Price,  in  declaring  to  him  this  my  conversion, 
while  it  was  fresh  with  me,  as  he  well  remembered  long ;  and  I  have  since 
repeated  them  to  others  I  know  not  how  often,  for  they  have  ever  stuck  in 
my  mind.  And  examples  laid  before  us  by  God  do  give  us  hope,  and  are 
written  and  proposed  unto  us  :  Rom.  xv.  4,  "  For  whatsoever  things  were 
written  to  us  aforetime  were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  ScriiDtures  might  have  hope ;"  and  we  use  to 
allege  examples,  not  only  to  illustrate  and  explain  rules,  but  to  prove  und 
confirm  them.  That  God  pardoned  such  a  man  in  such  a  condition,  is  often 
brought  home  unto  another  man  in  the  same  condition,  and  impliedly  con- 
tains a  secret  promise,  that  so  he  may  do  to  me,  says  the  soul  in  the  same 
condition.  And  I  remember  that  I,  preaching  at  Ely  two  years  after, 
urged  to  the  people  the  example  of  Paul  (which  I  was  before  referred  to)  as 
an  example  to  win  others,  in  having  in  my  eye  and  thoughts  the  said  ex- 
perience of  God's  dealing  with  me  in  the  same  kind ;  and  that  the  examples 
of  such  are  to  be  held  forth  by  God,  as  flags  of  mercy  before  a  company  of 
rebels  to  win  them  in. 

*  Now  as  to  tliis  example  of  Paul,  it  was  full  and  pertinent  for  that  pur- 
pose for  which  God  held  it  out  to  me ;  I  then  considered  with  myself  the 
amplitude  of  my  pardon,  that  it  involved  all  sorts  of  sins  of  the  highest 
nature,  in  which  Paul  had  so  walked  as  he  was  even  upon  the  narrow  brink 
of  suming  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  God  suggested  unto  me  that  he 
would  pardon  me  all  my  sins,  though  never  so  great,  for  boldness,  hardness 
of  heart,  and  heinousness  of  sinning,  as  he  had  pardoned  Paul,  whose  story 
of  forgiveness  I  was  referred  unto ;  and  also  that  he  would  change  my  heart, 
as  he  had  done  Mr  Price's,  who  was  in  all  men's  eyes  the  greatest  and  most 
famous  convert,  known  to  the  whole  University  of  Cambridge,  and  made  the 
greatest  and  notedest  example  that  ever  was,  of  a  strange  conversion  to  God, 
and  who  was  the  holiest  man  that  ever  I  knew  one  or  other,  and  was  then 
preacher  at  King's  Lynn,  whither  my  parents  had  removed  from  Eollesby,  and 
then  lived  there. 

'  The  confirmations  which  myself  have  had,  to  judge  that  these  instructions 
and  suggestions  were  immediately  from  God,  were  these  : — 

'1.  I  considered  the  posture  and  condition  of  my  spirit,  and  that  this  sug- 


MEMOIU  OF  Dll  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  lyjij 

gcstion  took  mc  when  my  heart  was  fixed,  and  that  unmovcably,  in  the  con- 
trary persuasions,  not  only  that  I  was  guilty  of  those  sins,  and  had  continued 
in  them  to  that  time,  but  that  I  was  in  a  damned  estate,  without  hope  for 
remedy  :  and  when  God  had  set  a  guard  upon  me  as  the  prisoner  of  hell, 
then  came  in  these  contrary  apprehensions  and  impressions  as  it  were  in  an 
instant ;  which  impressions  also  were  so  deep  and  rooted  in  my  heart,  that  I 
remembered  them  ever  since.  And  I  did  accordingly  acquaint  Mr  Price  at 
Lynn,  a  year  and  a  half  after  this,  setting  them  on  upon  my  heart,  in 
rehearsing  to  him  the  story  of  my  conversion,  which  he  exceedingly  ap- 
proved of. 

*  2.  It  was  a  word  in  its  proper  season,  like  that  which  was  spoken  to 
Abraham,  the  father  of  all  the  faithful,  and  which  ran  in  a  proverb  among 
the  Jews :  '  In  the  mount  the  Lord  will  be  seen,'  or  '  provide ;'  which  they 
apply  to  the  immediate  remedy  wliich  God  does  use  to  afford  out  of  pity  to 
a  man  in  a  strait  or  distress,  and  which  none  but  himself  can  give  remedy  to. 
It  is  a  word  fitted  and  proper  to  such  an  occasion,  and  peculiar  to  the  case 
of  the  person  ;  a  word  that  was  quick  and  sudden,  and  interrupting  all  con- 
trary expectations  and  fears,  as  the  manner  of  the  speech  was,  'Abraham, 
Abraham,'  as  a  man  that  speaks  in  haste  to  prevent  any  contrary  fears.  It  is 
a  word  spoken  in  season,  which  Christ  himself  was  taught  by  God  to  speak 
to  distressed  souls,  Isa.  1.  4. 

'  3.  This  that  was  suggested  to  me  was  not  an  ungrounded  fancy,  but  the 
pure  word  of  God,  wliich  is  the  ground  of  faith  and  hope.  It  was  the  pro- 
mise and  performance  of  God's  forgiving  of  Paul  the  most  heinous  sins  that 
ever  any  convert  committed  who  was  saved  ;  for  he.  was  the  chiefest  of 
sinners,  as  himself  confesses.  And  this  instance  was  directed  unto  me,  as 
the  most  pertinent  to  my  case  that  I  could  elsewhere  have  found  in  the 
Book  of  God, 

'  4.  In  considering  the  consequents  and  effects  that  followed  after  God's 
speaking  to  me,  I  was  hopefully  persuaded  it  was  from  God,  for  the  things 
were  fulfilled  which  God  had  spoken  of.  For,  first,  I  felt  my  soul,  and  all 
the  powers  of  it,  as  in  an  instant,  to  be  clean  altered  and  changed  in  the  dis- 
positions of  them ;  even  as  our  own  divines  of  Great  Britain  do  set  out  in 
their  discourse  of  the  manner  of  conversion  in  the  effect  of  it.  Secondly,  I 
found  from  the  same  time  the  works  of  the  devil  to  be  dissolved  in  my 
heart  in  an  eminent  manner,  my  understanding  enlightened,  my  wUl  melted 
and  softened,  and  of  a  stone  made  flesh,  disposed  to  receive,  and  disposed  to 
turn  to  God.  And,  thirdly,  I  found  my  spirit  clothed  with  a  new  nature, 
naturally  inclining  me  to  good  ;  whereas  before  it  was  inclined  only  to  evil, 
I  found  not  only  good  motions  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  he  was  pleased  to 
incite  me  formerly,  not  only  flushings  and  streamings  of  affection,  which 
soon  vanish,  or  stu-ring  my  bodily  spirits  with  joy,  when  I  applied  myself  to 
a  holy  duty,  but  I  found  a  new  indweller,  or  habitual  principle  of  opposition 
to,  and  hatred  of  sin  indwelling,  so  as  I  concluded  with  myself  that  this 
new  workmanship  wrought  in  me  was  of  the  same  kind  as  to  matter  of  holi- 
ness with  that  image  of  God  expressed,  Eph.  iv.  23,  24,  but  more  expressly 


Ixiv  MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

affirmed,  Col.  iii.  10.  It  was  this  one  disposition  that  at  first  comforted  me, 
that  I  saw  and  found  two  contrary  principles,  of  spirit  against  flesh,  and 
flesh  against  spirit :  and  I  found  apparently  the  difference  of  the  opposition 
that  only  conscience  makes  against  a  lust,  and  that  which  the  spirit — that  is, 
the  new  work  of  grace  in  a  man's  heart — makes  against  the  flesh.  That  the 
spirit  not  only  contradicted  and  checked,  but  made  a  real  natural  opposition, 
such  as  fire  does  to  water ;  so  that  the  spirit  did  as  truly  lust  against  the 
work  of  the  flesh,  as  the  flesh  against  that  of  the  spirit.  And  this  diS'erence 
I  found  not  by  reading,  or  hearing  any  one  speak  of  it,  but,  as  Austin  did,  I 
perceived  it  of  myself,  and  wondered  at  it ;  for  I  may  say  of  this  combat, 
that  it  is  proper  and  peculiar  to  a  man  that  is  regenerate.  It  is  not  in  God 
or  Christ,  who  are  a  fulness  of  holiness ;  not  in  devils,  for  they  are  all  sin ; 
not  in  good  angels,  for  they  are  entirely  holy ;  not  in  wicked  men,  for  they 
have  no  grace  in  them,  to  fight  with  their  corruptions  after  such  a  manner. 
Fourthly,  The  consequent  of  this  that  fell  out  in  my  heart  was  an  actual 
turning  from  all  known  sins,  and  my  entertaining  the  truth  of  all  godliness, 
and  the  principles  of  it,  as  far  as  I  received  it  from  the  word  of  God,  and 
the  best  examples  of  godly  men  I  lived  withal.  And  in  general,  I  took  this 
course  through  God's  direction  and  assistance,  that  I  looked  back  upon  my 
sinful  estate,  and  took  a  summary  survey  of  my  chiefest  sins  and  lusts;  and  I 
found  them  to  be  love  of  pleasure  more  than  of  God,  corrupt  ends,  especially 
of  vain-glory  and  academic  praise,  which  I  sought  with  my  whole  soul :  and 
God  was  pleased  to  direct  me  to  take  up,  as  the  rule  of  my  turning  to  him, 
A  sincere  aim  at  his  glory  as  the  rule  of  all  my  inward  thoughts,  words, 
actions,  desires,  and  ends  whatsoever.  And  in  this  it  pleased  God  to  direct 
and  assist  me,  to  consider  asunder  all  the  sorts  of  actions  I  had  gone  through 
in  my  life,  and  to  take  them  asunder  in  particulars,  every  one  in  order,  but 
especially  the  principallest  of  them. 

'  And  here,  in  the  first  place,  I  considered  what  was  the  aim  and  drift  of 
my  studies,  which  I  had  spent  my  whole  time  upon :  and  having  been  de- 
voted by  my  parents  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  I  considered  what  it  was 
did  serve  most  to  the  glory  of  God  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  that 
overturned  all  the  projects  and  designs  of  my  heart  hitherto,  which  were  the 
dearest  of  all  to  me ;  so  dear,  that  I  would  certainly  rather  not  have  lived, 
than  have  forsaken  that  interest.  The  University  in  those  times  was  addicted 
in  their  preaching  to  a  vain-glorious  eloquence,  wherein  the  wits  did  strive 
to  exceed  one  another;  and  that  which  I  most  of  all  affected,  in  my  foolish 
fancy,  was  to  have  preached,  for  the  matter  thereof,  in  the  way  that  Dr  Sen- 
house  of  St  John's,  afterwards  made  bishop,  did  exceed  all  men  in.  I  instance 
in  him,  to  explain  the  way  and  model  that  I  set  up,  because  his  sermons, 
five  or  six  of  them,  are  in  print,  and  because  it  is  the  eminentest  farrago 
of  all  sorts  of  flowers  of  wit  that  are  found  in  any  of  the  fathers,  poets,  his- 
tories, similitudes,  or  whatever  has  the  elegancy  of  wit  in  it;  and  in  the 
joining  and  disposing  of  these  together,  wit  was  the  eminent  orderer  in  a 
promiscuous  way.  His  way  I  took  for  my  pattern,  not  that  I  hoped  to 
attain  to  the  same  perfection,  I  coming  far  behind-hand  of  all  the  accom- 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Ixv 

plishments  he  abounded  in.  But  I  set  him  up  in  my  thoughts  to  imitate 
as  much  as  I  was  able;  and  about  such  collections  as  these  did  I  set  my 
studies  until  I  should  come  to  preach. 

*  But  this  way  of  his  did  soon  receive  a  fatal  wound,  Dr  Preston  opposing 
it,  and  preaching  against  it,  as  vain  and  unedifpng.  His  catechetical  sermons 
in  the  chapel  of  that  College  it  fell  out  I  heard  whilst  unregenerate ;  but 
they  moved  me  not  to  alter  my  studies,  nor  should  all  the  world  have  per- 
suaded me  to  have  done  it,  nor  all  angels,  nor  men;  but  my  heart,  upon 
this  my  turning  to  God  and  setting  his  glory  as  my  resolved  end  of  all  my 
actions  and  ways,  did  soon  discover  to  me  the  unprofitableness  of  such  a  de- 
sign ;  and  I  came  to  this  resolved  principle,  that  I  would  preach  wholly  and 
altogether  sound,  wholesome  words,  without  affectation  of  wit  and  vanity  of 
eloquence.  And  in  the  end,  this  project  of  wit  and  vain-glory  was  wholly 
sunk  in  my  heart,  and  I  left  all,  and  have  continued  in  that  purpose  and 
practice  these  threescore  years;  and  I  never  was  so  much  as  tempted  to  put 
in  any  of  my  own  withered  flowers  that  I  had  gathered,  and  valued  more 
than  diamonds,  nor  have  they  offered  themselves  to  my  memory  to  the 
bringing  them  into  a  sermon  to  this  day,  but  I  have  preached  what  I  thought 
was  truly  edifjing,  either  for  conversion  of  souls,  or  bringing  them  up  to 
eternal  life :  so  as  I  am  free  to  profess  that  great  maxim  of  Dr  Preston,  in 
his  sermon  of  humiliation,  on  the  first  of  the  Ephesians,  "  that  of  aU  other, 
my  master-lust  was  mortified." 

*  I  observed  of  this  work  of  God  on  my  soul,  that  there  was  nothing  of 
constraint  or  force  in  it,  but  I  was  carried  on  with  the  most  ready  and  will- 
ing mind,  and  what  I  did  was  what  I  chose  to  do.  With  the  greatest  free- 
dom I  parted  with  my  sins,  formerly  as  dear  to  me  as  the  apple  of  my  eye, 
yea,  as  my  life,  and  resolved  never  to  return  to  them  more.  And  what  I  did 
was  from  deliberate  choice ;  I  considered  what  I  was  doing,  and  reckoned  with 
myself  what  it  would  cost  me  to  make  this  great  alteration.  I  considered 
the  common  opinion  the  world  had  of  those  ways  of  purity  and  holiness, 
and  walked  according  to  them.  But  though  I  considered  what  the  common 
course  and  vogue  of  the  world  was  concerning  the  ways  of  one  that  would  be 
a  true  convert  and  sincere  to  God,  yet  they  hindered  me  not  at  all.  The 
weeds  that  entangled  me  in  those  waters,  I  swam  and  broke  through,  with 
as  much  ease  as  Samson  did  his  withes;  for  I  was  made  a  vassal  and  a 
perfect  captive  to  another  binding,  such  as  Paul  speaks  of,  when  he  says  he 
went  bound  in  the  Spirit  to  Jerusalem;  and  I  said  within  myself,  of  aU  my 
old  companions.  What  do  you  breaking  my  heart?  I  am  not  ready  to  be 
bound  only,  but  to  give  up  my  life,  so  as  I  may  serve  God  with  joy  in  these 
ways.  I  parted  with  all  my  lusts,  not  as  Lot's  wife,  looking  back  on  what 
I  departed  from ;  but  with  my  whole  soul  and  whole  desires,  not  to  return 
more  to  the  enjoyment  of  any  lust,  and  casting  down  all  those  childish  ima- 
ginations of  preferment,  such  as  scholars  do  generally  aim  at  and  promise  to 
themselves,  and  to  attain  which  they  make  their  aim,  and  the  card  of  their 
life  they  sail  by.  All  these  fell,  and  Hke  bubbles  broke  and  vanished  to 
air;  and  those  which  I  counted  my  strongest  holds  and  imaginations,  "and 

VOL.  II.  e 


Ixvi  MEMOIE,  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

everytting  that  exalteth  itself,  was  brought  into  captivity  and  obedience  to 
Christ,"  2  Cor.  x.  5.  And  I  was  brought  in  my  own  thoughts  to  be  content 
■with  the  meanest  condition  all  my  days,  so  as  I  might  fulfil  the  course  of 
my  life,  though  never  so  mean,  with  uprightness  and  sincerity  towards  God. 

'  I  took  my  leave  for  my  whole  life  of  all  ecclesiastical  preferments ;  and 
though  afterwards  I  was  President  of  ]\Iagdalene  College,  my  great  motive 
to  it,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  was  the  fair  opportunity  of  doing  good 
in  my  ministry  in  the  University,  and  that  it  might  be  in  my  power  to  bring 
in  young  men  that  were  godly,  both  Fellows  and  students,  that  should  serve 
God  in  the  ministry  in  after-times.  And  after  such  as  were  godly  did  I 
inquire  and  seek,  and  valued  such  when  I  found  them  as  the  greatest  jewels. 
And  when  I  failed  of  such,  it  was  a  great  affliction  to  me ;  but  this  was  my 
heart  and  endeavour,  as  my  own  soul  and  conscience  bears  me  witness, 
though  I  did  and  might  fall  short  of  this  my  own  aim  in  some  particular 
persons.  And  this  principle  I  brought  with  me  from  Catherine  Hall  in 
Cambridge,  where  I  had  my  first  station,  and  where  I  was  the  instrument 
of  the  choice  of  that  holy  and  reverend  man,  Dr  Sibbs,  to  be  Master  of  that 
College,  and  of  most  of  the  Fellows  of  that  College  in  those  times,  as  Dr 
Arrowsmith,  and  Mr  Pen  of  Northamptonshire,  to  name  no  more.  And  I 
was  the  more  fixedly  established  in  the  practice  of  this,  that  after  I  had 
been  seven  years  from  Cambridge,  coming  out  of  Holland,  I  had  for  some 
years  after,  well-nigh  every  month,  serious  and  hearty  acknowledgment  from 
several  young  men,  who  had  received  the  light  of  their  conversion  by  my 
ministry  while  I  was  in  the  University  of  Cambridge.  And  this  was  the 
great  encouragement  I  had  to  return  again  to  a  university,  having  enjoyed 
so  frequent  a  testimony  of  the  fruit  of  my  labours  while  I  was  preacher  at 
Cambridge ;  and  what  the  success  has  been  at  Oxford,  I  leave  to  Chiist  tUl 
the  latter  day. 

*  But  the  most  eminent  property  of  my  conversion  to  God,  I  have  been 
speaking  of,  was  this,  that  the  glory  of  the  great  God  was  set  up  in  my  heart 
as  the  square  and  rule  of  each  and  every  particular  practice,  both  of  faith 
and  godliness,  that  I  turned  unto  ;  and  of  all  signs  of  sincerity,  there  is,  nor 
can  be,  none  clearer  than  this,  witness  our  Saviour  Christ's  speech,  John  viL 
18,  "He  that  seeketh  Ms  glory  that  sent  him,  the  same  is  true,  and  no 
unrighteousness  is  in  him."  Christ  speaketh  it  of  himself,  who  is  the  truth 
itself  and  speaketh  of  himself  out  of  his  own  experience  of  what  he  did 
who  is  the  truth  itself;  and  the  glory  of  God  is  God  himself,  who  doth  all 
things  for  himself :  and  therefore  he  that  acteth  thus  predominantly  for  God 
above  aU  other  ends,  must  necessarily  be  judged  truly  righteous.  Nor  can 
any  man  extract  that  out  of  his  heart  which  is  not  in  it.  Now  there  is  not 
the  least  spark  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  heart  of  man  unregenerate,  and 
therefore  cannot  be  extracted  out  of  it,  no,  not  the  least  spark.  Take  a  flint, 
and  strike  it  against  steel  or  iron,  and  you  shall  have  sparks  struck  out ;  but 
if  you  take  a  piece  of  ice  never  so  great,  and  strike  it  against  a  stone,  or  any 
other  material,  you  shall  not  have  a  spark,  for  there  is  none  in  it,  nor  any 
disposition  towards  it.     I  remember  that  when  I  heard  Dr  Preston  describing 


MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Ixvii 

tnie  spiritual  cLange  of  heart,  (it  was  upon  Rom.  xii.  2,  "  Be  ye  transformed 
by  the  renewing  of  your  minds,")  he  spoke  in  this  manner,  "  It  is,"  said  he, 
"  when  upon  the  change  of  a  man's  utmost  end,  there  is  a  change  made  upon 
the  whole  man,  and  all  the  powers  of  his  soul ;"  which  when  I  had  duly  con- 
sidered, I  judged  I  never  had  anything  more  punctual,  remembering  this 
work  of  God  upon  myself  at  first.  For,  as  he  then  discoursed  it,  "  if  a  man 
changes  but  unto  one  particular  end,  and  has  but  one  particular  and  limited 
end,  the  effect  is  answerable,  it  is  but  partial  so  far  as  that  end  serves  to  :  as 
if  a  man  that  had  a  humour  of  prodigality,  and  now  thinks  it  concerns  him 
to  be  sparing  and  covetous,  this  change  of  his  end  being  but  particular,  has 
but  a  narrowed  effect,  namely  as  to  sparing  and  care  to  keep  his  money,  not 
to  spend  it  lavishly ;  but  godliness,  the  height  of  Avhich  lies  in  a  respect  to 
God  and  his  glory  above  all  things  else,  hath  a  general,  yea,  universal  end, 
which  extends  its  influence  upon  all  things." 

*  Hence  my  task,  from  this  principle,  proved  to  be  to  survey  and  go  over 
every  particular  kind  of  act,  both  what  I  must  forbear,  and  for  what  end, 
and  with  what  heart,  as  also  to  observe  each  particular  practice  of  godliness, 
which  I  wretchedly  had  altogether  for  a  long  while  lived  in  neglect  of; 
and  hereabout  I  began  with  what  I  was  to  forbear  and  practise  no  longer, 
but  alter  my  course  in :  as,  first  of  all,  my  sins  I  had  lived  in  ;  and  therein  I 
fixed  upon  this  summary  of  my  whole  life,  that  I  had  made  lusts  and  pleasures 
my  only  end,  and  done  nothing  with  aims  at  the  glory  of  God ;  and  therefore 
I  would  there  begin  my  turning  to  him,  and  make  the  glory  of  God  the 
measure  of  all  for  the  time  to  come.' 

This  is  the  account  which  my  dear  father  drew  up  concerning  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  his  soul,  in  converting  him  to  God.  He  left  it  with 
a  design,  as  himself  said,  to  give  from  his  own  experience  a  testimony  of  the 
difference  between  common  grace,  which  by  some  is  thought  sufiicient,  and 
that  special  saving  grace,  which  indeed  is  alone  sufficient,  and  always  invincibly 
and  effectually  prevails,  as  it  did  in  him,  and  endured  through  a  long  life, 
and  course  of  various  temptations  and  trials,  unto  the  end.  In  the  first 
enlightenings  and  workings  of  conscience,  he  experienced  how  far  common 
grace  might  go,  and  yet  fail  at  last,  as  it  did  in  him,  to  an  utter  withering 
and  decay.  In  the  other  work  on  his  soul,  he  felt  an  extraordinary  divine 
power  changing  it,  and  entirely  subduing  it  to  God ;  a  work  that  was  lasting 
and  victorious  to  eternity.  I  have  often  heard  him  say,  that  in  reading  the 
acts  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  taking  a  review  of  the  first  workings  of 
common  grace  in  him,  he  found  them  consonant  with  the  Arminian  opinions  ; 
but  comparing  his  own  experiences  of  eflficacious  grace  with  the  doctrines  of 
the  orthodox  Protestant  divines,  he  found  the  one  perfectly  to  agree  with 
the  other.  It  was  this  inward  sense  of  things,  out  of  which  a  man  will  not 
suffer  himself  to  be  disputed,  that  established  him  in  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  and  possessed  him  with  a  due  tempered  warmth  and  zeal  to  assert 
and  vindicate  them  with  such  arguments  and  reasons  as  the  truth  is  never 
destitute  of  to  resist  gainsayers. 


Izviii  MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

It  was  many  years  before  he  came  to  have  a  clear  knowledge  of  the 
gospel,  and  a  full  view  of  Christ  by  faith,  and  to  have  joy  and  peace  in  believ- 
ing. '  A  blessed  age  this  is,'  said  he  in  his  latter  years,  '  now  the  time  of 
faith  is  come,  and  faith  is  principally  insisted  on  unto  salvation.  In  my 
younger  years,  we  heard  little  more  of  Christ  than  as  merely  named  in  the 
ministry  and  printed  books.  I  was  diverted  from  Christ  for  several  years, 
to  search  only  into  the  signs  of  grace  in  me.  It  was  almost  seven  years  ere 
I  was  taken  off  to  live  by  faith  on  Christ,  and  God's  free  love,  which  are 
alike  the  object  of  faith.'  His  thoughts  for  so  long  a  time  were  chiefly 
intent  on  the  conviction  which  God  had  wrought  in  him,  of  the  heinousness 
of  sin,  and  of  his  own  sinful  and  miserable  state  by  nature  ;  of  the  difference 
between  the  workings  of  natural  conscience,  though  enlightened,  and  the 
motions  of  a  holy  soul,  changed  and  acted  by  the  Spirit,  in  an  effectual 
work  of  peculiar  saving  grace.  And  accordingly  he  kept  a  constant  diary,  of 
which  I  have  above  a  hundred  sheets,  wrote  with  his  own  hand,  of  observa- 
tions of  the  case  and  posture  of  his  mind  and  heart  toward  God,  and  suitable, 
pious,  and  pathetical  meditations.  His  sermons  being  the  result  of  these, 
had  a  great  deal  of  spiritual  heat  in  them,  and  were  blessed  by  God  to  the 
conviction  and  conversion  of  many  young  scholars,  who  flocked  to  hia 
ministry  :  as  my  reverend  brother,  Mr  Samuel  Smith,  minister  of  the  gospel 
at  Windsor,  told  me,  that  his  reverend  father,  then  a  young  scholar  in 
Cambridge,  acknowledged  mine  to  have  been  blessed  by  God  as  an  instrument 
of  his  conversion,  among  many  others. 

As  it  was  that  holy  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  Mr  Price  of  Lynn,  with 
whom  my  father  maintained  a  great  intimacy  of  Christian  friendship,  and 
of  whom  he  said  that  he  was  the  greatest  man  for  experimental  acquaintance 
with  Christ  that  ever  he  met  with;  and  as  he  poured  into  his  bosom  his 
spiritual  complaints,  so  it  was  he  whose  conference  by  letters  and  discourse 
was  blessed  by  God  to  lead  him  into  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  to  live  by  faith 
in  Christ,  and  to  derive  from  him  life  and  strength  for  sanctification,  and 
all  comfort  and  joy  throiigh  believing. 

'  As  for  trials  of  your  own  heart,'  wrote  Mr  Price  to  him  in  one  of  his 
letters,  '  they  are  good  for  you ;  remember  only  this,  that  Christ  in  whom 
you  believe  hath  overcome  for  you,  and  he  will  overcome  in  you :  thd  reason 
is  in  1  John  iv.  4.  And  I  say  trials  are  good  for  you,  because  else  you 
would  not  know  your  own  heart,  nor  that  need  of  continual  seeking  unto  God. 
But  without  those  trials  your  spirit  would  soon  grow  secure,  which  of  all 
estates  belonging  to  those  that  fear  God  is  most  dangerous  and  most  uncom- 
fortable. Therefore  count  it  exceeding  cause  of  joy,  not  of  sorrow,  when 
you  are  exercised  with  any  temptations,  because  they  are  tokens  of  your 
being  in  Christ;  which  being  in  him  Satan  would  disquiet,  and  carnal  rea- 
son would  call  in  question.  Yet  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  of  Christ,  main- 
tain the  work  of  God's  free  love,  which  his  good  Spirit  hath  wrought  in  you. 
Say  unto  the  Lord :  Lord,  thou  knowest  I  hate  my  former  sinful  course ; 
it  grieveth  me  I  have  been  so  long  such  a  stranger  xmto  thee,  my  Father. 
Thou  knowest  now  I  desire  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  I  desire  to  repent  of 


MEMOIR  OP  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Ixix 

my  sins,  and  it  is  the  desire  of  my  heart  to  do  thy  will  in  all  things.  Find- 
ing those  things  in  your  heart,  cast  yourself  upon  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
and  fear  nothing ;  for  God  will  be  a  most  merciful  God  in  Christ  unto  you. 
Strive  but  a  little  while,  and  thou  shalt  be  crowned ;  even  so,  come,  Lord 
Jesus,  come  quickly.     Amen.' 

In  another  of  his  letters  he  thus  wrote  to  him  : — 

*  All  your  complaints  are  good,  and  will  bring  abundance  of  thankfulness 
in  the  end ;  for,  mark  it,  in  the  Scripture,  where  the  saints  of  God  have 
complained  for  want  of  Christ,  or  any  good  thing  from  God  in  Christ,  they 
have  had  ere  long  their  hearts  and  tongues  filled  with  thanksgivings  and 
praise,  Eom.  vii.  24,  25.  It  is  the  surest  state  for  our  deceitful  hearts  to  be 
kept  in  awe,  and  not  to  be  as  we  would  be,  in  perfection  of  grace.  God 
knows  the  time  when  it  will  be  best  to  fill  us  with  his  love,  and  to  ravish 
us  with  his  favour  in  Christ.  In  the  meantime  let  us  go  on  in  faith,  looking 
every  moment  for  that  day  of  gladness  wherein  Christ  shall  manifest  a  fuller 
sight  of  his  blessed  presence.  I  pray  you  fight  it  out  valiantly  by  faith  in 
Christ  against  base  unbelief  and  proud  humility.  I  do  assure  you,  and  dare 
say  it,  you  may  by  faith  in  Christ  challenge  great  matters  at  God's  hands, 
and  he  will  take  it  well  at  your  hands  :  yea,  the  more  you  can  believe  for 
yourself  in  Christ,  the  better  it  wiU  be  taken  at  the  throne  of  grace.  Now 
the  Lord  give  you  of  his  Spirit  to  help  you  in  all  things.  The  Lord  keep 
your  Spirit  in  Christ,  full  of  faith  and  love  to  immortality.' 

In  another  letter  he  thus  wrote  : — 

*  Your  last  complaint  made  in  your  letter  of  yourself  is  from  spiritual 
insight  of  your  un  regenerate  part.  It  is  wholesome,  for  it  being  loathed  and 
abhorred,  makes  Christ  in  his  righteousness  and  sanctification  more  glorious 
in  your  eyes  daily.  If  this  were  not,  pride  and  security  would  start  up  and 
undo  you.  Besides,  I  find  you  have  great  assistance  from  God  in  Christ. 
He  ministers  much  light  to  you  both  of  knowledge  and  comfort ;  and  there- 
fore you  had  need  of  some  startling  evils,  to  make  you  depend  upon  God's 
grace  for  the  time  to  come,  lest  you  should  rest  in  that  which  is  past.  Let 
the  Lord  do  what  he  will  with  our  spirits,  so  he  drive  us  from  the  liking  our- 
selves in  any  sin,  and  make  us  long  after  Christ,  to  be  found  in  him,  and  in 
his  righteousness.' 

In  another  he  wrote  thus  : — 

*  Your  letter  is  welcome  to  me,  and  your  state  also  matter  of  rejoicing 
tmto  me,  however  it  may  seem  unto  you  for  the  present.  Know  you  not 
that  the  Lord  is  come  to  dweU  in  your  heart,  and  now  is  purging  you  and 
refining  you ;  that  you  may  be  a  purer,  and  also  a  fitter  temple  for  his  Spirit 
to  dwell  in  ?  All  these  things  concerning  the  right  framing  of  your  spirit 
will  not  be  done  at  once,  but  by  little  and  little,  as  it  shall  please  our  gracious 
God  in  Christ  to  work  for  his  own  glory.  Yet  this  you  may  have  remaining 
ever  unto  you,  as  an  evidence  of  God's  everlasting  love,  that  the  marks  of 
true  chosen  ones  are  imprinted  upon  you,  and  truly  wrought  within  you :  for 
your  eyes  are  opened  to  see  yourself  utterly  lost ;  your  heart  is  touched  with 
a  sense  and  feeling  of  your  need  of  Christ,  which  is  poverty  of  spirit ;  you 


IXX  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN, 

hunger  and  thirst  after  Christ  and  his  righteousness  above  all  things ;  and  it 
is  the  practice  of  your  inward  man  to  groan  and  sigh,  to  ask  and  seek  for 
reconciliation  with  God  in  Christ.  These  things  you  have  to  comfort  you 
against  sin  and  Satan,  and  all  the  doubts  of  your  own  heart.  Therefore 
when  you  fear  that  all  is  but  hypocrisy,  to  fear  is  good  and  wholesome,  but 
to  think  so  is  from  the  flesh,  carnal  reason,  Satan,  darkness,  because  it  is 
against  that  truth  which  hath  taken  place  in  your  heart,  merely  of  God's 
free  favour  towards  you  in  Jesus  Christ.  As  for  slips  and  falls,  so  long  as 
your  purpose  is  in  all  things  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  to  judge  yourself  for 
them,  so  soon  as  you  find  yourself  faulty,  fear  nothing ;  for  these  will  stick 
by  you  to  humble  you,  and  to  make  you  loathe  yourself  the  more,  and  to 
long  after  the  holiness  of  your  blessed  Saviour,  which  is  imputed  unto  you 
for  your  holiness  in  the  sight  of  God.' 

It  was  thus  this  gracious  minister  of  Christ,  Mr  Price,  poured  the  balm  of 
the  gospel  into  his  wounded  soul,  and  God  blessed  it  to  heal  and  comfort  it. 
These  truly  evangelical  instructions  turned  his  thoughts  to  Christ,  to  find 
that  relief  in  him  which  he  had  in  vain  sought  from  all  other  considerations. 
'  I  am  come  to  this  pass  now,'  wrote  my  father  in  a  letter  to  him,  '  that  signs 
will  do  me  no  good  alone ;  I  have  trusted  too  much  to  habitual  grace  for 
assurance  of  justification ;  I  tell  you  Christ  is  worth  all.'  Thus  coming 
unto  Christ,  his  weary  soul  found  rest,  when  in  all  its  unquiet  motions  it 
could  not  find  it  anywhere  else. 

But  the  account  of  this  work  of  faith  I  shall  give,  as  I  have  done  the 
other,  in  his  own  words  : — 

*It  fell  out,  that  soon  after  my  being  humbled  for  sin,  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication through  Christ  by  faith  came  into  my  thoughts.  But  my  spirit  was 
turned  off  from  it  by  this  prejudice,  that  it  had  been  the  common  deceit 
ordinarily  of  carnal  men,  when  they  continued  in  their  sins,  and  so  I  might 
be  deceived  in  that  way  and  course;  and  I  remembered  that  I  had  been 
also  deceived  in  believing  on  Christ  crucified  with  joy  and  ravishment  in  my 
carnal  state ;  and  that  remembrance  was  from  time  to  time  a  hindrance  to 
me  from  going  to  Christ ;  and  I  was  pitched  on  this  great  principle,  that  if 
I  found  I  were  sanctified,  as  I  plainly  did,  I  then  was  certainly  justified. 
But  I  did  not  think  my  sanctification  to  be  my  justification,  but  an  evidence 
of  it  only ;  and  thus  my  spirit  was  set  upon  examining  the  inherent  work  in 
me  wrouf'ht  by  the  Spirit ;  and  I  pursued  after  mortification  of  lusts,  and  of 
holiness  within,  and  then  I  thought  I  should  have  the  comfort  of  justification, 
or  of  being  justified.  And  thus  I  was  kept  from  going  to  Christ  actually; 
though  I  dealt  with  God  and  his  mercy  in  Christ,  as  having  done  all  that 
was  on  his  part  to  be  done,  in  redeeming  and  reconciling  us,  and  so  I  dealt 
immediately  with  God,  and  his  pure  mercy  and  free  grace.  But  as  it  fell 
stron"-ly  into  my  thoughts,  that  there  was  a  necessity  of  Christ's  righteous- 
ness to  justify  me,  as  well  as  of  his  grace  which  had  sanctified  me;  and  the 
course  God  took  to  convince  m.e  of  it,  and  to  set  me  a-work  about  it,  was 
this.  He  used  the  very  conviction  which  I  had  of  original  sin  from  Adam, 
in  the  two  branches  of  it ;  the  guilt  of  Adam's  actual  transgression  imputed 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Ixxi 

to  me,  and  the  corniption  of  my  nature  thence  derived.  I  had  had  a  mighty 
and  large  conviction,  and  deep  sense  of  these,  and  that  all  lusts  were  sins ; 
and  this  mightily  helped  me  clearly  to  take  in  the  absolute  necessity  of  justi- 
fication by  Christ's  righteousness,  and  to  discern  the  perfect  difference  of  ifc 
from  sanctification,  and  the  necessity  of  it,  and  I  gloried  in  it.  I  began  to 
reflect  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  head  for  salvation,  as  Adam  had  been  for 
sin  and  condemnation  :  and  that  therefore  as  there  were  two  branches  of 
sin  and  condemnation  derived  to  me  from  Adam, — the  one  an  imputation  of 
his  fact  to  me,  the  other  a  violent  and  universal  corruption  of  nature  inherent 
in  me, — just  so  it  must  be  in  Christ's  salvation  of  me  ;  and  hence  I  must  have 
an  imputation  of  his  righteousness  for  justification,  as  well  as  a  holy  nature 
derived  from  him  for  sanctification  ;  which  righteousness  of  Christ  for  justifi- 
cation was  perfect,  though  my  sanctification  was  imperfect.  The  notion  of 
this  did  mightUy  and  experimentally  enlighten  me.' 

He  now  altered  his  way  of  preaching,  which  before  had  been  for  the 
most  part,  if  not  wholly,  for  conviction  and  terror.  But  now  his  experience 
of  the  refreshing  comforts  which  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  free  justifica- 
tion by  his  righteousness  alone,  afforded  him,  made  him  zealous  to  preach 
the  gospel  for  the  consolation  of  consciences  afflicted  as  his  had  been.  And 
this  was  according  to  the  directions  given  him  by  that  great  man,  and  lively 
preacher  of  the  gospel,  the  reverend  Dr  Sibbs,  who  by  my  father's  interest 
Hmong  the  Fellows  had  been  chosen  Master  of  Catherine  Hall,  and  who 
familiarly  said  to  him  one  day,  *  Young  man,  if  you  ever  would  do  good,  you 
must  preach  the  gospel  and  the  free  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.'  As  he 
called  his  sermons  of  the  Glory  of  the  Gospel,  printed  in  this  fifth  volume  of 
his  works,  his  Frimitice  Evangelicce,  or  his  evangelical  first-fruits,  so  the 
only  copy  of  them  was  preserved  by  a  remarkable  providence.  The  port- 
manteau in  which  they  were  was  by  a  thief  cut  off  from  my  father's  horse 
in  the  dark  of  the  evening,  just  against  St  Andrew's  Churchyard  in  Holborn. 
The  clerk  or  sexton  coming  on  the  Lord's-day  morning  to  ring  the  bell, 
found  a  bundle  of  papers  tied  up  with  a  string,  lying  at  the  foot  of  a  great 
tree.  In  it  there  were  some  acquittances,  which  Mr  Leonard  Green,  a  book- 
seller of  Cambridge,  who  had  accompanied  my  father  to  London,  had  from 
some  of  his  customers.  It  was  by  these  only  the  clerk  could  know  to  whom 
the  bundle  did  belong,  and  so  he  brought  it  to  Mr  Green,  which  he  was 
the  more  careful  to  do  because  he  was  his  particular  friend. 

He  was  chosen  in  1628  to  preach  the  lecture  to  the  town  of  Cambridge 
at  Trinity  Church.  Dr  Buckridge,  Bishop  of  Ely,  at  first  made  some  diffi- 
culty of  admitting  him  to  it,  unless  he  would  solemnly  promise,  in  pursuance 
of  the  Elng's  proclamation,  not  to  preach  about  any  controverted  points  in 
divinity.  My  father  alleged  that  the  most  essential  articles  of  the  Christian 
faith  being  controverted  by  one  or  other,  such  a  promise  would  scarce  leave 
him  any  subject  to  preach  on :  that  it  was  not  his  Majesty's  intention  to  in- 
hibit him  or  any  other  from  preaching  against  the  gross  errors  of  Popery. 
After  some  opposition,  he  was  admitted  lecturer,  and  so  continued  till  1634, 
when  being  in  his  conscience  dissatisfied  with  the  terms  of  conformity,  he 


Ixxii  MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

left  the  University  and  his  preferments.  As  he  acted  herein  with  all  sin- 
cerity, following  the  light  which  God  had  given  him,  and  the  persuasions  of 
his  own  mind  and  conscience,  in  which  no  worldly  motives  had  any  part, — 
for  if  he  had  hearkened  to  them,  they  would  have  swayed  him  to  a  contrary 
course, — so  I  have  heard  him  express  himself  with  great  joy  of  faith,  and 
thankfulness  and  praise  of  the  faithful  love  of  Jesus  Christ  to  him,  in  perform- 
ance of  that  promise,  Luke  xviii.  29,  30,  'And  he  said  unto  them,  Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  There  is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or  parents,  or  brethren, 
or  -wife,  or  children,  for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake,  who  shall  not  receive 
manifold  more  in  this  present  time,  and  in  the  world  to  come  life  everlast- 
ing.' 

'  I  freely  renounced,'  said  he,  '  for  Christ,  when  God  converted  me,  all  those 
designs  of  pride,  and  vain-glory,  and  advancement  of  myself,  upon  which  my 
heart  was  so  strongly  set  that  no  persuasions  of  men,  nor  any  worldly  con- 
siderations, could  have  diverted  me  from  the  pursuit  of  them.  No,  it  was  the 
power  of  God  alone  that  prevailed  to  make  me  do  it.  It  was  he  alone  made 
me  willing  to  live  in  the  meanest  and  most  afflicted  condition,  so  that  I  might 
serve  him  in  all  godly  sincerity.  I  cheerfully  parted  with  all  for  Christ,  and 
lie  hath  made  me  abundant  compensation,  not  only  in  the  comforts  and  joya 
of  his  love,  which  are  beyond  comparison  above  all  other  things,  but  even 
in  this  world.  What  love  and  esteem  I  have  had  among  good  men,  he  gave 
me.  He  alone  made  my  ministry  in  the  gospel  acceptable,  and  blessed  it  with 
success,  to  the  conversion  and  spiritual  good  and  comfort  of  many  souls.' 

A.D.  1638,  he  married  Mrs  Elizabeth  Prescott,  the  daughter  of  Alder- 
man Prescott :  of  the  other  two,  one  was  married  to  Sir  William  Leman 
of  Northaw,  the  other  to  Sir  Nicholas  Crisp  of  Hammersmith.  He  was 
very  happy  in  a  woman  of  such  a  sweet  temper,  lively  wit,  and  sincere  piety, 
as  endeared  her  to  all  that  knew  her.  And  he  was  happy  in  an  only 
daughter  he  had  by  her,  Elizabeth,  who  was  married  to  Mr  John  Mason,  a 
citizen  of  London.  In  natural  endowments  of  mind,  and,  which  is  far  more 
to  be  valued,  in  grace  and  piety,  she  was  a  lively  image  of  her  parents.  She 
lost  her  mother  when  she  was  about  ten  years  of  age,  and  died  two  years 
before  her  father's  death. 

The  persecution  growing  hot  in  England,  my  father  resolved  to  remove 
into  some  foreign  country,  where  he  might  exercise  his  ministry  in  the 
gospel,  and  enjoy  the  ordinances  of  Christ  according  to  his  conscience,  which 
he  could  not  do  in  his  own  native  land.  He  went  over  into  Holland  in 
1639,  settled  at  last  at  Arnheim,  and  was  pastor  of  the  English  church  in 
that  city.  During  his  abode  there,  some  differences  arising  in  the  EngHsh 
church  at  Rotterdam,  my  father  and  the  elders  of  the  church  at  Arnheim  went 
thither,  and  God  was  pleased  to  bless  their  brotherly  advice  and  counsel  to 
compose  the  differences,  and  to  re-establish  the  disturbed  peace  of  that 
church.  After  some  years'  continuance  in  Arnheim,  he  returned  into 
England,  was  pastor  of  a  church  in  London,  and  by  an  ordinance  of  Parlia- 
ment, June  12,  1643,  appointed  to  be  a  member  of  the  venerable  Assembly  of 
Divines  at  Westminster,     The  debates  about  church  government  and  disci- 


MEMOIR  OF  DR  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  Ixxiu 

pline  which  arose  in  that  synod  are  not  so  proper  to  be  inserted  in  the  life 
of  a  particular  person.  I  shall  only  take  notice  that  he  took  a  brief  account 
of  every  day's  transactions,  of  which  I  have  fourteen  or  fifteen  volumes  in 
8vo,  wrote  with  his  own  hand.  And  his  way  of  arguing  was  with  such 
modesty  and  Christian  meekness,  that  it  procured  the  esteem  of  those  who 
diflfered  from  him  and  the  other  dissenting  brethren  in  their  judgment. 

In  the  year  1647,  he  had  invitations  from  the  Reverend  Mr  John  Cotton, 
in  whom  grace  and  learning  were  so  happily  conjoined,  and  other  worthy 
ministers  in  New  England,  to  come  over  thither,  which  he  was  so  much  in- 
cUned  to  do  as  he  had  put  a  great  part  of  his  library  on  shipboard.  But 
the  persuasions  of  some  friends,  to  whose  counsel  and  advice  he  paid  a  great 
deference,  made  him  to  alter  his  resolution. 

In  the  year  1649,  he  married  Mrs  Mary  Hammond,  descended  from  the 
ancient  famUy  of  the  Hammonds  in  Shropshire,  whose  ancestor  was  an  officei 
in  the  army  of  William,  Duke  of  Normandy,  when  he  invaded  England,  a.d. 
1066.  Though  she  was  but  in  the  seventeenth  year  of  her  age,  she  had  the 
gravity  and  prudence  of  a  matron.  Her  conjugal  affection,  her  tender  care, 
her  wise  administration  of  the  affairs  of  her  family,  the  goodness  of  her  dis- 
position, and,  more  than  all  this,  her  grace  and  piety,  have  left  an  honourable 
remembrance  of  her  among  all  that  knew  her.  He  had  by  her  two  sons, 
the  eldest  of  whom  is  yet  living  ;  the  other,  whose  name  was  Richard,  died 
in  a  voyage  to  the  East  Indies,  whither  he  was  sent  a  year  after  his  father's 
death  by  the  East  India  Company,  as  one  of  their  factors.  She  also  bore  to 
him  two  daughters,  who  died  in  their  infancy. 

In  the  same  year  1649,  he  was  admitted  President  of  Magdalene  College 
in  Oxford,  where  he  made  it  his  business  to  promote  piety  and  learning. 
His  candour,  ingenuous  nature,  his  catholic  charity  for  all  good  men  though 
of  different  persuasions,  won  the  hearts  of  those  who  had  been  most  averse 
to  him.  In  conferring  any  places  of  preferment  at  his  disposal,  he  was  not 
biased  by  affection  to  a  party,  but  bestowed  them  where  he  saw  goodness 
and  merit.  Those  who  continued  Fellows  of  the  College  many  years  after 
he  left  it,  Mr  Brown,  Mr  Byfield,  and  Dr  Fairfax,  retained  an  affection  and 
esteem  for  him,  and  always  spoke  of  him  with  an  honourable  mention.  He 
was  not  only  president  of  a  college,  but  pastor  of  a  church,  which  consisted 
of  persons  of  piety  and  learning :  Mr  Thankful  Owen,  President  of  St  John's; 
Mr  Francis  Howell,  Master  of  Jesus  College;  Mr  Theophilus  Gale,  Mr  Stephen 
Charnock,  Mr  Blower,  Mr  Barron,  Mr  Terry,  Mr  Lowman,  and  many  others. 
Upon  the  Revolution  in  1660,  he  resigned  his  place  of  President  to  Dr 
Oliver,  and  removed  to  London,  where  he  was  pastor  of  the  same  church  which 
he  had  gathered  in  Oxford,  a  great  part  of  the  members  of  it  following 
him  to  that  city.  In  the  faithful  discharge  of  this  office,  and  labour  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he  continued  till  his  death. 

It  was  now  he  lived  a  retired  life,  spent  in  prayer,  reading,  and  meditation, 
between  which  he  divided  his  time.  He  read  much,  and  the  authors  which  he 
most  valued  and  studied  were  Augustine,  Calvin,  Musculus,  Zanchius,  Parseus, 
Waleus,  Gomarus,  Altingius,  and  Amesius ;  among  the  school-men,  Suarez 


Ixxiv  MEMOIE  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN. 

and  Estius.  But  the  Scriptures  were  what  he  most  studied  ;  and  as  he  had 
furnished  his  library  with  a  very  good  collection  of  commentators,  he  made 
good  use  of  them.  And  as  the  Scriptures  are  an  inexhaustible  treasure  of 
divine  knowledge,  so  by  an  eager  search  into  them,  and  comparing  one  with 
another,  he  discovered  those  truths  which  are  not  to  be  found  in  other  authors. 
The  love  and  free  grace  of  God,  the  excellencies  and  glories  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  were  the  truths  in  which  his  mind  soared  with  greatest  delight. 
And  it  was  not  merely  a  speculative  pleasure,  but  these  truths  were  the  life 
and  food  of  his  soul ;  and  as  his  heart  was  affected  with  them,  he  wrote 
them  with  a  spiritual  warmth  that  is  better  felt  than  expressed.  Though 
he  read  much,  yet  he  spent  more  time  in  thinking ;  and  it  was  by  intense 
thought  that  he  made  himself  master  of  the  subject  of  his  discourse. 

In  that  deplorable  calamity  of  the  dreadful  fire  at  London,  1666,  which 
laid  in  ashes  a  considerable  part  of  that  city,  he  lost  above  half  his  library, 
to  the  value  of  five  hundred  pounds.  There  was  this  remarkable,  that  that 
part  of  it  which  was  lodged  very  near  the  place  where  the  fire  began,  and 
which  he  accounted  irrecoverably  lost,  was  by  the  good  providence  of  God, 
and  the  care  and  diligence  of  his  very  good  and  faithful  friend,  Mr  Moses 
Lowman,  though  with  extreme  hazard,  preserved  from  the  flames.  But  the 
other  part,  which  he  thought  might  have  been  timely  secured,  being  lodged 
at  as  great  a  distance  as  Bread  Street,  was,  by  the  negligence  of  the  person 
whom  he  sent  on  purpose  to  take  care  of  them,  all  burned.  I  heard  him  say 
that  God  had  struck  him  in  a  very  sensible  place ;  but  that  as  he  had  loved 
his  library  too  well,  so  God  had  rebuked  him  by  this  affliction.  He  blessed 
God  he  had  so  ordered  it  in  his  providence  that  the  loss  fell  upon  those  books 
which  were  of  human  learning ;  and  that  he  had  preserved  those  of  divinity, 
which  were  chiefly  of  use  to  him.  As  the  exercise  of  faith,  and  of  patience, 
which  is  the  fruit  of  it,  gave  him  relief,  so  on  this  occasion  he  meditated  and 
wrote  a  discourse  of  '  Patience  and  its  Perfect  Work,'  printed  soon  after. 

In  February  1679,  a  fever  seized  him,  which  in  a  few  days  put  an  end 
to  his  life.  In  all  the  violence  of  it,  he  discoursed  with  that  strength 
of  faith  and  assurance  of  Christ's  love,  with  that  holy  admiration  of  free 
grace,  with  that  joy  in  believing,  and  such  thanksgivings  and  praises,  as  he 
extremely  moved  and  affected  all  that  heard  him.  That  excellent  man,  Mr 
Collins, — Avho  was  then  pastor  of  the  same  church  that  he  had  formerly  been 
pastor  of,  and  with  its  consent,  though  unwilling  at  first  to  part  with  him, 
he  removed  to  Oxford,  1649,  and  which  is  now  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
his  worthy  son  and  of  Mr  Bragg, — praying  earnestly  for  him,  offered  up  this 
petition,  '  That  God  would  return  into  his  bosom  aU  those  comforts  which 
he  had  by  his  ministry  of  free  grace  poured  into  so  many  distressed  souls.' 
My  dear  father  felt  this  prayer  answered  in  the  abundant  comforts  and  joys 
with  which  he  was  fiUed.  He  rejoiced  in  the  thoughts  that  he  was  dying, 
and  going  to  have  a  full  and  uninterrupted  communion  with  God.  '  I  am 
going,'  said  he,  '  to  the  three  Persons,  with  whom  I  have  had  communion  : 
they  have  taken  me;  I  did  not  take  them.  I  shall  be  changed  in  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye ;  all  my  lusts  and  corruptions  I  shall  be  rid  of,  which  I  could 


MEMOIR  OF  DE  THOMAS  GOODWIN.  IxTV 

not  be  here ;  those  croaking  toads  will  fall  off  in  a  moment.'  And  mentioning 
those  great  examples  of  faith,  Heb.  xi.,  *  All  these,'  said  he,  '  died  in  faith. 
I  could  not  have  imagined  I  should  ever  have  had  such  a  measure  of  faith 
in  this  hour ;  no,  I  could  never  have  imagined  it.  My  bow  abides  in  strength. 
Is  Christ  divided  1  No,  I  have  the  whole  of  his  righteousness  ;  I  am  found 
in  him,  not  in  my  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  in  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  loved  me,  and 
gave  himself  for  me.  Christ  cannot  love  me  better  than  he  doth ;  I  think  I 
cannot  love  Christ  better  than  I  do;  I  am  swallowed  up  in  God.* 

Directing  his  speech  to  his  two  sons,  he  exhorted  them  to  value  the  privi- 
lege of  the  covenant.  '  It  hath  taken  hold  on  me,'  said  he ;  '  my  mother  was 
a  holy  woman ;  she  spake  nothing  diminishing  of  it.  It  is  a  privilege  can- 
not be  valued  enough,  nor  purchased  with  a  great  sum  of  money,'  alluding 
to  the  words  of  the  chief  captain  to  Paul,  Acts  xxii.  28.  Then  he  exhorted 
them  to  be  careful  that  they  did  nothing  to  provoke  God  to  reject  them. 
*  Now,'  said  he,  '  I  shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord.'  With  this  assurance  of 
faith  and  fulness  of  joy,  his  soul  left  this  world,  and  went  to  see  and  enjoy 
the  reality  of  that  blessed  state  of  glory,  which  in  a  discourse  on  that  subject 
he  had  so  well  demonstrated.  He  died  February  1679,  and  in  the  eightieth 
year  of  his  age. 


AN  EXPOSITION 


OF  THE 


SECOND  CHAPTEE  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO 
THE  EPHESIANS. 


SERMON  L 


And  you  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  wherein 
in  time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to 
the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience :  among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in 
times  past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and 
of  the  mind;  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others. 
But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us, 
even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ, 
(by  grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  tts 
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  kindness  toward 
us  through  Jesus  Christ.  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith ;  and 
that  not  of  yourselves  :  it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast.  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in 
them. — Vek.  1-10. 

The  first  seven,  or,  if  you  will,  ten  verses  of  this  chapter  are  woven  so  into 
one  piece  with  what  went  before  in  the  preceding  chapter,  that  to  begin  with 
any  division  of  the  parts  of  this  chapter  as  distinct  from  the  former,  were  to 
make  that  rent  worse  which  already  hath  been  made  for  many  ages,  in  part- 
ing these  words  from  the  matter  contained  in  the  latter  end  of  the  first  chap- 
ter, viz.,  in  the  midst,  ere  it  came  to  a  full  joint,  and  by  too  hasty  a  making 
a  second  chapter  to  begin  at  these  words.  Let  the  reader  look  back,  and  take 
notice  that  these  seven  verses  do  continue  to  make  but  one  entire  sentence, 
though  the  largest  in  the  book  of  God,  which  began  at  the  18th  or  19  th 
verse  of  the  first  chapter,  and  arrive  not  at  any  full  period  until  the  8th  verse 
of  this  chapter. 

In  the  19  th  verse  of  the  first  chapter,  he  began  to  set  out  in  a  way  of 
praying  for  them — to  the  end  that  they  might  be  the  more  apprehensive  of 

VOL.  II  A 


2  AX  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  I. 

the  greatness  and  necessity  of  the  things  he  uttered — the  exceeding  great- 
ness of  that  power  which  had  already  begun,  and  was  engaged  to  perfect,  that 
salvation  which  consisted  in  that  riches  of  glory  he  had  mentioned  in  the 
verses  before,  even  according  to  the  working  of  that  mighty  power  which  he 
had  wrought  in  Christ,  in  raising  him  up  to  glory  :  as  whom  God  had  set  up 
a  pattern  and  prototype  of  what  was  to  be  done  in  us  and  for  us,  until  the 
fuU  accomplishment  of  our  salvation.  From  thence  therefore, — that  is,  from 
the  19th  verse, — his  drift  and  scope  was  to  make  a  parallel  comparison  be- 
tween what  was  done  in  Christ  our  head,  and  us  his  members,  that  so  in 
Christ's  glory,  as  in  a  lively  pattern  and  idea  already  perfected  and  com- 
pleted, we  might  the  better  view  what  God  had  and  would  do  for  us,  and 
what  a  great  and  glorious  salvation  was  ordained  to  us,  to  the  praise  of  his 
great  power  and  rich  grace  towards  us.  Now  that  first  piece  of  the  parallel 
on  Christ's  part  he  hath  finished  in  the  four  last  verses  of  the  first  chapter, 
in  which  he  largely  sets  forth  the  power  which  began  to  shew  itself  in  Christ's 
resurrection,  and  continued  to  glorify  itself  in  placing  him  at  God's  right 
hand,  and  then  draws  to  the  life  that  glory  of  Christ  which,  as  a  head  to 
his  church,  God  had  bestowed  upon  him.  Which  the  Apostle  having  per- 
fected, he  proceeds  in  the  first  seven  verses  of  this  chapter  to  finish  the  coun- 
terpane or  second  draught,  the  antitype,  which  answereth  to  this  original, 
that  parallel  which  is  on  our  part,  and  which  concerneth  the  completing  of 
our  salvation,  interweaving  thereinto  a  magnifying  that  rich  mercy,  great  love, 
and  exceeding  rich  grace  of  God  manifested  therein  ;  to  magnify  which,  as 
the  conclusion  in  the  7th  verse  tells  us,  was  God's  ultimate  design,  and  the 
Apostle's  chief  scope.  Now  to  draw  out  the  particulars  wherein  these  two 
parallels  meet : — 

In  Christ's  exaltation  there  were  three  things  more  eminent.  1.  The 
terminiLS  d,  quo,  the  state  or  condition  out  of  which  he  was  raised ;  even  'from 
the  dead,'  says  the  20th  verse.  2.  The  terminus  ad  quern,  the  opposite  sub- 
lime state  of  life  and  glory  he  advanced  him  into ;  raised  him,  and  '  made 
him  to  sit  at  his  right  hand  in  the  heavenhes.'  The  glory  whereof  he  sets 
out  in  the  rest  of  the  chapter,  '  far  above  principalities,'  &c. ;  shewing  withal 
how  in  all  this  he  was  our  head,  and  so  a  pattern  to  us,  ver.  22.  And,  3. 
the  author  hereof,  God,  and  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power,  which  ia 
set  out  by  the  infinite  distance  and  disproportion  of  these  two  states. 

Then,  in  us  and  our  salvation,  which  answereth  this  pattern,  there  are  an- 
swerably  three  things  more  eminently  set  out  by  the  Apostle  in  these  first 
Reven  verses : — 

1.  Terminus  cb  quo,  the  state  and  condition  of  us  all  by  nature,  which  God 
saves  and  raises  us  out  of;  a  state  of  death,  both  in  sin,  and  in  respect  of 
condemnation  to  wrath  and  punishment,  the  deplorable  and  inextricable 
misery  of  which  state  he  sets  out  most  briefly,  exactly,  and  comprehensively 
in  the  three  first  verses. 

2.  The  salvation  itself,  and  terminus  ad  quern  he  raiseth  us  up  unto  out 
of  this  condition,  which  he  sets  forth  in  all  the  eminent  parts  and  degrees 
thereof,  in  three  works  answering  to  those  wrought  in  Christ  our  pattern  : 
he  quickens,  raiseth,  and  causeth  us  to  sit  together  in  Christ  in  heavenly 
places ;  which  summarily  comprehends  the  whole  of  our  salvation  first  and 
last,  and  all  expressed  in  the  very  same  words  he  had  used  of  Christ.  This 
in  the  fifth  and  sixth  verses. 

And,  3.  he  sets  out  the  author  of  this  to  be  God,  and  God  alone, — as 
in  that  of  Christ  he  had  also  done, — and  in  him  maguifies,  not  only  the 
same  exceeding  greatness  of  power  shewn  in  this  work  on  us  that  was  shewn 


£PH.  II.   1-10.]  TO  THE  KPHB3IANS.  3 

in  Christ,  -which  is  tacitly  implied  by  the  likeness  of  type  and  antit3rpe,  but 
further,  and  more  eminently,  his  rich  mercy,  hii  great  love,  his  kindness,  and 
the  exceeding  riches  of  grace  more  illustriously  and  conspicuously  shining 
therein;  and  the  cause  of  all,  ver.  5,  to  shew  fortf  the  exceeding  riches  of 
which,  as  his  great  design,  was  the  principal  and  ultimate  end  of  our  great 
God, — as  the  7th  verse,  which  is  the  conckision  of  all,  tells  us, — that  moved 
him  thus  to  cast  the  contrivement  of  bringing  us  his  sons  to  glory,  from  out 
of  such  a  depth  of  misery  and  wretchedness,  to  such  a  height  of  glory  and 
blessedness  by  such  several  steps.  And  this  is  the  more  general  sum  and 
coherence  of  these  words,  and  of  the  Apostle's  scope  therein,  which  more 
briefly  is  to  set  out  and  greaten  these  three  things  to  us  : — 1,  The  greatness 
of  that  misery  we  lay  in.  2.  The  greatness  of  that  salvation  out  of  that 
misery  which  is  ordained  unto  us.  3.  The  greatness  of  that  love,  mercy, 
kindness,  grace  in  God,  which  are  the  causes  of  this  salvation. 

In  this  long  discourse,  continued  through  so  many  verses  of  this  and  the 
former  chapter,  the  Apostle  is  enforced  to  make  an  liyperhaton,  a  disturbed 
and  disjointed  order  of  speech,  wherein  one  thing  thrusts  back  another  that 
should  come  next;  those  things  that  should,  according  to  usual  law  of 
speech,  follow  near  one  another,  are  transposed  and  set  far  off;  and  so  he 
leaves  sentences  imperfect,  which  are  a  long  while  after  made  full.  For, 
whereas  in  the  18th  and  19th  verses  of  that  first  chapter  he  had  thus  begun, 
'  That  you  may  know  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us- 
ward,  who  believe  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  which  he 
wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own 
right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,'  according  to  the  ordinary  way  of  speech 
he  should  then  have  next  subjoined,  *  and  you  hath  he  quickened,  who  were 
dead  in  sins,'  &c.  Before  he  arrives  at  this,  he  first  runs  out  into  a  large 
field  of  discourse,  setting  forth  the  glory  of  Christ  and  his  relation  of  head- 
ship to  his  church,  and  minds  not,  as  it  were,  what  according  to  the  law  of 
speech  was  next.  But  when  he  returns  to  his  first  design  again,  and  begins 
to  bring  in  this  other  part  in  this  second  chapter,  which  immediately  was  to 
have  cohered  with  the  19th  and  20th  verses,  and  should  make  the  reddition 
and  parallel  complete,  '  and  you  that  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  he 
runs  out  again  as  largely,  in  three  verses,  to  paint  out  that  wretched  condi- 
tion in  all  the  causes  and  effects  of  it,  and  to  set  out  also  the  grace  of  God , 
even  before  he  adds  that  verse,  'you  hath  he  quickened,'  which  was  to 
govern  and  complete  those  words,  'you  that  were  dead,'  &c.,  for  the  word 
quickened  is  not  in  the  first  verse ;  insomuch  as  when  he  addeth  that  in 
ver.  5,  he  makes  an  emphatical  repetition,  '  even  when  you  were  dead  hath 
he  quickened,'  for  a  supply.  Yea,  and  whereas  he  had  in  the  beginning  of 
this  discourse — so  I  must  caU  it,  rather  than  one  sentence — set  himself  to 
magnify  the  exceeding  greatness  of  God's  power,  and  that  attribute  only, 
manifested  both  in  Christ  the  pattern,  and  the  salvation  of  us  that  believe, 
as  the  counterpane ;  and  accordingly  he  should,  when  he  came  to  this  work 
of  God  upon  us,  which  answereth  to  that  on  Christ,  in  a  correspondency 
have  said,  God,  that  is  thus  exceeding  great  in  power,  hath  in  like  manner 
out  of  the  like  power  quickened  you  that  were  dead,  &c.,  he  quite  leaves  out 
here  the  explicit  mention  of  that  attribute,  and  instead  thereof  falls  to  mag- 
nify the  exceeding  riches  of  mercy  and  love  in  God.  *  But  God,  who  is  rich 
in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead 
in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ :  by  grace  ye  are  saved.' 
And  so  again  at  the  7  th  verse,  '  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
grace,'  (he  mentions  not  power,)  &c 


4  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  I. 

Now  the  reason  of  all  tMs  long  and  disturbed  way  of  discoursing  was,  1st, 
because  he  was  fuU  of  matter,  and  wrapt  into  things  ;  the  Holy  Ghost  filled 
and  extended  his  mind  to  such  a  vastness,  he  saw  so  many  things  at  once, 
and  so  far  into  everything  he  was  to  speak  of,  all  which  were  necessary  to 
be  taken  in  to  illustrate  each  other,  that  wherever  the  Holy  Ghost  broached 
Mm,  and  gave  vent  to  his  spirit,  the  plenty  of  matter  about  that  particular 
gushed  out  abundantly,  and  p/e?io  gurgite  ;  and  still  new  matter  coming  in, 
strove  to  get  out  before  what  was  next.  And  yet,  2dly,  he  was  guided 
therein  to  do  it,  to  the  setting  out  the  matter  he  would  set  forth  to  the 
greater  advantage,  which  he  preferred  to  the  ordinary  laws  of  speech ;  for 
hereby  you  have  as  many  things  as  were  possible  crowded  up  into  one 
period,  whereof  each  was  necessary,  serving  to  set  forth  the  other,  and  aU 
the  whole ;  and  that  we  also  might  have  all  that  belonged  to  any  one  of 
those  heads  to  be  spoken  of  set  together  in  one  view,  to  give  at  once  a  full 
prospect  of  each.  Thus  he  first  possesseth  us  with  that  infinite  glory  of  our 
Head,  Christ,  and  what  belonged  to  him,  with  an  intimation  of  uniformity 
and  conformity  to  him  ;  and  then  he  sets  out  as  largely  the  fulness  of  misery 
God  raiseth  us  out  of  into  that  glory  with  Christ ;  and  then  enlargeth  upon 
the  grace  and  love  in  God  that  raiseth  us  hereto,  loading  both  with  the 
richest  epithets,  <fec.  All  which,  when  set  together,  do  infinitely  illustrate 
and  set  forth  the  one  the  other.  And,  3dly,  that  in  this  reddition  or  parallel 
on  our  part,  he  mentions  not  the  power  of  God,  as  in  the  other,  but  only 
falls  to  magnify  grace, — besides  the  more  particular  account  and  observation 
upon  it  to  be  given  in  the  due  place, — it  was  because  he  had  shewed  the 
engagement  of  power  sufficiently  in  the  19th  verse,  which  the  reader's  mind 
would  therefore  carry  along  with  him,  and  the  matter  itself  necessarily  in- 
cluded it ;  as  also  to  hold  forth,  that  besides  this  of  power,  that  also  of 
grace,  mercy,  love,  kindness,  and  aU  in  God,  were  as  deeply  engaged.  He 
meets  with  new  attributes  that  discover  themselves  and  appear  in  it ;  and 
above  all,  grace  and  mercy,  which  was  the  supreme  original  cause,  and  which 
God's  design  was  to  magnify  as  chief,  and  as  his  utmost  end,  more  than  and 
above  power,  or  any  other  attribute,  or  all  other  attributes '  that  are  mani- 
fested in  this  work,  as  that  which  did  set  power  and  all  else  on  work  ;  hereby 
the  more  to  take  their  hearts  with  that  which  God  values  in  his  heart  most, 
the  grace  and  love  in  himself.  And  this  also,  because  grace  and  mercy  more 
eminently  ajipears  in  that  Avork  that  is  in  us,  and  in  the  saving  us ;  but 
power  more  eminently  in  that  on  Christ,  as  it  is  in  him.  Thus  artificial  is 
the  Apostle  to  set  out  his  matter  to  the  fuUest  advantage,  when  he  neglecteth 
art  in  speech  most. — This  in  general  of  the  whole  seven  verses. 

THE  GENEEAL  SCOPE  OP  THE  THREE  FIRST  VERSES. 

To  begin  with  his  description  of  the  state  of  nature  in  the  three  first  verses; 
and  therein  let  me  first  give  you  the  general  scope  thereof. 

The  Apostle  is  larger  in  the  setting  forth  the  greatness  thereof,  than  he  is 
in  those  other  two  heads  that  follow.  And,  as  in  the  parallel  on  Christ's 
part,  he  enlargeth  most  upon  the  terminus  ad  quern,  the  gloiy  he  was  ad- 
vanced to ;  on  the  contrary,  in  that  of  ours,  he  spends  most  of  his  discourse 
upon  the  terminus  a  quo,  the  state  of  death  we  are  raised  out  of  And  his 
scope  and  drift  therein  was  double : — 

I.  To  set  out  the  exceeding  greatness  of  power  which  is  put  forth  in  our 
salvation,  and  especially  in  that  which  is  already  done  for  us  in  our  quicken- 
ing and  conversion,  as  a  pawn  of  what  foUows.  And  that  is  most  Illustrated 
and  made  manifest  by  the  consideration  of  the  difficulties  and  opposition 


EpH.   II.   1-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  0 

from  that  state  we  lay  in  before.  Whereas,  on  the  contrary,  the  greatness  of 
that  power  shewn  in  Christ,  which  hath  perfected  all  in  hiui  already,  was 
seen  and  di'awn  forth  most  in  the  bestowing  upon  a  man  ciuciiied  in  so  much 
weakness,  so  groat  a  glory,  and  investing  him  with  so  great  a  power. 

Now,  to  set  out  the  greatness  of  this  power  that  goes  to  quicken  us,  every 
word  in  this  description  of  our  natural  state  doth  serve  : — 

1.  Not  only  '  dead,'  without  any  principle  of  life  to  raise  themselves, — and 
■what  a  power  must  go  to  quicken  one  that  is  dead  ! — but  '  dead  in  sins  and 
trespasses,'  in  sins  of  all  sorts;  dead,  and  dead  again,  with 'ten  thousand 
deaths,  for  every  sin  is  a  death ;  like  a  man  that  is  not  only  killed  with  one 
stab  or  mortal  wound,  but  his  body  is  full  of  thrusts  throughout  Ms  vitals, 
a  hundred,  yea,  a  thousand  stabs.     And  then — 

2.  Though  dead  to  that  life  he  is  to  be  raised  unto,  yet  alive  to  sin,  a  life 
that  is  contrary,  and  which  is  habitually  strengthened  by  long  custom;  for 
the  text  says,  'in  which  we  walked.'  And  this  life  of  sin  is  first  to  be  taken 
away,  and  seeks  to  the  utmost  to  preserve  and  defend  itself.     And — 

3.  There  are,  besides,  three  great  hindrances,  over  and  above  this,  to  be 
overcome,  in  the  doing  of  which  the  greatness  of  the  power  of  God  is  shewn. 
Here  is — 

First,  A  correspondency  with  the  world,  which  all  men  by  nature  hold : 
they  are  carried  with  the  multitude  and  crowd  of  all  other  men ;  they  '  walk 
according  to  the  course  of  this  world,' — and  there  are  many  engagements  to 
the  men  of  this  world, — that  gang  and  stream  of  unregenerate  men,  that  carry 
and  hurry  men  with  them,  as  men  in  a  crowd  are  carried,  and  assimilate  men 
to  themselves;  all  these,  saith  he,  do  environ  and  besiege  all  in  a  man.  And 
in  that  respect,  to  fetch  a  man  out  from  his  natural  condition  is  as  much  as 
to  fetch  a  man  out  of  the  Great  Turk's  court,  out  of  his  dominions,  in  a 
hostile  way;  therefore  it  is  made  a  mighty  business  to  overcome  the  world. 
We  are  therefore  said  to  be  '  delivered'  as  by  strong  hand — as  the  word  im- 
plies. Gal.  i.  4 — '  out  of  this  present  evil  world.'  The  good  opinion  of  men, 
correspondency  with  friends,  honour  from  men, — '  How  can  ye  believe,'  saith 
Christ,  '  which  receive  honour  one  of  another,'  John  v.  44, — how  strong  cords 
are  these  !  how  do  these  fetter  and  entangle  us  !  The  stream  of  most  of  the 
world  is  against  us,  and  then  the  weeds  of  cori'espondency  hang  about  us. 
Therefore,  to  overcome  the  world  is  made  the  effect  of  an  almighty  power,  in 
1  John  iv.  4  ;  '  Stronger  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world ;' 
otherwise  we  should  never  have  come  out  of  it,  or  from  among  them.  But 
then — 

Secondly,  There  is  a  more  potent  adversary,  stronger  than  flesh  and 
blood,  and  than  all  these — the  devil,  to  whom  God  hath  given  man  up  by 
nature ;  that  '  strong  man,'  as  he  is  called.  Matt.  xii.  29,  as  I  opened  it  be- 
fore on  the  18th  verse  of  the  former  chapter ;  he  will  never  yield  a  man  up. 
And  he  is  a  prince  of  a  greater  army,  whereof  the  least  is  stronger  than  all 
men  ;  and  he  hath  power,  and  hath  a  permissive  commission  from  God.  He 
is  the  spirit  that  worketh  effectually  in  the  children  of  disobedience ;  he 
fails  not  in  his  working,  men  are  taken  captive  at  his  will.  And  to  fetch  a 
man  out  of  his  kingdom,  and  to  overcome  and  bind  this  strong  man,  this 
is  yet  more.  '  In  time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world, 
according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  that  works  effectually,'  &c. 

Well,  but,  thirdly,  here  is  yet  a  worse,  and  nearer,  and  stronger  enemy 
than  either  of  both  these — those  of  a  man's  own  household,  his  own  lusts  : 
*  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.' 
And  there  are  as  many  of  these  lusts  as  there  be  creatures,  or  several  motiona 


6  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  TUK  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  I. 

of  our  immortal  spirits  within  us.  And  these  are  natural,  yea,  our  nature, 
as  the  next  words  tell  us ;  'by  nature,'  &c.  To  alter  the  whole  course  and 
frame  of  nature,  how  hard  is  it !  To  part  with  any  one  lust,  how  difficult ! 
Much  more  to  crack  all  these  heart-strings,  to  pluck  up  all  these  roots ! 
You  may  as  soon  turn  the  sun  in  his  course,  change  a  leopard,  or  turn  a 
blackamoor,  that  yet  hath  but  his  blackness  in  his  skin ;  but  these  lusts  possess 
all  the  inwards.  They  are  lusts  bred  and  seated  in  the  flesh, — and  what  power 
shall  fetch  that  out  of  the  bones,  as  the  proverb  is  ? — yea,  in  the  mind, 
which  is  yet  more  inward ;  yea,  they  possess  the  whole  man,  and  all  that  is 
in  him,  flesh,  and  mind,  and  will,  and  all ;  '  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind.'  And  then,  besides  all  these,  whoever  delivers  you  hath,  or  must 
have  had,  the  wrath  of  the  great  God  to  overcome  and  satisfy,  which  is  more 
than  all  this ;  for  you  are  '  children  of  wrath,'  &c.  And  thus  all  this  de- 
scription here  comes  in  to  illustrate  the  greatness  of  that  power  towards  us 
spoken  of,  ver.  19. 

II.  Observe  his  scope  in  reference  to  what  follows,  to  illustrate  the  great- 
ness of  God's  grace  in  raising  us  up  to  the  condition  we  have  in  Christ,  and  to 
be  made  conformable  to  him ;  which  he  doth  by  way  of  paralleling  what  we 
were  before  by  nature,  and  after  in  Christ,  together ;  and  you  may  observe 
how  exactly  one  answereth  to  the  other.  You  may  remember, — and  indeed 
all  may  read  it  in  the  words  themselves, — you  that  heard  it  opened,  how 
that  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ,  in  ver.  20-23  of  the  first  chapter,  is  set 
forth  as  a  head,  raised  up  to  a  glorious  kingdom,  set  at  the  right  hand  of 
God  in  heavenly  places,  far  above  all  principality  and  power,  and  every 
name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  in  that  which  is  to  come ; 
and  that  he  hath  all  things  put  under  his  feet ;  that  he  is  the  head  of  his 
church,  and  filleth  his  body.  And  to  be  a  member  of  this  head,  a  part  of 
this  church,  doth  the  Apostle  insinuate,  is  that  condition  you  are  raised  up 
ko.  Now  to  set  forth  this,  mark  how  artificially  he  winds  in,  by  way  of 
opposition,  what  a  miserable  condition  they  were  in  before.  Is  Christ  your 
fiead  now,  saith  he,  and  hath  God  raised  him  up  on  purpose  so  to  be  1  Are 
you  set  in  heaven  with  him  1  Why,  Satan  was  your  head  before,  or  at  least 
your  king.  And  he  describeth  Satan  in  terms  parallelly  opposite  to  what  he 
had  said  of  Christ ;  for  it  is  evident  that  he  doth  allade,  in  setting  forth 
their  natural  condition  in  subjection  to  Satan,  to  what  he  had  said  before  of 
the  advancement  of  Christ  their  head,  and  then  their  advancement  to  Christ, 
that  is  such  a  head  as  he  had  described.  And  let  us  but  parallel  a  little  the 
description  of  both,  that  we  may  see  the  difference  of  this  change  in  this 
respect : — 

First,  He  describeth  Christ  as  a  Head,  that  had  principality  and  power 
under  him,  whereby  is  meant  the  angels  good  and  bad.  But  before  you  were 
in  Christ,  whUst  in  your  natural  condition,  whom  were  you  under  then  ? 
Saith  he,  under  Satan,  instead  of  Christ :  for  though  the  devil  was  not  a 
head  to  you, — he  doth  not  indeed  call  him  so,  because  that  is  too  natural  a 
relation  to  be  given  to  him,  that  is  proper  to  Christ, — yet  he  was  af%wf,  a 
prince  to  you  ;  and,  saith  he,  he  is  the  '  prince  of  the  power ' — he  useth  the 
same  word  as  he  did  of  Christ,  Christ  was  over  '  principality  and  power ' — 
'  of  the  air.'  And  what  means  he  by  '  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  V 
That  great  devil,  that  prince,  that  hath  all  devils  under  him  ;  all  which 
devils  he  calleth  potuer,  in  the  singular  number,  because  they  all  do  service 
unto  him  ;  and  as  they  went  out  as  one  man,  so  they  go  on  with  one  power. 
They  are  called,  Eph.  vi.,  principalities  and  powers. 

And,  secondly,  if  you  look  up  to  him,  that  is,  Jesus  Christ,  your  Head, 


Era.   II.   1-1  O.J  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  7 

'  above  all  principality  and  power/  he  is  set '  in  heavenly  places'  also;  so  saith 
ver.  20  of  chap.  i.  But  where  is  the  scut  of  the  devil's  power,  tliat  was  your 
I)rince  before  1  It  is  but  in  the  air ;  it  is  brought  in  on  purpose — it  is  no- 
where almost  in  the  Scripture  brought  in  but  here — to  make  up  the  parallel, 
by  way  of  contrary  illustration.  He  that  is  your  head  now,  saith  he,  he  is 
one  that  sits  in  heavenly  places,  whither  you  yourselves  shall  come,  for  he 
sits  there  in  your  stead  ;  here  is  your  advancement  now.  But  the  devil,  his 
power  is  in  the  air,  and  so  is  nearer  to  hurt  you  ;  and  yet  but  in  this  air,  the 
lower  heaven,  and  therefore  all  the  happiness  you  could  have  had  under  him 
was  but  in  things  aerial,  in  things  worldly,  no  higher ;  and  when  you  had 
enjoyed  a  while  this  his  dominion,  this  air  to  breathe  in,  then  you  must  have 
gone  to  the  fire  with  this  devil  and  his  angels.  This  was  your  condition  by 
iiature.     How  great  a  change  is  there  in  this  respect ! 

Thirdly,  Jesus  Clmst  being  your  Head,  you  are  his  body  now,  and  so  he 
doth  fill  you.  So  ver.  23,  '  The  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of 
him  that  filleth  all  in  all.'  And  as  Jesus  Christ  is  ordained  thus  to  fill  you 
with  all  grace  and  glory  in  this  estate,  so  then,  when  you  were  in  your  un- 
regenerate  condition,  the  devil  filled  you ;  for  he  is  the  spirit  that  worketh 
efi"ectually  in  the  children  of  disobedience, — the  phrase  comes  in  likewise  on 
purpose, — he  filled  their  hearts,  as  Christ  doth  the  other.  '  Why  hath  Satan 
filled  thine  heart  I '  It  was,  you  know,  the  expression  of  Peter  to  Ananias, 
and  it  is  all  one  with  what  is  here  said,  he  '  works  eflfectually '  in  them,  for 
it  is  done  by  filling  them  with  himself.  And  withal  he  insinuateth  this  : 
Did  the  devil  work  effectually  in  you  then  1  Then  how  effectual  and  mighty 
was  the  working  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ,  when  he  raised  you  up 
from  this  death  and  condition,  and  plucked  you  out  of  the  snare  of  Satan, 
that  took  you  captive  at  his  will. 

So  much  now  for  the  second  thing  that  these  words  have  an  aspect  to,  as 
they  refer  to  the  19th  verse  of  the  first  chapter. 

Then  these  words,  which  lay  forth  our  unworthiness  and  our  vileness, 
come  in  also  on  purpose  to  illustrate  the  fountain  of  all  the  mercy  we  re- 
ceive, and  that  is  the  free  grace  of  God  in  Christ.  He  beginneth  it  with  a 
but.  *  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy.'  That  ever  God,  saith  he,  should 
contrive  such  ways  of  mercy,  for  creatures  so  vile,  so  miserable  !  And  what 
infinite  mercy  was  it  to  pluck  such  men  out  of  that  condition  !  Yea,  be  is 
so  full  of  it,  you  see,  he  had  run  out  a  large  discourse  before  without  interrup- 
tion, and  he  was  long  before  he  recovered  himself;  but  when  once  he  begins 
to  talk  of  the  grace  of  God,  there  he  breaks  off,  sentence  after  sentence,  to 
bring  that  in  abruptly.  After  he  had  long  discoursed  of  the  grace  of  God 
in  Christ  in  the  19th  verse,  and  of  man's  misery  here  in  these  1st,  2d,  and 
3d  verses,  when  he  makes  a  reddition  of  the  grace  of  God  towards  us,  he 
brings  it  in,  '  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy.'  Well,  he  should  have  gone 
on  here,  but  he  brings  this  in  abruptly,  '  by  grace  you  are  saved.'  And 
then  he  goes  on  again,  '  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit 
together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ.'  And  then  he  comes  in  with  the  grace 
of  God  again,  and  again,  a  fourth  time.  So  that  the  great  scope  of  laying 
open  the  miserable  condition  of  man  by  nature,  was  to  set  off  the  rich  mercy, 
the  grace,  the  love  of  God,  in  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  And  let 
me  add  this,  to  make  up  this  complete  :  having  mentioned  free  grace  as  the 
fountain  of  all,  when  he  had  thus  humbled  them,  laid  them  in  the  dust,  he 
then  brings  upon  them  the  weight  of  all  the  benefits  in  the  former  chapter. 
You  that  were  thus  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  you  were  chosen  in  Christ 
before  the  world  was,  unto  adoption,  &c.     And  man's  misery  here  by  nature 


8  AJN  KXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeP.MON  I. 

comes  in  to  illustrate  all  those  benefits  too.  Election  to  holiness,  ver.  4 ; 
predestination  to  adoption  and  glory,  ver.  5 ;  the  fountain  of  all  these  ia 
said  to  be  the  glory  of  his  grace,  ver.  6 ;  then  redemption  and  forgive- 
ness, ver.  7 ;  then  effectual  calling,  ver.  8 ;  the  power  of  it,  ver.  1 9  ;  then 
heaven  and  glory,  ver.  11;  the  riches  of  which  he  speaks  of,  ver.  18;  the 
earnest  of  that  heaven,  the  Spirit,  ver.  14;  and  then,  last  of  all,  Christ  the 
Head.  And  for  whom,  saith  he,  is  all  this  1  For  you  that  were  '  dead  in 
sins  and  trespasses,'  and  who  before  '  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this 
world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'  And  thus,  I  say, 
mentioning  the  free  grace  of  God,  he  brings  upon  them  the  weight  of  all  the 
benefits  in  the  former  chapter,  to  break  their  hearts  in  pieces.  And  this  is 
the  wonderful  artifice  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  Apostle,  in  the  order  and 
station  of  these  words,  which  are  the  centre  both  of  all  before  and  of  all  that 
follow  after ;  for  having  described  all  these  benefits,  see  how  these  words  do 
by  a  contrary  parallel  answer  to  them  too.  He  told  them  first,  that  they 
had  a  being  in  Christ ;  for  so  when  I  opened  the  words  in  the  4th  verse,  I 
shewed  that  was  the  meaning  of  it.  We  were  in  Christ,  had  a  being  in 
him.  *  Ye  are  in  Christ  Jesus,'  saith  the  Apostle,  1  Cor.  i.  30.  And  their 
being  was  to  holiness,  they  were  ordained  to  it  when  first  they  were  ordained 
to  being.  But  now,  on  the  contrary,  saith  he,  your  very  being  is  a  death  in 
sin,  it  is  the  esse,  it  is  the  constitution  of  it.  However,  spiritual  death  i3 
that  being  which  a  man  hath  being  fallen. 

Again,  answerable  to  adoption  of  children,  which  you  are  predestinated 
unto,  saith  he  in  these  words,  you  were  before  'children  of  disobedience.' 
Instead  of  having  an  inheritance  in  glory,  saith  he,  you  were  '  children  of 
wrath,'  and  that  by  nature,  and  that  was  all  your  portion.  And  instead  of 
having  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  earnest  of  that  inheritance,  you  had  a  spirit  that 
wrought  effectually  in  you,  the  earnest  of  hell,  the  devil  himself,  and  his 
wicked  angels.  This  was  your  condition  before,  and  thus  it  answereth  the 
benefits  before.  And  you  were  so  fast  shut  up  in  this  condition,  that  no 
power  in  heaven  and  earth,  but  only  that  of  God's,  and  of  Christ's,  could  de- 
liver you.  You  were  internally  dead,  and  how  could  dead  men  rise  1  exter- 
nally environed  with  the  power  of  the  world,  of  hell,  and  of  your  own  lusts. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  the  coherence  of  these  words,  which  I  thought  meet 
in  the  entrance  of  this  exercise  to  be  more  large  in,  especially  because  of  so 
artificial  an  elegancy  which  certainly  the  Holy  Ghost  akneth  at  here.  And 
so  I  shall  come  to  the  particular  application  of  them. 

The  misery  of  man  by  nature,  as  I  said,  is  the  sum  of  these  three  first 
verses ;  and  it  is  his  natural  condition  that  is  here  laid  open,  as  the  closure 
of  all  shews  :  '  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.' 
And  so  is  all  this  intended  to  shew  what  we  are  by  nature,  and  whilst  we  are 
in  that  natural  condition.  It  is  set  out  to  us,  first,  in  respect  of  sins ;  they, 
you  know,  are  mentioned;  'sins  and  trespasses.'  Secondly,  punishment;  that 
is  mentioned  in  the  term  here  expressly,  and  both  included  in  the  word, 
*  dead  in  sins.'  For  though  he  mentioneth  the  '  course  of  the  world,'  and  the 
'  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'  and  the  like,  yet  being  '  dead  in  sins'  is  the 
eminent  thing,  the  depth  of  our  misery ;  therefore  in  the  reddition,  ver.  5, 
he  only  mentioneth  that  again,  '  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  he 
ipiickened  us.'  The  mercy  lay  in  that  respect.  You  may  divide  the  words 
in  particular  thus  : — 

I.  Here  is  their  internal,  habitual  estate  and  condition,  or  the  essential  con- 
stitution thereof,  as  I  may  so  call  it;  they  are  'dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.' 
You  know  that  death  and  life  are  two  several  states  and  conditions  of  man- 


EpH.  II.   1-10]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  9 

kind ;  when  a  man  is  dead,  he  is  put  eternally  into  another  state  and  condi- 
tion than  he  was  in  wliilst  living. 

II.  Here  is  the  outward  constant  course  of  these  men  in  their  conversation, 
that  was  the  concomitant  of  that  state.  And  that  that  is  intended  in  the  2d 
and  3d  verses  is  clear  by  the  very  words,  for  he  calleth  the  one  '  walking,' 
and  the  other,  '  having  our  conversation.'  Therefore  I  distinguish  it  as  the 
Apostle  himself  doth.  Now  that  is  aggravated  by  three  things^  as  the  causes 
of  their  evil  conversation  : — 

1.  There  is  the  exemplary  cause,  which  is  the  weakest,  and  yet  it  is  a  cause. 

*  In  which  we  walked ' — namely,  in  sins,  for  of  that  he  had  spoken  before — 

*  according  to  the  course  of  this  world.' 

2.  There  is  the  outward  efficient  cause, — that  is,  Satan ;  '  the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air.' 

3.  There  is  the  inward  efficient  moving  cause — their  own  lusts ;  '  fulfilling 
the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,'  which  you  have  in  the  3d  verse. 
And  therein  you  see  how  exact  he  is.  He  describeth  both  the  corruption  of 
man's  nature  under  one  general  term,  as  it  is  called  flesh  ;  '  had  our  conver- 
sation,' saith  he,  '  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,' — that  is,  of  corrupt  nature,  taken 
in  the  general,  with  all  the  lusts  of  it.  But  then  he  doth  subdivide  them  : 
there  is  '  the  desires  of  the  flesh,'  which  are  the  sensual  lusts  of  the  body ; 
and  there  is  '  the  lusts  of  the  mind.'  Which  two  do  part  all  the  wickedness 
of  man's  nature,  they  divide  it  between  them. 

III.  And  then,  lastly.  Here  is  the  punishment  that  is  due  to  each  of  these  sins, 
the  wrath  of  God  ;  '  children  of  wrath  by  nature.'  And  this,  saith  he,  is  the 
general  common  condition ;  you  were  so  that  are  Gentiles,  and  we  were  thus 
that  are  Jews  :  he  turns  it  from  one  to  the  other,  and  there  is  no  diff"erence 
between  either  the  one  or  the  other ;  this  is  our  condition,  we  were  children 
of  wrath  as  well  as  you,  and  you  were  children  of  wrath  as  well  as  we  were. 
— And  so  you  have  the  division  of  the  words. 

I  now  come  to  open  the  first,  their  inward  state  and  condition ;  'dead  in 
sins.' 

I  will  not  mention  many  scriptures  to  prove  it  to  you ;  you  know  enough 
already.  '  Let  the  dead  bury  the  dead,'  ho,.  I  shall  only  instance  in  that 
one  text.  Col.  ii.  13.  And,  as  I  observed  long  ago,  in  opening  the  first  chap- 
ter, the  epistle  to  the  Colossians  is  to  the  epistle  to  the  Ephesians  like  Mark 
to  Matthew,  almost  in  all  sort  of  passages.  He  had  said  in  this  second 
chapter  to  the  Ephesians,  '  Ye  are  dead ;'  he  did  not  say,  '  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes,' for  iv  in  the  original  is  not  in  ;  and  it  might  have  borne  '  dead  to  sins 
and  trespasses,'  as  some  have  been  mistaken  in  it.  But  now  compare  it  with 
Col.  ii.  13.  There  you  have  the  particle  h  in  the  Greek  expressly,  '  dead  in 
sins.'     And  so  the  one,  as  in  other  passages  so  in  this,  explains  the  other. 

Now,  in  opening  and  handling  this,  I  shall  not  run  out  into  a  large  com- 
monplace— for  that  is  not  to  expound — of  what  are  the  symptoms  of  spiritual 
death ;  you  have  had  them  in  books  printed  :  stiflFuess,  and  coldness,  and 
senselessness,  and  the  like.  I  shall  not  enlarge  upon  these  at  all,  but  I  shall 
speak  as  an  interpreter ;  and  therein,  because  it  is  the  most  comprehensive 
expression,  I  must  therefore  open  what  the  Apostle  intendeth,  what  is  com- 
prehended in  this  word  death. 

And,  first,  let  me  observe  this  upon  it,  that  though  there  are  many  other 
expressions  which  man's  natural  estate  is  set  forth  by,  yet,  as  I  said  before, 
there  was  no  expression  so  full  for  the  Apostle's  purpose,  speaking  of  the 
power  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  death  to  life,  and  so  raised  us  up  too,  to  fol- 
low the  metaphor ;  so  there  was  no  expression  would  so  fully  have  laid  open 


10  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  L 

the  misery  of  man  by  nature,  the  intrinsical  state  and  condition  of  man,  in  a 
comprehensive  way,  all  sorts  of  "vvaj^s,  as  this.  You  know  it  was  the  first 
original  curse,  that  whereby  God  exj^ressed  all  the  curse,  '  In  the  day  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die  the  death.*  And  therefore  here,  you  see, 
when  Paul  would  express  himself  to  the  uttermost, — as  for  certain  he  sets 
himself  to  do, — he  saith,  you  are  '  dpad  in  sins  and  trespasses.'  And  though 
other  expressions  might  in  some  respect  manifest  and  illustrate  the  grace  of 
God  more  ;  as  to  call  a  man  an  enemy  to  God,  as  the  ApostJe  elsewhere  doth, 
which  illustratcth  the  grace  of  God  in  respect  of  pardon,  which  to  be  dead 
in  sins  and  trespasses,  or  condemned  to  death  for  sin,  also  doth ;  yet  to  say 
a  man  is  dead  in  them,  that  expresseth  more  our  misery,  and  our  inextri- 
cable condition,  and  our  inability  to  get  out  of  it.  The  truth  is,  my  breth- 
ren, death,  take  it  in  a  natural  way,  is  the  sum  of  all  evil,  for  it  is  the  depri- 
vation of  all  good ;  so  take  it  in  a  spiritual  way,  it  is  comprehensively  all 
evil  whatsoever.  The  utmost  misery  that  can  befall  a  man,  as  he  is  a  natural 
man,  what  is  it  1  It  is  to  die.  '  A  li\'ing  dog,'  saith  Solomon,  '  is  better 
than  a  dead  lion.'  A  worm  is  better  than  a  man  when  he  is  dead,  take  him 
as  he  is  a  man,  if  he  should  not  rise  again.  Death  strips  him  of  all  excel- 
lencies proper  to  a  man,  makes  him  worse  than  a  stock  or  stone ;  for  when 
he  is  dead  he  stinketh,  which  a  stock  or  stone  doth  not.  Therefore,  the 
Apostle,  to  set  f^^rth  our  spiritual  misery,  takes  that  expression  rather  than 
any  other.  And  though  it  is  but  a  similitude,  yet  know  this  for  a  general 
truth  and  a  certain  rule,  that  all  similitudes  taken  from  outward,  bodily,  or 
worldly  things,  and  assumed  up  to  spiritual,  the  spiritual  are  the  realities, 
and  the  other  are  but  the  shadows.  Run  over  all  the  course  of  spiritual 
things  that  belong  to  that  other  world,  and  all  outward  things  that  they  are 
compared  unto,  they  are  but  the  shadows  of  them.  As  Christ  is  said  to  be  a 
vine,  but  a  '  true  vine,'  the  other  is  but  a  shadow  :  so  this  being  a  spiritual 
death,  bodily  death  and  aU  the  evils  thereof  are  but  the  shadows  of  it.  That, 
look  as  when  we  say  of  beer  or  wine  that  hath  lost  its  spirits  that  it  is  dead, 
yet  this  is  but  a  poor  death  in  comparison  of  seeing  a  man  die,  or  a  prince  : 
so,  to  say  a  man  is  dead,  speaking  of  his  body,  it  is  even  to  say  dead  drink, 
in  comparison  of  a  dead  man,  if  you  wiU  compare  it  with  this  death,  the 
death  of  his  soul  in  sins  and  trespasses.  The  death  of  a  man  is  infinitely 
more  than  the  death  of  a  beast,  the  death  of  a  king  more  than  the  death 
of  other  men, — we  sjjeak  now  in  a  natural  way, — but  the  death  of  the 
soul  of  a  man  in  sin  is  infinitely  more  than  the  death  of  the  body,  by  how 
much  the  more  the  soul  transcendeth  the  body,  and  our  spiritual  condition 
transcendeth  our  natural  life  ;  which  it  doth  as  far  as  a  man — taken  in  him- 
self, or  take  the  body  simply  considered,  without  relation  at  all  to  the  soul — 
doth  transcend  a  beast.  And  so  now  that  is  the  reason  why  the  Apostle 
singleth  out  this  expression  of  '  death'  to  express  our  natural  condition  by, 
rather  than  any  other  whatsoever. 

Now,  in  the  second  place,  to  describe  this  death,  though  but  in  the 
general  first,  and  so  come  to  particulars,  which  the  Apostle  intendeth — 

This  death  of  the  soul  is  not  a  j^hysical  death.  The  death  of  the  body  is 
a  physical,  natural  death;  for  when  the  body  dies,  all  the  actions  of  life  that 
wore  once  in  it  cease :  but  all  actions  of  life,  of  all  sorts  of  life,  do  not  cease 
in  the  soul  when  it  is  thus  dead  in  sin;  for  if  so,  the  soul  should  lose  under- 
standing, will,  and  afi'ections,  and  ail,  which  is  impossible  it  should,  for  then 
it  must  cease  to  be  a  soul.  It  is  not  therefore  a  jjhysical  death  that  the 
Arminians'  objections  tend  to.  Say  they,  a  man  is  not  wholly  dead.  Why? 
Because  he  understandeth  and  he  willeth.     It  is  true  it  is  not  a  physical 


EpH.  II.   1-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  11 

death,  but  it  is  a  moral  death, — that  is,  in  respect  of  the  holy  actings  and 
well-being  of  the  soul.  That,  look  as  the  soul,  while  it  is  in  the  body,  is 
the  well-being  of  the  body,  the  body  hath  all  its  excellencies  from  the  soul; 
BO  there  is  answerably  in  the  soul  of  man,  according  to  the  original  constitu- 
tion of  that  first  making,  a  soul  of  that  soul,  and  a  life  springing  from  it ; 
there  was  the  Spirit  of  God;  and  therefore  they  are  said  in  the  19th  verse 
of  the  Epistle  of  Jude  to  be  without  the  Spirit.  There  was  the  image  of 
God,  there  was  the  life  of  God;  it  is  the  very  expression  the  Apostle 
useth,  Eph,  iv.  18.  It  is  the  summary  of  spiritual  life.  It  is  called  the 
life  of  God.  Now  what  is  it  makes  God  live  a  happy  life?  He  liveth  in 
himself.  Such  was  the  life  of  the  soul;  it  was  to  live  in  that  God  that 
livelh  in  himself,  to  live  that  life  that  he  liveth.  It  is  therefore  called  the 
life  of  God,  because  it  lay  in  the  union  of  the  soul  with  God,  which  was 
wrought  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  also  as,  you  know,  in  the  body  there  are 
spirits  that  unite ;  so  there  is  an  image  of  God,  holiness  and  righteousness, 
by  which  God  in  innocency  was  united  to  the  spirit  of  a  man,  without 
which  in  the  state  of  grace  he  would  not  be  united  to  a  man,  nor  would 
dwell  in  him;  that  as  the  kingdom  of  God  is  said  to  consist  in  righteousness 
and  peace,  so  this  life  of  God  consisteth  in  joy,  in  righteousness,  in  peace, 
and  in  happiness,  as  in  God  himself  And  all  the  actions  that  a  man  per- 
formeth,  having  this  principle  of  life,  tend  to  communion  with  God  and 
enjoyment  of  him,  and  therefore  are  actions  of  life.  Now  then,  this  death 
is  the  separation  of  the  soul  from  God,  and  the  extinction  of  this  image  of 
God  in  a  man,  and  cutting  off  all  sorts  of  influence  from  God  to  him,  either 
of  comfort  or  of  holiness,  further  than  by  the  creatures.  God  may  comfort 
him  by  the  creatures,  but  he  doth  no  way  comfort  him  by  himself.  And 
therefore,  if  you  mark  it,  the  Apostle,  to  shew  the  kind  of  this  death,  what 
it  is,  saith  it  is  a  death  in  sin.  And  what  is  sin?  The  death  of  the  soul, 
because  it  cuts  a  man  off  from  that  principle  of  life;  that  as  natural  death 
is  the  separation  of  the  soul  and  body,  and  the  extinction  of  the  vital  spirits, 
8o,  saith  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  lix.  2,  '  Your  sins  have  separated  between 
God  and  you;'  and  hence  they  come  to  be  '  strangers  from  the  life  of  God,' 
as  it  is,  Eph.  iv.  18. 

Now,  God  is  not  driven,  nor  was  not  driven  out  of  man's  soul  by  sin  in  a 
natural  way,  as  the  soul  is  out  of  our  bodies.  When  the  body  hath  a  wound, 
and  is  struck  to  the  heart,  the  soul  goes  out,  like  as  the  spider  doth  when 
the  cobweb  is  broke;  neither  doth  the  soul  go  voluntarily  out  at  any  time, 
but  in  a  natural  way,  when  bodily  spirits  faU  :  but  God  goes  out  by  virtue 
of  his  own  law.  '  The  strength  of  sin  is  the  law,'  as  the  Apostle  saith, 
1  Cor.  XV.  56.  And  therefore,  when  man  stood  upon  the  legal  covenant 
only,  as  soon  as  ever  he  broke  the  least  of  God's  laws,  by  God's  law  he  died, 
and  God  was  gone;  but  the  strength  of  grace  is  the  gospel,  so  that  now, 
though  we  sin,  being  in  the  state  of  grace,  yet  God  goes  not  away ;  his  Spirit 
may  be  grieved,  but  departeth  not.  The  Apostle,  explaining  this  death, 
saith  we  are  *  dead  in  sir.s.'  When  he  had  spoken  of  our  pattern,  Christ, 
chap,  i  19,  20,  and  the  power  that  wrought  in  raising  him  up,  he  saith,  it 
was  a  raising  up  liis  body  from  corporal  death ;  but  yours  was  not  so,  saith 
he,  your  death  was  spiritual,  it  was  a  death  in  sin.  Only  this  you  may 
observe  by  the  way,  that  even  the  bodily  actions  and  sufferings  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Christ  prevail  to  spiritual  effects;  the  very  raising  of  his  body, 
there  was  a  virtue  in  it  to  raise  souls  out  of  a  death  in  sin.  It  is  strange 
that  a  bodily  action  or  passion,  or  whatever  else,  should  have  a  spiritual 
virtue  in  it,  there  being  such  an  infinite  disproportion  between  that  which 


12  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPI^ilLE  [SeRMON  L 

is  bodily  and  tliat  which  is  spiritual.  What  is  the  reason?  Because  this 
man,  Christ  Jesus,  was  a  spiritual  man,  and  though  he  took  flesh  and  blood 
and  a  body  to  save  us,  yet  that  spiritual  body  of  his  in  heaven  was  ordained 
to  him ;  the  second  Adam,  saith  the  Apostle,  was  made  '  a  quickening 
spirit.'  And  therefore  this  body  that  was  thus  spiritual,  of  so  transcending 
a  glory,  as  it  must  needs  be  by  the  Second  Person  dwelling  in  it,  advancing 
it  above  the  rank  of  all  reasonable  creatures,  as  a  man's  soul  would  the  body 
of  a  beast  if  it  were  put  into  it :  hence  all  his  actions  have  a  spiritual  vhtue 
in  them;  the  raising  his  body  up  will  raise  you  up  from  the  death  of  sin. 
But  that  by  the  way. 

Now  to  explain  more  particularly  this  death.  It  is,  you  see,  a  death  in 
sin.  Sin  hath  two  evils  in  it :  there  is  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  there  is  the 
power  of  sin ;  and  in  both  these  respects  a  man  in  his  natural  estate  is  dead 
in  sin. 

1.  He  is  dead  in  respect  of  the  guilt  of  every  sin  he  committeth;  as  a 
condemned  man  that  is  guilty  of  murder,  or  the  like,  we  say  he  is  a  dead 
man.  You  shall  find  in  Heb.  ix.  14, — it  is  a  pertinent  place  to  this  purpose, 
— that  the  blood  of  Christ  is  said  to  '  purge  our  consciences  from  dead  works.' 
Every  sin  is  a  dead  ivorh,  and  here  it  is  spoken  evidently  in  respect  of  sin, 
because  he  sj^eaks  of  purging  the  conscience;  now  the  conscience  is  that 
which  is  the  subject  of  all  the  guilt  of  sin.  And  therefore  now  in  Hos.  xiii.  1 
you  have  an  excellent  place  for  it:  'When  Ephraim  oflTended  in  Baal,  he 
died,'  saith  he, — that  is,  from  that  time  came  upon  him  a  sentence  of  death 
and  condemnation;  the  state  stood  still,  lived  a  long  time  after,  but  it  re- 
ceived the  fatal  sentence  for  the  bin  it  then  committed. 

2.  A  man  is  dead  in  sin  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin.  There  is  a  two- 
fold death,  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin,  in  every  man  by  nature.  My 
brethren,  I  must  enlarge  upon  this,  because  it  is  that  whereby  the  Apostle 
doth  illustrate  the  grace  of  Christ  in  quickening  us,  in  freeing  us  from  all 
these  sorts  of  death,  for  he  intendeth  them  all.  There  is,  first,  a  privative  death; 
and,  secondly,  there  is  a  positive  death,  or  rather  a  positive  life,  that  followeth 
upon  that  privative  death. 

There  is,  first,  a  pnvative  death.  Every  sin,  as  it  is  a  dead  work  to  a  man's 
conscience,  binding  it  over  unto  guilt,  so  it  works  a  death  in  him  in  respect 
of  the  power  of  sin,  disenabling  him  to  good  and  making  him  more  active 
and  lively  to  sin,  which  is  his  death  :  for  the  more  lively  he  is  made  to  sin, 
the  more  dead  he  still  groweth.  Why  ?  Because  he  is  lively  to  that  which 
is  indeed  his  death.  For  that  I  shall  give  you  another  place  ;  it  is  in  Heb. 
vi  1.  I  choose  these  places  the  rather,  because  they  open  and  are  parallel 
one  to  another.  As  he  had  said  before,  the  blood  of  Christ  '  purgeth  our 
consciences  from  dead  works,'  calling  every  sin  so  in  respect  of  the  guilt  of  it, 
so  here  he  calleth  them  dead  works  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin ;  '  repent- 
ance from  dead  works.' 

Now,  ray  brethren,  as  there  is  this  double  death, — the  one  of  the  guilt,  and 
the  other  of  the  power  of  sin, — so  there  is  a  double  life  we  are  restored  unto 
by  Christ.  There  is,  first,  a  life  of  justification  from  the  death  of  guilt, 
which  is  called  a  '  passuig  from  death  to  life  ; '  which  is  a  greater  change 
upon  a  man,  (not  a  change  in  a  man,)  in  respect  of  his  estate,  than  for  a  man 
condemned  to  die  to  receive  a  pardon,  that  you  may  say  now  he  is  a  living 
man,  whereas  before  he  was  a  dead  man.  And,  secondly,  there  is  a  life  of 
sanctif  cation,  a  spiritual  life.  Now,  first,  you  have  a  justification  of  life, 
opposed  to  a  condemnation,  and  to  a  death,  as  you  shall  find  it  in  Eom.  v., 


Eril.    11.   1-10.]  TO  THE  EPHES1AN3.  13 

comparing  ver.  12  witli  ver.  18.  In  the  IStli  verse,  saith  he,  'As  by  the 
offence  of  one  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation;  even  so  by 
the  righteousness  of  one  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men  to  justification  of 
life.'  ilark  it,  here  justification  is  called  a  man's  life ;  and  compare  now 
but  the  verses  before  :  ver.  12,  'By  one  man  sin  entered,  and  death  by  sin, 
and  so  death  passed' — as  a  sentence,  namely,  before  men  died — 'upon  all  men.' 
And  that  which  in  this  12th  verse  he  calleth  death,  m.  the  18th  he  call- 
eth  judgment;  'judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation.'  There  is 
a  death  therefore  of  condemnation,  and  there  is  a  justification  of  life.  Then, 
secondly,  there  is  a  life  of  sanctification  also,  opposed  to  the  power  of  sin  and 
the  death  that  the  power  of  sin  bringeth ;  for  that  I  shall  not  need  to  insist 
upon.  '  You  hath  he  quickened,'  saith  my  text  afterwards ;  and  what  is  that 
quickening  but  giving  you  faith,  creating  a  new  workmanship,  as  we  shall 
find  when  we  come  to  open  those  words  that  follow  ? 

Now  the  question  will  be.  Whether  that  the  Apostle,  when  he  saith  we 
are  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  doth  in  this  phrase  include  both,  or  which 
more  chiefly  ? 

I  answer,  he  certainly  includeth  both ;  for,  in  the  first  place,  when  he  had 
said  in  the  first  verse,  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  he  doth  in  the  close  of 
this  description  say,  we  are  all  '  by  nature  children  of  wrath,' — that  is, 
obnoxious  unto  wrath,  unto  condemnation  for  every  sin,  and  that  is  all  one 
and  to  be  dead  men  in  sin.  It  appears  likewise  by  that  parallel  place,  CoL 
ii.  13,  which  epistle  and  this  of  the  Ephesians,  as  I  said,  are  as  the  Evan- 
gelists, the  one  explaining  the  other.  You  shall  find  there,  that  their  being 
dead  in  sin  is  spoken  in  respect  of  guilt  clearly  ;  yea,  and  their  being  quickened 
with  Christ  is  spoken  in  respect  of  their  justification  by  Christ.  Kead  but 
the  words.  '  And  you,  being  dead  in  your  sins,' — there  is  the  guilt  of  sin, — 
'  and  the  uncircumcision  of  your  flesh,' — there  is  the  corruption  of  nature  and 
the  power  of  sin, — '  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him.'  Wherein  lay 
that  quickening  ?  '  Having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses.'  Therefore,  forgive- 
ness of  sins  and  justification,  being  a  taking  off  of  the  sentence,  and  acquit- 
ting a  man  from  death,  and  pronouncing  a  man  free  from  it,  is  part  of  that 
quickening.  Hence  it  is,  that  as  in  sanctification  we  receive  the  virtue  of 
Christ's  resurrection,  so  we  are  said  to  be  justified  by  virtue  of  his  resur- 
rection. '  He  rose  again  for  our  justification ; '  by  his  quickening  we  are 
quickened.  You  shall  find  in  Eom.  vii.,  when  a  man  is  humbled  for  sin,  he 
dies.  '  Sin  revived,'  saith  he,  '  and  I  died,' — that  is,  I  apprehended  myself  to 
be  a  dead  man,  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.  Then  cometh  Jesus  Christ  and 
works  faith  in  the  man,  and  so  raiseth  him  up  to  a  justification  of  life,  and 
now  the  man  Uveth  again.  But  how  doth  he  live  1  He  liveth  by  faith. 
'  The  life  which  I  live,  it  is  by  faith,'  saith  he,  laying  hold  of  the  free  grace 
of  God,  and  justification  by  my  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  The 
Apostle  here  intends  both,  for  his  scope  is  to  illustrate  to  the  uttermost 
the  grace  of  God  towards  us  in  quickening  us ;  and  as  in  quickening  us  by 
Christ,  he  intendeth  freeing  us  from  all  sorts  of  death,  so  in  saying  we  are 
'  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  he  includeth  all  sorts  of  death  also. 

But  if  you  ask  which  is  principally  intended  here ;  I  answer,  principally, 
and  in  a  special  manner,  is  intended  the  death  in  respect  of  the  'power  of  sin. 
And  my  reason  is  this,  because  this  verse  refers  to  the  19th  of  the  first 
chapter.  According  to  the  mighty  power  which  works  in  us,  according  to 
the  power  which  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead : 
*  And  you,  being  dead,'  saith  he,  *  hath  he  quickened.'     So  here  in  this  first 


14-  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  I. 

verse,  and  in  ver.  5.  Therefore,  in  Col.  ii.,  thougli  it  be  applied  to  forgive- 
ness, yet  there  is  the  power  of  sin  mentioned  too.  '  You  were  dead,'  saith 
he,  'in  the  uncircumcision  of  the  flesh  ;' — that  is,  in  their  original  corruption, 
in  the  powder  of  sin,  as  well  as  in  the  guilt  of  it.  Therefore,  afterwards  in 
this  chapter  he  magnifies  the  grace  of  God,  in  respect  of  making  a  new 
workmanship  in  him,  '  created  in  Christ  to  good  works,'  a  new  principle  of 
life.  So  that,  I  say,  the  Apostle's  chief  scope  is,  to  hold  forth  a  death  in 
respect  of  the  power  of  sin.  And  so  I  have  opened  to  you  what  is  meant 
by  life  and  death. 

There  is  a  third  death,  which  is  the  consequent  of  both  these,  which  is 
certainly  meant  too,  and  is  the  consummation  of  both  these  :  and  that  is 
death  eternal;  even  eternal  death  is  but  a  being  dead  in  sin.  What  is  the 
great  executioner  of  men  in  hell  1  The  truth  is,  it  is  purely  the  guilt  of  a 
man's  own  sin,  and  the  wrath  of  God  joining  with  it,  that  which  he  lived  in 
here.  I  will  give  you  a  plain  similitude  for  it.  A  fish  liveth  naturally  in 
the  water  ;  take  that  water,  and  heat  it,  and  put  the  fish  into  it,  the  fish  dies, 
even  in  the  very  same  water  it  lived  in.  The  Apostle  speaks  in  a  manner 
the  same,  Eom.  vii.  :  The  law  came ;  and  sin  revived,  and  I  died.  So  that 
in  hell  itself,  God  shall  need  no  other  executioner  but  only  thine  own  sins, 
set  on  fire  by  his  wrath,  to  boU  thy  soul.  Men  shall  but  then  die  in  their  sins, 
and  their  sins  will  be  the  instrument.  They  are  like  gunpowder,  as  I  may 
express  it,  which  the  sparks  of  God's  wrath  falling  into  blows  up.  There- 
fore why  doth  the  Apostle  say,  1  Cor.  xv.  56,  'The  sting  of  death  is  sin?' 
He  speaks  in  relation  to  hell  after  death.  But  because  sin  is  that  eternal 
sting,  you  know  it  is  said  the  '  worm  that  dies  not.'  Observe  the  analogy  : 
when  a  man  is  dead,  his  body  breedeth  worms ;  so  the  sins  that  are  in  a 
man's  conscience,  they  are  as  so  many  worms  that  prey  upon  that  dead  soul 
for  ever  in  hell.  Here  in  this  life,  men  sit  but  in  the  shadow  of  death, 
where  men  have  a  little  light  in  this  shadow,  to  play  by,  or  work  by,  or  sing 
by ;  here  they  have  the  creatures,  and  God  puts  comforts  in  the  creatures 
to  draw  out  men's  lusts;  but  in  hell,  when  God  shall  take  away  all  comforts, 
take  away  all  creatures,  there  shall  be  '  utter  darkness,'  the  '  blackness  of 
darkness,'  which  is  the  expression  for  death,  as  light  is  for  life. 

Now  I  will  make  but  an  observation  or  two,  though  this  discourse  hath 
had  observations  strewed  amongst  it  all  the  way. 

Ohs.  1. — Look,  first  of  all,  therefore,  upon  evei-y  sin  as  death.  '  He  that 
hateth  me,'  saith  Wisdom,  Pro  v.  viiL  36,  and  will  follow  other  ways,  'loveth 
death.'  If  a  man  apprehends  he  is  doing  that  which  he  knows  will  be  his 
death,  it  is  the  greatest  argument  in  the  world  to  shun  it ;  all  in  nature 
riseth  up  in  him.  What!  will  you  have  me  catch  my  death?  Will  you 
bring  me  to  my  grave  1  Let  us  all  think  so  of  sin.  But  you  will  say,  A  man 
that  is  regenerated,  he  sins  not  unto  death.  It  is  true  that  is  not  the  issue 
of  it ;  what  is  the  reason  1  Because  another's  death  went  for  it,  and  that  is 
the  death  of  Christ.  And  let  that  move  thee  more  than  the  other  shall  give 
thee  liberty  to  sin  ;  let  a  holy  ingenuity  move  thee.  It  was  his  death  that 
was  the  death  of  thy  death. 

Ohs.  2. — Observe  again,  That  sin  only  hills  the  soul.  The  devil  himself 
could  not  kill  the  soul,  nothing  but  sin  could  do  it.  All  the  devils  in  hell 
could  not  have  taken  that  spiritual  life  from  us  in  Adam,  had  not  he  him- 
self laid  it  down.  He  might,  in  respect  of  spiritual  life,  say,  as  Christ  did. 
No  man  takes  my  life  from  me,  but  I  lay  it  down.  There  is  no  death 
but  in  sin,  and  man  sinneth  not  but  of  himself.     It  is  true,  when  men  sin. 


EpH.  II.   1-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  15 

the  devil  tempts  them;  but  there  is  no  death  unless  men  sin.  Nay,  my 
brethren,  the  -wrath  of  God  alone  could  not  kill  the  soul,  if  it  were  not  for 
sin.  The  wrath  of  God  seized  upon  Christ,  he  having  sin  laid  upon  him, 
but  his  soul  died  not,  *  Dead  in  sins,'  saith  the  Apostle.  Nothing  indeed 
properly  kills  the  soul  but  sin,  because  nothing  doth  utterly  cut  off  the  soul 
from  God  but  sin.  And,  as  I  said  before,  in  hell  it  is  sin  that  is  the  pitch 
in  the  barrel  that  makes  it  burn,  it  is  sin  in  the  conscience  that  makes  the 
fire;  God's  wrath  comes  upon  it,  but  it  is  that  which  burns.  Therefore  they 
are  called  'vessels  of  wrath,'  because  vessels  of  sin. 


16  AX  EXPOSITIOK  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IL 


SERMON"  IL 

And  you  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses;  wherein 
in  time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  &c. — Vee.  1, 
2,  &c. 

The  coherence  of  these  words  I  did  largely  give  the  last  day.  For  the  general 
scope,  they  are  the  application  of  the  common  misery  of  mankind  unto  these 
Ephesians,  and  unto  the  Jews  also,  ver.  3.  And  it  is  a  description  of  it  under 
all  sorts  of  considerations :  both  of  sin — they  were  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses ;' 
and,  secondly,  of  punishment — they  were  '  by  nature  children  of  wrath.' 
Or  else,  to  take  a  more  particular  division,  here  is — 

I.  The  internal  state,  condition,  and  constitution  of  every  man  by  nature  : 
he  is  in  a  state  of  death,  and  he  is  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.' 

II,  Here  is  his  misery,  in  respect  of  his  outward  convei-sation  and  his  con- 
stant course  :  '  walking,'  ver.  2 ;  '  having  his  conversation,'  ver,  3.  And  this 
outward  conversation  of  theirs,  and  the  sinfulness  and  misery  thereof,  is  set 
forth  to  us  by  three  caiises  of  it. 

I  opened  the  last  day  the  first,  the  inward  state  expressed  here  by  death  ; 
and  it  is  a  death,  you  see,  in  sin.  It  is  not  a  physical  death  of  the  soul,  for 
the  soul  is  immortal,  and  all  things  immediately  made  by  God  never  die; 
that  is  a  certain  truth :  and  therefore  the  soul  and  the  faculties  of  it  remain 
stQl,  as  we  all  see  by  experience.  It  is  therefore  a  moral  death ;  namely, 
in  sin,  as  here  the  Apostle  distinguisheth  it,  in  respect,  not  of  the  being,  but 
of  the  well-being.  The  life  of  the  soul  is  in  God,  and  it  is  sin  only  that 
separateth  between  God  and  us :  and  as  death  is  the  separation  of  soul 
and  body,  so  sin,  being  the  separation  of  God  and  the  soul,  hence  it  is 
called  a  death,  a  death  in  sin,  or  by  sin.  For  God,  he  is  '  the  fountain  of 
life ; '  you  have  that  expression,  Ps.  xxxvi.  9.  And  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ 
it  is  said,  1  John  v.  12,  '  He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life ;  and  he  that  hath 
not  the  Son,  hath  not  life.'  You  must  know  this,  that  the  soul  of  man  lives 
not  in  itself,  it  was  made  to  live  in  another,  and  it  was  made  to  live  in  God; 
and  the  truth  is,  when  God  shall  take  not  only  himself  away,  but  all  things 
else,  the  soul  dies,  as  the  fire  does  when  the  fuel  is  taken  away;  therefore 
men  die  in  hell.  Now  then,  this  death  is  but  cutting  ofi"  God  from  a  man, 
and  all  influence  from  God.  And  look,  how  many  ways  that  God  had  or 
hath  an  influence  into  men's  souls  by  a  spiritual  way,  so  many  lives  a  man 
had  whilst  he  had  the  image  of  God  in  him,  and  so  many  deaths  he  hath  by 
sin,  and  in  sin.  Now  there  is  a  threefold  life  from  God,  that  I  mentioned 
not  last  day,  though  the  heads  of  the  death  I  mentioned  then. 

There  is,  first,  the  favour  of  God,  the  good-will  of  God  towards  a  man, 
that  God  doth  bear  good-will  to  one,  and  accepteth  him ;  and  therein  lies  his 
life :  Ps.  XXX.  5,  '  In  thy  favour  is  life  ; '  the  word  is,  *  in  thy  good-will,'  or 
'  in  thy  acceptation  is  life.'  And  therefore  now  to  be  out  of  favour  with  God 
is  to  be  a  dead  man.  So  great  a  God  is  God,  so  great  a  sovereign,  as  his 
favour  or  disfavour  kills  or  makes  alive. 


EpH.   II.   1,  2,  tkc.J  TO  TUK  EPHESIANS,  17 

Then,  secondly,  to  have  comfort  and  joy  in  God,  therein  life  lieth  likewise, 
spiritual  life  :  Ps.  Ixiii ,  '  That  I  may  see  tliy  glory,'  vcr.  2.  So  it  follows, 
*Thy  loving-kindness  is  better  than  life,'  ver.  3.  The  seeing  and  enjoying  of 
the  glory  of  God  and  his  loving-kindness  is  called  life,  yea,  better  than  Life : 
Ps.  xxiL  26,  '  Your  heart  shall  live  for  ever.'  And  compare  it  with  Ps.  Ixix. 
32,  '  Your  heart  shall  live ;'  the  words  before  interpret  it,  '  shall  be  glad.' 

Then,  thirdly,  there  is  a  life  of  grace  and  holiness,  the  image  of  God, 
■which  is  communicated  from  God,  by  which  we  are  enabled  to  enjoy  him, 
and  for  want  of  which  carnal  men  cannot  enjoy  him.  Eph.  iv.  18,  '  They 
are  strangers  from  the  life  of  God.'  It  is  clear  that  the  special  meaning  of 
the  *  life  of  God '  there  is  the  life  of  holiness,  the  image  of  God  ;  for  he 
speaks  of  corruption,  the  contrary  to  it,  in  the  verses  before ;  and  in  the 
same  verse  he  saith  that  they  are  strangers  from  the  life  of  God,  through 
ignorance,  and  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  being  given  up  to  all  uncleanness. 
And  in  the  24th  verse,  he  saith  that  the  image  of  God  is  created  in  right- 
eousness. So  that  indeed  the  image  of  God  is  there  especially  the  life  of 
God,  in  ver.  18. 

Now  then,  as  there  is  a  threefold  life  from  God,  which  is  the  fountain  of 
life,  so  answerably  there  is  a  threefold  death  by  sin. 

There  is,  first,  a  death  of  guilt.  Every  sin  casteth  a  man  out  of  the 
favour  of  God,  and  that  is  death,  bindeth  a  man  over  to  the  wrath  of  God. 
If  that  the  wrath  of  a  king  be  as  messengers  of  death,  as  it  is,  Pro  v.  xvi.  14, 
— that  is,  it  is  as  good  as  a  warrant  sealed  up  for  a  man  condemned,  for  hia 
execution, — then  much  more  the  wrath  of  God.  '  Thou  art  but  a  dead  man,' 
saith  God  to  Abimelech,  Gen.  xx.  3 ;  that  is,  thou  art  guilty  of  death,  by 
reason  of  this  fact  of  thine. 

Then,  in  the  second  place,  there  is  a  death  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin, 
and  that  answereth  to  that  life  of  holiness  we  have  from  God,  the  image  of 
God.  In  Col.  ii.  12,  he  saith  they  were  '  dead  in  the  uncircumcision  of  their 
flesh ;'  that  is,  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin,  corruption  of  nature  derived 
by  birth,  and  increased  by  actual  sin  :  for  both  are  meant,  putting  the  sign 
for  the  thing  signified.  For  the  changing  of  the  heart  and  mortifying  cor- 
ruption is  called  circumcising  the  heart ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  the  corrup- 
tion itself  is  called  the  '  uncircumcision  of  the  flesh.'  The  one  you  have 
in  Deut.  x.  16,  the  other  in  that  CoL  ii  12. 

Thirdly,  there  is  a  death  in  respect  of  joy  and  comfort.  Now  though 
wicked  men  live  in  respect  of  comfort  from  God — that  is,  from  the  creature 
- — whilst  they  are  here  in  this  world,  yet  they  are  dead  in  respect  of  receiving 
any  comfort  in  God.  '  Not  only  so,'  saith  the  Apostle,  '  but  we  joy  in  God,' 
E,om.  v.  11,  or  pursue  after  that  joy;  either  the  one  or  the  other  every 
Christian  doth,  as  after  his  life.  But  now  every  carnal  man  is  cut  off  from 
God,  both  from  the  comfort  that  is  in  God  himself,  or  the  pursuit  after  it. 
And  though  they  have  comfort  in  the  creatures,  and  therefore  do  as  it  were 
sit  but  in  the  shadow  of  death,  as  the  phrase  is,  Luke  i.  79  ;  yet  when  hell 
Cometh,  then  all  comforts,  all  creatures,  all  their  '  good  things,'  as  it  is  said, 
Luke  xvi.  25,  their  pomp  departs  from  them,  and  then  men  die,  and  that  sin 
in  the  comfort  of  which  they  live  will  be  their  greatest  executioner,  as  I 
shewed  the  last  day. 

Now  then,  if  the  question  be.  Which  of  these  deaths  are  meant  when  he 
saith  of  these  Ephesians,  they  were  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses  1 '  I  answer, 
the  first  and  second ;  that  is,  a  death  in  respect  of  guilt,  being  under  the 
disfavour  of  God,  and  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin  ;  but  not  the  third  death, 
or  as  the  Scripture  calleth  it,  in  reference  to  our  natural  dying,  the  second 

VOL.  II  B 


18  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  II. 

death.  He  dotli  not  mean  they  were  dead  in  that  respect,  for  they  could  not 
be  dead  in  tliat  respect,  because  they  Avere  not  yet  in  hell,  had  not  execution 
done  upon  them ;  only  by  way  of  inchoation,  by  way  of  beginning,  they  were 
dead  in  that  respect,  they  were  under  the  beginnings  of  it,  they  were  under 
the  fear  of  death  all  their  life  long ;  and  they  were  cut  off  from  receiving 
comfort  in  God,  and  so  in  that  respect  they  were  privatively  dead,  though  the 
fulness  of  the  execution  of  it  was  not  come.  Now  then,  the  text  speaks  here 
especially  of  those  two  first  deaths,  and  more  especially  of  the  second.  And 
that  is  clear,  as  I  shewed  in  the  former  discourse,  because  this  death  refers  to 
that  quickening  power  which  raised  them  up  in  their  conversion,  the  same 
that  raised  up  Jesus  Christ,  as  appears  by  the  coherence  both  in  the  5th 
verse  following,  and  in  the  19th  verse  of  the  former  chapter. 

Now  when  it  is  said,  they  were  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  there  is 
this  question  moved  by  interpreters  :  What  distinction  there  is  between  sins 
and  trespasses  1  Or  whether  actual  sins  only,  or  corruption  of  nature  be  also 
meant  1 

Zanchy  upon  the  place  saith,  actual  sins  are  only  meant.  And  his  reasons 
are  these  :  First,  because,  saith  he,  the  word  'zapacrru),ix,a(Si,  which  is  trans- 
lated '  trespasses,'  doth  signify  actual  sins  ;  manu  aberrai^e,  to  err  with  one's 
hand  in  working,  or  the  like.  Secondly,  because  in  the  second  verse  it  is 
said,  '  in  which  ye  walked.'  Now  you  do  not  walk  in  original  sin,  but  in 
actual  sin,  saith  he.  And  his  third  reason  is,  because  it  is  said,  '  sins  and 
trespasses'  in  the  plural,  whereas  original  sin  is  one  great  sin. 

But  to  me  it  seems — I  shall  give  but  my  judgment  in  it — that  both  are 
meant,  and  my  reasons  are  these  (I  shall  answer  his  by  and  by)  : — 

First,  From  the  coherence ;  for  the  death  here  must  needs  answer  to  the 
quickening.  Now  the  quickening  is  the  infusion  of  a  new  habit,  a  new  spirit 
of  life ;  therefore  the  death  of  sin  must  needs  be  in  respect  of  corruption, 
and  the  power  of  sin  in  a  man.  Sin  is  opposite  to  that  new  life,  as  a 
death,  which  not  only  was  traduced  from  Adam,  but  is  increased  by  every 
actual  sin ;  every  actual  sin  makes  a  man  anew  a  dead  man,  in  respect  of  the 
power  of  it;  I  mean  one  that  is  in  an  unregenerate  condition,  for  I  speak  of 
such  a  man. 

Secondly,  That  original  sin  is  meant  and  intended  appears  by  that  in  Col. 
ii.  13,  Avhich  epistle  interj^rets  this,  where  he  saith  they  were  'dead  in  the 
uncircumcision  of  the  flesh.' 

And  then,  thirdly,  as  in  ver.  3  he  saith  they  were  '  children  of  wrath  by 
nature ;'  so  when  he  saith  in  this  first  verse  they  were  '  dead  in  sins  and 
trespasses,'  his  meaning  is,  in  respect  of  their  natures  also. 

And  then  again,  if  that  actual  sins  were  only  meant,  I  do  not  see  how 
the  power  of  sin  here  at  all  should  be  intended,  which  yet  it  is  evident  is 
principally  intended,  because  it  is  opposed  to  a  spiritual  life  infused  into 
the  soul. 

Now  to  answer  his  reasons.  He  saith,  *  in  which  ye  walked,'  therefore 
actual  sins  are  intended.  It  is  true  they  are,  but  not  onlj' :  that  makes  that 
actual  sins  are  intended,  but  other  things  make  that  original  sin  or  corrup- 
tion of  nature  is  intended. 

Secondly,  Whereas  he  saith  that  the  word  translated  trespasses  signifies 
actual  sins  only,  yet  let  me  add  this.  In  Piom.  v.  17,  there  speaking  of 
Adam's  sin,  he  calls  it  tQj  rra.oa'KTCi'.j.arij  that  sin  which  we  are  all  guilty  of, 
original  sin.  No  author  useth  this  word  rruiuT-u'j.a  for  sin,  but  only  the 
Scripture ;  and,  as  I  take  it,  the  first  time  the  Scripture  useth  it,  is  applying 
it  unto  Adam's  sin.    It  signifies  a  fall  properly,  as  some  would  have  it,  or  an 


EpH.  II.    1,  2,  iLc]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  19 

aberration  with  the  hand,  for  the  derivation  may  be  from  both.     Hence  you 
call  it  Adam's  full. 

And  then,  whereas  he  saith  it  is  sins  in  the  plural,  therefore  not  original 
sin,  I  answer,  that  original  sin  is  sins  in  the  plural ;  for  original  sin  and  the 
corruption  of  nature  hath  all  sins  in  it  ;  it  is  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  and  it 
is  the  guilt  of  a  body  of  sin  ;  so  it  is  called,  Rom.  vii.  And  if  the  first  word, 
translated  trespasses,  should  be  only  meant  of  actual  sins,  yet  notwithstand- 
ing, the  word  translated  sins  is  general,  and  will  include  both. — So  much  for 
the  clearing  of  that. 

Obs.  1. — I  gave  an  observation  or  two  the  last  day.  One  was  this  :  That 
the  soul  could  die  by  nothing  but  by  sin.  I  will  not  enlarge  upon  that. 
Satan  himself  could  not  kill  it ;  only  it  was  in  man's  will  to  sin  against  God, 
and  so  to  kill  himself  It  was  and  is  self-murder  in  every  man,  which  of  all 
sins  else  is  accounted  the  greatest,  next  to  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
as  certainly  it  is  the  greatest  sin  that  can  be  committed  :  yet  every  man 
knieth  himself  spiritually  whenever  he  sinneth. 

Obs.  2. — And  then,  again,  the  second  thing  I  observed  was  this  :  That  in 
every  sin,  in  a  man's  natural  estate,  there  is  a  killing  virtue.  He  doth  not 
say,  '  dead  in  sin,'  but  he  saith,  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  of  all  sorts. 
And  the  truth  is,  the  word  translated  trespasses  is  in  its  signification  often- 
times lighter  sins,  sins  of  ignorance,  of  infirmity.  *  If  a  man  fall  by  occasion 
into  a  fault,'  saith  the  Apostle,  it  is  the  same  word,  in  Gal.  vi.  1,  from  ■s-aaa 
and  TT/'-TCt),  manu  aberrare,  when  a  man  doth  a  thing  unawares,  doth  it  with 
his  hand,  and  his  hand  slippeth.  So  that  it  is  not  only  Adam's  sin  that  kills 
us, — that  is  the  observation  I  make, — but  it  is  every  sin  that  a  man  com- 
mitteth ;  I  mean,  that  is  a  natural  man.  That  a  man's  sin  who  is  in  the 
state  of  grace  is  not  unto  death,  is  by  reason  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  him,  though  in  itself  it  tendeth  unto  death.  But  every  sin, 
the  least  a  man  committeth,  makes  a  man  a  dead  man  in  all  those  respects 
mentioned ;  it  binds  him  over  unto  death,  casteth  him  out  of  the  favour  of 
God  yet  more ;  and  not  only  so,  but  it  adds  a  new  power,  it  makes  him  tha 
child  of  death  more  than  he  was  before.  And  so  I  shall  solve  that  question 
which  necessarily  falleth  into  the  words, — for  I  shall  still  profess  to  handle 
but  what  is  necessary  to  open  them, — Whether  there  be  degrees  of  this 
spiritual  death,  yea  or  no  ?  I  answer.  Yes,  there  are,  as  there  are  degrees  of 
life.  Saith  Christ,  John  x.  10,  'I  came  that  they  might  have  life,  and  have 
.  it  more  abundantly.'  So,  though  a  man  is  born  dead,  yet  he  is  capable  of 
being  dead  more  abundantly,  and  that  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin,  and 
that  of  death  in  it. 

But  you  will  say  unto  me,  for  the  privative  part,  death  is  the  privation  of 
life,  and  one  man  cannot  be  said  to  be  dead  more  than  another. 

I  answer,  it  is  true  here,  in  respect  of  life  that  he  hath  been  deprived  of, 
one  man  is  as  dead  as  another ;  but  in  respect  of  raising  again  unto  life,  in 
order  unto  that,  one  man  may  in  that  respect  be  more  dead  than  another, — 
even  the  privative  part  of  original  corruption, — that  is,  further  off  from  being 
raised  again,  that  there  must  be  a  greater  power  to  restore  that  man  than 
another.  As  for  instance,  a  man  may  be  killed  with  one  wound  that  strikes 
him  to  the  heart,  or  otherwise,  and  that  takes  away  his  life,  as  much  as  ten 
thousand  wounds  ;  but  if  you  should  give  him  so  many  wounds  after  he  was 
dead,  if  this  man  were  to  be  raised  again,  here  was  so  much  the  more  power; 
he  had  in  this  respect  so  many  deaths,  which  the  power  of  God  must  salve, 
and  cure,  and  supply,  and  overcome,  and  heal  all  these  wounds,  the  least 
whereof  were  mortal.     And  so  likewise,  as  it  is  in  the  body,  one  man  is  not 


20  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLB  FSeEMON  IL 

more  dead  than  another,  yet  in  order  to  raising  again  such  a  one  as  Lazams, 
that  had  been  dead  four  days  and  did  stink  in  the  grave,  it  is,  and  so  Martha 
thought,  harder  to  raise  such  a  one.  So  it  is  of  men  that  continue  in  sin. 
And  therefore  now  our  thankfulness  should  be  the  greater,  by  how  much  the 
more  we  continued  longer  in  sin,  or  had  our  souls  more  wounded. 

Then  again,  as  there  are  degrees  of  this  death  in  respect  of  privation,  so 
likewise  in  the  positive  part ;  for  there  is  a  positive  part  of  this  death.  You 
know  it  is  called  a  '  body  of  death,'  Rom.  vii.  24.  A  dead  carcass  hath  no 
similitude  to  express  this  positive  part  of  this  original  sin,  as  it  is  a  death  : 
my  reason  is  this,  because  there  is  no  active  living  principle  still  remaining 
in  a  dead  carcass,  but  there  is  an  active  li\'ing  principle  still  remaining  in  the 
soul ;  that  lives  a  natural  life  still,  only,  being  deprived  of  the  life  of  God,  it 
positively  works  into  all  ways  of  death  and  sin.  Now  then,  there  may  be 
degrees  of  this  death,  one  man  may  still  increase  the  power  of  sin,  and  he 
doth  so  by  every  actual  sin  he  commits,  a  proneness  to  dead  works ;  so  you 
know  actual  sins  are  called,  as  I  opened  it  before. — And  so  much  for  the 
second  observation. 

Obs.  3. — A  third  observation  I  give,  and  I  shall  but  touch  it,  is  this  : 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  between  a  regenerate  man  and  an  unregene- 
rate,  and  that  in  respect  of  this  expression,  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.' 
'  Even  when  ye  were  dead,'  saith  he,  ver.  5.  And  ye  being  '  dead  in  sins  and 
trespasses,'  when  sometime  '  ye  walked  in  them,'  saith  my  text.  So  that 
now  to  be  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses  is  proper  to  an  unregenerate  man. 
But  now  take  a  regenerate  man,  and  you  cannot  say  he  is  dead  in  sins  and 
trespasses  ;  this  you  may  say  indeed,  that  he  hath  a  body  of  death  in  him, — 

*  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death  1 ' — but  the  man  is  quickened, 
he  hath  life  in  him,  he  hath  a  state  of  life,  he  is  passed  from  death  to  life. 
He  hath  indeed  a  body  of  death,  as  the  living,  you  know,  were  joined  to  the 
dead,  or  as  if  a  man  should  have  a  body  that  is  half-dead.  But  it  is  clear 
by  the  context  here  that  it  is  proper  to  the  state  of  unregeneracy  to  be  dead 
in  sins  and  trespasses.  Therefore  you  shall  find  the  expressions  that  the 
Scripture  useth  of  regenerate  men  to  be  otherwise.  As  he  saith  he  hath 
a  '  body  of  death,'  so  he  calleth  it  a  sleep,  not  a  being  dead,  Eph.  v.  14, 

*  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead.'  For  my  part,  I  have 
long  since  thought  that  scripture  meant  and  spoken  to  regenerate  men;  and 
my  reason  is  this,  because  before  and  after  he  speaks  to  the  Ephesians,  as 
children  of  light,  not  to  have  any  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of 
darkness,  but  to  reprove  them  rather,  ver.  11.  And  in  the  15th  verse,  the 
verse  after  the  14th,  '  See  ye  walk  circumspectly.'  And  between  these  two 
he  interposeth,  '  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,'  &c.  That  is.  Thou  that  art  a 
child  of  light,  and  art  a  regenerate  man,  if  there  be  any  such  amongst  you, 
and  that  are  fallen  amongst  the  dead,  and  that  converse  with  carnal  people 
in  their  carnal  way ;  he  not  among  graves,  saith  he,  but  rise,  and  Christ  shall 
give  you  life.  I  quote  it  for  this,  that  they  are  said  to  be  asleep ;  as  there 
in  the  Canticles,  '  I  sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh.'  She  waked,  but  yet  so  as 
she  might  be  said  to  be  asleep ;  as  the  five  virgins  slept,  but  dead  they  were 
not.  And  in  a  regenerate  man  things  may  be  ready  to  die,  as  in  Rev.  iii.  2, 
'  Strengthen  the  things  which  remain,  that  are  ready  to  die ; '  but  still  they 
never  come  to  be  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  but  if  they  be  once  alive  in 
Christ,  as  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  them,  no  more  hath  this  death 
dominion  over  them. — And  so  I  have  done  wholly  with  this  first  verse. 

i  now  come  to  the  second  verse.  There  is  one  thing  I  forgot  to  mention, 
that  is  this.     There  is  a   very  great   controversy  upon   that  first  ■'erse ; 


EpH.  II.  1,  2,  (kc]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  21 

Whether,  yea  or  no,  every  unregcnerate  man  be  a  dead  man,  in  respect  of  all 
ability  to  do  good?  Whether  there  be  no  principle  of  life  in  him,  yea  or 
no  1  Whether  he  be  not  as  a  man  asleep  or  wounded  1  It  is  a  controversy 
both  with  the  Papists  and  with  the  Remonstrants.  But  because  I  have 
slipped  it,  I  will  refer  it  to  the  5th  verse,  where  I  shall  meet  with  it ;  and 
therefore  I  will  now  go  on  to  the  second  verse  : — 

Dead  in  sins  and  trespasses;  wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked  according  to 
the  course  of  this  world. 

Now  in  this  second  verse  here  is — 
I.  A  continued  course  of  life  ;  expressed  by  'walking.' 
II.   The  path  in  which  they  walked  ;  '  in  sins  and  trespasses.' 

III.   The  guides  which  they  were  guided  hy  in  walking  : — 

1.  The  world,  the  'course'  of  it. 

2.  The  devil,  the  'prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.' 

3.  The  flesh,  which  in  Rom.  viii.  is  called  '  walldng  after  the  flesh.' 
First,  Their  continued  course,  exjiressed  hy  '  walking.^     It  is  strange  that 

dead  men  should  walk  ;  we  call  it,  if  a  dead  man  appear,  walking ;  it  would 
ati'right  us  all  to  see  a  dead  man  walking ;  yet,  you  see,  dead  men  here  are 
said  to  walk.  Walking,  therefore,  first  of  all,  importeth  life  :  though  it  be  a 
death  in  sin,  yet  it  is  a  life  in  sin  too.  Col.  iii.  7,  '  In  which  ye  also  walked 
some  time,  when  ye  lived  in  them.'  And  so,  in  1  Tim.  v.  6,  '  She  is  dead, 
whilst  she  liveth.'  That  I  may  open  this  unto  you,  you  must  know  that  sin 
is  in  itself  but  a  mere  privation  of  spiritual  life,  yet  it  is  a  privation  in  a 
positive  being  that  liveth.  The  soul  is  alive  as  it  is  a  soul,  all  the  activity 
of  it  remaineth  still,  no  naturals  are  taken  away ;  it  is  dead  only  in  respect 
of  God  and  spiritual  good.  It  is  not  in  this  as  it  is  in  the  death  of  the 
body,  that  there  is  no  life  remaining ;  yes,  here  is  a  life  remaining,  but  it  is 
not  life  spiritual.  It  is  as  if  you  should  suppose  the  reasonable  soul  only 
left  a  man,  and  that  the  fancy  of  man,  the  sensitive  soul,  remains  still  such 
as  in  beasts,  or  higher,  for  it  is  higher  raised  in  a  man,  which  hath  all  the 
powers  of  reason  in  it  still.  So  it  is  here.  Now  then,  walking  in  sin  fol- 
lows upon  being  alive  ;  for  this  soul  having  all  its  inclinations,  all  its  desires 
still,  only  it  is  cut  off  from  the  life  of  God  and  communion  with  him,  must 
live ;  in  itself  it  cannot  live,  God  hath  so  ordered  the  soul  of  man  that  it 
should  not  live  in  itself,  it  must  live  in  something  else ;  it  is  like  the 
stomach,  if  it  hath  not  meat  it  dies  ;  or  as  fire,  if  it  hath  not  fuel  it  dies  ;  in 
respect  of  the  well-being  of  it.  Now  this  soul  that  liveth  a  natural  life,  being 
cut  off*  from  the  life  of  God,  estranged  from  it,  its  activity  must  work  some- 
where ;  therefore  now  it  falls  upon  the  pleasures  of  sin,  and  all  its  comfort 
lies  in  sin.  Therefore,  Ep-h.  iv.  18,  19,  we  read  that  the  soul  being  estranged 
from  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  they  have  given  themselves 
over  to  lasciviousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness.  The  soul 
must  have  comfort,  therefore  having  it  not  in  God,  it  wiU  run  out  some  other 
where. 

And  hence  now,  tbey  are  not  only  said  to  be  dead  in  sin,  but  to  be  alive 
in  sin  too,  which  is  a  strange  contradiction,  but  it  is  not  in  the  same  respect. 
They  are  dead  in  sin  in  respect  of  God,  being  cut  off  from  life  in  him ;  but 
they  are  alive  in  sin  too.  Why?  Because  all  the  comfort  of  their  lives  lies 
in  what  comes  in  by  sin,  and  by  inordinate  affections,  even  as  it  is  distin- 
guished by  our  Saviour  Christ,  John  ix.  40.  When  he  told  the  Pharisees 
they  were  blind,  say  they,  'Are  we  blind?'  Blind  they  were,  utterly  blind, 
there  was  a  sight  in  respect  of  which  they  were  utterly  blind;  for  the  natural 
man  perceiveth  not  the  things  of  God  j  yet  saith  Christ,  '  If  you  did  not  see. 


22  AX  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  II. 

you.  had  no  sin.'  So  you  may  say  here,  they  are  dead  in  respect  of  God,  but  ir 
they  were  not  alive,  they  would  have  no  sin.  And  therefore  as  they  are 
dead  in  sin,  so  they  are  alive  in  sin  too ;  yea,  and  it  is  their  hfe ;  and  the 
more  life,  the  more  activity  any  one's  soul  hath,  the  more  sinful  he  is.  In 
that  Col.  iii.  7,  the  place  I  quoted  even  now,  saith  he,  '  in  which  ye  walked, 
whilst  you  lived  in  them.'  They  are  dead  in  sin,  as  here,  and  they  are  there 
said  to  be  alive  in  sin  too.  And  you  see  likewise  that  their  having  life, 
and  having  all  the  comfort  of  their  Kves  lying  in  sinning,  and  all  their  acti- 
vity running  out  that  way,  it  is  the  cause  of  their  walking  in  sin  ;  '  in  which 
ye  walked,'  saith  he,  *  whilst  ye  lived  in  them.'  The  Apostle  indeed  speaks 
philosophically;  as  we  say,  there  is  the  operation,  and  power  from  which  it 
flows ;  there  is  actus  primus,  and  actus  secundus.  So  here,  the  reason,  saith 
he,  why  ye  walk  in  sin  is  because  you  live  in  sin.  The  one  is  the  cause,  the 
other  is  the  effect. 

As,  on  the  contrary,  why  doth  the  godly  man  walk  in  the  Spirit  1  Read 
Gal.  V.  25,  '  If  we  live  in  the  Spirit,  let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit.'  Hence, 
therefore,  because  whilst  a  wicked  man  is  dead  in  one  respect,  he  is  yet  alive 
in  sin,  (all  his  life,  his  comfort — for  life  is  taken  for  comfort,  as  in  Luke  xiL 
15 — Heth  in  sinning,)  he  is  said  to  walk  in  it.  There  is  only  this  difference  : 
they  need  no  exhortations  to  walk  in  sin,  but  we  need  exhortations  to  walk 
in  the  Spirit,  though  we  live  in  the  Spirit.  "Why?  Because  we  are  natu- 
rally dead  in  sin,  and  we  have  a  body  of  death  in  us,  and  we  have  no  more 
hfe  nor  actings  of  life  than  is  infused  into  us.  It  importeth  then,  you  see, 
a  life  ;  for  that  the  soul  hath,  notwithstanding  it  is  thus  dead ;  yea,  and  a 
life  in  sin,  though  it  is  dead  in  sin,  because  it  is  cut  off  from  the  life  of  God. 
And,  indeed,  their  being  dead  in  sin  is  the  cause  of  their  living  in  sin ;  and 
their  hving  in  sin,  or  having  a  life  of  sin,  is  the  cause  of  their  walking  in  sin. 
Therefore  the  Apostle  fitly  joins  these  together,  being  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes, in  which  you  ivalked. 

I  will  only  add  this,  that  their  living  in  sin  is  only  in  this  life,  this  walk- 
ing in  sin  is  only  while  they  are  in  via,  while  they  are  viatores,  while  they  aro 
in  their  way ;  therefore,  it  is  said,  they  shall  perish  in  their  waj^,  or  from 
their  way,  Ps.  ii.  I  do  not  say  they  do  not  sin  hereafter ;  but  in  hell,  though 
men  sin, — that  is,  though  their  actions  are  contrary  to  the  law, — yet  it  is  not 
their  life  ;  and  the  reason  is  this,  because  then  they  are  stripped  from  aU 
objects  whatsoever;  therefore  the  soul  dies,  for  it  cannot  live  in  itself  And 
though  men  set  up  themselves  here,  yet  in  hell  they  are  lost  in  themselves : 
therefore  they  are  said  to  be  lost  creatures ;  not  only  dead  creatures,  in 
respect  of  hving  in  any  thing  else,  but  they  are  lost  to  their  own  ends, 
there  is  no  way  to  accomplish  any  end  in  hell ;  therefore  the  creature  is  lost, 
it  is  undone,  the  creature  dies  there.  Only  whilst  it  liveth  here  in  this  world 
it  may  live  in  sin  and  walk  in  sin  ;  hereafter  it  shall  not. 

Now  then  this  word,  '  in  which  ye  walked,'  sets  out  their  miserable  con- 
dition. We  may  consider  it  in  a  twofold  notion.  First,  as  it  sets  out  their 
miserable  estate  in  respect  of  sin,  how  sinful  it  was,  for  that  is  one  scope 
of  it ;  the  Apostle  would  let  them  see  how  sinful  their  hves  had  been.  And 
this  phrase  of  walking  doth  exceedingly  express  the  sinfulness  of  a  man's 
condition  in  his  conversation.  Secondly,  it  may  be  considered  as  it  is  aii  in- 
fallible character  and  sign  of  an  unregtnerate  estate.  And  both  are  intended  ; 
for  his  scope  is  to  humble  these  Ephesians  under  the  sight  of  their  sinful- 
ness ;  and  to  do  it,  he  doth  express  their  lives  to  be  a  walking  in  sin.  And 
the  other  is  as  clearly  expressed  and  held  forth;  'in  which  ye  walked  some- 


EpH.  II.   1,  2,  (fec.J  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  23 

time,'  implying  that  now  they  did  not ;  and  therefore  it  is  a  proper  character 
of  an  unrcgcneiatc  man  for  to  walk  in  sin. 

For  the^Vs^;  as  tliis  phrase,  ivalking  in  sin,  is  here  put  to  express  tho 
abundancy  of  sin  that  was  in  them,  it  implies,  in  the  first  place,  that  all 
their  life  and  every  act  thereof  was  sinful;  they  could  not  act  or  walk  out  of 
sin  ;  there  was  not  a  step  in  their  way  but  was  sinful.  And,  my  brethren, 
every  thought  is  a  step,  every  power,  and  faculty,  and  motion  is  a  step ; 
a  man  walketh  by  every  desire,  by  every  thought,  by  every  purpose,  by 
every  end  and  passion  that  stirreth  in  him.  I  may  compare  the  ungodly 
soul  of  a  sinner  to  those  black  worms  that  walk  upon  so  many  feet  :  so 
doth  the  soul  walk  ;  every  power  and  faculty  of  it  is  a  foot,  and  there  is  not 
the  least  motion  but  it  is  a  step.  Now,  did  they  walk  in  nothing  but  sin  ] 
Could  they  not  get  out  of  it  1  What  abundance  of  sin  must  then  this  rise 
up  to,  as  the  Apostle  here  representeth  it  1  Every  thought  and  every  ima- 
gination in  the  heart  was  evil,  continually  evil ;  for  it  was  a  walking.  This 
is  that  which  the  Apostle  here  expresseth ;  they  were  never  out  of  sinning 
in  some  path  or  other,  they  were  never  out  of  that  circuit,  go  whither  they 
would. 

In  the  second  place,  walking  implieth  that  as  every  action  of  theirs  was 
a  sin,  every  thought,  and  the  like,  so  it  implies  that  they  luere  never  idle, 
they  never  stood  still ;  but  this  soul  of  theirs  was  continually  doing  some- 
thing, and  all  that  was  sin.  Saith  the  first  Psalm,  '  Blessed  is  the  man  that 
walketh  not  in  the  way  of  the  ungodly;'  the  Hebrew  word  that  is  there  put 
for  ungodly  or  sinner  signifies  restless.  The  word  is  opposed  unto  quietness, 
in  Job  xxxiv.  29.  And  therefore  walking  and  restless  are  in  Ps.  i.  joined 
together ;  '  walk  in  the  way  of  the  restless,'  that  is,  of  the  ungodly,  that  are 
continually  restless,  continually  going  up  and  down.  In  Isa.  Ivii  20,  the 
wicked  are  like  the  troubled  sea,  that  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up 
mire  and  dirt.  So  that  now  the  meaning  is  this,  they  hurried  up  and  down, 
for  indeed  it  is  not  an  ordinary  walking,  it  is  but  a  tumbling  up  and  down. 
As  Seneca  said  well  of  a  man  that  had  done  no  good  in  his  life,  that  he  had 
but  tumbled  up  and  down  in  the  world,  like  a  ship,  saith  he,  that  hath  been 
tossed  up  and  down  in  the  sea,  but  never  sailed ;  so  this  walking  is  not  a 
proper  walking,  it  is  but  a  restlessness,  a  continual  activity.  And  in  Eccles. 
vi.  9,  you  shall  find  there  that  the  word  walking  is  put  for  restlessness. 
'  Better,'  saith  he,  '  is  the  sight  of  the  eyes  than  the  wandering  of  the  spirit; ' 
the  word  in  the  original  is,  than  the  walking  of  the  spirit ;  his  meaning  ia 
this,  than  for  a  man  to  be  always  desiring,  and  his  spirit  continually  wander- 
ing up  and  down  for  new  desires  and  objects  ;  he  speaks  of  the  restlessness 
of  a  covetous  man,  that  is  continually  looking  down  for  more,  walking  up 
and  down.  And  then  again,  '  in  which  ye  walked ;'  he  saith  not,  in  one  sin 
only,  but  '  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  that  is,  in  all  sorts  of  sin. 

And,  fourthly,  walking  with  the  greatest  security,  for  so  walking  impHeth, 
as  men  that  walk  in  the  highway,  or  in  their  gardens,  thinking  nothing.  He 
knoweth  not,  saith  Solomon,  Prov.  vii.  23,  speaking  of  the  foolish  man,  that 
it  is  for  his  life.  *  Walking"  implies  a  secure  condition  too,  and  such  was 
yours,  saith  he.  And,  fifthly,  delighting  in  nothing  else,  that  the  word  im- 
plies too  ;  as  men  walk  for  recreation,  as  they  walk  up  and  down  in  their 
gardens  to  refresh  themselves,  so,  saith  he,  do  you.  It  is  an  observable 
thing  that  in  Scripture  men's  continuing  in  sin  is  expressed  by  all  sorts 
of  postures.  In  Ps.  i.,  you  have  three,  '  walketh  in  the  counsel  of  the  un- 
godly, standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners,  and  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful.' 


24  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  II. 

And  elsewhere  it  is  called  *  wallowing  in  the  mire,'  and  the  '  world  lying 
in  wickedness/  the  phrase  there,  lying,  is  put  for  lying  down,  as  in  Luke 
ii.  12.  For  variety  of  postures  is  that  which  causeth  delight  and  ease  in 
man,  he  could  not  be  always  in  one  posture ;  and  here  walking  is  put  for 
them  aJl.  And  then  again,  sixthly,  'in  which  you  walked' — that  is,  you 
walked  in  them  as  those  that  would  not  be  put  out  of  their  way,  you  went 
on  obstinately  and  perversely,  for  so  an  imregenerate  man  doth.  In  that  first 
Psalm,  as  he  is  said  to  '  walk  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly,'  so  to  *  stand  in 
the  way  of  sinners ;'  one  would  think  that  walking  and  standing  are  opposite, 
but  the  meaning  is,  he  persisted  in  it;  it  implies  only  a  firmness  and  steadi- 
ness, he  would  not  be  put  out  of  it.  And  then  again,  walking  implies  a 
going  from  strength  to  strength.  In  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  7,  it  is  said  that  the 
godly  go  from  strength  to  strength,  till  they  appear  before  God  in  Zion ;  so 
the  wicked  go  from  strength  to  strength,  and  increase  in  it. 

Then,  eighthly,  walking,  they  departed  from  God  all  the  while.  I  remember 
once  a  man  that  was  turned  to  God,  when  he  had  considered  Ms  miserable 
condition,  this  was  the  sum  of  all  that  was  set  upon  his  spirit :  '  I  have  run 
from  God,'  saith  he,  '  all  my  days.'  A  man  in  sin  still  goes  from  God  all  his 
days,  and  there  is  still  a  further  elongation;  it  is  therefore  called  a  departing 
from  the  living  God,  a  turning  the  back  upon  him,  and  not  the  face.  Lastly, 
it  is  called  a  walking,  because  at  last  they  should  have  arrived  at  a  miserable 
journeys  end.  The  end,  saith  the  Aj^ostle,  is  death.  It  is  therefore  called 
the  Avay  of  death,  Prov.  iL  18,  v.  5.  'Their  steps,'  saith  he,  'take  hold  of 
death.'  And  therefore  now  they  are  fitly  joined  here,  dead  in  sin,  and  walk- 
ing in  sin;  for  the  issue  of  all  sin,  the  end  of  the  journey,  is  death;  they 
walk  but  as  nien  do  through  a  green  meadow  to  execution. — And  so  much 
now  for  that  part  of  the  phrase,  walking  in  sin,  as  it  expresseth  their  sinful- 
ness and  their  miserj^ 

Secondly,  We  are  to  consider  it  as  it  is  a  character  of  an  unregenerate 
condition.  It  is  proper  to  men  whilst  unregenerate  to  walk  in  sin;  after- 
wards they  walk  in  good  works,  as  the  expression  is  in  the  10th  verse  of 
this  chapter;  they  'walk  in  the  Spirit,'  as  elsewhere  it  is.  That  this  is  his 
scojje,  to  set  forth  the  character  of  an  unregenerate  man  in  this  expression,  is 
clear  too.  You  see  he  coupleth  it  w^'th  being  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses  :' 
so  that  he  that  is  dead  in  sin  walketh  in  sin ;  and  he  that  walketh  in  sin  is 
dead  in  sin.  And  it  is  evident,  likewise,  by  the  word  of  distinction,  '  some- 
time ye  Avalked,' — for  this  observation  now  explaineth,  only  the  word  some- 
time,— but  not  now  that  God  hath  turned  you.  The  first  Psalm  was  on  pur- 
pose made  to  distinguish  carnal  men  from  godly  men  in  DaAdd's  time.  The 
world  then  magnified  others,  and  thought  those  that  had  riches  and  estates, 
<tc.,  blessed.  '  Blessed  is  the  man,'  saith  he, '  that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel 
of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  siimers;'  whose  way  shall  perish, 
saith  he  in  the  latter  end  of  that  psalm ;  but  the  way  of  the  godly  is  known 
to  the  Lord.  Now,  a  carnal  man  walketh  in  sin,  not  only  because  all  his 
actions  are  nothing  else,  because  he  performs  all  wdth  deUght,  securely, 
and  the  like,  but  because  there  is  usually  some  one  way,  some  one  tract  in 
his  life  which  may  discover  him  an  unregenerate  man  to  himself,  if  he  nar- 
rowly search  his  way.  '  Search  me,'  saith  David,  Ps.  cxxxix.  23,  '  and  know 
my  heart,  and  see  if  there  be  any  way  of  wickedness  in  me,'  implying  that 
there  is  in  unregenerate  men;  and  if  he  had  had  it,  he  had  been  an  unre- 
generate man.  And  the  reason  is  this  :  look,  whatsoever  principle  of  Life  is 
within,  the  walking  and  way  of  a  man  wUl  be  such;  for  no  man  can  hve 
without  deli-ht,  and  delight  is  his  life;  if  his  life  lie  in  sin,  he  will  certainly 


EfH.  II.   1,  2,  (kc]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  25 

walk  in  some  sin  or  other.  And  though,  he  may  be  scared  out  of  his  way, 
and  fall  into  the  ways  of  God  for  a  while,  yet  notwithstanding,  as  it  is  in 
Ps.  cxxv.  5,  there  are  crooked  ways  maintained,  for  which  God  leads  them 
forth  at  last  Avith  the  workers  of  iniquity.  A  godly  man  may  fall  into  the 
ways  of  sinners,  yet  he  walketh  not  in  them.  And  a  wicked  man  may  strike 
into  the  ways  of  godly  men  for  a  while,  as  Judas  did,  yet  walketh  in  the 
ways  of  sin.  Like  to  the  planets,  as  Jude  compares  them,  though  they  go 
with  the  common  motion  of  the  heavens,  yet  they  have  a  secret  motion  of 
their  own,  so  it  is  with  carnal  professors.  You  may  know  it  likewise  by 
this  :  what  a  man  sets  up  for  his  chiefest  end, — and  it  is  a  certain  thing  that 
a  carnal  man's  end  is  carnal, — that  is  his  way ;  so  it  is  called  in  2  Pet.  ii.  1 5, 
'  They  follow  the  way  of  Balaam.'  What  was  that  ?  He  '  loved  the  wages 
of  unrighteousness.'  And  so  much  now  for  the  opening  of  that.  Although 
every  action  of  an  unregenerate  man  is  sinful,  and  it  is  a  walking  in  sin ; 
yet,  to  discover  him  to  be  an  unregenerate  man  to  all  the  world  at  the  latter 
day,  and  unto  himself  now,  if  he  would  search  himself,  God  leaveth  him  to 
walk  in  some  way.  Therefore  let  every  man  examine  the  haunts  of  his 
heart,  which  for  recreation's  sake  he  walketh  in,  and  the  hke. — And  so  much 
for  that  phrase. 

Now  I  come  to  the  guides;  for  all  this  is  but  still  proper  to  the  text. 
Here  are  three  guides.     Here  is — 

1.  The  world ;  'according  to  the  course  of  this  world,'  saith  he. 
First,  What  is  meant  by  world  here  1  Some  interpreters  say  the  things 
of  the  world  are  here  meant;  as  often  in  Scripture  the  world  is  taken  for 
the  things  of  the  world,  as  1  Cor.  vii.  31,  'using  the  world,  as  not  abusing 
it;'  1  John  ii.  15,  'Love  not  the  world,  nor  the  things  of  it.'  And  so,  they 
Bay,  the  meaning  is  this  :  men  that  are  worldly,  and  seek  after  worldly  things. 
That  was  your  case  and  your  condition  whilst  you  were  in  unregeneracy. 
But  certainly  that  is  not  the  meaning  of  it ;  because  following  the  world — 
that  is,  worldly  objects,  and  worldly  pleasures,  and  the  things  of  the  world 
— is  evidently  included  in  the  3d  verse,  where  he  saith,  'fulfilling  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh ;'  for  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  to  walk  after  the  world 
is  all  one ;  for  the  objects  of  a  man's  lusts  are  the  world,  and  some  things  in 
it  or  other.  Therefore  you  shall  find  in  that  1  John  ii.  15,  when  he  had 
said, '  Love  not  the  world,  nor  the  things  of  it,'  he  adds,  '  All  in  the  world  is 
the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life.'  He  calleth 
the  objects  of  the  world  the  lusts,  because  that  they  are  the  objects  of 
lusts;  as  the  doctrine  of  faith  is  called  faith,  because  it  is  the  object  of  faith. 
Therefore  here  now  '  woi-ld'  is  to  be  taken  strictly  for  the  men  of  the  world; 
as  when  he  saith,  '  The  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness,'  1  John  v,  19;  and, 
'The  world  wiU  love  its  own,'  John  xv.  19.  It  is  usual  in  Scripture.  And 
so  now,  my  brethren,  by  the  way,  do  but  take  notice  of  this  :  that  there  is  a 
mistake,  I  have  perceived  it  often  in  many  men's  speeches;  they  say  they 
love  not  the  world,  and  they  are  not  for  the  world,  and  they  are  not  worldly, 
because,  say  they,  we  love  not  riches,  and  the  like.  But  ivorld  is  not  only 
nor  chiefly  taken — when  flesh  and  devil  are  joined  with  it,  as  here;  and,  as 
you  know  you  use  to  say,  there  are  three  enemies,  the  world,  the  flesh, 
and  the  devil;  by  flesh  are  meant  all  the  lusts  that  are  set  upon  the  things 
of  the  world, — now  world  is  not  taken  in  this  division  for  the  things  of  the 
world,  but  it  is  taken  for  the  carnal  men  of  the  world.  Therefore,  if  thou 
joinest  with  the  carnal  men  of  the  world,  thou  art  a  man  worldly  in  that 
sense ;  thou  art  a  man  under  the  power  of  that  enemy,  therefore  under  the 
power  both  of  flesh  and  devil  too.    Men  understand  not  that  vow  they  made 


26  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  II, 

in  baptism,  to  renounce  the  world,  tlie  flesh,  and  the  devil :  the  world  is  not 
only  the  things  of  the  world,  but  it  is  the  men  of  the  world ;  yea,  it  is  strictly 
and  properly  so  taken,  and  not  for  the  other,  in  that  yow,  and  so  not  here. 

Now  then,  by  world  here  is  meant  all  carnal  men,  live  they  where  they 
■will,  in  the  church,  or  wherever  else;  all  the  heap,  the  fry,  and  the  cluster 
of  them.  These  are  the  world,  and  these  will  all  join  together,  as  I  shall 
shew  by  and  by.  And  there  doth  arise  a  strength  from  the  union  of  one 
with  another  in  their  ways  and  courses,  and  in  their  rage  against  godliness 
and  the  power  of  it.  As  in  coals,  though  every  coal  hath  fire  in  it,  yet  lay 
all  these  coals  together  and  the  fire  is  strengthened  :  so  there  is  an  intension 
from  the  union  of  all  the  parts,  from  the  connexion  of  this  world.  So  that 
now  the  collection  of  all  carnal  men  in  one  and  the  same  principles,  practices, 
and  ways,  these  are  meant  here  by  the  world. 

Then,  secondly,  for  that  word,  course  of  the  world,  I  shall  open  that 
briefly.  You  must  know  this,  that  that  word  in  the  Greek  which  is  here 
translated,  '  the  course  of  the  world,'  itself  in  the  original  signifies  the 
world — 'according  to  the  world  of  the  world;'  both  these  words,  both  a/w» 
and  -/.CaiMog,  signify  the  world  in  Scripture.  God  hath  '  delivered  us  out  of 
this  evd  world,'  Gal.  i.  4 ;  it  is  the  same  word  that  is  here  translated  course. 
'  Be  not  conformed  to  the  world,'  Eom.  xiL  2 ;  it  is  the  same  word  that  is 
translated  'course  of  the  world'  here.  Now  when  that  word  which  is  trans- 
lated '  course'  is  distinct  from  the  word  '  world,'  it  implies  two  things.  First, 
itimphes  an  age,  or  a  time  in  which  men  live,  and  the  word  '  world'  implieth 
persons.  And  so  then  here  is  one  meaning  of  the  text.  They  lived  accord- 
ing to  the  course  of  the  world, — that  is,  according  to  the  time,  according  to  the 
age  of  the  world  that  then  was,  or  of  men  in  the  world  that  then  were. 
Every  age  hath  almost  a  new  dress,  though  it  is  the  same  world,  and  stUl 
carnal  men  live  according  to  it.  But  yet,  secondly,  it  signifies  that  custom, 
that  manner,  that  mould  and  trade  of  life,  that  the  world,  or  generality  of 
carnal  men, — take  the  stream,  the  gang,  as  I  may  call  it,  of  men  in  a  cluster, 
— walk  by  and  hold  forth;  the  opinions  and  practices  that  are  in  the  world. 
Thus,  in  Eom.  xii.  2,  '  Be  not  conformed  to  the  world  ;'  it  is  the  same  word 
that  is  translated  '  course'  here ;  it  is  the  custom  of  the  world, — and  the 
Apostle  speaks  it  in  matter  of  worship, — the  shape  of  the  world.  First,  the 
word  there,  '  be  not  conformed,'  is,  '  be  not  cast  into  the  figure  of  the  world.' 
Therefore,  in  1  Cor.  vii.  31,  it  is  said,  'The  fashion' — the  schema,  it  is  the 
same  word — 'of  the  world  passeth  away.'  There  is  a  fashion,  a  mould,  that 
the  world  is  cast  into,  and  every  age  almost  casts  the  world  into  a  new 
mould,  and  men  conform  themselves  to  it,  and  are  apt  so  to  do.  So  that 
now  clearly  the  meaning  is  but  this :  that  these  Ephesians,  whilst  unregene- 
rate,  walked  according  to  the  custom  of  the  world  ;  they  did  de  facto  as  the 
most  of  the  world  did  ;  for  their  judgments,  they  were  ruled  by  the  same 
principles  the  world  were  ruled  by;  they  judged  as  the  world  did,  they  cried 
up  what  the  world  magnified,  walked  in  the  same  counsels,  framed  their 
lives  to  the  same  pattern,  configured  themselves  to  the  fiishion  of  the  world; 
and  the  stream,  and  course,  and  tide  of  it  carried  them,  being  dead  men,  as 
the  stream  useth  to  carry  dead  fish.  This  is  plainly  and  clearly,  in  a  word, 
the  meaning  of  this  here,  'they  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world.' 
Look  what  the  world  then  was,  such  were  they,  and  that  in  two  respects,  as 
interpreters  well  observe  : — 

First,  they  were  such  for  their  morals;  they  walked  in  the  same  sins,  the 
same  vices,  that  the  Gentiles  walked  in.  Eph.  iv.  17,  'Walk  not  as  other 
Gentiles ;'  so  they  had  done.     And  therefore  they  are  called  by  Peter,  (2 


EpII.   II.   1,  2,  Ac]  TO  THK  EPHESIANS.  27 

Peter  ii.  20,)  '  the  defilements  of  tlae  world  /  because  the  world  defile  them- 
selves and  live  in  them. 

And  then  again,  secondly,  in  respect  of  religion,  which,  Zanchy  saith,  is 
principally  here  meant  and  intended;  that  worship,  that  idolatry,  which 
then  they  were  zealous  for,  and  were  carried  away  with  the  stream.  And 
how  the  world  went  with  Epliesus  in  this  respect  you  may  read  at  large  in 
Acts  xix.  34,  3o.  There  you  may  see  how  the  gang  went.  '  They  all  with 
one  voice,  for  the  space  of  two  hours  together,  cried  out.  Great  is  Diana  of 
the  Ephesians.'  And  all  the  world  knows,  saith  the  town-clerk,  that  this  city 
of  the  Ephesians  is  a  worshipper  of  the  great  goddess  Diana,  and  of  the  image 
which  fell  down  from  Jupiter.  Now  this  is  that  the  Apostle  aims  at,  and 
Zanchy  gives  some  three  or  four  reasons  for  it :  because  afterwards,  in  this 
epistle,  which  he  wrote  to  these  Ephesians,  he  saith  they  were  strangers  from 
God,  aliens  from  the  promise,  and  now  made  nigh ;  they  were  then  Gentiles. 
'  Eemember  that  ye  were  Gentiles,'  saith  he,  not  only  Gentiles  for  your 
morals,  but  for  idolatry,  and  for  all  sorts  of  idolatry.  You  may  see  in  that 
Acts  xix.  what  a  mighty  torrent  there  was,  what  zeal  for  their  false  worship  ; 
they  broke  through  with  rage.  *  They  rushed,'  saith  the  text,  '  with  one 
accord' — uno  impetii — '  into  the  theatre.'  Thus  the  world  went  at  Ephesus,. 
and  thus  the  Ephesians  were  carried.  You  have  the  like  in  1  Cor.  xii.  2  ; 
for  when  he  tells  them  of  their  unregenerate  estate,  still  he  hath  an  eye  unto 
that  :  '  You  know,'  saith  he,  '  that  ye  were  Gentiles,  carried  away  unto  these 
dumb  idols,  even  as  ye  were  led.'  The  word  is  emphatical,  you  were  carried 
away  with  madness,  with  the  stream ;  and,  saith  he,  in  point  of  religion  men 
are  easily  led. 

So  that  now  you  have  clearly  what  the  Apostle  here  intendeth,  when  he 
saith,  '  In  which  ye  walked,  according  to  the  course  of  the  world,' — viz.,  all  the 
principles  of  the  world  that  then  were,  the  things  that  the  world  then  cried 
up,  the  ways  of  the  world,  and  the  sins  that  the  world  then  lived  in.  Now 
then,  to  come  to  some  observations  from  hence,  for  all  this  is  for  exposition. 

Obs.  1. — The  first  observation  is  this.  That  in  all  ages,  there  is  and  uill 
he  a  combination  of  carnal  men,  in  a  xiniformity  and  conformity  of  ways 
and  courses.  They  will  all  cling  together ;  these  Ephesians  did  so,  and  the 
course  of  the  world,  the  stream  runs  still,  and  will  do  while  the  world  is. 

And  the  reason  of  it  in  one  word  is  this :  in  every  man  there  is  the  same 
common  nature  and  the  same  lusts  and  the  same  corrupt  principles;  origi- 
nally there  is  in  every  one  the  seeds  of  them  all.  And  therefore  in  1  Peter 
iv.  2,  the  lusts  that  are  in  every  man's  heart  are  called  the  lusts  of  men ;  not 
only  a  man's  own  lusts,  but  the  lusts  of  others  :  'That  ye  should  no  longer 
live  to  the  lusts  of  men,'  saith  he.  And  the  hearts  of  men  savour  the  same 
things  that  one  another  do. '  In  Matt.  xvi.  23,  '  Thou  savourest  the  things  of 
men,'  saith  Christ,  speaking  to  Peter,  in  whom  the  devil  had  then  stirred  up 
an  unregenerate  part.  Now  what  was  in  him  in  part  is  in  all  mankind;  they 
savour  the  things  of  men,  one  of  another.  It  is  the  same  like  phrase  that 
is  used  in  Eom.  viii.  1,  they  savour  the  things  of  the  flesh,  and  there- 
fore '  walk  after  the  flesh  ;'  so  they  savour  the  things  of  men,  therefore 
they  walk  after  men  and  the  course  of  the  world.  What  most  men  are  for 
and  rehsh  in  their  judgments,  that  every  carnal  man  is  for,  and  they  all 
agree  in  their  judgments.  Now,  in  1  Cor.  ii.  12,  saith  the  Apostle,  'We 
have  not  received  the  spirit  of  this  world.'  Mark  it,  there  is  a  common  spirit 
of  the  world  in  every  man,  not  the  spirit  that  is  in  him,  but  the  spirit  of 
the  world,  that  doth  possess  one  and  the  same,  and  all  sorts  of  men  more  or 
less.     But,  saith  he,  '  we  have  received  the  Spirit  of  God.'     Now  as  that 


28  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  IL 

Spirit  leadeth  the  saints  into  the  same  truths,  for  the  substance  ;  so  the  spirit 
of  the  world  leads  wicked  men,  in  their  judgments,  in  their  principles,  prac- 
tices, and  opinions  :  therefore  you  shall  have  them  cry  up  the  same  thing, 
magnify  the  same  thing,  one  that  another  doth.     There  is  a  spirit  in  them 
that  is  presently  capable  of  what  the  world  saith,  of  worldly  understanding; 
therefore  the  children  of  the  world,  as  they  are  called,  Luke  xvi.  8,  are  said 
to  be  wiser  in  their  generation  than  che  children  of  light ;  because  they  have 
another  kind  from  the  children  of  God,  and  they  are  wiser  in  that  kind,  and 
with  the  like  kind  of  wisdom.     I  shall  not  need  to  enlarge  upon  it.     Now 
iHl  these  men,  meeting  with  the  same  kind  of  principles  one  with  another, 
from  the  collection   of  them  together  cometh  a  union,  a  strength,  and  a 
prevalency.     As  I  said  before,  a  company  of  coals  laid  together,  what  a 
mighty  heat  do  they  cause  !     The  sea  being  a  collection  of  waters,  from  the 
nnion  of  the  sea  what  a  vast  body  is  it !  how  it  tumbleth  up  and  down ! 
You  shall  have  it  tumble  this  way,  and  then  that  way,  and  all  the  waters 
will  go  that  way.     And  thus  it  is  with  the  world.     And  their  being   thus 
joined  together  in  one  corporation  or  body,  as  I  may  call  it,  it  makes  that 
mighty  rage  against  the  power  of  godliness,  and  their  zeal,  for  they  are 
zealous,  not  only  for  themselves,  but  one  for  another,  for  their  own  principles. 
And,  my  brethren,  you  must  know  this,  that  the  reason  why  this  world  is 
thus  combined  together  in  all  ages  is  this  :  because  it  is  under  the  power 
of  Satan  ;  so  it  follows  in  the  text,  '  according  to  the  course  of  the  world,' 
and,  *  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'     For  it  is  the  devil  that  makes 
that  gang,  though  they  do  not  see  it.     They  are  a  sea,  being  united  toge- 
ther, and  of  themselves  they  tumble  one  way;  but  if  the  wind  comes  and 
bloweth  upon  that  sea,  how  it  rageth,  how  strong  are  the  streams  then! 
There  is  a  breath,  a  spirit ;  the  spirit  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  word  signi- 
fies,— as  I  shall  open  when  I  come  to  it, — viz.,  the  devil  sendeth  forth  an 
influence  whereby,  as  the  wind  that  boweth  the  trees  which  way  it  bloweth, 
so  he  boweth  and  swayeth  the  hearts  of  the  multitude  one  way.     For  he  is 
a  monarch,  a  prince ;  therefore  he  doth  not  divide,  but  the  world  is  subject 
to  him  as  to  a  monarch,  therefore  they  are  still  carried  one  way;  there  is  one 
course,  one  stream,  which  still  the  world  hath,  for  he  is  the  god  and  prince 
of  the  world.     And  the  devil  is  cunning  in  it  so  to  do ;  you  know  he  doth 
not  divide  his  own  kingdom,  and  he  can  do  no  hurt  upon  men  but  by  the 
world,  or  at  least  he  doth  a  great  deal  of  hurt  that  way ;  therefore  he  carries 
them  in  one  stream,  sways  them,  bows  them  one  way,     I  shall  give  you  an 
instance  for  it.     When  Popery  was  to  be  set  up,  it  is  said.  Rev.  xiii.  3,  that 
'all  the  world  wondered  after  the  beast.'     Nay,  in  Kev.  xvii.  13,  it  is  said, 
that  the  kings  of  the  earth  did  agree  to  give  their  power  to  the  beast ;  the 
maddest  act  that  could  be,  for  kings  to  subjett  their  power  to  the  Pope. 
They  were  no  way  constrained  to  it,  it  was  but  a  tacit  agreement.     What  was 
the  reason  1     Why,  the  devil  was  in  it.     So  chap.  xiii.  4,  the  dragon,  the  devil, 
gave  that  power  he  had  in  the  Roman  empire  unto  the  Pope,  and  made  the 
kings  of  the  earth  thus  to  agree,  to  be  all  of  one  mind ;  and  so  he  swayed  the 
world  thus  one  way,  that  the  whole  world  ran  wondering  after  the  beast.    The 
devU,  I  say,  hath  a  mighty  hand  in  this.    When  all  the  coals  lie  together,  they 
make  a  great  fire  ;  but  if  bellows  come,  they  make  the  fire  much  more  intense. 
Obs.  2. — In  the  second  place,  you  may  consider  these  words  not  simply, 
but  as  the  world  is  a  great  cause  of  prevailing  upon  the  hearts  of  men. 
Take  you  Ephesians  singly ;  you  walked,  saith  he,  according  to  the  course 
of  the  world.     Every  carnal  man  squareth  his  course  to  it,  he  is  carried 
down  with  the  stream.     The  world,  as  I  said,  is  a  sea,  wherein  all  men  may 


EpH.  II.   1,  2,  (fee]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  29 

find  themselves  to  be  of  a  like  nature,  and  agree  in  the  same  lusts.  Now, 
take  a  carnal  man,  when  he  grows  up  in  this  world  from  a  child,  he  is  as  a 
drop  in  that  sea,  he  mingleth  in  that  sea;  and  which  way  the  sea  goes,  he  goes 
with  it ;  he  finds  them  suitable  to  his  principles,  and  the  world  finding  hiin 
suitable  to  them,  hugs  him,  embraces  him  :  and  thus  it  comes  to  that  mighty 
jjower  and  prevalency,  especially  Satan  working  together  with  it.  And  men 
are  apt  to  please  others,  to  live  to  the  lusts  of  men,  1  Pet.  iv.  2 ;  to  receive 
honour  one  from  another,  John  v.  44,  and  the  examples  of  the  most :  for 
what  the  most  do,  all  will  do ;  these  have  great  influences  upon  men. 
Therefore,  man  being  a  sociable  creature  as  he  is,  he  goes  with  the  drove  of 
the  rest  of  mankind ;  and  the  world  being  before  him,  and  having  been 
always  before  him,  he  gi'ows  up  to  it,  is  moulded  into  it,  and  so  is  carried 
with  the  stream  that  carrieth  to  perdition  and  destruction.  It  is  a  hard 
matter  therefore,  my  brethren,  to  be  converted  and  turned  to  God  ;  it  is  hard 
for  a  man  to  come  out  of  this  world,  to  swimi  against  this  stream,  to  bear 
the  contradiction  of  sinners,  as  it  is  said  of  Christ,  Heb.  xii.  3  ;  to  be  a  man 
alone,  a  w'onder  to  the  world,  for  the  world  will  observe  anything  that 
differs  from  them.  It  is  a  hard  matter  to  be  crucified  to  this  world ;  the 
meaning  is,  the  world,  when  a  man  leaveth  it,  and  forsaketh  it  in  any  of  the 
common  courses  of  it,  looks  upon  him  as  a  lost  man,  let  him  have  never  so 
much  learning,  as  Paul  had. — And  so  much  for  a  second  observation. 

Obs.  3. — A  third  observation  is  this.  That  the  general  course  of  most  men 
in  the  world,  they  are  courses  which  if  a  man  wdll  live  by,  he  shall  be  an 
unregenerate  man.  Let  the  world  be  never  so  refined,  let  a  man  be  made 
never  so  much  a  temporary  believer, — for  the  truth  is,  the  world  hath  had 
many  refinements,  and  new  fashions  and  dresses,  put  upon  it  since  this 
Ephesian  world,  wherein  the  devil  was  worshipped, — yet  still  there  shall  be 
so  much  of  carnal  principles  left,  which  if  a  man  walk  by,  he  shall  be  no 
better  than  an  unregenerate  man ;  for  here  he  describeth  their  unregeneracy 
by  walking  according  to  the  course  of  this  world.  Christ  distinguisheth,  in 
that  Luke  xvi.  8,  the  children  of  this  world  from  the  children  of  light.  It 
is  therefore  called  the  present  evil  world.  Therefore  Christ,  that  made  a 
prayer  for  his  disciples  to  the  end  of  the  world, — for  he  prayed  not  only  for 
his  apostles,  but  for  all  that  should  believe  in  his  name, — '  Keep  them,' 
saith  he,  '  from  the  evil  that  is  in  this  world.'  And,  in  1  John  v.  19,  '  The 
whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness.'  And,  therefore,  everywhere  you  have 
opposed  the  things  of  God  and  the  things  of  men.  '  Thou  savourest  not 
the  things  of  God,  but  the  things  of  men,'  saith  Christ  to  Peter,  Matt,  xvi 
23.  The  spirit  of  the  world  and  the  Spirit  of  God  are  opposed,  1  Cor.  ii. 
12.  *  The  things  that  are  in  great  esteem  with  men  are  an  abomination  unto 
God,'  Luke  xvi.  15 ;  that  is,  not  but  that  the  world  may  turn  to  many 
things  that  are  good,  but  still  there  shall  be  something  left,  that  if  a  man 
will  walk  according  to  the  latitude,  according  to  the  most,  he  shall  be  an 
unregenerate  man,  he  shall  cry  up  that  which  is  abominable  unto  God. 
Therefore,  my  brethren,  take  it  for  a  certain  sign  of  an  unregenerate  estate, 
to  be  carried  thus  along  with  the  stream,  and  to  be  moulded  to  the  same 
principles  the  generality  of  the  most  of  men  are ;  and  the  generality  of  the 
most  of  men  are  civil  men.  It  is  a  sign,  I  say,  of  death  ;  '  dead  in  sins  and 
trespasses,  wherein  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world.'  A  fish 
that  is  alive  will  and  can  swim  against  the  stream,  but  a  fish  that  is  dead 
the  stream  carries  it  along  with  it.  And  the  truth  is,  he  that  walketh  in 
the  world,  walketh  with  Satan.  Why  1  It  is  clear,  '  according  to  the  course 
of  the  world,  according  to  the  prince,'  saith  he.     As  those  that  walk  with 


30  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THt  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IL 

the  saints  walk  with  God,  so  he  that  walketh  with  the  world,  certainly  he 
walketh  with  Satan,  though  he  sees  it  not,  nor  knows  it.  I  might  likewise 
enlarge  upon  this,  that  men  that  are  holy  walk  contrary  to  the  world,  but 
I  will  not  stand  upon  it. 

Obs.  4. — Another  observation  is  this,  and  it  is  proper  to  the  text,  for  I 
shall  give  you  no  other.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest  mercies  in  our  salvation 
and  redemption,  to  be  delivered  from  this  world,  to  be  turned  out  of  it,  to 
be  turned  from  the  opinions  and  practices  of  it,  from  the  stream  of  it.  This 
is  clearly  the  Apostle's  scope  here,  for  all  this  is  but  to  magnify  the  mercy 
and  the  grace  of  God.  God,  saith  he,  ver.  4,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  according 
to  his  rich  grace  quickened  us,  and  raised  us,  and  pulled  us  out  of  this  world. 
I  will  give  you  but  a  scripture  for  it,  and  so  pass  from  it :  Gal.  i.  4,  speaking 
of  Christ,  saith  he,  '  who  gave  himself  for  our  sins.'  What  to  do  1  Surely 
some  great  matter  ?  '  That  he  might  deliver  us  from  the  present  evil  world.' 
There  is  never  a  vain  tradition  that  thou  suckest  in, — and  there  are  I  know 
not  how  many  traditional  sins  that  men  receive  in,  traditional  ill  opinions  that 
men  have  of  the  ways  of  God,  a  company  of  apocryphal  sins,  as  I  may  say, 
received  from  their  fathers  down  from  one  age  unto  another,  which  men  suck 
in, — to  be  delivered  from  any  of  these  cost  the  blood  of  Christ.  Therefore 
now,  not  only  thy  being  pulled  out  of  the  world  at  first,  when  first  converted, 
but  to  be  turned  from  any  carnal  principle  the  rest  of  the  world  goes  on  in, 
and  perhaps  some  godly  men  too,  is  a  fruit  of  the  redemption  of  Christ.  I 
will  give  you  a  clear  place  for  it :  1  Peter  118,'  Forasmuch  as  ye  know 
that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from 
your  vain  conversation  received  by  tradition  from  our  fathers,  but  with  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ.'  He  speaks  to  the  Jews,  for  Peter  wrote  to  the 
Jews  that  were  dispersed  throughout  Pontus,  Galatia,  &c.  Now  they  had 
received  a  world  of  traditions  from  their  fathers,  which  had  made  their  con- 
versation, even  in  the  worship  of  God,  in  many  particulars,  vain  ;  they  had 
washmgs  and  the  like,  in  religious  respects.  Bless  God,  saith  he,  that  he 
hath  redeemed  you  from  all  these  traditions,  and  hath  shewed  you  the  mercy 
to  clear  up  your  judgments  in  them.  This  is  the  fruit,  saith  he,  of  the 
blood  of  Christ ;  nothing  else  could  have  done  it.  Our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Christ  therefore  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  to  work  out  these  traditions ;  as 
he  spent  his  blood  for  it,  so  he  spent  a  great  deal  of  his  breath  for  it,  as 
appeareth  by  many  of  his  sermons,  especially  that  in  Matt.  v. 

I  have  but  a  word  to  open,  and  that  is  this  :  '  according  to  the  course  of 
this  world ;'  and  so  in  other  places  still  you  shall  find  it,  'from  this  present 
evil  w^orld,'  (fee.  Now  there  is  a  double  sense  of  it,  which  will  afibrd  us  an 
observation  or  two,  and  so  I  will  end. 

Either  it  is  caUed  this  world  in  opposition  to  that  to  come,  as  in  the 
former  chapter ;  '  tliis  world,'  saith  he,  '  and  that  to  come.'  Or  else,  '  this 
world '  hath  a  relation  to  that  present  age,  because  he  speaks  of  these  Ephe- 
sians,  they  Kved  according  to  the  course  of  that  world  then,  as  other  unre- 
generate  men  afterward ;  let  the  v/orld  alter  never  so  much,  they  live  still 
according  to  the  most,  and  the  most  will  still  be  corrupt.  And  there  ia 
something  besides  :  that  which  is  translated  now,  signifies  the  age,  the  spirit 
that  now  works,  that  is,  in  this  age.  I  shall  join  both  in  one  observation, 
and  it  is  this  : — 

Obs. — That  though  the  world  do  alter  in  several  ages  in  the  course  and 
the  fashion  of  it,  yet  still  it  will  be  the  world.  And  it  will  be  so  far  the 
world,  for  the  generality  of  the  principles  of  it,  that  if  men  should  live  ac- 
cording to  them,  they  would  be  unregenerate.     Let  the  world  fiter  never  so 


EpH.  II.  1,  2,  (fee]  TO  THE  EPHBSIANS.  81 

much, — rs  indeed  since  Christ's  time  the  -world  hath  had  mighty  alterations, 
— yet  still  it  will  be  the  world.  They  lived  according  to  the  age  of  that 
•world,  and  were  nnregenerate  men,  and  others  will  do  so  too,  still  as  the 
voild  alters,  as  it  })uts  on  new  dresses,  new  fashions  ;  one  generation  cometh, 
and  another  passeth  ;  there  is  no  new  thing  under  the  sun  for  substance, 
still  the  same  corruption  goes  on.  You  must  know  this,  my  brethren,  that 
Christ,  when  he  went  up  to  heaven,  he  had  a  kingdom  to  come,  he  meant  to 
make  a  new  world,  and  step  by  step  to  alter  that  world  that  was  then  when 
these  Ephesians  lived,  to  alter  it  by  degrees,  till  he  take  the  kingdom  unto 
himself,  and  make  '  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness.' Saith  Christ,  in  John  xii.  31,  'Now  is  the  judgment  of  this 
world  ;'  that  is,  now  I  begin  it.  The  world  had  continued  before  in  one 
■way  for  three  thousand  years,  and  there  had  been  no  alteration  in  matter  of 
religion;  but  'now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world;'  that  is,  the  reformation 
of  it.  And  Christ  did  then  begin  to  mould  it,  to  fashion  it,  to  throw  down 
heathenism,  and  set  up  Christianity ;  and  he  will  be  still  doing  of  it  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  whilst  it  is  Satan's  world.  There  is  a  world  to  come, 
"which  is  called  '  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteous- 
ness,' 2  Peter  iii.  13.  And  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  are  to  become  the 
kingdoms  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  Rev.  xi.  15.  But  it  is  spoken  at  the  end  of 
the  world,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world,  for  it  is  spoken  at  the  end  of  the 
seventh  trumpet,  which  ends  all,  and  the  history  of  the  church  begins  at 
the  next  chapter. 

Now  though  Christ  hath  taken  to  himself  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
fully  and  completely,  though  he  make  mighty  alterations  and  judgments  in 
it,  and  is  still  throwing  out  Satan  by  degrees,  yet  it  is  Satan's  world  still, 
that  which  the  Apostle  here  speaks  of  in  opposition  to  that  which  is  to 
come.  Now,  I  say,  this  world,  let  it  turn  Christian  world,  as  it  did,  yet  it 
will  still  be  the  world,  it  will  still  be  an  evil  world,  it  will  still  lie  in  wicked- 
ness, it  will  still  so  far  hold  forth  unregenerate  principles,  that  if  a  man  will 
walk  according  to  the  common  stream,  he  will  be  damned,  that  is  certain  ; 
and  let  the  world  be  refined  never  so  much,  so  it  will  be,  till  Christ  make 
new  heavens  and  a  new  earth.  When  the  empire  turned  Christian,  one 
Christian  said  to  another, — it  is  a  famous  speech  in  ecclesiastical  history, — 
'  Oh  now,'  saith  he,  '  we  shall  have  j^ersecution  cease,  for  the  Emperor  and 
all  the  world  is  turned  Christian.'  '  But,'  saith  the  other,  '  the  devil  is  not 
turned  Christian  for  all  this.'  And  this  world  is  the  devil's  world,  beheve 
it,  brethren,  for  the  generality  of  men.  And  therefore,  in  Rev.  xii.,  when 
heathenism  was  thrown  down,  the  dragon  and  all  his  angels  with  him  were 
cast  out  of  heaven ;  one  would  have  thought  there  would  have  been  much 
joy;  but,  saith  the  text,  ver.  12,  'Woe  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth!' 
Why  1  Because  '  the  devil  is  come  down  amongst  you,'  with  a  new  rage  ; 
and  he  went  on  still  to  persecute  those  that  lived  according  to  the  command- 
ment of  Jesus. 

And  therefore  now,  notwithstanding  all  refinements,  though  there  come 
new  schemes,  yet  you  shall  still  have  the  generality  so  far  corrupt  that  they 
will  be  the  world  still,  and  they  will  oj^pose  the  power  of  religion  still.  In 
Bom.  xiL  2,  the  Apostle  did  lay  a  very  strict  injunction  upon  the  Church  of 
Rome — who  did  Kttle  keep  it,  but  the  Holy  Ghost  did  it  by  way  of  prophecy 
beforehand — that  they  should  not  conform  themselves  unto  the  world ;  he 
speaks  it  principally  in  respect  of  their  worship  ;  yet  they  did  not  observe 
that  injunction.  When  heathenism  was  gone,  and  the  world  was  turned 
Christian,  then  all  the  world  went  wondering  after  the  beast,  except  those 


32  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IL 

•whose  names  were  wiitten  in  the  book  of  life,  Eev.  xiii.  8.  And  when  there 
is  a  reformation  from  Popery,  as  the  Holy  Ghost  prophesied  of  Popery  itself, 
and  that  apostasy,  in  1  Tim.  iv.  1  ;  therefore  he  saith,  '  that  in  the  latter 
times  some  shall  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  which 
speak  lies  in  hypocrisy.'  Which  place  a  learned  man  hath  most  excellently 
opened  to  be  meant  of  the  Popish  times.  So,  in  2  Tim.  iii.  1,  he  speaks  of 
another  fry,  when  Popery  was  off  the  stage,  at  least  when  it  was  declining, 
and  he  distinguisheth  it  from  the  other,  which  were  to  be  in  the  latter 
days,  but  these  are  to  be  in  the  last  days.  *  In  the  last  days,'  saith  he, 
*  perilous  times  shall  come  ; '  and  so  he  names  a  company  of  men — covetous, 
boasters,  &c. — that  shall  set  up  a  form  of  godliness,  and  deny  the  power  of 
it.  The  fry  still,  even  of  those,  will  be  of  them  that  are  naught ;  and  then, 
saith  L3,  as  in  respect  of  the  power  of  religion,  they  will  resist  the  truth,  as 
Jannes  and  Jambres  withstood  Moses.  So  that  now  still,  as  the  world  alters, 
let  it  alter  its  principles,  by  reason  that  Christ  will  still  get  ground  of  the 
world  ;  yet  it  will  stdl  retain  so  much,  that  if  men  will  walk  according  to 
the  common  principles  most  of  the  world  go  by,  they  will  be  unregenerate 
men.  Therefore  every  man  is  to  learn  to  be,  as  Noah  was,  '  righteous  in 
his  generation.' 

I  have  but  one  or  two  things  more  to  say,  and  so  I  will  end.  '  According 
to  the  course  of  the  world,  and  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'  I  shall 
not  now  go  about  to  shew  you  simply  why  he  is  called  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  and  the  like.  I  will  but  make  one  general  observation, 
and  which  is  necessary  for  me  now  to  make,  because  of  the  coherence  of  the 
former  matter  : — 

Obs. — The  world  under  the  gospel,  you  see,  was  to  have  a  great  deal  of 
alteration.  The  cunning  of  Satan  is,  still  to  apply  himself  to  this  world  and 
the  course  of  it,  and  secretly  and  cunningly  to  rule  by  the  course  of  it,  or 
with  the  course  of  it.  In  all  the  changes  of  the  world,  let  there  be  never  so 
many,  still  Satan  will  fall  in  :  as  you  know  he  did,  when  he  was  thrown 
down  from  heaven.  When  heathenism  was  gone,  and  Christianity  came  up, 
the  devil  in  appearance  turneth  Christian  too,  all  the  vogue  runneth  for 
Christianity.  But  what  doth  he  1  Then  he  goes  and  gathers  all  the  semi- 
nals  of  heresy  that  had  been  sown  in  the  primitive  times,  and  hatcheth  them 
all  up,  and  makes  Antichrist.  When  he  could  not  uphold  himself  under 
the  heathenish  world,  then  he  comes  and  giveth  his  throne  to  the  beast. 
Still  the  devil's  design  is  to  creep  in,  and  to  turn  as  the  world  turneth,  and 
to  be  dealing  still  with  unregenerate  men,  to  hold  up  so  much  carnality  as  he 
may  still  maintain  a  persecution  against  the  saints,  if  possibly  he  may  obtain 
so  much.  This  is  his  manner,  and  this  hath  been  his  way  in  all  the  turnings 
of  the  world 


EpH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  33 


SERMON  ni 

According  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  aii',  the  spirit  that  now  w(yrTceth  in 
the  children  of  disobedience. — Ver.  2. 

The  habitual  estate  of  every  man  by  nature  the  Apostle  mentioneth  in  the 
first  verse,  in  the  person  of  these  Ephesians  :  *  Ye,'  saith  he,  '  who  were  dead 
in  sins  and  trespasses.'  Here,  in  the  second  verse,  he  cometh  to  lay  open 
what  manner  of  conversation  they  had  actually  in  their  lives  :  *  In  which 
sins,'  saith  he,  '  in  time  past  ye  walked  ; '  having  three  guides,  which  in  this 
their  walking  they  were  led  by  : — 

1.  The  world  ;  '  according  to  the  course  of  this  world.' 

2.  Satan,  the  devil ;  '  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the 
spirit  that  now  works  in  the  children  of  disobedience.' 

3.  The  lusts  of  the  flesh — that  is,  the  corruption  of  their  own  hearts,  acted 
and  stirred  up  by  these ;  '  among  whom  also  we  had  our  conversation  in 
times  past,  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,'  &c. 

I  have  despatched  this  first  guide,  '  according  to  the  course  of  this  world.* 
I  shall  now  come  to  this  second,  '  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power,'  &c. 

The  Apostle's  general  scope  in  these  words  is  to  hold  forth  these  three 
things : — 

1.  The  misery  of  these  Ephesians,  and  of  all  men  by  nature,  in  respect  of 
subjection  unto  Satan,  that  they  being  children  of  disobedience,  Satan,  as  a 
prince,  ruleth  over  them  and  governeth  them. 

2.  That  as  the  world,  so  that  Satan  is  a  cause  of  that  sinfulness  that  is  in 
the  hearts  and  lives  of  men.  As  the  world  is  a  cause,  according  to  which 
men  shape  their  courses  naturally,  as  the  most  of  unregenerate  men  do, — 
that  is,  the  exemplary  cause, — so  the  devil  is  the  impelling  cause.  He  is  a 
cause,  both  as  a  prince  and  as  a  spirit :  '  according  to  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  worketh,'  &c. 

3.  To  wind  in  a  description,  upon  this  occasion,  of  the  greatness  of  Satan's 
kingdom,  which  he  doth  on  purpose  to  illustrate  and  shew  their  misery  the 
greater  and  the  more.  He  is  not  contented  to  shew  their  subjection  to 
Satan,  but  he  doth  it  under  the  notion  of  a  kingdom.  *  According,'  saith 
he, '  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'  or  of  the  spirit,  or  the  spirit  '  that 
works  in  the  children  of  disobedience.' 

And  the  scope  of  aU  these  three  particulars  tended  to  this,  to  stir  up  their 
hearts  to  give  God  thanks  for  that  great  deliverance,  which  in  turning  them 
to  God  he  had  wrought  in  them  and  for  them.  '  For  God,'  saith  he,  ver.  4, 
'  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,' — and 
thus  in  subjection  unto  Satan, — '  hath  delivered  us,'  &c.  We  find  that,  in 
Col.  i.  13,  turning  unto  God  is  called  a  'translating  us  from  the  power  of 
darkness  into  the  kingdom  of  his  Son.'  By  the  '  power  of  darkness '  there, 
he  especially  meaneth  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  for  he  is  the  ruler  of  darkness, 
as  you  have  it  in  the  6th  chapter  of  this  epistle,  ver.  12.     And  therefore  it 

VOL.  II.  O 


34  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IIL 

is  opposed  to  the  kingdom  of  Ms  Son,  because  there  is  a  prince  over  that 
kingdom — that  is,  the  great  prince  of  this  power  of  darkness — who  hath  set 
up  a  kingdom  against  his  Son. 

Now  the  Apostle  had  shewed,  in  the  19th  verse  of  the  first  chapter, — that' 
you  may  see  the  coherence,  and  how  one  thing  hangs  with  another, — the 
exceeding  great  power  that  had  thus  wrought  in  them,  and  thus  translated 
them.  He  had  likewise,  in  the  20th  and  21st  verses,  shewed  what  a  glorious 
kingdom  God  hath  set  up  for  his  Son.  '  The  power  which  he  wrought  in 
Christ,'  saith  he,  '  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own 
right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  aU  principality  and  power,  might 
and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  and  hath  put  all  things  under 
his  feet,'  &c.  Now  he  tells  them  that  they,  being  converted,  are  placed  in 
this  kingdom  with  Christ.  That  you  have  in  the  6th  verse  of  this  second 
chapter  :  '  He  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  hea- 
venly places  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Therefore  now,  to  take  their  hearts  so  much 
the  more,  he  shews  them  that  Satan  hath  an  opposite  kingdom  to  this  of 
Christ's,  under  the  power  of  which  they  were ;  and  a  kingdom  it  was,  and 
a  power  he  had,  and  a  power  that  worketh,  and  worketh  effectually.  You 
may  see  it,  saith  he,  in  the  children  of  disobedience  to  this  day,  and  you 
yourselves  would  have  been  the  same.  And  therefore  they  were  to  bless 
God  for  that  great  change,  for  that  power  that  had  thus  wrought  in  them, 
and  translated  them  out  of  the  devil's  kingdom, — which  at  best,  saith  he,  is 
but  in  the  air,  and  will  have  an  end  with  the  air, — whereas  now,  saith  he, 
you  are  set  together  with  Christ  in  that  kingdom  which  God  hath  given 
his  Son.  We  sit  together  '  in  heavenly  places '  with  him. — So  now  you  have 
both  the  scope  of  the  words,  and  the  general  aspect  of  them. 

I  shall  principally  do  these  two  things  which  eminently  the  text  holds  forth, 
and  they  are  two  parts,  as  I  may  divide  them,  that  these  words  faU  into : — 

The  first  is,  to  shew  you  what  a  kingdom  Satan  hath,  as  here  it  is  de- 
scribed, which  the  Apostle  had  in  his  eye  to  wind  in,  in  way  of  opposition  to 
that  kingdom  which  Christ  hath  described  in  the  21st  and  22d  verses  of  the 
former  chapter.     And — 

The  second  is,  to  shew  how  that  Satan  rules  and  reigns  in  the  hearts  of 
unregenerate  men,  is  the  cause  of  sin  in  them,  and  they  walk  according  to 
tliis  prince,  he  being  a  spirit,  he  and  his  angels,  which  do  work,  and  work 
effectually  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  disobedience  ;  and  once  wrought 
in  them. 

Or,  if  you  will,  you  may  divide  the  words  thus,  for  they  may  be  divided 
in  a  twofold  manner ;  here  are  two  periods,  though  in  the  Greek  the  sentence 
is  continued,  yet  according  to  the  periods  there  must  be  two  sentences 
made.  He  is  said  to  be  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  and  the  spirit,  or 
the  prince  of  the  spirit — for  either  wiU.  stand,  according  as  interpreters  give 
the  sense — that  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience.  Here,  then,  are  two 
parts  of  this  kingdom  in  these  two  sentences — 1.  He  is  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air.  2.  He  is  the  pi'ince  of  the  spirit  that  works  in  the  children 
of  disobedience.  The  devil,  you  know,  hath  two  titles,  in  respect  of  his 
kingdom,  given  him,  and  it  was  given  him  or  acknowledged  by  his  com- 
petitor, Christ  himself.  He  is  first  called  the  prince  of  devils,  that  is  im- 
phed  in  the  first  sentence ;  he  is  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.  And 
then,  secondly,  he  is  called  the  prince  of  this  world,  or  of  the  men  of  the 
world ;  that  is  included  in  the  second  sentence,  the  prince  of  that  spirit  that 
worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 

This  division  you  may  take,  because  the  one  holdeth  forth  eminently  the 


EpH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESTANS.  35 

one,  the  other  holds  forth  more  eminently  the  other.  Or,  if  you  will,  you 
may  take  the  former  division ;  the  one  shews  what  a  kingdom  he  hath,  the 
other  what  influence  he  hath  in  the  hearts  of  men  unregenerate  in  point  of 
sinning.     And  indeed  the  one  is  interwoven  in  the  other. 

I  shall  begin  with  the  first  sentence  :  lie  is  a  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air.  The  only  difficulty  of  the  phrases  is,  what  is  meant  by  power,  and  what 
by  air. 

By  power,  some  understand,  in  the  abstract,  that  princedom  or  governmenx 
he  hath  in  the  air :  and  by  ai?;  by  a  double  synecdoche,  they  understand 
this  lower  world  and  the  men  in  it;  and  so  understand  that  universal 
power  and  princedom  that  is  committed  unto  the  gi'eat  devil  here  in  this 
world,  both  over  men,  and  over  his  natives,  his  complices,  evil  angels.  In 
Rev.  xvi.  you  shall  find  that  when  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial, 
ver.  17, — which  is  that  vial  that  ends  all  the  enemies  of  Christ,  and  bringeth 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  or  the  thousand  years  that  go  before  it, — it  is  said, 
he  '  poured  out  his  vial  into  the  air,  and  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the 
temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is  done ; '  that  is,  there  was  an 
end  of  all,  because  this  last  vial  is  to  be  upon  the  universal  power  of  the 
devil,  which  meant  is  by  air;  because  as  air  circleth  all  things  round,  so  it 
takes  in  the  whole.  The  other  vials  had  been  poured  out  but  upon  part  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  beast  and  of  the  devil,  but  this  is  upon  the  air,  and  so 
upon  his  whole  power. 

And  another  sense,  which  indeed  cometh  aU  to  one,  is,  that  here,  by  the 
*  power  of  the  air,'  is  meant  not  simply  his  government  or  power  committed 
to  him  over  the  air  whereof  he  is  the  prince,  in  the  abstract,  but  that  thereby 
is  meant  in  a  more  peculiar  manner  his  devils,  his  angels  as  they  are  called. 
It  is  put  for  the  angels  that  have  this  power,  whereof  he  is  the  prince ;  which 
angels  live  and  fly  up  and  down  in  the  air,  as  the  most  accommodate  place 
for  their  residence.  And  so  it  would  rather  seem  to  be  here  understood,  be- 
cause it  would  hold  forth  something  distinct  from  what  is  said  in  the  second 
sentence ;  now  his  power  over  men,  over  the  children  of  disobedience,  the 
Apostle  expresseth  that  in  the  second  sentence ;  therefore  here,  in  this  first,  by 
the  '  power  of  the  air,'  he  meaneth,  in  a  more  peculiar,  eminent  manner,  those 
airy  spirits  that  are  principalities,  and  powers,  and  rulers  with  him  in  this 
world,  and  are  the  spirits  that  do  work  under  him  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience. So  that  now  by  '  power  of  the  air '  is  meant  that  united  kingdom, 
that  body  of  angels, — I  may  call  them  a  political  body, — under  this  one  prince, 
Satan. 

The  only  objection  against  this  interpretation  is  this,  that  it  is  called  poiver, 
in  the  singular  number,  and  that  therefore  the  angels  that  have  power  under 
him  should  not  be  meant. 

But  that  is  easily  taken  off,  for  it  is  all  these  as  united  into  one  kingdom  ; 
as  we  call  an  army  sent  from  Spain,  the  power  of  Spain — that  is,  so  many 
men ;  or  an  army  that  cometh  under  the  command  of  one  general  against 
another  nation,  we  call  it  such  a  force,  or  such  a  power  cometh.  In  Col.  i. 
13,  there  it  is  put  in  the  singular  number  too.  As  in  chap.  i.  21  of  this 
epistle,  Christ  is  said  to  be  the  head  of  all  '  principality  and  power,' — it  is 
not  principalities  and  powers, — and  yet  there  he  meaneth  not  only  govern- 
ment, but  the  persons  in  the  government.  In  Exod.  xiv.  28,  that  which  in 
the  Hebrew  is,  '  all  the  host  of  Pharaoh  were  drowned,'  the  Septuagint  ren- 
ders it  in  the  singular  number,  all  the  '  power '  of  Pharaoh,  meaning  his  whole 
army,  or  the  men  of  that  army  ;  and  so  it  doth  the  like  in  Exod.  xv.  4.  And 
so  now  here,  l^ovala,  the  power  of  the  air  which  he  is  «  afX"",  prince  of, 


36  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  III. 

though  sometimes  they  differ,  yet  sometimes  they  are  put  one  for  and  with 
another,  as  in  1  Cor.  xv.  24.  That  which  is  in  other  places  Swd/jLug,  is  there 
ij  e^oua/a.  And  SO  now  the  meaning  of  it  is  this :  he  is  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air, — that  is,  of  all  that  body  of  angels  that  are  united  into  a 
kingdom  under  him,  and  are  in  the  air,  which  is  the  seat  of  their  kingdom 
and  of  their  rule,  and  are  the  spirits  that  do  work  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience. 

And  so  now  '  air '  doth  note  out  the  local  place  where  they  are,  for  king- 
doms have  denomination  from  the  place ;  as  we  say,  the  king  of  Spain,  or 
the  kingdom  of  Spain,  or  the  power  of  Spain,  that  is,  which  is  in  Spain,  of 
men  living  there  :  so  here,  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  is  the  prince 
of  those  angels  that  are  united  into  one  power  and  kingdom  in  the  air,  hav- 
ing that  for  their  seat. 

And  that  I  may  add  a  little  more  confirmation  to  this,  according  to  the 
analogy  of  Scripture  phrase  ;  you  heard  before  that  the  *  host '  of  Pharaoh  is 
called  the  '  power '  of  Pharaoh ;  so  in  Matt.  xxiv.  29,  that  which  is  there 
translated  the  '  host '  of  heaven,  in  the  Greek  is  the  '  powers '  of  heaven. 
The  whole  creation,  my  brethren,  is  divided — or  at  leastwise  all  that  is  above 
the  earth  where  men  live — into  three  parts,  and  every  one  of  them  have  their 
t^ovalag,  have  their  powers,  that  are  inhabitants  of  it.  There  is  the  highest 
heavens,  where  God,  blessed  for  ever,  and  his  angels  are ;  there  is  the  starry 
heavens ;  and  there  is  the  air  of  this  sublunary  world  :  and  in  respect  of  the 
earth,  these  are  sometimes  all  called  heaven,  the  highest  heaven  is  called  the 
third  heaven.  Now,  to  all  these  there  are  hosts,  or  powers,  or  a  power, 
which  is  all  one,  that  is  in  Scripture  attributed  to  them  that  be  the  inhabi- 
tants thereof;  they  are  set  forth  under  that  title  and  name.  God  hath  his 
throne  in  the  highest  heavens,  and  in  1  Kings  xxii.  19  you  shall  read  there 
of  the  *  host  of  heaven,'  namely  all  his  holy  and  blessed  angels  that  were  there 
gathered  about  him,  and  the  Septuagint  there  translates  it  likewise  the 
'  powers  of  heaven.'  Then  there  is  the  starry  heavens,  where  the  sun,  and 
moon,  and  stars  are,  and  they  rule  the  day  and  the  night,  whereof  the  sun  is 
the  prince  ;  you  shall  find  likewise  that  they  are  called  the  host  of  heaven,  as 
in  Ps.  xxxiiL  6,  and  the  Septuagint  translates  it  in  the  same  place,  '  power.' 
Then  here  is  the  air,  you  see,  that  is  the  third,  and  that  hath  a  host  in  it 
too,  but  it  is  of  devils,  whereof  this  great  devil  is  the  prince,  it  is  the  seat  of 
his  kingdom,  it  is  the  power  of  the  air.  And  so  much  now  for  that.  And 
that  by  the  power  of  the  air  should  be  meant  the  wicked  angels  as  united 
into  one  body,  as  joining  and  concurring  in  one  power,  one  army ;  this,  I  say, 
makes  the  sense  more  full  and  comprehensive,  holdeth  forth  something  dis- 
tinct from  that  which  follows  in  the  next  words  where  his  subjects  are  men- 
tioned, namely  the  '  children  of  disobedience,'  and  sets  forth  the  kingdom  of 
Satan  to  the  full  in  all  its  variety,  in  all  its  subordinations.  He  is  a  prince, 
under  him  he  hath  a  power;  these  work  upon  men,  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience.— So  now  you  have  the  phrases  in  these  words  opened  unto  you. 

Now  I  shall  come  to  that  which  is  instead  of  observations, — that  is,  to 
explain  to  you  this  same  kingdom  of  Satan,  for  the  Apostle's  scope  is  to  hold 
that  up  here.  And,  first,  you  see  that  Satan  hath  a  kingdom,  and  it  is  the 
great  kingdom  that  is  set  up  against  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
Apostle  therefore,  as  he  had  described  Jesus  Christ  as  a  mighty  king  over  all 
principality  and  power,  in  the  20th  and  21st  verses  of  the  former  chapter;  so 
here  he  holdeth  forth  the  opposite  kingdom  Satan  hath,  consisting  both  of 
men  and  angels,  made  up  of  those  two,  the  one  in  the  air,  the  other  dwell- 
ing in  the  earth.    His  great  competitor,  Christ,  acknowledgeth  him  to  have  a 


EpH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  37 

kingdom  :  Matt.  xii.  26,  '  If  Satan  be  divided  against  Satan,  how  shall  his 
kingdom  stand  1 '  Yea,  and  he  had  the  start  of  his  kingdom  in  the  world 
before  Christ  came  into  it,  carried  the  world  before  him  for  many  thousand 
yeara. 

It  is  supposed  by  some,  and  indeed  rationally  and  probably, — by  Zanchy, 
whom  I  account  the  best  of  Protestant  writers  in  his  judgment,  and  Likewise 
by  Suarez,  the  best  of  school-men, — that  upon  the  very  setting  up,  or  at  least- 
wise upon  the  notice  that  the  angels  had  of  the  setting  up  of  a  kingdom  for 
the  man  Christ  Jesus,  predestinated  to  come,  (which  whether  it  was  without 
the  faU  predestinated,  as  some,  or  upon  supposition  of  the  fall,  as  others,  yet 
so  much  might  be  revealed  to  them,)  and  that  the  human  nature  was  to  be 
assumed  up  into  the  Second  Person,  and  he  to  be  the  head  of  all  princi- 
pality and  power,  and  that  angels  and  men  should  have  their  grace  from 
him  ;  this,  they  say,  being  declared  to  be  the  wUl  of  God,  their  very  refusing 
of  this  kingdom,  and  to  be  subject  unto  Christ  as  man  thus  assumed,  was 
their  first  sin  ;  and  that  now,  in  opposition  hereunto,  they  did  set  up  another 
kingdom  against  him.  Thus,  I  say,  these  writers  that  I  have  mentioned  do 
think,  and  they  allege  that  place  in  the  Epistle  of  Jude,  ver.  6,  where  the 
sin  of  the  angels  being  described,  it  is  said,  '  they  kept  not  their  first  estate, 
but  left  their  own  habitation,'  which,  say  they,  is  not  there  brought  in  as 
their  punishment ;  they  left  that  station  God  had  set  them  in,  and  they  left 
their  dwelling  in  heaven,  to  set  up  a  kingdom  here  below  in  opposition  to 
Christ,  and  so  to  have  an  independent  kingdom  of  themselves;  for  which 
God  hath  condemned  them  into  eternal  torment  and  to  hell,  and  '  delivered 
them  into  chains  of  darkness,  to  be  reserved  imto  judgment,'  2  Peter  ii.  4. 
And  to  set  up  this  great  kingdom  is  their  business,  and  therefore  they  now 
do  associate  themselves  together,  not  out  of  love,  but  as  becometh  rational 
creatures  that  would  drive  on  a  project  and  a  design.  Our  Saviour  Christ 
in  that  place,  Matt,  xii.,  speaks  of  it  as  the  great  end  that  Satan  prosecuteth. 
Satan,  saith  he,  will  not  cast  out  Satan,  for  that  would  divide  his  kingdom, 
and  he  is  tender  of  that,  that  is  his  great  design. 

I  will  not  much  insist  upon  it,  only  I  will  give  you  the  grounds  that  they 
go  upon,  besides  this  mentioned.  That  place  in  John  viii.  44,  where  Christ 
lays  open  both  the  devil's  sin,  and  the  sin  of  the  Jews.  The  sin  of  the  Jews 
was,  that  they  would  not  receive  that  truth  which  Christ  had  delivered  to 
them,  as  he  tells  them,  ver.  45,  '  Because  I  tell  you  the  truth,  you  believe 
me  not,'  and  not  receiving  it,  they  sought  to  kill  him.  Now  if  you  ask  what 
that  truth  was  that  Christ  had  so  much  inculcated  to  them,  you  shall  see  at 
ver.  25  what  it  is.  They  asked  him  there  who  he  was.  '  Even  the  same,' 
saith  he,  '  that  I  have  told  you  from  the  beginning,'  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of 
God ;  and  saith  he,  in  the  next  verse,  '  He  that  sent  me  is  true,  and  I  speak 
to  the  world  those  things  which  I  have  heard  of  him;'  and,  ver.  28,  When 
you  have  crucified  me,  some  of  you  shall  know  it, — for  some  were  converted, 
or  at  least  they  saw  it  more  eminently  to  their  hardening, — '  You  shall  know 
that  I  am  he.'  This  he  caUeth  the  truth,  ver.  32  :  You,  saith  he,  speaking 
to  his  disciples,  '  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free.* 
Now  the  truth  is  the  Son  of  God.  '  If  the  Son  make  you  free,  you  shall  be 
free  indeed,'  ver.  36.  This  was  the  great  truth  that  these  Jews  would  not 
receive.  Now  he  tells  them  likewise,  ver.  44,  that  Satan,  their  father  the 
devH,  '  abode  not  in  the  truth.'  He  was  the  first,  saith  he,  that  opposed  and 
contradicted  this  great  truth,  and  would  not  be  subject  to  God  who  revealed 
this,  nor  would  he  accept,  or  embrace,  or  stand,  or  continue  in  this,  he 
would  quit  heaven  first ;  and  so  from  hence  came  he  to  be  a  murderer,  a 


38  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  III. 

hater  of  this  man  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  this  kingdom,  and  of  mankind ;  for 
he  that  hateth  God,  or  he  that  hateth  Christ,  is,  in  what  in  him  lieth,  a 
murderer  of  him,  and  he  shewed  it  in  falling  upon  man.  And  they  back  it 
with  this  reason  why  it  should  be  so  meant :  because  otherwise  the  devil's 
sin,  which  he  compares  theirs  unto,  had  not  been  so  great  as  theirs,  there 
had  not  been  a  likeness  between  the  sin  of  the  one  and  the  other.  His  sin 
had  only  been  telling  of  a  lie,  a  Lie  merely  in  speech,  and  theirs  had  been  a 
refusing  of  that  great  truth,  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Messiah  and  Head,  and  so  the 
devil's  sin  would  have  been  less  than  theirs ;  whereas  he  is  made  the  great 
lather  of  this  great  lie,  of  this  great  stubbornness  to  receive  Christ,  and  to 
contradict  this  truth  ;  and  this,  saith  he,  he  hath  opposed  from  the  beginning, 
with  all  his  might,  and  he  setteth  your  hearts  a- work  to  kill  me.  But,  I  say, 
1  will  not  stand  upon  this,  because  I  only  deliver  it  as  that  which  is  the 
opinion  of  some,  and  hath  some  probability. 

However  this  is  certain,  whatsoever  his  sin  was,  he  hath  now,  being  fallen, 
set  up  his  kingdom  in  a  special  manner  against  Christ.  And  so  Christ  hath 
been  the  great  stumbling  stone ;  the  angels  fell  upon  it,  and  men  fall  upon 
it.  So  that  indeed  the  first  quarrel  was  laid  in  this,  God  himself  proclaimed 
it  at  the  very  beginning.  And  a  little  would  make  one  think,  that  there  was 
something  before,  when  God  denounced  the  sentence  against  the  serpent. 
'  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  break  the  serpent's  head,'  which  though  spoken 
to  the  serpent,  comes  in  by  way  of  curse,  as  striking  at  the  very  spirit  of  the 
devil's  sin.  He  shall  break  thy  head,  saith  he  ;  thou  wouldest  have  lifted 
up  thyself,  he  shall  crush  thee.  God,  I  say,  proclaimed  the  war,  and  the 
quarrel  hath  continued  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  day,  and  will 
do  until  Satan  be  put  out  of  this  air;  for  so  long  he  is  to  have  his  kingdom, 
though  Christ  beateth  him  out  of  it  every  day  in  the  world,  and  so  will  con- 
tinue to  do,  till  he  hath  won  the  world  from  him,  and  then  he  will  chain  him 
up  in  the  bottomless  pit.  Therefore  saith  Christ  in  Luke  xi.  20,  '  If  I  with 
the  finger  of  God  cast  out  devils,' — the  devil  hath  a  kingdom,  saith  he,  he  had 
said  that  before, — then  know  that  the  kingdom  of  God,  that  great  kingdom 
prophesied  of  which  the  Son  of  man  should  have  from  God,  is  come  amongst 
you.  In  John  xii.  28,  *  I  have  glorified  my  name,'  saith  God,  '  and  I  will 
glorify  it ; '  what  followeth  thereupon  as  the  consequence  of  it  1  Saith 
Christ,  '  Now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out ; '  his  kingdom  shall 
go  do^vn,  that  is  the  way  by  which  God  wiU  glorify  himself  I  will  glorify 
myself,  saith  he, — that  is,  I  will  throw  down  that  kingdom  which  the  devils 
possess.  When  the  seventy  returned,  and  rejoiced  that  the  devils  were  sub- 
ject to  them  in  Christ's  name,  saith  he,  '  I  saw  Satan ' — I  saw  him  before, 
this  was  in  mine  eye — 'falling  from  heaven  like  lightning;'  and  that  is  the 
great  thing  in  Christ's  eye,  to  bring  down  the  devil's  kingdom. 

The  truth  is,  the  reason  that  God  suffered  Satan,  and  indeed  hath  given 
a  kingdom  to  him  by  way  of  permission,  is  this  :  he  would  set  up  the  greatest 
enemy  that  could  be  supposed  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  could  have,  strengthened 
with  a  multitude  of  angels,  having  gained  all  mankind, — for  so  he  had  at 
first  setting  up  of  this  kingdom ;  there  was  a  law  that  not  a  man  should  be 
bom  in  this  world  but  he  should  be  a  subject  of  his  kingdom, — and  Jesus 
Christ  had  not  one  person  upon  earth ;  he  might  have  angels  in  heaven  indeed. 
Now  this  God  did,  that  he  might  shew  forth  the  glory  of  the  kingdom  of 
his  Son,  in  ruining  this  great  enemy  and  destroying  this  great  kingdom;  for 
this  is  the  great  kingdom  that  Christ  hath  in  his  eye.  Alas !  the  ruining  of 
earthly  kingdoms,  the  Roman  monarchy,  and  the  like,  it  is  but  a  petty  busi- 
ness to  the  breaking   of  this   kingdom,  this  great  head,  which  is  as  the 


EfH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  39 

primum  mobile  that  turns  about  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world. — That  is  the 
first  observation. 

The  second  thing  which  you  may  observe  out  of  the  words  likewise,  is  this, 
that  this  kingdom  is  a  monarchy.  Here  is  a  prince,  one  great  devU  over 
other  devils, '  the  power  of  the  air;'  and  over  men,  *  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence ;'  and  this  kingdom  set  up  against  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  a  truth  which  both  heathens  and  others  acknowledge.  Trismegistus 
hath  it,  as  in  Lactantius'  second  book  of  Divine  Institutions ;  he  speaks  of 
evil  spirits  and  good  spirits,  and  of  the  evil  spirits  he  saith  there  was  one  chief 
devil.  And  it  was  a  tradition  likewise  amongst  the  Jews,  and  owned  by 
Christ  himself,  in  that  of  Matt,  xii.,  who  called  him  the  '  prince  of  devils.' 
And  there  are  testimonies  by  some  that  those  that  were  magical  amongst  the 
heathen,  when  they  could  not  raise  a  spirit,  they  would  call  upon  that  chief 
devil,  whom  they  durst  not  name,  that  he  would  send  one  to  them.  I  only 
speak  it  for  this,  that  amongst  them  this  was  a  tradition,  that  there  was  one 
great  deviL  When  I  handled  that  of  '  principality  and  power '  in  the  20th 
verse  of  the  first  chapter,  I  remember  I  shewed  then  that,  take  the  power  of 
angels  in  heaven  simply,  it  is  in  respect  of  them  an  aristocracy ;  it  is  a 
monarchy  in  respect  of  Christ  indeed.  But  come  down  to  hell,  and  there  it 
is  a  monarchy ;  he  is  both  prince  of  devils,  and  prince  of  this  world  too,  as 
Matt.  ix.  34,  xii.  24;  John  xii.  31. 

How  he  cometh  to  be  thus  the  monarch,  we  will  not  stand  disputing. 
The  school-men  have  many  things  upon  it.  He  was  the  most  excellent  of  all 
the  rest,  and  the  order  of  nature  still  continued  though  they  fell ;  as  in  a 
man's  soul,  though  he  fall  into  sin,  yet  that  order  that  the  powers  of  the  soul 
were  set  in  it  at  first  continueth  still ;  the  understanding  still  guideth  the  will, 
and  the  will  the  affections.  Or  perhaps  he  was  the  ringleader  of  them  all ; 
and  therefore  when  his  punishment,  and  that  in  respect  to  his  first  sin,  is  men- 
tioned, it  is  said,  '  Go  into  the  fire  prepared' — prepared  so  long  ago,  even  from 
his  first  sinning — '  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.'  The  style  of  the  punishment 
runs  as  the  style  of  the  sin  runs,  for  it  is  spoken  in  respect  of  the  sin.  The 
devil  had  sinned,  and  his  angels  that  cleave  unto  him  therein;  therefore  the 
punishment  runs,  '  prepared  for  the  devU  and  his  angels ; '  prepared,  I  say, 
for  him  even  from  his  first  sinning,  as  being  the  ringleader  of  them  all  in 
that  first  sin.  And  so  indeed  Grotius  interpreteth  that  in  John  viiL  44, 
*  He  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  it;'  he  is,  saith  he,  o  'jrari]^  uitrov,  a  father 
of  that  kind,  of  all  the  devils  that  lied.  A  father,  how  1  Not  by  generation, 
but  as  in  Gen.  iv.  20,  he  that  first  invented  brass  is  said  to  be  the  father  of 
such  as  work  in  brass;  and  he  that  invented  tents,  the  father  of  such  as 
dwell  in  tents.  And  so  now  by  the  just  ordination  of  God,  they  having 
sinned  with  him,  are  all  thus  subjected  to  him;  he  remains  a  prince  over 
them.  The  devils  sinned  with  a  head,  we  sinned  in  a  head.  And  they  thus 
uniting  willingly  to  one  monarchy,  their  chiefest  end  being  to  uphold  the 
business  of  their  kingdom,  as  I  shall  shew  anon,  therefore  that  this  may  be 
carried  on  uniformly  and  one  way,  that  there  may  be  one  uniform  spirit  still, 
and  that  they  may  be  guided  in  all  ages  by  it,  to  breathe  in  one  kind  of 
activity  into  the  children  of  disobedience,  they  have  all  subjected  themselves; 
partly  I  say  by  their  own  voluntary  subjection,  and  partly  by  the  ordination 
of  God,  and  the  excellency  of  that  angel  above  all  the  rest.  He  is  called 
'  that  dragon '  in  Rev.  xx.,  the  article  is  put  three  times  there :  '  that  dragon, 
that  serpent,  that  old.'  And  though  other  devils  may  be  called  devils, — 
though  some  say  that  we  read  nowhere  that  any  are  called  devils  but  thia 
great  devil;  the  others  are  called  demons,  but  they  are  not  called  diaboli. 


40  AX  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  ["SeEMON  IIL 

and  they  are  called  unclean  spirits  and  the  like, — but  this  title,  '  who  is  the 
devil  and  Satan,'  is  proper  and  peculiar  to  him.  As  there  is  a  whole  Anti- 
christ, one  eminent  Antichrist,  though  there  be  many  Antichrists ;  so  there 
is  one  whole  dragon,  one  great  devil,  though  there  be  many  others  under  him. 

You  shall  read  in  Ezek.  xxix.  3, — it  is  an  excellent  allusion, — that  Pharaoh 
king  of  Egypt  is  called  the  great  dragon ;  the  like  you  have  in  Isa.  li.  9. 
Xow  in  Ps.  Ixxiv.  13,  14,  compared  with  this,  you  shall  find  it  said,  that 
God  gave  his  people  the  heads  of  the  dragons  for  meat;  meaning  the  Egyp- 
tians. (It  was  meat  for  their  faith  to  live  upon,  to  see  the  great  works  that 
God  did  for  them.)  They  are  called  the  little  dragons,  but  Pharaoh  is 
called  the  great  dragon.  As  this  was  a  type  of  our  deliverance  out  of  the 
kingdom  of  Satan,  so  the  type  runs  on  :  as  Pharaoh,  though  aU  the  rest  of 
the  Egjrptians  were  dragons,  yet  he  was  that  great  dragon ;  so  there  is  one 
great  devil,  who  is  prince  of  all  the  rest.  And  between  him  and  Jesus  Christ 
it  is,  that  this,  not  competition  on  Christ's  part, — that  is  too  mean  a  word  to 
be  used  in  this  business, — but  he  is  set  up,  and  hath  set  up  himself  against 
oiir  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore  now,  when  Christ  came  into 
the  world,  the  devil,  having  had  quiet  possession  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
in  aU  ages, — you  know  he  had  been  worshipped  as  the  god  of  the  world, — 
he  began  to  smeU  that  this  man  was  the  Sun  of  God ;  and  in  his  temptation 
of  him,  if  you  look  into  Luke  iv.,  he  doth  offer  him  aU  these  kingdoms.  If 
thou  be  the  Messiah,  saith  he,  I  know  it  is  a  kingdom  that  thou  comest  for, 
and  that  is  the  quarrel  between  thee  and  me ;  thou  shalt  have  it,  saith  he, 
with  ease ;  they  are  aU  given  imto  me,  do  but  hold  it  of  me,  do  but  worship 
me.  He  would  have  compounded  the  business  of  this  kingdom  with  the 
man  Christ  Jesus.  This  great  devil,  that  old  serpent  that  tempted  Adam, 
tempteth  the  second  Adam ;  and  this  was  the  decision  of  the  controversy  and 
quarrel,  Christ  told  him  with  indignation  that  God  only  mu.st  be  worshipped. 
Now  this  same  great  devil,  this  same  prince,  he  is  the  supreme,  and  the 
others,  '  powers  of  the  air,'  are  but  sent  out  by  him,  as  I  may  allude  to  what 
Peter  speaks.  Therefore  in  2  Cor.  xdL  7,  Paul  saith  a  messenger  of  Satan 
was  sent  to  buffet  him.  It  was  not  the  great  devil,  but  an  angel,  a  messen- 
ger of  his  whom  he  sent. 

Now,  between  this  prince  and  these  under-devils  that  are  rulers  of  the 
world  under  him,  as  they  are  called,  Eph.  vi.  12,  there  seems  in  Scripture 
to  be  held  forth  this  difference,  that  they  are  much  fixed  to  places,  I  do  not 
say  to  persons.  It  is  a  thing  observed  in  that  Mark  v.  12,  when  the  legion 
of  devils  were  to  be  cast  out  of  the  man,  the  text  saith  that  '  they  besought 
him  much' — there  is  an  emphasis  put  upon  it — '  that  he  would  not  send  them 
away  out  of  the  country.'  Why  ?  Because,  as  Cartwright  and  others  well 
observe,  they  woidd  stiU  continue  there,  where  they  had  been  familiar  with 
men,  and  knew  their  dispositions  and  manners,  and  therefore  knew  how  to 
lay  their  temptations ;  and  it  would  have  been  a  great  disadvantage,  they 
thought,  to  them  to  be  sent  out  of  that  coimtry,  and  so  have  been  put  to 
seek  out  another.  Therefore  the  devil's  punishment,  when  he  goes  out  of 
one,  is  said  to  be,  that  he  *  walketh  in  dry  places,' — that  is,  in  places  where 
he  finds  little  work.  But  now  this  great  devil,  he  goes  up  and  down  the 
earth,  as  being  he  that  giveth  direction  to  aU  the  rest.  It  is  that  which 
interpreters*  observe  out  of  Job,  where  he  is  said  to  come  from  'compassing 
the  earth  to  and  fro.'     He  is  the  general  vizier  of  the  world. 

Thirdly,  All  these  agree  in  one.  That  is  clear  out  of  the  text  too,  for,  if 
*  SanctiuB  in  Job. 


EpH.  II.  2.J  TO  THE  EPHESIAKS  41 

you  mark  it,  they  are  not  called  '  powers  of  the  air,'  though  they  are  so  many 
of  them,  but  they  are  called  '  power,'  in  the  singular  number,  because  they 
do  agree  with  one  united  design  to  carry  it  on.  And  they  are  not  called 
'  spirits,'  but  one  spirit ;  '  the  spirit  that  worketh,'  &c.  Or,  at  least,  there 
is  one  common  spirit  comes  from  them  all,  one  spirit  and  one  power,  be- 
ciiuse  they  all  agree  to  set  up  sin,  and  to  pull  down  the  kingdom  of  Jesus 
Christ,  all  that  possibly  they  can.  This  agreement  of  theirs,  to  give  you  but 
one  instance  of  it,  appears  in  that  legion  that  was  in  one  man,  in  Mark  v. 
and  in  Luke  viii.  These  did  not  act  one  member  of  him  one  way,  and  others 
of  them  another,  but  they  all  agree  to  act  the  whole  man  one  way.  And 
again,  when  at  their  request  Christ  gave  them  leave  to  enter  into  the  swine, 
there  were  two  thousand  swine,  therefore  at  least  there  were  two  thousand 
devils,  for  it  is  said,  '  they  entered  into  them,'  All  these  agreed  still  in  one 
project,  they  carried  these  swine  all  of  them  headlong  into  the  sea;  one 
devil  doth  not  carry  one  swine  one  way,  and  another  another  way,  but  they 
entered  into  them,  they  all  agreed  to  carry  them  headlong  into  the  sea. 

And  the  reason  why  they  are  thus  united  is  this,  because  they  are  united 
in  one  extrinsical  common  end,  which  is  to  them  the  supreme  end  of  all  the 
rest,  to  which  they  lay  down  all  lower,  particular,  intrinsical  ends  of  their 
own,  all  ambition  in  themselves,  or  whatsoever  else.  The  devils  are  proud 
enough,  yet  their  hatred  to  God  and  to  Christ,  and  their  zeal  to  their  own 
kingdom,  in  the  public  and  general,  is  made  their  supreme  end.  Revenge 
against  God  is  certainly  their  main  sin,  as  he  that  sins  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  having  received  the  sentence  of  condemnation  within  himself,  revenge 
against  God  is  his  main  lust.  Therefore  they  being  united  in  this  end, 
which  is  extra  se,  and  concerneth  the  public  cause  of  them  all,  as  I  may  call 
it,  hence  they  lay  aside  all  their  lower  ends,  and  they  agree  to  attain  that 
end.  And  therefore,  though  they  cause  divisions  amongst  men,  as  they  did 
between  Abimelech  and  the  men  of  Sichem,  and  so  they  do  in  kingdoms ; 
yet  they  all  agree  in  this  one  end  of  hatred  to  God,  and  therefore  in  the 
putting  of  men  upon  sin  in  the  uttermost  ways  they  can. 

My  brethren,  what  should  this  teach  us  ?  Give  me  leave  to  do  that  by  the 
way,  as  I  go.  Is  there  union  in  hell  under  one  prince,  Satan?  and  shall 
there  not  be  union  amongst  saints,  under  one  Head,  Christ  Jesus,  who  have  a 
nearer  relation  to  Christ,  not  as  a  Prince  only,  but  as  a  Head  1  The  devil 
is  not  properly  a  head  to  these  as  members.  Our  Saviour  Christ,  you  know, 
prayed  for  his  disciples,  and  so  for  all  others  that  are  saints,  that  they  might 
be  one,  as  he  is  one ;  and  they  shall  certainly  be  one,  one  day.  Shall  not 
Christ  now  unite  us  more  one  to  another  that  are  saints,  than  our  own  lusts  and 
corruptions  should  sever  and  divide  1  I  said  likewise,  that  among  the  devils 
all  lower  ends  fall  down  to  the  pubKc,  they  are  united  in  one  end,  ext7U  se, 
out  of  themselves,  for  the  advancement  of  their  kingdom  :  should  it  not  be 
so  amongst  saints  1  And  therefore  the  apostle,  because  the  saints  agree  in 
one  common  end,  saith,  though  they  differ  in  opinions  and  practices — and  he 
speaks  in  matters  of  worship — one  eateth  and  another  doth  not ;  yet  they 
both  do  it  to  the  Lord.  And  certainly,  my  brethren,  when  men  see  them 
to  aim  at  the  same  common  end,  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
the  great  substantials  of  it,  differences  in  matters  of  opinion  and  practice 
ought  not  to  make  any  disunion ;  it  doth  not  in  hell  itself.  And  likewise  it 
should  teach  us  to  prefer  the  public  good  to  our  private  ends.  The  devils, 
you  see,  prefer  the  public  good,  as  I  may  call  it,  of  their  kingdom — for  so  it 
is  to  them — to  their  lower  ends,  though  they  are  proud  enough.     Therefore 


42  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  III. 

now,  for  the  safety  of  a  kingdom,  for  the  advancement  of  a  kingdom,  of  a 
church,  and  these  are  mighty  things,  men  should  let  all  their  petty  ends  bow 
and  vail,  and  not  go  about  to  hinder  the  carrying  on  of  such  a  work. 

Fourthly,  This  kingdom  of  theirs,  and  these  angels  he  speaks  of,  they  have 
a  great  power  in  them.  They  are  therefore  called  '  the  power  of  the  air ;' 
he  doth  not  call  them  angels  or  spirits  only,  but  power.  And  elsewhere  they 
are  called  principalities  and  powers.  Eph.  vL  12,  'We  wrestle  not,'  saith 
he,  '  against  flesh  and  blood.'  Alas !  the  power  of  kings,  and  armies,  and 
men  is  nothing.  But  we  fight  '  against  principalities  and  powers,'  against 
spiritual  wickednesses,  against  devils,  that  infinitely  exceed  all  the  sons  of 
men.  And  the  word  is  not  only  h\jvdfj.ig,  potentia  physica,  a  physical  power, 
of  understanding  and  insinuation,  &c.,  but  it  is  s^ovs/a,  it  is  authority  too. 
For  his  natural  power,  Satan  is  called  the  '  strong  man,'  Matt.  xii.  29  ;  '  a 
lion,'  1  Pet.  V.  8,  of  all  beasts  the  strongest,  the  fiercest.  I  will  not  insist 
much  upon  it ;  for  their  authority,  '  principalities  and  powers,'  and  the  word 
'  power'  here  includes  both.  The  consideration  of  this  should  teach  us — 
for  I  shall  stUl  make  meditations  and  observations  as  I  go  along  that  are 
usefiil  and  practical — to  depend  upon  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
and  to  be  afraid,  in  respect  of  what  power  Satan  may  have,  to  carry  a  man 
on  to  sin.  They  are  not  only  '  powers'  in  themselves,  but  they  are  '  power' 
like'nise  ;  they  all  concur.  Small  things,  if  they  all  unite,  have  a  great  deal 
of  strength  in  them.  ConcordiA  parvce  res  crescunt.  But  if  strength  shall 
unite,  what  a  strength  will  it  be  !  How  should  we  therefore  live  by  faith 
upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  We  are  weak  creatures  of  ourselves,  but  in 
him  we  are  strong.  How  should  we  walk  fearful  of  being  ensnared  by  Satan  ! 
How  should  we  walk  with  all  the  armour  of  God  continually  about  us  ! 

But  they  are  not  only  powers  thus  in  respect  of  physical  power,  but  in 
respect  of  authority.  Ail  power  is  of  God,  and  Satan's  power  is  of  God,  at 
least  by  permission.  He  himself  said,  Luke  iv.  6,  that  this  world  was  de- 
livered unto  him,  and  therein  he  spake  truth.  It  was  indeed  delivered  to 
him, — that  is,  by  God's  permission  :  though  he  lied  in  this,  when  he  said,  I 
give  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  to  whomsoever  I  wiU  ;  for  that  is  God's 
prerogative.  Indeed  he  gave  it  to  Antichrist,  as  I  shaU  shew  you  anon ; 
but  it  is  God's  sole  prerogative  to  give  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  to  whom- 
soever he  will ;  so  Dan.  iv.  But  Satan  had  them  by  permission,  as  Christ 
gave  leave  to  the  devils  to  enter  into  the  svrme ;  it  is  a  word  of  permission. 
Now  he  hath  a  kind  of  a  propriety  in  wicked  men,  whilst  they  continue  in  his 
kingdom.  In  Luke  xi.  21,  22,  a  wicked  man  is  called  his  own  house,  and 
his  own  goods ;  and  they  are  said  to  be  his  captives,  taken  captive  at  his 
•will.  And  therefore  some  interpret  that  place,  when  Christ  did  come  to  cast 
those  legions  of  devils  out  of  the  man,  saith  he,  '  What  have  I  to  do  with 
thee  1 ' — that  is,  What  hurt  have  I  done  thee  1  I  am  in  this  man  that  I  have 
possessed,  I  possess  but  my  own,  and  this  is  my  castle ;  why  shouldest  thou 
come  to  torment  me  before  my  time  1  Am  I  not  in  mine  own  1  And  he 
hath  them  by  conquest  :  2  Peter  ii.  19,  *  Of  whom  a  man  is  overcome,  of 
him  he  is  brought  in  bondage.'  And  God  hath  permitted  him  to  have  all 
this  power,  and  to  have  so  long  possession  of  it,  as  he  hath  had  in  the 
world ;  for  if  he  had  not  suffered  this  great  enemy  to  be  set  up,  his  Son's 
kingdom  had  not  been  so  glorious  in  the  overthrowing  of  it  as  it  will  be. 

Now,  my  brethren,  see  the  mercy  of  God  in  freeing  and  delivering  those 
from  this  power  whom  he  hath  translated  into  the  kingdom  of  his  Son.  Our 
Saviour  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  ;  not  that  the  price  was  paid  to  Satan,  but 
to  God ;  for  so  he  hath  pulled  us  from  the  power  of  darkness  by  redemp- 


EpH.  II.  2,]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  43 

tion,  Col.  i.  13.  And  how  doth  ho  do  it  1  By  being  in  some  respects  sub- 
jeot  to  the  power  of  Satan.  You  know  the  expression  Christ  hath,  Luke 
xxii.  53,  *  This  is  your  hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness.'  That  is,  By  your 
means,  you  Jews,  to  wliom  God  hath  given  this  hour, — for  wicked  men 
have  but  an  hour,  the  saints  of  God  shall  have  the  day  of  it, — the  devU,  who 
is  the  prince  of  darkness,  and  is  that  great  power  of  darkness,  (as  you  may 
see  by  comparing  this  with  that  Col.  i.  1 3,  where  by  '  power  of  darkness ' 
the  devil's  kingdom  ia  intended,)  cometh  thus  to  have  a  power  over  me,  to 
crucify  me,  to  kill  me,  which  is  the  thing  he  aims  at.  Now  Jesus  Christ, 
being  in  this  respect  subject  to  the  power  of  Satan, — for  otherwise  he  was 
not  subject;  'the  prince  of  this  world  cometh,'  saith  he,  'and  hath  nothing 
in  me ; '  nothing  in  him  to  tempt  him,  or  to  subdue  him  that  way,  but  it 
was  the  devil's  plot  to  have  him  crucified,  and  he  stirred  up  the  Romans, 
and  Pilate,  and  all  these  Jews,  for  the  crucifying  of  him,  and  he  subjected 
himself  so  fjir  to  the  will  of  Satan, — and  by  this  he  hath  delivered  us  out  of 
the  power  of  darkness.  Yea,  though  his  kingdom  is  thus  great,  God  useth 
poor  flesh  and  blood,  men,  we  that  pray  and  preach,  to  overcome  him,  and 
we  do  it.  In  Rev.  xii.,  '  There  was  war  in  heaven:  Michael  and  his  angels 
fought  against  the  dragon ;  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels,  and  pre- 
vailed not.'  By  Michael's  angels  are  not  meant  only  the  angels  of  heaven, 
but  men,  the  saints  on  earth  too.  Why?  Because,  at  the  11th  verse,  it  is 
said,  '  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,' — which  cannot  be  meant 
of  the  angels, — '  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death ;'  that  is, 
they  gave  away  that  part  of  their  lives  to  death  that  was  to  come,  and  by 
this  they  overcame  the  devd. 

The  last  thing  that  is  here  is,  the  place  of  this  princes  dominion,  the  air. 
He  is  *  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'  The  denomination  of  kingdoms  is 
from  the  place  where  themselves  and  their  subjects  live,  and  by  '  air '  is 
meant  this  elementary,  this  sublunary  world,  and  especially  the  airy  part  of 
it,  the  interstitium  between  heaven  and  earth. 

Hesiod,  speaking  of  the  devils,  saith,  '  Being  clothed  with  air,  they  run 
up  and  down.'  It  is  the  place  where  they  are.  And  if  the  devil  appear,  all 
his  workmanship,  his  apparitions,  his  visions  is  air  condensed.  He  took 
Christ  up  into  an  exceeding  high  mountain.  Why  there  ?  That  he  might 
in  the  air  make  a  brave  prospect  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  for  it  was 
done  by  an  outward  vision ;  all  his  power  lies  there.  Some  have  thought 
there  might  be  an  allusion  to  it  when  he  is  called  Beelzebub,  the  god  of 
flies ;  for  the  air  is  as  full  of  them  as  of  flies  in  the  summer.  Sure  we  are, 
they  are  called  the  '  fowls  of  the  air,'  Luke  viii.  5,  1 2  compared.  There  is  a 
story  reported  by  Frantzius,  of  a  holy  man  in  Germany,  that  that  night  that 
the  great  massacre  was  in  France,  he  knowing  nothing  thereof,  he  saith  he 
saw  spirits  in  the  air  ;  and  therefore  certainly,  saith  he,  there  is  some  great 
thing  done  in  the  world  this  night.  My  brethren,  there  is  such  an  affinity 
between  air  and  spirits,  that  the  good  angels, — though  they  are  not  called  the 
powers  of  the  air,  for  heaven  is  their  place,  and  they  are  those  that  behold 
the  face  of  God, — yet  when  they  come  down  to  mmister,  they  are  compared  to 
the  meteors  of  the  air,  as  it  is  a  good  observation  of  Cameron  upon  Heb. 
i  6.  In  Ps.  civ.  4,  '  He  makes  his  angels  spirits,  and  his  ministers  flames 
of  fire.'  He  speaks  both  of  angels,  saith  he,  and  he  speaks  of  meteors 
in  the  air,  wdnds,  and  flames  of  fire  that  are  in  the  air;  for  the  motion 
of  angels  is  as  lightning,  which  is  the  nearest  tiling  to  compare  them  to. 
That  he  speaks  there  of  meteors  is  clear,  because  he  speaks  of  the  works  of 
God  in  the   elementary  world,  which,  in   Heb.  i.,  he  applies  to  the  good 


44  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  III. 

augels,  namely,  then  when  they  are  in  the  air,  sent  forth  as  ministering 
spirits  '  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation.'  But  now, 
though  they  are  as  meteors  in  the  air, — for  he  compares  them  to  w^ind,  sent 
up  and  down  by  God,  and  to  flames  of  fire, — yet  that  is  not  their  place.  But 
take  these  bad  angels,  as  they  are  as  wind,  as  meteors  in  the  air,  so  the  air 
is  their  proper  place,  or  at  least  that  place  which  their  kingdom  is  in  ; 
therefore  now,  if  they  do  not  possess  men's  bodies,  or  the  like,  they  fly  up 
and  down  in  the  air.     It  is  the  '  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.' 

There  is  a  great  dispute,  and  I  confess  I  am  yet  exceeding  doubtful,  and 
know  not  well  how  to  determine  it,  and  that  is  this.  Whether,  yea  or  no, 
the  ordinary  place  for  these  devils  be  hell,  the  abyssus,  the  deep,  as  it  is 
called,  which  certainly  is  a  differing  place  from  the  air ;  for  when  they  were 
here  in  the  air  in  this  world,  they  desired  that  they  might  not  be  thrown 
into  the  deep  ;  that  is,  into  hell,  into  the  abyssus  which  is  put  for  hell,  Rev. 
XX.  3,  where  it  is  said  the  devil  was  taken  and  cast  into  abyssus ;  it  is  the 
same  word  that  is  used  in  Luke  viii.  31.  Whether,  I  say,  that  the  ordinary 
place  for  their  abode  is  to  be  in  hell ;  but  by  way  of  liberty  only,  now  and 
then  for  tentation,  or  the  like,  as  God  is  pleased  to  let  them  out,  they  are  in 
the  air,  for  whilst  they  are  in  the  air  they  cannot  be  in  this  abyssus,  for  the 
reason  I  now  mentioned  1  Or  whether,  yea  or  no,  that  the  ordinary  seat  of 
them  is  the  air,  and  that  therefore  they  are  called  the  spirits  of  the  power  of 
the  air  ?  I  say,  it  is  a  very  hard  thing  to  determine,  because  indeed  the 
Scriptures  do  seem  to  speak  both  one  way  and  another  way  ;  and  how  to 
reconcile  them  perfectly,  for  my  part,  I  confess  I  fully  know  not.  For,  in 
2  Peter  ii.  4,  it  is  said  that  he  *  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned,  but  cast 
them  down  to  heU,  and  delivered  them  into  chains  of  darkness,  to  be  re- 
served unto  judgment.'  And  so,  in  Jude,  ver.  6,  '  He  hath  reserved  them  in 
everlasting  chains,  under  darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day.'  Yet, 
on  the  other  side,  say  the  devils  unto  Christ,  '  Art  thou  come  to  torment  us 
before  our  time  ? '  as  having  the  day  of  judgment  in  their  eye.  They  knew 
not  indeed  when  the  day  of  judgment  should  be,  yet  they  knew  it  was  not 
yet.  And  they  adjured  Christ  by  his  truth  and  faithfulness  :  '  I  adjure 
thee  by  God,'  saith  he,  '  that  thou  torment  me  not ; '  that  is,  I  adjure  thee 
by  that  righteousness  and  faithfulness  of  God,  who,  in  his  sentencing  of  us 
to  condemnation,  hath  given  us  time  till  the  day  of  judgment,  that  thou 
torment  us  not  now.  For  Christ  being  the  Son  of  God,  they  knew  not  but 
that  he  might  shew  his  prerogative  upon  those — themselves  being  but  few — 
devils  that  were  there,  which  makes  them  therefore  so  submissive. 

The  Scriptures,  therefore,  looking  thus  to  both  ways,  I  say,  it  is  exceeding 
hard  to  determine.  I  only  refer  you  to  what  Mr  Mead  hath  written  in  his 
Diatribe,  where  he  handles  both  that  place  in  Peter  and  that  in  Jude.  And 
he  saith  that  the  word  in  Peter,  '  he  hath  cast  them  down  to  hell,'  doth  not 
necessarily  signify  a  present  throwing  them  down  to  hell,  but  a  judging  of 
them  to  hell.  And  so  they  are  '  reserved  in  chains  to  the  day  of  judgment ;' 
that  is,  in  the  mean  season  he  lets  them  be  in  the  air.  As  we  say  of  a  judge, 
when  he  condemns  a  man  to  be  hanged,  that  he  hath  hanged  the  man, 
though  the  man  be  not  hanged  a  long  time  after  :  so  God  judged  them  unto 
hell,  and  impressed  upon  their  consciences  a  receiving  of  judgment  and  an 
everlasting  sentence  of  condemnation,  which  they  shall  never  be  freed  from. 
Therefore  the  devil,  you  see,  when  he  prayed  unto  Christ,  Mark  v., — for  the 
devil  prayed  then,  as  wicked  men  do  when  their  consciences  are  fired, — he 
prayed,  not  that  they  might  be  kept  from  torment  altogether,  but  that  they 


EPH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHKSIANS.  45 

might  not  be  tormented  before  their  time.  The  truth  is,  that  both  may 
stand.  I  will  give  you  but  that  reconciliation  which  I  have  had  in  my 
thoughts ;  that  is  this :  that  their  kingdom  is  only  in  the  air,  and  when  they 
are  thrown  into  hell  by  God, — as  it  may  be  sometimes  some  of  them  are,  at 
his  pleasure, — then  they  are  not  in  their  kingdom.  If  the  great  devil  be 
thrown  into  hell,  his  power  ceaseth ;  for  the  devils  do  not  torment  one 
another,  nor  wicked  souls  at  present ;  for  how  is  it  said  that  the  fire  is  '  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels  1 '  Therefore,  though  they  may  be  some- 
times in  hell,  and  let  loose  again,  to  rove  up  and  down  here  below, — as  God 
sometimes  lets  them  loose, — carrying  their  chains  about  them  ;  yet,  notwith- 
standing, their  kingdom  is  only  in  the  air,  and  although,  I  say,  they  are 
thrown  into  heU  sometime,  yet  they  may  be  let  loose  again. 

You  have  a  clear  place  for  that,  Rev.  xx.  3.  It  is  said  there  that  Satan 
was  sealed  up  in  the  bottomless  pit  for  a  thousand  years,  because  God,  during 
that  glorious  time  of  a  thousand  years,  would  not  have  the  saints  tormented  ; 
and  afterwards  he  is  let  loose  again,  till  at  last  he  is  cast  into  that  lake 
where  he  is  chained  down  for  ever.  And  certainly,  my  brethren,  let  him 
now  go  up  and  do"\vn  in  the  air,  he  carrieth  his  chain  with  him, — that  is,  a 
chain  of  guilt, — and  his  hell  is  about  him.  The  place  is  clear,  James  iii.  6, 
'  The  tongTie,'  saith  he,  '  is  set  on  fire  of  hell,'  that  is,  of  the  devil,  who  is 
called  hell,  not  only  as  being  condemned  to  hell,  but  as  carrying  hell  about 
him.  There  is  a  chain  that  chains  them  to  hell,  that  they  cannot  come  out ; 
and  if  that  by  permission  they  are  let  out  at  any  time,  they  are  in  chains 
still.  As  men  sentenced  to  death  have  chains  put  upon  them,  and  where- 
ever  they  go,  they  carry  those  chains  along  with  them  :  so  God  judged, 
sentenced  the  devils  unto  hell ;  and  when  they  were  cast  to  hell,  that  is, 
judged  to  hell,  he  clapped  chains  upon  them,  which  they  carry  up  and  down 
with  them  wherever  they  are.  And  this  likewise  is  certain,  that  they  are 
not  in  their  full  torment.  It  is  said  that  they  do  now  '  believe  and  tremble,' 
tremble  at  what  is  to  come ;  and  they  say,  '  Do  not  torment  us  before  the 
time ;'  and  there  is  a  reserve.  '  They  are  reserved,'  saith  the  Apostle.  And 
in  2  Peter  ii.  9,  as  wicked  men  are  said  to  be  '  reserved  unto  the  day  of 
judgment :'  so  they  are  said  likewise  to  be  '  reserved  unto  the  great  day.' 
Therefore  they  are  not  in  fuU  torment,  there  is  a  reservation  of  a  great  deal 
yet  to  come. 

The  reason  why  they  are  thus  permitted  to  be  in  the  air,  and  are  not  in 
full  torment,  is  this  :  because  his  ministry  is  to  '  work  in  the  children  of 
disobedience ;'  that  is,  that  which  God  permits  him  to  do,  which  we  may 
say  is  his  ministry  designed  him  by  God.  Now  he  being  designed  to  work, 
— as  the  text  saith  he  '  works  in  the  children  of  disobedience,' — of  necessity 
he  must  be  in  the  '  air ;'  for  if  he  were  in  hell,  he  could  not  work  at  such  a 
distance.  It  is  proper  to  Christ,  who  is  the  King  and  Head  of  his  Church, 
though  in  heaven,  to  work  in  a  man's  heart  here  upon  earth.  Satan  cannot 
do  the  like  ;  therefore  to  the  end  he  may  work  upon  men,  he  is  in  the  air. 
And  therefore  to  be  in  the  '  air,'  and  to  '  work  in  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence,' are  equivalent. 

And  then  again,  if  he  were  in  fuU  torment,  it  is  certain  likewise  he  could 
not  be  busy  to  tempt ;  and  the  reason  is  clear,  for  the  fulness  of  God's  wrath 
which  men  shall  have  in  heU  takes  up  all  the  intention ;  insomuch  as  some 
divines  say,  that  therefore  there  is  no  sinning  in  an  active  way  in  hell,  be- 
cause they  are  only  sufferers.  I  remember,  it  is  a  notion  that  Parker  hath 
[n  his  Descension  into  Hell.     The  wrath  of  God  would  distract  the  creature, 


46  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  III. 

when  it  cometli  in  the  fulness  of  it.  Now  the  devil  hath  all  his  wits  about 
him,  all  his  wiles,  all  his  methods ;  therefore  certainly  they  are  not  in  full 
torment. 

And  likewise,  if  they  had  not  ease,  yea,  a  pleasure  in  wickedness  in  some 
respect,  they  would  not  be  so  busy  ;  for  they  have  lusts  and  desires.  '  The 
lusts  of  your  father  the  devil,'  saith  Christ,  '  ye  will  do.  Now  then,  when 
they  have  put  men  upon  what  they  do  desire,  there  is  a  satisfaction  of  their 
lusts,  and  there  is  in  some  respects  some  pleasure  arising,  that  sets  them  on 
work.  And  this  may  seem  to  be  one  difference  between  the  place  of  men's 
souls  departed,  that  go  to  hell,  that  are  in  a  place  of  torment,  as  it  is  called, 
Luke  xvi.,  and  the  devil's  place.  God  having  not  appointed  them  a  ministry 
to  work  in  the  children  of  disobedience,  as  he  hath  done  the  devUs ;  hence 
therefore  they  are  in  torment,  in  that  torment,  though  not  such  as  shall  be 
when  soul  and  body  are  joined  together.  Therefore  now,  though  they  sin, 
yet  they  do  it  not  de  merito,  they  shall  not  answer  for  all  that  which  is  done 
in  hell ;  the  text  is  clear  in  that  of  the  Corinthians ;  '  to  answer  for  what  is 
done  in  the  body,'  saith  he.  But  now  the  devUs,  they  being  appointed  a 
ministry,  having  liberty  to  be,  not  in  the  deep  always,  but  in  the  air,  and  in 
a  respect  having  some  ease,  hence  therefore  they  go  on  de  merito.  Why  else 
are  the  angels  said  to  be  judged  ?  You  know  it  is  said,  the  saints  shall  judge 
the  angels.  What !  only  for  the  first  great  sin,  and  not  for  their  putting 
men  upon  all  the  sins  since  ?  Then  one  man  would  have  more  sins  than  the 
great  devil,  if  the  devil  were  to  be  judged  only  for  that  first  great  sin.  They 
shall  be  judged,  I  say,  for  what  they  have  done,  from  the  very  first  sin  they 
committed.  And  though  they  are  in  terviino,  that  is,  they  are  not  in  ma 
in  respect  of  the  sentence  of  condemnation  itself;  yet,  not-withstanding,  in 
respect  of  ease  they  are  in  the  way,  and  in  termino  only  in  respect  of  the 
sentence.  And  as  those  that  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  received 
the  sentence  of  condemnation  in  themselves,  they  are  in  that  respect  in  hell 
as  well  as  the  devils  ;  yet  because  they  are  but  in  the  frontiers  of  it,  they 
have  but  the  first  fruits,  not  the  fulness  of  torment ;  therefore  they  go  on 
still  de  merito,  adding  guilt  to  guilt,  and  so  do  the  devUs  too. 

Now,  my  brethren,  to  conclude  this  discourse  concerning  Satan  and  his 
kingdom,  with  summing  up  to  you,  shortly  and  briefly,  the  greatness  of  this 
kingdom  of  his.     His  kingdom,  you  see — 

1.  For  the  form  of  it,  it  is  a  monarchy  :  he  is  the  'prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air.' 

2.  For  the  subjects  of  it :  as  Christ  hath  for  his  subjects  '  things  visible 
and  invisible,  things  in  heaven  and  things  in  earth,'  Col.  i.  1 6  ;  so  this  great 
devil  hath  for  subjects  of  this  kingdom  things  invisible — his  own  natural 
complices,  of  the  like  nature  with  him  ;  they  are  called  here,  '  the  power  of 
the  air  ;'  and  he  hath  things  visible — '  the  children  of  disobedience,'  which 
are  his  slaves,  which  he  hath  overcome,  namely,  the  sons  of  men. 

3.  For  the  multitude  of  his  subjects,  he  hath  more  than  Christ  by  far  : 
of  mankind  we  are  sure,  what  of  angels  we  know  not.  He  is  the  great  and 
catholic  king,  he  hath  had  all  the  world  ;  you  see,  the  world  and  the  devi' 
go  together  in  the  text ;  and  he  that  walketh  according  to  the  world,  walketh 
according  to  Satan ;  and.  Rev.  xii.  9,  he  is  said  to  be  the  dragon  that  had 
*  deceived  the  whole  world.' 

4.  It  is  such  a  kingdom  as  doth  not  consist  only  in  outward  command, 
but  comes  in  that  somewhat  near  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  for  he  works  in- 
wardly. So  saith  the  text  here,  he  '  works  in  the  children  of  disobedience  ;' 
he  doth  it  invisibly.    Only,  I  say,  he  is  not  a  head,  he  hath  not  that  influence 


EPH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPUE8IAN8  47 

Christ  hath;  but  influence  he  hath,  by  insinuating  himself  into  men's  spirits; 
he  works  in  them,  which  no  monarch  can  do,  nor  which  all  his  agents  can  do. 

5.  For  his  success  which  he  aims  at,  which  is  to  carry  men  on  to  sin,  the 
text  saith,  he  '  works  in  them  ;'  that  is,  he  works  effectually  in  them. 

6.  For  continuance  of  time,  as  I  said  before,  he  had  the  start  of  Christ  in 
this  world,  for  he  had  j)ossession  of  all  mankind,  and  he  thought  he  had 
them  all  under  lock  and  key  ;  for  that  which  bringeth  every  man  into  the 
world  made  him  a  child  of  the  devil. 

7.  He  hath  given  place  to  none,  as  other  princes  do  ;  nay,  he  himself  was 
worshipped  in  the  world,  not  as  king  only,  but  as  a  god.  And  therefore,  in 
Rev.  xii.  it  is  said  that  he  and  his  angels  were  in  heaven.  Why  1  Because 
they  were  worshipped  as  gods.  *  And  he  was  cast  out  into  the  earth,  and 
his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him.'  When  Constantine  turned  Christian,  all 
the  world  turned  Christian  too ;  then  all  his  devils  were  thrown  down  from 
having  that  worship  as  they  always  had  before. 

But,  my  brethren,  when  he  ceased  to  be  a  god,  he  still  being  the  prince 
of  this  world,  that  he  might  imitate  God,  who  hath  set  up  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  he  likewise  hath  set  up  his  son,  Antichrist,  the  beast  of  Rome,  whose 
kingdom  and  the  devil's  are  in  many  things  just  alike.  I  remember  I  shewed 
you,  when  I  handled  those  particulars  mentioned  in  the  20th  and  21st  verses 
of  the  first  chapter,  a  parallel  between  the  pride  of  the  devil  and  the  pride 
of  the  Pope,  in  taking  upon  him  to  be  as  Christ,  and  that  parallel  held  a 
great  way  in  all  those  particulars.  Now  let  us  parallel  the  devil's  Idngdom 
and  Antichrist's  kingdom.  For  the  devil  told  our  Saviour  Christ,  that  he 
had  power  to  give  the  world  to  whom  he  would ;  and  God  did  give  him  power 
to  raise  up  one  king,  and  the  greatest  kingdom  that  ever  was ;  for  that  State 
of  Rome,  whereof  the  Pope  is  the  head,  is  the  greatest  kingdom,  and  hath 
been  of  longest  continuance  of  any  other.  In  Rev.  xiii.,  when  the  devil 
himself  was  cast  out  from  being  god  of  the  world,  he  takes  up  another  plot, 
and  the  text  saith,  ver.  2,  that  the  dragon  did  give  the  beast  his  power,  and 
his  seat,  and  great  authority.  All  power  of  kings  and  magistrates  is  of  God, 
Rom.  xiii.  But  the  truth  is,  Antichrist's  kingdom,  and  all  his  hierarchy,  it 
is  of  the  devil ;  he  raised  him  up  in  imitation  of  Christ ;  he  is  the  eldest  son 
of  Satan,  as  Christ  is  the  eldest  son  of  God.  And  when  himself  could  not  keep 
his  kingdom  any  longer,  as  he  had  done,  to  be  immediately  worshi2:)ped,  then 
he  sets  up  the  Pope,  the  greatest  cheat  that  ever  was  in  the  world,  a  son  of 
his  own  raising,  after  whom  the  whole  world  ran  a-wondering. 

Now  as  the  devil  hath  two  sorts  of  subjects, — his  natural  subjects  of  his  own 
kind,  the  angels,  his  fellow-peers ;  and  men,  which  are  his  slaves, — so  hath 
the  Pope.  Therefore  in  Rev.  xiii.  you  find  two  beasts,  one  in  the  11th  verse 
arising  with  two  horns  lilce  a  lamb,  that  is  the  Pope  and  his  clergy,  those 
evil  angels,  for  ministers  should  be  angels  ;  there  is  his  ecclesiastical  power. 
And  then  he  is  the  head  of  the  kings  of  the  earth ;  there  is  his  secular  power. 
He  hath  a  double  power  under  him,  a  double  bodj^,  even  as  the  devil  here 
hath.  And,  my  brethren,  they  are  ordered  to  fall  together.  When  the  vial 
was  poured  out  upon  the  air.  Rev.  xvi.,  which  is  the  whole  universal  power  of 
the  devil,  it  is  said  that  '  Babylon  came  up  into  remembrance  before  God.' 
And  Rev.  xix.  20,  it  is  said,  'The  beast  was  cast  into  the  lake  which  burneth 
with  fire  and  brimstone.'  There  is  the  beast  that  goes  into  the  lake;  the 
devil  goes  after  him.  Rev.  xx.  10,  'The  devU  that  deceived  the  world  was 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet 
were.'  But  in  the  meantime,  though  the  devil  be  a  king,  yet  he  is  a  miserable 
king,  for  his  very  kingdom  is  his  prison :  if  he  could  break  through  the  heavens 


48  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  III 

and  run  away  from  God,  he  would ;  but  he  cannot,  he  is  under  chains,  and 
he  is  under  torment  likewise,  though  not  in  fulness  of  torment. 

And,  my  brethren,  to  make  an  observation  or  two  upon  it  : — 

He  is  but  the  prince  of  the  air,  first ;  but  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ, 
he  is  the  prince  in  heaven,  his  throne  is  in  heaven,  as  Heb.  i.  hath  it,  and 
Eph.  L  19,  20.  And  Jesus  Christ  is  our  intercessor,  and  our  prayers  go  to 
heaven,  the  devil  cannot  meddle  with  them,  he  cannot  intercept  them,  though 
he  be  prince  in  the  air ;  the  Holy  Ghost  carries  them  up ;  he  holds,  as  I  may 
Aay,  one  hand  in  our  heart,  and  another  in  Christ's.  Nay,  not  only  Christ 
Ls  in  heaven,  and  the  devil  but  in  the  air,  but  we  are  '  set  in  heavenly  places 
with  Christ,'  Eph.  iL  6.  Therefore,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  what  shall  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  God  1  Shall  principalities  or  powers,  good  angels 
or  bad  ? 

You  may  observe  likewise,  that  Satan  hath  no  kingdom  when  the  air  shall 
cease,  when  this  world  shall  be  at  an  end.  Jesus  Christ  vnll  put  down  all 
power  and  rule,  and  God  will  be  all  in  all ;  that  is,  he  will  be  all  in  heaven, 
and  all  in  hell  too,  every  way  he  wUl  be  all. 

My  brethren,  fear  not  this  prince  of  the  air,  for  Jesus  Christ  himself, 
when  he  ascended  into  heaven,  went  through  this  air,  this  kingdom  of  the 
devils,  and  spoiled  these  principalities  and  powers ;  that  is,  virtually,  he 
took  their  kingdom  from  them ;  and  himself,  a  man,  went  to  heaven  per- 
sonally in  the  sight  of  them  all,  leading  them  all  captive  in  triumph  at  his 
chariot.  And,  as  a  father  well  saith,  he  purified  the  air,  as  he  went,  of  these 
unclean  spirits  ;  that  is,  by  virtue  of  this  ascension  of  his  he  hath  so  triumphed 
over  them,  that  they  shall  never  do  his  people  hurt,  nor  ever  keep  their  souls 
from  heaven. 

I  have  thus  largely  opened  to  you  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  as  these  words 
hold  it  forth  ;  for  I  have  kept  punctually  to  them,  and  that  because  the 
Apostle  intended  to  set  out  this  kingdom  here  in  opposition  to  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  which  he  had  described  in  the  19th  and  20th  verses  of  the  former 
chapter, 

I  should  likewise  shew  you  how  he  is  a  cause  of  sin,  and  how  all  vricked 
men  walk  according  to  this  prince,  and  how  this  prince  worketh  in  them,  as 
beins  children  of  disobedience.     But  that  I  reserve  for  the  next  discourse. 


EpH.  IL  2.]  TO  THK  EPHESIAiiS.  4  9 


SERMON  IV 

According  to  the  pHnce  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  toorketh  in 
the  children  of  disobedience. — Vee.  2. 

The  Apostle's  scope  in  general  is,  to  set  forth,  the  misery  of  aU  unregenerate 
men,  brought  home  to  these  Ephesians  by  way  of  application,  yet  so  as  every 
man  in  his  natural  condition  may  see  his  own  estate  by  it.  Men  walk  in  sin 
whilst  they  are  unregenerate  ;  '  in  which  ye  walked,'  saith  he  ;  and  they  have 
three  guides.  They  have  the  world  ;  '  according  to  the  course  of  this  Avorld.' 
They  have  the  devil;  '  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'  etc. 
And,  last  of  all,  '  the  flesh,'  our  own  con-upt  hearts. 

In  opening  of  these  words,  as  they  relate  to  the  Apostle's  scope,  I  reduced 
them  to  these  three  heads  : — 

The  first  is.  That  Satan  hath  a  kingdom  opposite  unto  Christ's,  which  the 
Apostle  therefore  a  little  enlargeth  upon  in  these  words — he  is  '  the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air ; '  having  in  his  eye  to  describe  Satan's  kingdom  in  op- 
jjosition  to  that  kingdom  of  Christ's  which  he  had  held  forth  in  two  or  three 
verses  before,  namely,  in  ver.  20,  21  of  the  former  chapter. 

The  second  is,  That  aU  men  in  the  state  of  unregeneracy  are  subjects  of 
that  kingdom  and  of  that  prince,  and  do  live  accordingly.  And  that  is  im- 
ported in  the  coherence  of  these  words,  'in  which  ye  walked  according  to 
the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'  &c. 

The  third  is,  "\Miat  hLs  power  over  these  his  subjects  is  1  It  is  more  in- 
trinsical,  by  working  in  them ;  he  is  the  prince  of  a  spirit  that  worketh  in 
them. 

I  may  add  this  in  the  fourth  place.  Because  that  the  working  of  this  spirit 
is  in  them,  and  so  to  demonstrate  unto  men  that  all  carnal  men  are  under 
the  power  of  Satan,  there  had  need  be  some  evidence  of  it ;  therefore  the 
Apostle  addeth,  '  that  worketh  now  in  the  children  of  disobedience.'  He 
points  to  some  more  eminent  children  of  disobedience,  ia  whom  apparently, 
to  the  eyes  of  these  Ephesians,  or  of  any  man  enlightened  by  the  Holy  Ghost , 
the  spirit  of  the  devil  doth  appear :  and,  saith  he,  ye  all  had  your  conversa- 
tion among  these,  and  you  were  imder  his  power  more  or  less,  as  every  un- 
regenerate man  is. 

I  have  despatched  the  first,  the  description  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  as  it 
is  held  forth  in  these  words.  I  come  now  to  the  second,  repeating  nothing 
of  what  I  have  said  ;  and  the  sum  of  it  is  this,  that  all  uni-egenerate  men  are 
subjects  of  this  kingdom,  or  this  prince  ;  which,  I  say,  is  imported  in  these 
words,  '  in  which  ye  walked ' — viz.,  when  ye  were  unregenerate — '  according 
to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'  In  that  they  are  said  to  walk  after 
this  prince,  or  according  to  this  prince,  it  importeth  him  to  be  their  prince 
according  to  whose  'niU  they  live. 

I  wiU  open  the  phi-ase  a  little,  and  then  I  wiU  give  you  such  observations 
as  shall  be  both  to  explain  the  thing  further,  and  to  quicken  our  hearts, 
voii.  n.  D 


50  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IV. 

How  are  unregenerate  men  said  to  '  walk  according  to  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,'  or  according  to  Satan  as  their  prince  ? 

In  the  first  place,  men  are  said  to  walk  after  their  prince  when  they  walk 
after  his  example.  Regis  ad  exemplum,  after  the  example  of  the  prince  the 
whole  kingdom  follows. 

K  it  be  said  that  the  devil's  example  is  not  visible,  therefore  that  cannot 
be  the  meaning  of  it,  that  they  '  walked  after  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air,'  that  is,  after  his  example ;  my  brethren,  it  is  true  his  example  is  no*- 
visible,  and  men  do  not  de  indmtria  imitate  this  devil.  Yet,  notwithstand- 
ing, whilst  they  do  the  same  works  that  the  devil  himself,  if  he  were  incar- 
nate, or  supposing  him  to  be  clothed  with  flesh  and  blood,  and  that  he  were 
to  live  in  this  world  and  to  be  conversant  amongst  men  as  one  man  is  with 
another,  according  to  the  laws  of  human  kind — if,  I  say,  they  walk  so  as  he 
wovdd  walk  supposing  him  such,  so  long  they  may  be  said  to  walk  after  his 
example ;  they  do  by  his  instinct  the  same  things  he  would  do.  There  is  a 
notable  place  for  this  in  John  viii.  44  :  '  You  are,'  saith  Christ,  speaking 
to  the  Jews,  *  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  you  will 
do.'  Yea,  at  the  39  th  verse  saith  he,  '  If  you  were  Abraham's  children,  you 
would  do  the  works  of  Abraham.'  They  pretended  to  be  Abraham's  children, 
and  they  pretended  to  do  the  works  of  Abraham  ;  but  Christ  tells  them  they 
were  of  their  father  the  devil,  and  that  they  did  his  works.  At  the  30th 
verse,  saith  he,  '  I  speak  that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Father,  and  ye  do 
that  which  ye  have  seen  with  your  father,'  meaning  the  devil.  A  strange 
parallel  this  !  It  is  certain  that  our  Saviour  Christ  did  do  what  he  saw  with 
his  Father ;  for  the  Father  doth  nothing  but  what  he  sheweth  the  Son,  as  he 
saith,  John  v.  20.  Yea,  but,  saith  he,  although  you  do  not  visibly  see  what 
the  de%il  doth,  yet  you  do  the  same  things  as  if  you  had  conversed  with  him, 
and  been  acquainted  with  him,  as  if  you  had  seen  him  as  children  see  their 
fathers.  This  is  his  scope.  '  The  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do,'  saith  he ; 
and  as  I  do  that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Father,  so  ye  do  that  which  ye 
have  seen  with  your  father.  Abraham  walked  before  God,  and  was  upright, 
as  eyeing  God  in  aU  things.  Wicked  men,  indeed,  do  not  walk  thus  before 
Satan,  as  eyeing  him ;  yet  they  walk  in  the  same  steps,  as  if  they  saw  what 
the  devil  doth,  and  what  he  would  do. 

Then  again,  in  the  second  place,  they  are  said  to  walk  after  the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air,  not  only  because  materially  they  do  the  same  things  the 
devil  doth  and  would  do,  but  because  they  satisfy  his  lusts,  and  his  will  over 
them,  in  all  that  they  do.  '  The  lusts,'  saith  he,  '  of  your  father  ye  will  do,' 
ver.  44.  You  do  not  only  the  same  things  which  he  doth,  but  which  he 
desires  you  should  do ;  and  so  you  gratify  him  in  all  that  you  do,  and  you 
fulfil  his  pleasure  more  than  you  do  your  own.  They  are  not  said  to  fulfil 
their  own  lusts  so  much  as  the  lusts  of  their  father  the  devil. 

And  then,  in  the  third  place,  not  only  they  do  what  he  would  have  them 
do,  but  they  do  it  after  a  commanding  power  of  his.  A  friend  may  do  what 
a  friend  desu'es ;  but  yet  he  doth  not  walk  after  him  as  a  priace.  But  now, 
all  carnal  men  in  the  world  do  walk  after  Satan  as  their  prince ;  they  do  not 
only  what  he  desireth  they  should  do,  but  he  hath  a  commanding  power  over 
them,  for  that  being  a  prince  evidently  imjDhes.  And  therefore,  in  2  Tim. 
ii.  26,  they  are  said  to  be  *  taken  captive  at  his  wiU.'  And  in  Acts  xxvi.  18, 
when  men  are  converted,  they  are  said  to  be  delivered,  to  be  turned  '  from 
the  power  of  Satan.' 

And  so  now  you  have  the  phrase  opened — what  it  is  to  walk  after  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,     I  only  add  this,  because  he  speaks  chiefly  of 


EpU.  11.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  51 

the  grecat  devil.  He  doth  not  immediately  command  in  all  men's  hearts, — 
fox-  it  is  imjiossible  he  should, — as  Christ  doth ;  therefore  Christ  is  called  a 
Head  as  well  as  a  Prince,  so  is  not  Satan ;  yet  he  sends  out  lesser  devils 
that  do  command  in  men's  hearts.  As  suppose  there  were  those  here  in 
England  that  should  act  all  the  king  of  Spain's  counsels,  or  the  Pojie's  coun- 
sels, and  what  he  commandcth,  though  what  is  done  here  is  not  immediately 
done  by  either  of  these,  yet  if  it  be  done  by  those  agents  that  are  sent  out 
by  the  king  of  Spain,  or  by  those  emissaries  that  are  sent  out  from  Rome, 
they  may  be  said  to  walk  after  their  prince,  or  to  walk  after  the  beast ;  those, 
I  mean,  that  do  obey  their  directions  :  so  it  is  here. 

I  come  now  to  some  observations,  that  will  further  open  the  words. 

Obs,  1. — The  first  observation  is  this  :  That  this  great  kingdom  of  Satan^s 
especially  lies,  for  the  matter  of  it,  in  sin.  It  is  clear  out  of  the  coherence  : 
'  Ye  were  dead,'  saith  the  Apostle,  '  in  sins  and  tresjjasses,  in  which  ye  walked 
according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'  His  princedom  therefore 
lies  in  matter  of  sin ;  and  men  are  subject  to  him  as  to  a  prince,  chiefly  as 
they  walk  in  sin.  As  the  kingdom  of  Christ  consisteth  not  in  meat  and 
drink,  but  in  righteousness  aud  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  so 
Satan's  kingdom  lies  not  in  disposing  of  riches  or  honours,  simply  so  con- 
sidered, further  than  in  order  some  way  to  the  advancing  of  his  own  kingdom, 
and  as  men  sin  in  the  pursuit  of  them.  It  was  a  lie  the  devil  told  Christ, 
when  he  said  he  had  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  to  disj^ose  of;  that  is 
proper  only  to  God,  as  you  have  the  expression  in  Dan.  iv.  But  now,  as 
the  Pope  pretends  to  a  spiritual  power,  and  saith  he  hath  power  in  temporals 
in  orditie  ad  spiiitualia,  in  order  unto  spirituals ;  so  the  devil  and  these 
rulers  of  the  world,  they  are  '  spiritual  wickednesses,'  as  they  are  called, 
Eph.  vi, ;  but  yet  in  order  to  advance  this  their  spiritual  kingdom  of  sin, 
they  do  deal  in  the  great  affairs  of  the  world,  and  in  turning  things  up  and 
down ;  but  yet  still,  I  say,  their  kingdom  properly,  the  object-matter  of  it, 
lies  in  matter  of  sin ;  and  therefore'  in  Eph.  vi.  1 2,  if  you  mark  it,  they  are 
said  to  be  the  '  rulers  of  the  Avorld  of  this  darkness,' — so  the  Avords  are  to  be 
read, — that  is,  they  are  rulers  only  of  the  darkness  of  the  world,  that  is,  the 
sin  of  the  world.  And  were  it  not  for  sin,  they  should  have  no  power  over 
men.  '  The  prince  of  this  world  cometh,'  saith  Christ,  '  and  he  hath  no- 
thing in  me,'  because  Christ  had  no  sin.  Satan's  kingdom  doth  not  lie 
hereafter  to  torment  men,  for  then  we  might  fear  him.  '  Fear  htm  that  can 
cast  both  body  and  soul  into  hell.'  Torment,  the  punishment  of  sin  in  heU, 
is  God's  work ;  but  the  devil's  proper  work  is  sin. 

Now,  my  brethren,  it  is  thus,  both  in  Satan's  intention,  and  in  his  con- 
stant course  to  this  day.  When  he  first  set  up  his  kingdom,  he  did  not  aim 
so  much  to  have  the  disposure  of  aU  the  honours  and  glory  in  the  world, — 
though  in  order  to  advance  his  kingdom  he  hath  done  it,  and  he  hath  had 
it, — but  his  principal  aim  was  to  set  sin  up  in  the  world  against  God. 
Therefore,  in  1  John  iii.  8,  sin  is  called  the  work  of  the  devil ;  that  is,  it  is 
his  great  project,  his  great  design.  And  the  Apostle  speaks  there  of  Satan's 
kingdom  in  men's  hearts  :  for  he  saith  that  Christ  came  to  dissolve  the 
work  of  the  devil,  therefore  not  in  his  owia  heart,  but  in  men's.  Every 
kingdom,  you  know,  hath  an  interest  of  state ;  and  if  men  be  true  to  their 
interest,  they  follow  it  close  and  pursue  that  above  all  things  else.  Why, 
the  interest  of  state  that  is  in  Satan's  kingdom  is  to  advance  sin.  There- 
fore while  you  A\alk  in  sin,  you  walk  according  to  the  p>rince  of  the  power  of 
the  air. 

There  is   this  difference  between  us  poor  men,  that  are  by  nature  the 


52  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IV. 

captives  of  tMs  great  prince,  and  tlie  prince  himself.  We  are  gulled  the  most 
extremely  that  can  be  ;  onr  design  is  to  have  riches,  honours,  and  pleasures 
here  in  the  world.  We  do  not  aim  to  sin,  unless  it  be  such  as  have  sinned 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  We  would  be  glad  to  have  these  things  without 
sin.  But  because  we  aim  at  these  things,  and  cannot  attain  them  without 
sin,  therefore  it  is  that  we  sin.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  Satan ;  for  to  have 
men  sin  against  God  is  his  great  design ;  it  is  the  kingdom  that  he  hath  set 
up.  Therefore  now  we  are  like  a  company  of  poor  silly  rebels  that  are  led 
into  the  field  by  an  arch  traitor,  and  some  go  for  plunder  and  spoil ;  but  he 
goes  to  vex  his  prince,  to  oppose  him,  to  rebel  against  him.  And  that  is  the 
great  design  of  this  great  monarch  the  devU. 

Now,  mj  brethren,  the  meditation  that  you  may  have  for  your  use  from 
hence  is  this,  and  it  is,  next  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  dishonour  of  God, 
the  greatest  consideration  can  be  had  iu  the  world  to  deter  a  man  from  sin ; 
consider  but  this  :  that  by  sinning  ye  do  pleasure  the  devil  ten  thousand 
tunes  more  than  yourselves.  Therefore  saith  Christ,  '  his  lusts  ye  will  do  ;" 
and  when  ye  do  his  lusts,  that  which  he  would  have  you  do,  you  give  him 
satisfaction,  you  bring  him  in  pleasure,  you  advance  his  kingdom.  It  is  the 
motive  that  John  useth  why  men  should  not  sin.  Sin,  saith  he,  is  the  devil's 
work,  and  will  you  advance  his  design  1  1  John  iii.  8.  If  you  mark  the 
coherence,  it  is  clearly  so.  And  it  is  the  work  of  Christ  to  dissolve  sin. 
'  He  hath  appeared,'  saith  he,  '  to  dissolve  the  work  of  the  devU,'  in  the  same 
place.  So  that  now,  as  Christ's  kingdom  and  his  power  lies,  and  the  intent 
of  it  is,  to  dissolve  sin ;  so  the  devil's  kingdom  and  his  aim  is  to  set  up  sin. 
AU  his  comings  in  are  by  men's  sinnings.  It  is  not  man's  end  to  sin,  but  it 
is  Satan's.  Nay,  my  brethren,  let  me  say  this  unto  you,  that  Satan  doth 
not  aim  so  much  at  your  damnation  as  he  doth  aim  you  should  sin,  though 
he  aims  at  your  damnation  too  ;  for  he  hates  man,  but  he  hateth  God  more. 
In  the  damnation  of  the  creature,  therein  is  God  glorified ;  but  in  the  sm  of 
the  creature,  thereby  God  is  dishonoured,  and  thereby  Satan  is  therefore  the 
more  gratified.  And  therefore  we  should  learn  from  hence  this  great  lesson, 
to  hate  sin  more  than  damnation  :  for  it  is  certain  the  devil  himself  is 
pleased  more  with  your  sin  than  mth  your  damnation,  for  he  is  the  prince 
of  it.     '  Walking  in  sin,'  saith  he,  '  accordmg  to  the  prince,'  &c. 

Obs.  2. — A  second  observation,  which  will  clear  and  explain  what  we  are 
upon,  is  this  :  That  only  those,  and  all  those  that  ivalk  in  sin,  be  it  the  least, 
are  subjects  unto  Satan ;  '  in  which  ye  walked  according  unto  the  prince/ 
&c.  In  1  John  ui.  8,  9,  the  place  I  quoted  even  now,  '  he  that  committeth 
sin  is  of  the  devil ;'  and  being  of  the  devil,  he  is  on  the  devil's  side,  he  is 
of  his  party  ;  that  phrase  of  Christ's  interprets  it,  '  he  that  is  not  with  me.' 
^e  that  committeth  sin  is  with  the  devil ;  and  so  he  that  walketh  in  it,  the 
comforts  of  his  life  come  in  by  it,  makes  a  trade  of  it,  be  it  the  least.  And 
John  gives  this  very  reason  why  every  man  that  committeth  sin  thus  is  of 
the  devil ;  '  for  the  devU,'  saith  he,  '  sinneth  from  the  beginning.'  What  is 
the  meaning  of  that  1  He  that  continueth  in  any  sin,  saith  he,  is  of  the 
devil ;  because  that  hath  been  the  devil's  practice,  it  is  that  which  makes 
him  a  devil,  his  having  sinned  from  the  beginning, — not  having  sinned  at 
the  beginning,  but  his  continuing  in  sin,  going  on  in  a  constant  course  of  it. 
And  then  again,  he  saith,  he  that  is  born  of  God  hath  a  new  nature  that 
cannot  agree  with  it.  But  I  add  this  reason  to  it  also  :  because  if  that 
Satan's  kingdom  lies  in  sm,  as  you  heard  before,  then  where  sin  reigneth, 
Satan  reigneth.  The  case  is  clear ;  for  if  his  kingdom  lieth  in  it,  where 
that  reigns,  he  must  needs  reign.     And  therefore  to  be  servants  of  sin,  as  in 


Eril.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  53 

Kom.  \i.  20,  is  all  one  and  to  be  the  servants  of  Satan  ;  as  to  be  the  servants 
of  righteousness,  as  you  have  it  there,  is  all  one  and  to  be  servants  unto 
Christ.  And  therefore  in  Acts  xxvi.  18,  instead  of  saying,  to  turn  men 
'  from  sin  unto  God,'  you  have  it,  to  turn  men  '  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God  /  because  Avhere  sin  reigns,  there  Satan  reigns. 

There  is  this  likewise  may  be  added  to  explain  it :  Satan's  kingdom,  you 
see,  lies  in  sin,  and  the  bounds  of  his  kingdom  lie  in  the  dominion  of  any 
sin.  And  therefore  now,  although  he  doth  not  carry  on  all  men  to  all  sins, 
yet,  notwithstanding,  if  sin  have  but  dominion  in  a  man  that  he  walketh  in 
it,  then  Satan  hath  a  dominion.  Though  he  doth  not  carry  men  on  to  aU 
degrees  of  sinning,  yet  still  his  kingdom  is  maintained  in  them,  as  concern- 
ing the  persons  that  are  the  subjects  of  his  kingdom,  they  come  within  the 
bounds  of  it ;  for  the  bounds  of  Satan's  kingdom  lie  in  this,  when  sin  reign- 
eth,  when  men  walk  in  it,  let  it  be  any  sin,  though  never  so  small.  The 
truth  is,  God  doth  not  let  men  be  so  wicked  as  Satan  wovild  have  them ;  we 
must  not  understand  it  so,  that  Satan  is  such  a  prince  that  hath  so  his  will 
as  whatsoever  he  would  have  men  do,  they  do.  But  he  is  such  a  prince  as 
having  a  company  of  discontented  rebels  under  him,  he  suffers  them  all  to 
walk  by  their  own  laws ;  yet  look,  what  is  peculiarly  the  law  of  his  kingdom 
or  commonwealth, — for  so  I  call  every  man's  heart, — he  holds  them  to  that 
law,  he  hath  power  to  put  them  upon  that  sin.  He  is  a  tyrant  that  hath 
not  a  kingdom  of  one  kind,  as  amongst  men,  but  he  hath  variety  of  dominions, 
some  greater,  some  lesser,  for  so  I  may  call  the  hearts  of  several  men  unre- 
generate  ;  yet  still,  be  it  the  smallest  sin,  if  a  man  walks  in  it,  he  comes 
within  the  verge  of  his  kingdom,  his  person  is  in  his  kingdom,  and  in  that 
snare  the  devil  takes  him  captive  at  his  will,  and  so  he  is  his  j^rince.  My 
brethren,  sin  is  the  devil's  viceroy ;  he  is  the  chief  prince  indeed.  And 
though  it  be  but  a  petty  viceroy,  it  keeps  the  devil's  tenure,  and  the  devil 
hath  power  according  to  the  common  law  God  affords  him,  to  put  men  on  to 
that  sin  which  their  pecuhar  humour  is  addicted  unto.  And  therefore  sin  is 
called  the  '  snare  of  the  devil,'  2  Tim.  ii.  26,  in  which  men  are  '  taken  captive  at 
his  will.'  Now  any  one  lust  is  a  snare  ;  and  as  a  bird  that  is  taken  in  a  snare 
by  the  fowler, — for  the  word  here,  '  taken  captive,'  is  venatu  cajyto,  to  take 
alive  by  hunting, — the  bird  may  hang  by  one  string  or  cord,  and  he  hath 
her  by  that  at  his  will :  so  any  one  sin — for  corrupt  nature  venteth  itself 
in  several  men  several  ways — is  a  snare,  and  it  is  a  snare  of  the  devil.  You 
may  see  that  in  1  Tim.  vi.  9,  '  They  that  will  be  rich  fall  into  a  snare,'  when 
their  heart  is  set  upon  it ;  it  holds  in  any  sin,  instance  in  what  you  will. 

Ohs.  3. — The  last  observation  that  I  shall  make  is  only  this,  which  is 
the  apostle's  scope  also  :  The  misery  that  all  unregenerate  men  are  in  that 
walk  in  sin.  It  is  the  apostle's  scope  here  to  strike  their  hearts  with  the 
depth  of  that  misery  which  they  lay  in  by  nature  ;  and  to  express  it  to  them, 
he  shews  they  were  subjects  of  that  great  kingdom  of  Satan.  My  brethren, 
let  me  speak  sadly  to  all  our  hearts.  Every  man  falls  either  under  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  or  under  the  kingdom  of  Satan ;  and  we  do  this  hour,  this 
moment,  actually  stand  members  either  of  the  one  or  of  the  other ;  there  is 
not  a  third  kingdom,  as  there  is  not  a  third  place  to  go  to.  Our  Saviour 
Christ,  in  Luke  xi.  23,  when  he  discoursed  of  Satan's  kingdom  and  of  his 
own, — of  Satan's  kingdom,  ver.  18,  '  His  kingdom,'  saith  he,  'is  not  divided 
against  itself;'  of  his  own  kingdom  and  of  God's,  ver.  10,  'If  I  with  the 
finger  of  God  cast  out  devils,  no  doubt  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come 
upon  you ;'  here  are  two  kingdoms, — now,  ver.  23,  he  tells  them  plainly 
every  man  must  fall  to  one  of  these  kingdoms,  there  is  no  neutrality  :  '  Hi 


54  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IV. 

that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me;  and  he  that  gathereth  not  ^vith  me 
scattereth ; '  he  falleth  to  that  scatterer,  he  that  is  the  great  destroyer,  as  he 
is  called,  Rev.  ix.  11.  As  it  is  in  war,  you  must  take  part  either  with  the 
one  side  or  with  the  other,  there  must  be  no  neuters ;  so  it  is  here,  they  are 
so  engaged,  and  such  an  irreconcUableness  there  is,  that  men  must  fall,  and 
they  do  fall,  one  way  or  other. 

And  let  me  add  this  further :  That  we  were  all  born  under  Satan's  kingdom 
is  as  certain  as  that  we  are ;  and  that  till  by  an  almighty  power  we  are 
rescued  out  of  that  kingdom,  and  translated  into  the  kingdom  of  his  Son, 
we  must  remain  in  it,  and  we  walk  in  it.  Now  therefore  consider  with  your- 
selves, it  is  a  matter  of  the  greatest  haj^piness,  or  uuhappiness,  of  men  born 
into  this  world,  under  what  kingdom  they  are  born,  and  are  cast  to  live. 
What  an  infinite  misery  is  it  to  the  poor  Grecians  and  their  children  to 
be  born  under  the  tjTanny  of  the  Great  Tiirk !  and  what  a  happiness  to  be 
born  in  these  western  parts  !  for  stUl,  the  more  western  and  northward,  the 
more  freedom  have  the  subjects,  and  the  more  eastern,  the  more  tyranny. 
It  is  a  matter  of  great  concernment  what  king  a  kingdom  hath :  '  Woe  to 
thee,  O  land,  when  thy  king  is  a  child,'  Eccles.  x.  16 ;  and,  '  When  the 
wicked  bear  rule,  the  people  mourn,'  Prov.  xsix.  2.  Now  if  God  from  hea- 
ven should  curse  a  man,  if  Christ  himself  should  utter  the  greatest  curse 
that  ever  he  uttered,  what  would  that  curse  be?  Let  the  devil  be  his  king, 
and  let  the  devd  rule  over  him.  You  shaU  find  in  Scripture  that  it  is  thus : 
Ps.  cix.  6,  '  Set  thou  a  wicked  man  over  him ;'  the  Septuagint  renders  it, 
'  Set  that  wicked  one  over  him,'  using  the  same  word  John  useth  in  his  first 
epistle,  chap.  ii.  13,  6  rrovriBog,  that  wicked  one,  the  devil :  and  saith  he,  in 
the  very  next  words  in  the  psalm,  '  Let  Satan  stand  at  his  right  hand' — he 
is  that  wicked  one ;  let  him  be  both  his  ruler  to  carry  him  on  to  sin,  and 
when  he  hath  done,  let  him  be  his  accuser  too  :  for  so  alwaj'S  the  witnesses 
that  accused  a  man  stood  on  his  right  hand ;  therefore,  in  Zech.  iii.  1,  you 
read,  when  Satan  would  accuse  Joshua  the  high  priest,  he  stood  at  his  right 
hand. 

Now,  my  brethren,  whose  curse  is  this,  and  upon  whom  did  it  fall  ?  It  is 
the  first  curse  in  that  psalm  in  which  the  prophet  begins  to  curse,  that  that 
same  wicked  one  should  be  set  in  oflSce  over  him,  as  some  translate  it,  and 
that  Satan  should  stand  at  his  right  hand, — that  is,  when  he  had  carried 
him  on  to  e\il,  then  to  accuse  him,  and  so  destroy  him  body  and  soul. 
Whose  is  this  curse  1  My  brethren,  plainly  this  curse  is  against  Judas,  and 
therefore  is  spoken  in  the  person  of  Christ.  (And  by  the  way,  I  take  it, 
you  have  no  psalm  that  hath  this  kind  of  cursing  in  it,  but  it  is  David  bear- 
ing the  type  of  Christ,  or  prophesying  immediately  of  Christ.)  How  do  you 
prove  that  ?  Look  into  Acts  i.  and  you  shall  find  that  the  very  words  of 
this  psalm  are  applied  to  Judas,  and  that  by  the  Apostle  Peter.  *  It  is  writ- 
ten in  the  book  of  Psalms,'  saith  he,  '  Let  his  habitation  be  desolate,  and  his 
bishopric  let  another  take,' — the  very  next  words  in  that  109th  psalm, — and 
so  he  goes  on.  Now,  that  this  did  immediately  concern  Judas  appears  by 
this  :  for  the  apostle  in  Acts  i.  saith  that  another  apostle  was  to  be  chosen 
in  the  room  of  Judas,  which  all  the  world  could  not  have  revealed  had  not 
the  Holy  Ghost  revealed  that  his  aim  in  this  psalm  was  personally  to  curse 
Judas.  And  this  curse  is  the  curse  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  able  to  curse. 
When  Christ  from  heaven  would  curse  a  man,  Set  the  devil  over  him,  saith 
he ;  and  it  was  fulfilled,  the  Scripture  saith  Satan  entered  into  Judas.  As 
the  swine,  when  the  devils  entered  into  them,  were  carried  headlong  into  the 
sea,  so  Judas  fell  'headlong,'  saith  Acts  i.  18.    And  he  carried  him  on  to 


Eril.  il.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  55 

hang  himself;  for  after  he  had  been  his  ruler  fo  carry  him  on  to  sin,  then 
he  was  his  accuser  to  God ;  and  he  never  left  until  he  had  a  commission 
from  God  to  tempt  him  to  undo  himself.  You  see,  my  brethren,  that  the 
heaviest  curse  that  Christ  himself  from  heaven  pronounceth  against  his  great 
enemy,  he  that  was  a  traitor  to  him,  that  delivered  him  up  to  be  crucified, 
is  this,  that  the  devil  should  rule  over  him. 

Will  you  now  but  consider,  in  a  word  or  two,  what  a  king  you  have.  Alas ! 
in  being  a  servant  of  sin,  sin  is  but  a  moral  king,  a  metaphorical  king  ;  but 
the  devil  is  a  real  king,  a  personal  king,  a  creature  subsisting  and  existing 
as  yourselves ;  therefore  we  are  said  to  be  '  taken  captive  at  his  will.'  He 
hath  an  understanding  and  a  will,  and  out  of  that  understanding  he  rules 
and  guides  thee,  as  one  reasonable  creature  rules  and  guides  another.  And 
what  art  thou  but  a  poor  captive  ?  Thou  hast  but  a  little  of  thy  will,  he 
hath  his  will ;  thou  art  but  taken  captive,  like  the  ox  that  goes  to  the  slaugh- 
ter, or  as  a  bird  that  hasteth  to  the  snare,  and  knoweth  not  that  it  is  for  his 
life,  as  Solomon  speaks.  Do  but  consider  with  yourselves ; — for,  as  I  said 
before,  this  is  certain,  though  we  hear  not  the  devil,  nor  see  him,  nor  feel  him, 
yet  whilst  we  he  in  the  state  of  nature,  or  walk  in  the  least  sin,  the  devil  is 
our  piince,  and  he  serves  his  turn  upon  us ; — consider,  I  say,  we  are  all  men, 
and  man  is  a  noble  creature,  he  scorns  to  be  led  captive.  Why,  thou  art  led 
captive  by  Satan.  '  Ye  were  carried  away,'  as  the  Apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  xii.  2, 
'  imto  dumb  idols,  according  as  ye  were  led.'  And  thou  art  deceived  and 
gulled  by  it,  for  thou  hast  but  a  petty  project  in  sinning  ;  he  hath  the  greatest 
design  in  the  world,  he  acts  another  part ;  his  design  is  to  set  up  sin  against 
God  directly  and  immediately.  Poor  creatures,  that  is  not  our  design  imme- 
diately. Therefore  he  is  said  to  '  deceive  the  nations,'  Eev.  xx. ;  and  he 
deceived  Eve,  2  Cor.  xi.  3.  Now  man,  as  he  scorns  to  be  led,  so  of  all  things 
else  he  scorns  to  be  deceived.  There  was  never  such  a  gull  put  upon  the 
world  as  this  ;  therefore  it  is  said,  the  mystery  of  iniquity  wrought.  They 
that  brought  in  Popery  knew  not  themselves  what  they  did ;  but  the  devil 
knew,  he  designed  it,  it  wrought  in  a  mystery.  So  now  the  mystery  of  ini- 
quity works  in  all  men,  and  the  truth  is,  they  do  not  know  the  bottom  of  it, 
the  depths  of  Satan  in  it,  they  do  not  know  the  bottom  of  the  design. 

And  as  we  are  thus  deceived,  so  we  serve  one  of  another  nature.  It  was 
a  law  in  Israel  that  they  should  not  have  a  king  that  was  a  stranger,  one  of 
another  nation,  but  that  they  should  choose  one  from  among  their  brethren 
to  be  their  king,  Deut.  xvii.  15.  Why,  Satan  is  not  a  prince  of  your  own 
nature,  he  is  not  of  flesh  and  blood.  We  fight  not  with  flesh  and  blood, 
saith  the  Apostle,  but  with  spiritual  wickednesses.  It  is  therefore  to  us  poor 
men,  as  I  may  so  compare  it,  just  such  a  bondage  as  the  Israelites  were  in 
under  Pharaoh.  Pharaoh  was  king  over  his  Egyptians,  they  were  his  natural 
subjects,  they  had  a  comfortable  life  under  him,  as  the  natural  Turks  have 
under  the  Great  Turk ;  but  we  are  like  the  Israelites,  whom  he  made  to  serve 
with  rigour;  or  as  the  poor  Grecians,  and  other  Christians,  that  are  slaves 
and  captives  to  the  Turk — he  is  of  another  nature  from  them.  So  is  this 
devil;  his  own  devils  have  a  natural  kingdom  with  him,  therefore  he  doth 
temper  it  so  to  them  as  that  he  doth  not  oppose  them,  for  then  they  would 
divide  from  him ;  and  therefore  Christ  saith,  if  Satan  should  cast  out  Satan, 
his  kingdom  would  be  divided,  and  not  be  able  to  stand.  But  we,  poor 
creatures,  are  as  the  beasts  that  are  taken,  as  Jude  expresseth  it,  at  his  plea- 
sure, and  are  under  a  prince  of  another  nature.  And  not  only  so,  but  we 
serve  an  utter  enemy  that  perfectly  hates  us,  and  that  seeks  to  destroy  us. 
In  Eev.  is.  11,  those  same  locusts  there  spoken  of  had  a  king.     But  wha.. 


56  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SbRMON  iV. 

manner  of  king  had  they  ?  Even  such,  yea,  the  same  king  as  we  have ;  it 
was  the  '  angel  of  the  bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,' 
saith  he,  '  is  Abaddon,  but  in  the  Greek  tongue  his  name  is  ApoUyon,' — that 
is,  the  destroyer.  His  aim  is  nothing  but  to  destroy  and  to  undo  us  ;  there- 
fore he  seeks  whom  he  may  delude.  And  when  he  useth  his  authority  to 
carry  us  on  to  sin,  then  he  goes  to  God  and  accuseth ;  when  that  wicked 
one  ruleth  over  a  man,  then  he  standeth  on  his  right  hand  and  is  an  accuser. 
Therefore  he  is  said  to  have  the  power  of  death,  not  because  he  is  a  tormen- 
tor, but  because  he  hath  a  commission  from  God  to  carry  a  man  on  to  sin, 
and  then  to  urge  his  commission. 

My  brethren,  let  us  therefore  come  in  to  Jesus  Christ ;  he  is  a  king  of  our 
own  nature.  In  all  probability,  as  I  shewed  before,  it  was  a  motive  to  the 
angels  to  set  up  a  kingdom  against  Christ,  because  they  would  not  be  sub- 
ject to  one  of  another  nature.  It  may  therefore  well  be  a  motive  unto  us 
to  come  in  and  subject  ourselves  unto  Christ.  Why  ?  Thou  shalt  have  a 
kmg  that  is  of  thine  own  nature  ;  and  whereas  the  other  is  a  destroyer,  he 
will  be  a  saviour;  whereas  the  other  is  an  accuser,  he  will  be  an  interceder. 

I  should  likewise  shew  you  the  Apostle's  scope  is  thankfulness ;  but  I 
reserve  that  till  we  come  to  those  words,  '  He  hath  made  us  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ.'  For  it  is  a  great  change  to  be  translated  from 
the  kingdom  of  Satan  and  to  sit  together  with  Christ  in  his  kingdom,  which 
is  the  state  of  every  Christian. 

And  so  much  now  for  that  second  head, — viz.,  That  every  unregenerate  man 
is  a  subject  of  Satan's  kingdom,  and  their  misery  in  that  respect, — which  is 
clearly  the  Apostle's  scope, — and  that  they  '  walk  according  to  the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air.' 

I  come  now  to  the  third  head,  and  that  is  this :  The  spirit  that  now 
worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 

Here  are  three  things  for  the  parts  of  these  words.  Here  is  the  spirit 
that  luorketh;  here  is  the  time  when,  noio ;  here  are  the  persons  in  whom,  the 
childreti  of  disobedience.  I  must  first  open  the  phrases,  before  I  can  come 
to  the  things  I  shall  speak  out  of  it.     And — 

First,  What  is  meant  by  ^  spirit  that  worketh  V  The  difl&culty  of  open- 
ing this  lieth  in  this  :  because  in  the  Greek  it  is  the  genitive  case,  as  we  call 
it ;  that  is,  if  you  would  translate  it  rightly,  '  the  prince  of  the  power  of 
the  air,  of  the  spirit  that  worketh.'  And  so  here  being  three  genitive  cases 
coming  together,  '  of  the  power,  of  the  air,  of  the  spirit,'  it  makes  the  words 
the  more  difficult.  There  are  some,  and  you  see  our  translators  took  part 
with  them,  that  say  it  is  a  change  of  the  case ;  that  the  gejjitive  case  is  put 
for  the  accusative,  that  is  thus,  '  in  which  ye  walked  according  to  the  prince,' 
saith  he,  and  if  you  would  know  what  that  prince  is,  he  is  '  the  spirit  that 
worketh,'  &c.  And  it  is  true  that  there  are  instances  in  Scripture  that  one 
case  is  sometimes  put  for  another.  But  the  truth  is,  it  is  both  hard  and 
not  so  usual ;  and  therefore,  unless  there  be  a  necessity  of  it,  I  would  not 
square  the  meaning  here  by  that  transj)osition  of  the  case.  And  there  is 
this  reason  for  it  besides,  because  that  the  great  devil,  who  is  this  great 
prince,  doth  not  work  in  every  child  of  disobedience  aU  those  works  that 
are  WTOught  by  other  devils  m  them.  Eather,  therefore,  it  must  be  meant 
that  he  is  the  prince  either  of  the  spirits,  or  of  a  spirit,  that  doth  work  in 
them.  And  so  the  sense  will  run  in  a  natural  way,  'the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air,  the  prince  of  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  dis- 
obedience.' 

Now  then,  if  you  take  it  so,  it  hath  •>  double  meaning.     Either  spirit  is 


EpH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANSi  57 

taken  here  pro  spiritic  spirante,  that  is,  the  spirit  that  breathcth  ;  or  />?'o 
spuitit  spirato,  that  is,  the  spirit  that  is  breathed  into  men.  That  is,  it  is 
either  taken  exegetically  for  the  words  before, '  the  power  of  the  air,' — that  is, 
those  lesser  devils  that  arc  under  this  great  devil,  that  are  his  spirits,  and 
that  go  and  work  in  men  by  his  du'ections,  he  being  the  prince  of  them,  and 
ordering  them  so  to  do, — or  else  it  is  taken  for  that  common  joint  gale  that 
these  devils  have  in  the  hearts  of  wicked  and  carnal  men,  especially  those 
that  are  eminently  the  children  of  disobedience.  He  is  the  prince  of  both 
these  spirits. 

First,  I  say  spirit  is  either  taken  for  the  devils  themselves,  that  arc  under 
this  great  prince,  whom  he  setteth  on  work.  And  so  the  Apostle  explaineth 
what  he  meant  by  the  '  power  of  the  air ; '  they  are  spirits,  saith  he,  sent  out 
by  the  great  devil  to  work  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  disobedience. 
And  they  are  called  'spirit'  in  the  singular  number,  as  they  were  before 
called  '  the  power  of  the  air'  in  the  singular  number,  because  they  are  united 
into  one  body,  they  do  join  with  one  force  under  this  great  devU ;  they  work 
one  way  and  as  one  spirit,  especially  in  respect  of  a  common  spirit,  of  which 
we  shall  speak  anon,  that  they  breathe  into  the  hearts  of  the  children  of 
disobedience ;  they  carry  things  on  by  a  common  design.  And  that '  spirit ' 
is  taken  thus  in  the  singular  number,  although  there  be  many  of  these 
devUs,  is  clear  from  I^Iatt.  viii.,  and  Mark  v.  from  ver.  7  to  14,  and  Luke 
viii.  29.  When  Christ  cast  out  a  whole  legion  of  devils — for  so  many  they 
were — out  of  one  man,  yet  that  whole  legion  speaks  in  the  singular  number 
mito  Christ,  '  Torment  me  not,'  ver.  7.  And  Christ  speaks  in  the  singular 
number  to  him,  after  he  had  told  him  they  were  many,  '  Come  out,  thou 
unclean  spirit,'  ver.  9 ;  and,  ver.  10,  '  He  besought  him  that  he  would  not  send 
them  away;'  he  and  thein.  Though  they  were  many,  yet  still  they  were 
called  one  spirit.  And  therefore  this  is  one  meaning  of  it,  that  there  are  a 
world  of  devils  here  in  the  air,  which  ar«  spirits  who  jom  all  together  in  one 
body  under  this  great  prince,  and  work  in  the  children  of  disobedience.  If 
you  would  know,  saith  the  Apostle,  what  I  mean  by  the  '  power  of  the  air,' 
I  mean  the  spirits — which  are  called  spirit  for  the  reasons  I  told  you  of — 
that  do  now  work  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 

But  there  is  a  second  interpretation,  which  indeed,  for  my  part,  I  rather 
think  is  the  meaning  of  this  place,  although  we  need  exclude  neither,  for 
both  senses  are  fully  taken  in.  When  he  saith,  he  is  the  prince  of  the 
spirits,  or  of  a  spiiit,  that  now  worketh,  &c.,  he  doth  not  mean  only  by 
'  spirits,'  the  devils,  that  work  as  spirits  in  men ;  but  he  meaneth  that 
infusion,  that  spirit,  as  I  may  so  call  it,  that  general,  common,  special  spirit, 
— for  I  may  call  it  both  special  and  common, — that  the  devUs  do  raise  up  in 
wicked  men  against  Christ  and  against  God ;  a  common  active  prmciple 
which  the  devils  do  all  raise,  whereof  Satan,  the  prince,  is  the  ^olus,  the  god 
of  all  these  winds  he  letteth  loose,  and  they  all  blow  one  way :  and  that 
common  gale  that  comes  from  them  all,  and  that  by  the  great  prince's  direc- 
tion, that  is  said  to  be  the  spirit  that  worketh.  The  Syriac  doth  father  this 
interpretation,  for  it  putteth  in  the  word  'and,' — 'and  of  the  spirit,'  that  is, 
*  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  and  of  the  spirit  that  worketh,'  &c. 

Now  I  shall  shew  you,  both  that  spint  is  so  taken  in  Scripture,  and  that 
it  seems  to  be  taken  so  here  too. 

1.  It  is  so  taken  in  Scripture,  Gen.  xli.  38.  There  Pharaoh,  speaking  in 
the  language  of  his  conjurers  that  dealt  with  the  devils,  whom  they  took 
for  gods,  saith,  '  Can  we  find  such  a  one  as  this  is,  a  man  in  whom  the  spirit 
of  God  is  1 '     And,  Dan.  iv.  8.  9,  Nebuchadnezzar  useth  the  same  word  of 


58  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IV. 

Daniel :  *  A  man,'  saith  he, '  in  whom  is  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods;'  that  is, 
he  hath  the  infusion,  the  inspiration  of  the  gods,  which  indeed  were  their 
devils,  who  were  then  the  gods  of  the  world,  and  wrought  in  the  soothsayers 
and  in  their  sibyls,  as  amongst  the  heathens  they  did.  Both  Pharaoh,  you 
see,  and  Nebuchadnezzar  use  the  same  language,  and  there  spirit  is  put  for 
the  infusion  of  the  devils  in  them.  So  now  that  spirit  that  breatheth  in  a 
man,  that  giveth  him  understanding,  it  is  called  a  spirit,  Job  xxxii.  8, '  There 
is  a  spirit  in  a  man,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth  under- 
standing.' And  so  in  Rev.  xix.  10,  'The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  Spirit 
of  proiDhecy.'  He  means  not  the  Holy  Ghost  only,  but  a  prophetic  gift 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  here,  by  sjnrit  is  not  only  meant  the  devils 
that  breathe,  but  that  common  spirit — spiritus  spiratus,  as  I  may  call  it — 
that  the  devil  raiseth  up  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and  putteth  into  their  sjjirits, 
and  transformeth  them  to. 

Now,  that  which  makes  me  think  the  Apostle  had  this  in  his  eye  is  this, 
because  he  doth  put  two  articles,  and  not  only  so,  but  he  addeth  the  word 
now.  And  the  Apostle  seems  to  point  at  some  more  eminently  wicked. 
That  you  may  know,  saith  he,  that  men  are  under  the  power  of  the  devil,  do 
but  observe  now,  now  in  this  age ;  do  you  not  see  what  a  spirit  works  in 
men  that  are  eminently  wicked,  the  children  of  disobedience'?  Although 
you  do  not  see  it  in  all  unregenerate  men,  yet  you  may,  saith  he,  see  it  in 
some  evidently  to  be  the  devil,  by  the  spirit  that  worketh  in  them,  because 
the  stream  riseth  higher  than  the  fountain,  beyond  reason,  beyond  the  spirits 
of  men  ;  for  so  their  rage  against  Jesus  Christ  and  his  saints  in  those  primi- 
tive times,  the  spirit  that  then  wrought,  was  beyond  the  spuits  of  men  : 
there  could  be  no  reason,  no  account  given  of  their  persecuting  those  that 
professed  Christ;  for  they  persecuted  the  Christians,  and  did  not  understand 
what  they  were,  but  the  devil  did.  He  raised  a  mighty  spirit,  a  general  stream, 
whereof  some  eminent  men  that  weje  children  of  disobedience  were  the  ring- 
leaders that  carried  on  all  the  rest.  The  devils  went,  by  a  common  blast  that 
they  breathed  into  men,  and  carried  the  world  before  them,  against  Christ 
and  against  the  apostles  and  saints ;  you  may  see  how  it  works,  saith  he. 

And  so  now,  my  brethren,  in  the  first  words,  when  he  saith,  '  ye  walked 
according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'  he  meaneth  the  ordinary 
sinfulness  that  is  in  all  unregenerate  men,  being  under  the  power  of  Satan. 
But  in  these  latter  words  he  meaneth  a  special  spirit,  that  is  yet  a  common 
and  general  spirit,  that  worketh  in  the  cbildren  of  disobedience,  which  is  set 
up  against  Jesus  Christ  and  the  purity  of  his  worship,  as  then  it  was,  and 
against  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  same  special  spirit,  that 
yet  is  one  gale  in  the  hearts  of  men,  Satan  is  the  prince  of  it,  and  your 
lesser  devils  go  all  one  way,  and  under  that  persecute  the  saints,  having 
direction  from  this  great  devil ;  therefore  he  is  said  to  be  the  prince  of  the 
spirits.  And  the  AjDostle  brings  it  in  to  this  end  and  purpose,  to  let  them 
see,  though  they  were  now  converted,  yet,  saith  he,  had  you  lived  in  your 
former  condition,  this  spirit  would  have  breathed  in  you  ;  you  may  even  see 
what  manner  of  men  you  would  have  been,  how  the  devU  would  have  jaded 
you,  by  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  world  :  you  would  have  been 
acted  by  the  same  spirit ;  for  whilst  you  were  under  the  devil's  kingdom 
you  might  have  been  raised  up — though  all  men  are  not,  yet  you  might  have 
been  raised  up — to  the  same  height  that  he  now  worketh  in  them. 

There  is  one  objection  why  that  this  spirit  infused,  this  raised  spirit  in 
men,  should  not  be  meant  here ;  and  it  is  Piscator's  objection.  I  wUl  give 
you  an  answer  to  it,  and  shew  you  that  both  may  very  well  be  intended,  and 


ErU.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPUESIANS.  59 

00  come  to  observations.  This  latter  interpretation  is  Zanchy's,  though  he 
expresscth  it  only  in  general,  a  flatus,  an  inspiration,  or  the  breath  of  Satan. 
But  Piscator's  objection  against  this  interpretation  is  this.  That  cannot  be 
meant,  saith  he ;  for  the  spirit  here  is  said  to  worh  in  the  children  of  dis- 
obedience ;  therefore  the  spirit  here  must  be  meant  a  person  or  persons,  and 
therefore  the  devils  themselves  only.  And  he  backs  it  with  this,  because 
in  1  Cor.  xii.  6,  speaking  of  the  Holy  Ghost  as  a  person,  he  is  said  to  '  work 
all  in  all,'  which  argueth  him  to  be  the  Third  Person  in  the  Trinity. 

For  that  I  answer,  that  this  hindereth  not  but  still  by  spirit  here  may  be 
meant  that  raised  spirit  that  is  from  the  devils  themselves,  that  inspiration 
of  them,  and  infusion  of  them ;  because  I  find  that  the  same  word  that  is 
used  here  of  working,  is  applied  to  other  things  than  persons,  that  is,  to 
spirits  too,  infused.  2  Thess.  ii.  7,  *  The  mystery  of  iniquity  now  worketh ; 
it  is  the  same  word.  What  was  this  mystery  of  iniquity  ?  You  shall  find 
in  1  John  iv.  3  :  '  The  spirit  of  Antichrist,'  saith  he,  '  whereof  you  have  heard 
that  it  should  come,  and  even  now  is  come  into  the  world.'  That  is,  the 
truth  is,  saith  he,  the  devil  beginneth  to  raise  up  the  beginnings  of  that 
spirit  of  Antichrist  amongst  Christians,  which  shall  one  day  work  up  to  a 
height ;  it  worketh  now,  saith  he.  And  indeed  it  may  be  that  this  very 
spirit  was  one  part  of  the  Apostle's  meaning  that  he  points  at.  Look  out, 
Christians,  saith  he ;  see  what  a  spirit  there  is  among  them,  making  way  for 
corruption  in  the  worship  and  truth  of  God  ;  look  among  the  heathens,  see 
what  a  mighty  spirit  there  is,  the  devil  in  both,  he  is  the  prince  of  both 
these.  Now,  in  Ptom.  vii.  5,  likewise,  because  you  will  say  it  is  not  said 
to  work  in  us  ;  yea,  but  there  it  is  said  that  '  the  motions  of  sins,'  hrioyuro, 
'did  work  in  our  members ;'  it  is  the  same  word  that  is  here.  It  is  applied 
then,  you  see,  to  other  things  than  to  persons.  Therefore,  I  say,  that  is  no 
objection  but  this  latter  should  also  be  meant.  For  my  part,  I  say,  I  take 
in  both — the  one  as  the  cause,  the  other  as  the  effect.  He  is  a  prince  of  a 
comijany  of  devils  that  are  spirits,  and  work  as  spirits  in  the  cliildren  of  dis- 
obedience ;  and  they  raise  up  a  common  spirit.  And  that  you  may  know 
the  devils  work,  saith  he.  Do  but  see  now  how  they  work  in  the  children  of 
disobedience,  and  such  would  you  have  been,  if  God  had  not  freed  you  ;  you 
would  have  had  the  same  spirit  they  had,  and  been  led  by  him  more  or  less. 
This  is  the  Apostle's  scope.  The  like  phrase  of  speech  you  have  in  2  Cor.  iv. 
13, '  We  have  received  the  same  spirit  of  faith.'  What  means  he  by  '  spirit  of 
faith'  there  1  He  means  both  spiritum  spirantem,  the  Holy  Ghost  that  puts 
faith  into  me,  who  is  called  therefore  the  Spirit  of  faith ;  and  he  means  also 
the  grace  of  faith,  the  infusion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  whereby  I  do  actually  be- 
lieve. Many  like  instances  may  be  brought  to  prove  that  '  spirit '  implies 
both ;  therefore,  for  my  part,  I  take  in  both,  the  one  and  the  other. 

So  now  you  have  these  three  parts  of  the  words.  First,  you  have  here  a 
spirit  that  works,  whereof  he  is  the  prince,  taken  both  for  his  devils,  that  are 
spirits  and  work  by  him ;  taken  also  for  that  common  infusion  which  his 
devils  breathe  into  men.  Secondly,  you  have  the  time ;  '  that  now  worketh.' 
Thirdly,  the  persons  in  whom ;  '  in  the  children  of  disobedience.'  Now,  I 
shall  give  you  some  observations,  if  you  take  either  one  sense  or  the  other ; 
for  both  are  intended,  the  one  as  the  cause,  the  other  as  the  effect,  and  as  a 
demonstration  of  the  misery  of  man  by  nature,  which  these  Ephesians  them- 
selves may  see  in  those  that  are  eminently  the  children  of  disobedience,  in 
whom  the  devil  raiseth  such  a  spirit. 

Obs. — First,  If  you  take  it  for  his  being  a  prince  of  spirits  that  thus 
worketh,  I  shall  give  you  these  observations,  which  shall  further  explain  it. 


60  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IV. 

First,  that  it  relates  to  their  manner  of  working,  that  they  work  as  spirits  in 
men.  And  the  Apostle  doth  insinuate  this  for  two  ends  :  the  one,  to  shew 
the  manner  of  their  working ;  the  other,  to  shew  the  advantage  of  their 
working.  They  work  as  spirits,  for  the  manner  of  their  working,  in  the 
children  of  disobedience  ;  and  for  their  advantage, — they  have  mighty  ad- 
vantage upon  it, — and  therefore  to  shew  it,  in  Eph.  vi.  12,  he  saith,  'We 
wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  sjoiritual  wickednesses,' 
that  is,  wickednesses  that  are  spirits.  I  shall  explain  it  to  you  by  de- 
grees. God  did  make  man  under  angels,  as  he  hath  made  other  creatures 
under  man  ;  though  not  in  the  like  inferiority,  yet  in  a  proportionable  dis- 
tance. Now,  this  is  a  certain  rule,  amongst  all  God's  works,  take  the  whole 
chain  of  them  from  first  to  last,  that  in  the  subordination  of  several  creatures, 
the  higher  one  creature  riseth  above  another  it  is  able  to  do  all  that  is  below 
it,  all  that  is  excellent,  yea,  and  hath  a  power  to  do  more ;  as  now,  all  the 
senses  that  a  beast  hath,  man  hath,  and  he  hath  reason  besides.  Then  for 
the  manner  of  their  working,  which  is  the  point  I  would  explain  :  the  angels 
being  spirits,  aU  the  ways  which  one  man  hath  to  work  upon  another,  the 
angels  have  the  same,  and  more.  What  are  the  ways  that  a  man  hath  to 
work  upon  another  1  He  can  do  it  by  speech,  and  he  can  do  it  by  present- 
ing objects  externally ;  and  he  can  do  it  by  threatening,  or  by  punishment, 
or  the  like.  But  the  devil  can  do  all  this  and  more.  He  can  appear  as  a 
man  doth,  and  convey  himself  unto  a  man  by  speech ;  and  not  only  so, — for 
this  is  but  working  upon  a  man,  this  is  not  working  in  him, — but  the  devil 
can  creej)  into  the  fancy,  he  can  creep  into  the  humours,  and  into  the  passions 
of  a  man's  body,  which  depend  much  upon  his  humours,  and  can  act  them; 
therefore  he  can  work  in  us.  ^Nly  brethren,  one  angel  cannot  work  in  another; 
one  devil  doth  not  possess  another.  Why  ?  Because  they  are  creatures  of  a 
like  rank.  And  therefore  as  one  man  commixnicateth  his  mind  to  another, 
and  cannot  creep  into  a  man  to  suggest  it  secretly  and  indiscernibly,  because 
man  and  man  are  creatures  of  a  like  rank  ;  so  are  angels.  Michael  and  the 
de-\dl  disputed  indeed  about  the  body  of  Moses,  as  one  man  doth  with 
another ;  but  one  angel  cannot  undiscemibly  work  in  another.  And  there- 
fore there  is  this  difference  between  the  devil's  working  in  us,  and  that  which 
one  man  worketh  upon  another.  One  angel  may  work  upon  another,  and 
persuade  him  thus  and  thus,  but  he  cannot  work  in  him ;  but  the  devil, 
being  an  angel,  and  an  angel  being  a  superior  creature  to  man,  hath  a  way 
of  communicating  himself  to  man  which  one  man  hath  not  to  another.  Yet 
he  hath  not  that  way  that  God  hath,  for  he  doth  not  know  the  heart ;  but 
he  can  work  upon  the  fancy  and  upon  the  passions.  The  will  is  joined  to 
the  affections  and  passions,  and  he  can  work  upon  them.  The  understanding 
is  joined  to  the  fancy  ;  he  can  work  upon  that,  and  so  work  upon  the  under- 
standing.    He  can  work  in  us ;  yet,  notwithstanding,  it  is  not  as  God  doth. 

K  you  ask  me,  what  it  is  he  can  do  in  us  ?  I  will  answer  in  a  word,  be- 
cause it  hath  been  spoken  to  heretofore — 

He  can,  first,  undiscemibly,  as  a  spirit,  ^mt  into  you  what  thoughts  he  will, 
suggest  anything ;  he  can  imprint  it  upon  the  fancy,  and  the  understand- 
ing will  take  it  off  presently.  In  John  xiii.  2,  it  is  said,  the  devil  '  put  it 
into  the  heart  of  Judas  to  betray  Christ ; '  he  wi-ought  in  him.  He  can  take 
away  thoughts,  and  put  in  thoughts ;  he  can  take  them  away,  for  he  can  divide 
the  thoughts.  In  Luke  viii.  12,  the  devils  are  compared  to  fowls — alou 
Tov  Aoyoii — that  take  away,  that  snatch  away  \iolently  the  seed  that  is  sown ; 
he  will  not  only  steal  them  away,  but  doth  it  violently;  divide  the  thoughts 
of  a  man  at  a  sermon,  and  make  him  think  of  somewhat  else.     And  he  is 


EpH.  II.   2.]  '         TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  GI 

the  envious  one  that  sowoth  tares  in  the  night,  and  undisccrnibly ;  as  seed, 
you  know,  is  sown  in  the  ground  undiscernibly,  especially  in  the  night.  He 
can  put  into  us  what  he  will.  And,  my  brethren,  let  me  add,  he  would  not 
have  power  to  work  in  us,  unless  we  had  sinned.  If  he  had  been  perfect, 
and  we  perfect,  he  might  have  wrought  in  us,  and  suggested  to  our  spirits 
undiscernibly ;  but,  as  I  take  it,  this  same  working  in  us  is  not  only  a  note 
of  difference  f^om  what  one  angel  can  do  to  another,  but  it  is  a  note  of  dif- 
ference of  what  Satan,  being  fallen,  could  have  done  to  Adam,  or  to  Christ 
himself,  who  were  perfectly  holy.  He  could  not  come  to  Eve,  though  he 
was  a  foul  unclean  spirit,  and  work  in  her,  he  could  not  put  a  thought  in  her 
undiscernibly,  for  that  had  been  his  best  way;  and  he  could  not  then  take 
the  shape  of  a  man  or  a  woman  to  talk  in,  because  the  image  of  God  was 
not  yet  defaced  in  man,  and  therefore  he  comes  and  talks  to  her  in  the  shape 
of  a  serpent ;  and  she  knowing  the  nature  of  that  beast,  knew  that  he  was 
next  door  to  reason,  and  so  he  might  speak,  and  that  deceived  her.  And  so 
for  Christ  himself,  he  comes  and  makes  visible  apparitions,  but  we  read  not, 
nor  do  I  know  any  good  warrant  or  ground  for  it,  that  that  unclean  spirit 
should  come  and  work  in  him.  But  now,  we  being  sinners,  he  can,  especially 
those  that  are  his  own,  work  in  them  undiscernibly,  put  in  any  thoughts,  or 
take  any  thoughts  out  of  their  minds. 

He  can,  in  the  second  place,  when  he  sees  that  that  thought  which  he 
hath  put  in  doth  take,  that  a  man's  will  doth  a  little  come  off  to  it,  he  can 
then,  and  he  doth, — and  God  permitteth  him  to  do  it  to  ungodly  men, — enter 
into  them,  and  2^ossess  them,  as  a  man  dwelleth  and  possesseth  his  own  house ; 
for  so  the  comparison  is,  Luke  xi.,  that  he  dwells  there  as  in  his  own  castle. 
And  as  he  entered  into  the  body  of  the  swine  and  carried  them  headlong 
into  the  sea,  so  he  entereth  into  men,  and  doth  possess  their  spirits ;  and  he 
joineth  with  their  spirits,  and  strengtheneth  all  those  consents  to  sm  in  them. 
He  is  only  said  to  enter  into  Judas,  Luke  xxii.  3,  for  though  he  was  in  Judaa 
before,  yet  when  he  cometh  to  put  a  man  on  upon  any  great  sin,  he  is  said 
to  enter  into  him,  as  he  did  enter  into  the  swine, — for  it  is  the  same  word, 
— because  he  joineth  with  his  spirit  to  carry  him  on  in  it,  as  if  another  soul 
should  come  into  a  man. 

And  not  only  so,  but  he  is  able  to  fill  a  man's  heart, — as  Acts  v.  3, — as  wine 
filleth  a  man's  veins,  and  giveth  him  new  spirits  and  strength ;  or  as  wind 
doth  fill  the  bagpipe  :  for  the  hearts  of  unregenerate  men,  they  are,  as  I  may 
call  them,  the  devil's  instruments  in  this  respect,  he  breathes  into  them,  and 
blows  them  up.  He  cannot,  indeed,  put  affections  into  them,  but  he  can 
blow  them  up  when  once  consent  is  given.  You  may  read  of  a  good  angel 
in  Dan.  xi.  1 ;  saith  he,  I  am  with  the  king  of  the  Medes,  to  confirm  and 
strengthen  him  in  his  purpose  to  deliver  the  Jews :  both  these  words  are  used. 
So  can  Satan,  when  he  hath  put  in  a  temptation  to  a  man, — you  see  he  is 
able  to  suggest  it,  being  a  spirit, — when  he  hath  put  in  his  suggestion,  then 
he  entereth,  especially  when  a  man  is  his  own,  and  giveth  place  to  him.  If 
a  man  be  a  saint,  he  hath  leave  to  enter  for  that  time,  and  he  can  confirm,  and 
strengthen  that  resolution,  and  hold  him  in  it,  and  join  with  him,  and  so  the 
man  shall  have  a  superadded  strength,  another  spirit  in  him  beside  his  own. 
Therefore  in  Mic.  ii.  11,  speaking  of  fidse  prophets,  he  saith,  they  do  'wait 
in  the  spirit,  and  lie.'  It  is  the  same  phrase  that  is  used  of  a  man's  walking 
in  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  strengtheneth  him.  And  the 
devil  did  use  to  come  into  Ahab's  prophets  ;  he  was  a  lying  spirit  in  them  ; 
they  '  walk  in  the  spirit,  and  He.'  I  speak  it  for  this,  that  he  can  thus  blow 
up  and  fill  up  a  man's  spirit.     I  should  have  added  a  middle,  between  entering 


62  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IV. 

and  putting  into  the  heart, — that  is,  he  can  provoke  men,  inflame  them. 
'  The  tongue,'  saith  James,  '  is  set  on  fire  of  hell ; '  and  it  is  said  expressly  of 
David,  in  1  Chron.  xxi.  1,  that  Satan  provoked  him  to  number  Israel. 

And  not  only  this,  but  he  can  effectually  prevail.  He  can  by  all  these 
means  work  in  us ;  first,  work  indiscernibly  in  a  man ;  secondly,  having 
right,  as  in  wicked  men  he  hath,  he  can  enter  and  dwell  there,  as  in  his 
house  or  castle ;  thii'dly,  when  he  hath  provoked  and  stirred  up  the  affections 
and  passions,  when  the  wiU  hath  consented,  he  can  strengthen  that  wUl,  and 
so  strengthen  it  that  he  shall  prevail  and  work  effectually ;  for  so  the  word 
here  implies.  In  2  Thess.  ii.  10,  speaking  of  Satan's  working  upon  the 
learned  part  of  the  Popish  party  that  know  the  truth,  and  hate  it,  '  his  com- 
ing,' saith  he,  '  is  with  aU  dcceivableness  of  unrighteousness,  that  they 
might  aU  be  damned.'  The  doctrine  is  so  laid  to  men's  corrupt  hearts,  that 
it  deceiveth  them,  and  deceiveth  them  effectually.  Therefore  in  2  Chron. 
xviii.  21,  it  is  said  there  by  God  himself,  'Thou  shalt  go  and  entice  him, 
and  thou  shalt  prevail.'  And  you  know,  he  was  presently  a  Ijing  spirit, 
and  prevailed  over  aU  Ahab's  prophets,  and  over  Ahab  himself.  And  he 
doth  it  with  a  kind  of  command,  for  he  is  a  prince  too ;  therefore  they  are 
said  to  be  taken  captive  at  his  will. — And  so  much  now  for  the  manner  of 
his  working,  which  this  phrase,  '  he  worketh  in  them,'  implieth ;  and  what  I 
have  said  is  necessary  to  open  it. 

Now,  the  Apostle's  scope  is  likewise  to  hold  forth  all  the  advantages  he 
hath  as  a  spirit.  He  is  an  active  spirit ;  for  spirits  are  active.  '  The  horses 
of  Egypt  are  not  flesh  but  spirit.'  I  shall  not  now  stand  to  open  the  ad- 
vantages, for  time  would  fail  me. 

The  observation  I  shall  make  from  hence  is  this :  That  though  the  devil 
worketh  in  men  thus,  and  works  effectually,  yet  so  as  all  their  sms  are  their 
own  still.  Why  else  are  thej'^  called  children  of  disobedience  1  He  '  work- 
eth,' saith  he,  'in  the  children  of  disobedience ;'  and  they  walk  in  sin,  though 
the  devil  thus  work,  and  doth  work  in  all  the  sins  of  men.  For  that  which 
we  translate  '  our  life  is  a  continual  warfare,'  the  Septuagint  renders  it  '  a 
continual  temptation.' 

The  reason  why,  though  the  devil  thus  work,  yet  it  is  all  our  sin,  is  this : 
because  that  the  devil  doth  not  thus  enter  into  us  or  join  with  our  spirits  to 
confirm  us,  tiU  our  wills  are  come  to  a  consent;  we  give  place  first.  And 
then  when  he  doth  confirm,  stUl  the  will  of  a  man  is  free,  he  is  but  strength- 
ened in  it ;  he  may  cause  the  waters  to  swell,  but  he  cannot  turn  them  back. 
It  is  evident  in  Ananias,  'Why  hath  Satan  filled  thine  heart?'  You  will 
say.  Did  not  Satan  work  in  him?  How  could  he  help  it?  Yet  it  is  made 
his  sin,  for  that  he  gave  way  to  the  devil;  for  he  gave  way  at  the  first,  and 
then  the  devil  entered  in  and  filled  him.  Another  instance  for  it  is  that  in 
2  Tim.  ii.  26  ;  he  saith,  we  are  taken  captive  aUve,  J^wyg jj/xivo/,  as  the  word 
is  derived  from  thence ;  the  meaning  is  this,  they  are  ahve  when  they  are 
taken,  and  they  are  taken  willingly  by  him  ;  though  at  his  wiU,  yet  with 
their  own  will  too.  They  are  not  moved  as  dead  stocks,  but  they  are  moved 
as  having  a  living  active  principle  in  them,  their  own  wiU.  No  man  sinneth, 
my  brethren,  because  Satan  commandeth  him ;  for  we  do  not  see  that  Satan 
commandeth  us,  for  he  works  undiscernibly,  but  we  sin  because  of  what  is 
propounded  to  us:  as  no  man  doth  sin  because  God  decrees  him  to  sin, 
therefore  no  man  can  excuse  himself  with  that;  so  no  man  can  excuse  him- 
self with  this,  that  Satan  worketh  in  him. 

And  so  much  now  for  that  first  interpretation,  that  here,  by  spirit,  Ls 
meant  the  devils,  who,  as  spirits,  work  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 


EpH.  II.  2.J  TO  THE  EPUESIANS.  63 

I  come  now  to  a  second  interpretation,  which  is  taken  for  the  effect  of 
these  devils,  that  common  spirit  that  they  raised  in  those  times  in  the  children 
of  disobedience,  which  the  Apostle  bringeth  as  an  instance,  tliat  themselves 
might  see  how  it  wrought.  Do  not  you  see,  saith  he,  how  it  worketh,  what  a 
spuit  there  is  working  in  men  against  God,  and  against  Christ  1  The  devil 
is  the  prince  of  it.  I  opened  it  before,  I  shall  now  give  you  some  observa- 
tions about  it. 

Obs. — The  first  is  this  :  That  besides  the  common  ordinary  walking  of 
men  in  their  particular  lusts,  walking  in  sin,  according  to  their  prince,  the 
devil,  their  king, — for  in  every  sin  that  a  man  ordinarily  committeth,  he 
walketh  according  to  this  prince,  and  his  mind  and  will  he  doth, — besides 
that,  I  say,  there  is  a  special  spirit,  which  yet  is  a  common  spirit  in  another 
sense,  that  is,  because  it  breatheth  in  a  general  way  in  men ;  yet  I  call  it 
special,  because  it  is  superadded,  over  and  above  the  natural  inclination  that 
men  ordinarily  have  to  the  ways  of  sin, — there  is  a  special  spirit,  raised  up 
by  the  devils  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 

I  shall  make  this  evident  to  you  by  parts.  I  take  these  Ephesians  for  an 
instance,  for  to  me  the  Apostle  seems  to  point  to  that  spirit  that  wrought 
among  them.  In  Acts  xix.,  when  Paul  was  at  Ephesus,  you  shall  find  there 
what  a  spirit  was  raised,  all  the  whole  city  upon  a  sudden  were  gathered 
together,  and  were  all  filled  with  confusion,  and  the  text  saith,  '  the  greater 
part  knew  not  wherefore  they  were  come  together.'  They  would  have  haled 
Paul  before  the  judgment-seat,  and  having  caught  Gains  and  Aristarchus, 
his  companions,  '  they  rushed  with  one  accord  into  the  theatre  ;'  and  all  this 
while  they  knew  not  for  what.  And  then,  for  the  space  of  about  two  hours, 
they  all  with  one  voice  cried  up  their  goddess  Diana,  and  cried  out  against 
Jesus  Christ ;  alas  !  they  knew  not  Jesus  Christ.  But  why  did  they  cry  up 
their  goddess  thus  1  Why,  the  devil  was  in  it.  Do  not  you  see,  saith  the 
Apostle,  how  the  spirit  works  ?  If  you  read  the  Apologies  of  Tertullian,  and 
others  that  wrote  in  the  primitive  times,  you  shall  still  find  them  telling  the 
heathens  thus  :  Why  do  you  persecute  us  1  WTiat  is  the  matter  1  Ycu 
understand  not  our  way.  You  can  let  other  sects  alone,  why  do  you  meddle 
with  us  1  It  is  nothing  but  a  name  you  persecute,  you  know  no  more.  Yea, 
but,  my  brethren,  the  devil  knew  more,  and  so  raised  up  a  common  spirit 
amongst  them  against  the  Christians. 

The  devil  doth  raise  up  in  several  ages — that  should  have  been  another 
part  of  the  observation — a  several  kind  of  spirit,  yet  still  the  same  devil. 
Do  you  not  see,  saith  he,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  1  Why,  the  spirit  of 
heathenism  wrought  then  in  a  bitter  opposition  unto  Christ ;  and  the  spirit 
of  Antichrist  wrought  then.  The  spirit  of  Antichrist  is  now  in  the  world, 
saith  John.  And  these  both  wrought  in  one,  wrought  against  Christ.  The 
devil  had  then  two  strings  to  his  bow.  Among  the  heathens  he  had  a  spirit 
that  wrought  to  advance  his  kingdom,  and  to  keep  him  up  as  long  as  could  be 
as  the  god  of  the  world ;  and  if  that  failed,  then  he  had  the  spirit  of  Anti- 
christ, that  was  then  a- working  too  :  and  many  of  the  Christians  themselves, 
that  were  good,  understood  not  this,  for  it  was  a  mystery.  And,  my  breth- 
ren, such  is  his  cunning  still,  if  the  scene  alters,  he  alters  his  spirit  that  he 
breatheth  into  men  ;  he  will  breathe  in  new  principles,  such  as  the  world  shall 
close  withal ;  and  he  will  be  still  sure  so  to  state  the  quarrel  as  that  he  may 
vent  his  malice  against  many  of  the  saints,  if  he  cannot  against  all.  He 
made  way,  through  I  know  not  how  many  errors,  that  if  the  world  should 
happen  to  turn  Chiistian,  he  might  raise  up  such  a  persecution  against  those 
that  would  oppose  those  corruptions,  more  or  less,  as  possibly  could  be. 


64  AN  KXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IV. 

Therefore  in  Eev.  xii.,  -when  lie  was  tlirown  down  from  Leaven  to  earth, — 
as  lie  was  when  heathenism  was  gone, — he  found  a  way  to  persecute  those 
that  kept  the  commandment  of  Christ  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus  ;  for  there 
was  then  so  much  corruption  brought  in  and  found  in  the  churches  by  the 
working  of  this  spirit,  that  God  stirred  up  some  or  other  still,  in  their  several 
ages,  to  bear  witness  against  it :  and  against  these  the  devil  raised  a  spuit, 
as  being  the  witnesses  of  Jesus  and  such  as  kept  some  of  the  commandments 
of  God,  which  others  did  not.  The  apostle  John,  in  the  place  I  quoted 
even  now,  saith,  the  spirit  of  Antichrist  is  now  in  the  world,  1  John  iv.  3. 
Paul  saith,  it  was  a  mystery ;  the  apostle  John,  that  he  is  to  come  into  the 
world,  nay,  that  even  now  he  is  in  the  world.  I  see  his  horns  are  budding, 
saith  he ;  and  that  spirit  that  breatheth  now  in  heathenism  shall  work  up 
to  the  very  same,  when  the  world  shall  turn  Chiistian,  in  Antichrist.  Now, 
this  was  a  mystery,  yet  the  devil  knew  what  he  did,  he  drove  it  on,  and 
carried  on  this  common  spirit,  and  that  among  Christians  themselves  m  those 
primitive  times,  even- when  the  heathens  did  oppose  them.  So  now,  as  it  is 
said  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  1  Cor.  xii,  that  he  hath  variety  of  gifts,  but 
there  is  one  spirit,  that  worketh  all  in  all ;  so  in  several  ages  there  are 
several  spirits  infused,  and  principles  that  men  are  led  by,  but  yet  so  as  still 
they  shall  be  against  some  jjart  of  the  commandment  of  Jesus ;  and  it  is  the 
same  spirit  that  still  worketh  all  in  all. 

And  why  is  such  opposition  called  a  spirit  ? 

Because,  my  brethi-en,  things  are  carried  with  spirit  oftentimes  more  than 
with  reason.  Saith  Paul,  '  I  was  exceedingly  mad  against  the  saints,'  Acts 
xxvi.  11.  And  I  think  there  are  few  that  are  mad  but  there  is  some  kind 
of  possession  or  obsession  of  Satan.  '  I  was  mad,'  saith  he,  and  madness, 
you  know,  is  to  go  in  a  thing  against  reason,  and  beyond  reason,  beyond 
the  nature  of  the  thing  itself :  and  that  is,  because  the  devil  is  in  it ;  for  he 
carries  it  as  a  prince,  and  therefore  he  carries  it  as  by  a  spirit  that  he  sttrreth 
in  them. 

And  it  is  called  a  spirit,  too,  because  it  is  active,  and  high,  and  violent. 
In  Rev.  xvi.  13,  speaking  of  those  emissaries  of  Kome,  that,  when  Antichrist 
is  brought  to  his  last  throw  for  his  subsistence, — and  if  he  loseth  that,  he  is 
gone, — he  sendeth  out,  (the  devil  and  Antichrist  together,  for  they  are  said 
to  come  out  of  the  mouth  of  both,)  he  calls  them  spirits ;  they  shall  be 
nimble  agents,  that  should  have  a  world  of  zeal.  What  is  the  reason  1  They 
are  said  to  be  '  spirits  of  devils,'  and  were  therefore  more  active  than  men 
of  themselves  would  have  been.  And  Satan  was  the  prmce  of  them,  for 
they  '  came  out  of  the  great  dragon;'  and  they  '  go  forth  to  all  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day.'  And  how  nigh  it 
is,  God  knows. 

Now  as  it  is  a  special  spirit,  thus  raised, — I  have  shewn  you  that  it  is 
called  a  spirit,  and  a  spirit  that  altereth  as  the  scene  altereth, — so  it  is  a 
general  spirit,  a  common  spirit,  wherein,  saith  he,  the  children  of  disobedience 
do  agree.  The  reason,  my  brethren,  why  his  kingdom  is  a  monarchy,  and 
why  they  have  one  prince, — by  what  the  Scripture  seemeth,  both  in  this 
and  other  places,  to  hold  forth  to  me, — is  this.  Because  there  is  one  great 
de\il,  that  is  the  old  serpent ;  he  hath  the  great  head,  the  great  wit,  and 
inventeth  what  to  do  still,  in  all  the  turns  and  agitations  and  motions  of  the 
world,  and  accordingly  directs.  As  Pharaoh — who  was  a  type  of  the  great 
devil  and  his  monarchy,  and  the  Egyptians  are  the  little  dragons,  as  they 
are  called,  Ps.  Ixxiv. — gave  the  counsel,  '  Come,'  saith  he,  '  let  us  deal  wisely :' 
so  Satan  is,  as  it  were,  the  great  dictator,  and  all  the  lesser  devils  take  from 


EpH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  C5 

him  what  he  doth  judge,  and  breathe  a  common  sj)iiit  into  men  in  whom 
they  work.  And  therefore  he  is  said  here  to  be  the  prince  of  a  spirit.  The 
reason  why  it  is  one  spirit  Ls,  because  there  is  one  prince  of  them  that  doth 
guide  and  direct  all  the  other  spirits  to  go  thus  one  way,  and  to  make  one 
common  gale  in  the  hearts  of  men.  In  that  Rev.  xvi.  13,  14,  they  are  said 
to  be  three  spirits ;  yet  all  agree  in  one,  they  all  came  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  dragon  too,  for  he  was  the  prince  of  them,  the  great  devil ;  for  by  the 
great  dragon  there,  I  take  it,  the  great  de\'il  is  meant,  for  the  little  devils  are 
in  that  phrase,  '  he  and  his  angels.'  And  a  breath  came  from  this  prince, 
and  the  other  devils,  he  saith,  were  three ;  that  is,  many,  or  more  than  one, 
men  acted  by  the  devil ;  yet  they  all  agreed  together  in  one  project  and 
design,  which  was,  to  go  forth  to  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  whole 
world,  to  gather  them  to  battle  against  Christ.  For  when  Antichrist  shall 
be  put  to  it,  he  will  get  the  assistance  of  heathens,  and  Turks,  and  all ;  all 
shall  join  together  against  the  battle  of  the  great  day. 

When  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ  was  crucified,"  it  is  clear,  then  he 
breathed  a  common  breath.  Herod  and  Pilate  were  one  against  another,  yet 
conspired  in  crucifpng  of  Christ.  Why  1  Because  there  was  a  prince  in  the 
world,  and  though  he  had  nothing  in,  or  against  Christ,  yet  he  ruled  their 
hearts  imanimously.  Therefore,  in  Ps.  iL,  '  Why  do  the  heathen  rage,  and 
the  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together 
against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  anointed  V  The  truth  is,  the  devil  was  in 
them.  *  This  is  your  hour,'  saith  Christ,  *  and  the  power  of  darkness  ;'  that 
is,  the  devil,  who  is  the  power  of  darkness,  hath  power  over  me,  by  means 
of  you. 

Now,  my  brethren,  it  is  a  spirit  likewise  which,  if  the  godly  wise  do 
beedfully  observe,  may  be  discerned.  The  Apostle  saith  so  much.  Do  you 
not  see  it  work,  saith  he,  in  the  children  of  disobedience  ?  You  may  see  it 
by  the  nature  and  carriage  of  things,  that  Satan  carries  them  on. — And  so 
much  for  the  interpretation  of  those  words,  '  the  spirit  that  worketh.' 

I  come  to  The  Time;  '  that  now  worketh.*  Some  put  it  for  etiamnum,  that 
still  worketh ;  but  I  think  that  is  not  the  meaning  of  it,  for  it  refers  to  that 
present  spirit  that  then  was,  which,  as  I  said,  Satan  was  the  prince  of; 
'  which  now  worketh.'  It  may  have  relation  also  to  the  times  of  the  gospel, 
in  comparison  of  former  times.  In  John  xiL  31,  saith  Clirist,  '  Now  is  the 
judgment  of  this  world;'  that  is,  now  is  the  time  of  the  gospel,  when  this 
world  is  to  be  reformed,  and  the  prince  of  this  world  is  cast  out.  Now, 
because  that  is  the  now  when  the  prince  of  this  world  is  cast  out,  there- 
fore this  is  the  nov)  wherein  the  devil  being  cast  out,  being  vexed,  raiseth  up 
a  spirit  in  the  children  of  disobedience.  And  he  is  more  active  a  thousand 
times  than  he  was  in  the  Old  Testament.  It  is  true,  Satan  under  the  New 
Testament  hath  less  power  than  he  had  under  the  Old ;  for  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  cometh  stUl  more  and  more  upon  him,  and  spoils  his  plots,  eats  them 
out ;  but  yet  his  activeness,  his  working,  is  more  by  far.  Aid  the  reason  is 
this,  because  the  devil  is  enraged ;  for  still  as  Christ  goes,  and  casts  him  out 
of  his  kingdom,  or  out  of  men's  hearts,  the  more  he  ragetL  In  !Mark  ix. 
2Q,  when  the  unclean  spirit  was  to  be  cast  out,  the  text  saith,  '  he  cried,  and 
rent  him  sore.'  And  in  Piev.  xiL  12,  when  the  devil,  that  great  dragon,  was 
cast  out,  thrown  from  heaven,  it  is  said,  '  he  is  come  down,  having  great 
wrath,  because  he  knoweth  he  hath  but  a  short  time.'  And  if  he  had 
milUons  of  years,  they  would  be  a  short  time  to  him.  But  when  he  saw  him- 
self thrown  do%\Ti,  it  was  to  him  as  the  beginning  of  the  day  of  judgment, 
•which  he  thinketh  is  approaching.     And  still,  my  brethren,  the  more  he  is 

VOL.  IL  B 


^^  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IY. 

confounded,  the  more  he  is  enraged,  and  the  more  active  he  is ;  therefore  he 
saith,  '  the  spirit  that  now  worketh.' 

You  shall  see  this,  by  comparing  the  instruments  he  doth  employ  in  one 
age,  and  in  others,  successively,  that  come  after.  In  Eev.  ix.,  there  comes 
out  of  the  bottomless  pit  a  company  of  locusts,  whose  king  Avas  the  devil ; 
these  were,  as  some  thixik,  the  Saracens;  or,  as  others,  those  preaching  friars, 
that  were  some  himdreds  of  years  ago  sent  abroad  to  uphold  the  Pope's 
kingdom.  For  my  part,  I  think,  the  Holy  Ghost  did  carry  on  the  story  of. 
both,  even  in  that  first  part  of  the  prophecy.  Now  you  shall  find  in  Rev. 
xvi,  when  Antichrist  cometh  to  his  last  cast,  his  agents  then  are  not  locusts, 
but  '  frogs,'  and  so  raised  that  they  are  caUed  '  spirits,'  because  they  are  more 
nimble  and  active  than  those  locusts  were ;  for  the  devil  stiE,  as  his  time 
grows  shorter  and  shorter,  begins  to  work  more  furiously  and  more  fiercely, 
bestirs  himself  more  in  the  spirits  of  men.  Those  locusts  were  too  didl  crea- 
tures, therefore  now  he  hath  frogs,  he  meaneth  the  Jesuits,  who  are  a  nimble 
company  of  men,  men  of  spirit,  full  of  activeness,  that  can,  hke  frogs,  leap 
into  kings'  chambers,  and  can  be  in  the  water  and  on  the  land,  deal  in 
church  and  deal  in  commonwealth ;  and  these  he  calleth  spirits.  The  locusts, 
I  say,  those  preaching  friars,  were  too  dull  for  his  turn,  now  in  this  last  cast. 
And,  my  brethren,  it  is  good  to  learn  of  an  enemy.  Still  as  our  time  draws 
shorter,  let  us  work  the  more.  '  Exhort  one  another,'  saith  he,  Heb.  x.  25, 
'  and  so  much  the  more  as  ye  see  the  day  approaching.'  And  if  you  will 
have  it  more  full,  1  Cor.  vii.  29,  '  The  time  is  short.'  Therefore  let  us  im- 
prove it  to  the  uttermost.  The  de\il,  you  see,  doth  so  j  he  acteth  and  work- 
eth more  now  than  he  did  before,  because  he  knoweth  he  hath  but  a  short 
time. — And  so  much  now  for  the  time. 

I  have  now  nothing  to  speak  to  but  The  Persons;  'that  worleth  in  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience.'     I  must,  as  I  use  to  do,  a  little  open  the  phrase. 

It  is  a  Hebraism,  *  sons  of  disobedience.'  The  Jews  do  use  in  common 
speech  to  apply  the  words,  sons  and  children,  to  many  things ;  as,  son  of 
captivity,  that  is,  a  captive.  A  sou  of  the  resurrection,  saith  the  gospel ; 
that  is,  those  that  shall  rise  again,  and  shall  be  begotten  by  the  resurrection ; 
for  it  is  a  begetting  again,  and  so  they  are  sons  of  it.  It  importeth,  as  the 
phrase  is  here,  one  that  hath  addicted  himself  to  disobedience.  As  wisdom 
is  said  to  be  'justified  of  her  children,'  Matt.  xi.  19; — there  are  sons  of  wis- 
dom, that  is,  those  that  have  given  up  their  souls  to  be  led  by  wisdom, 
that  have  been  converted  by  Christ; — so  here,  those  that  have  addicted  them- 
selves to  disobedience,  to  sin,  they  are  called  sons  of  disobedience.  You  have 
the  like  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.  22,  '  The  son  of  wickedness  shall  not  afflict  him.'  So, 
sons  of  violence.  I  shall  not  need  to  open  that  much,  I  shall  speak  of  it 
when  I  come  to  handle  '  sons,'  or  '  children  of  wrath,'  in  the  next  words. 

The  only  question  is  this  :  whether  he  meaneth  all  sorts  of  unregenerate 
men  ?  or  whether  he  meaneth  some  special  sort,  in  whom  the  devil  in  those 
times  raised  up  a  special  spirit  ? 

The  truth  is,  it  is  hard  to  determine  it ;  the  context  seems  to  carry  both. 
In  Scripture  phrase — I  shall  speak  a  little  to  the  latter — a  child  of  disobe- 
dience notes  out  one  that  is  more  eminently  wicked  than  others,  a  son  of 
iniquity ;  and  it  is  aU  one  with  that  which  in  the  Old  Testament  was  called 
a  son  of  Belial,  which  phrase  you  have  often ;  and  you  never  have  it  used 
but  it  noteth  out  one  more  wicked  than  ordinarily  the  generahty  of  mankind 
are.  Sons  of  Belial  are  men  without  a  yoke,  that  have  broke  the  bounds,  as 
the  prophet  expresseth  it,  for  so  the  word  signifies.     Still  when  they  are 


EpH.  II.  2.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  G7 

mentioned,  I  say,  it  notes  a  special  sort  of  wicked  men.  I  shall  quote  the 
places: — Deut.  xiii.  13;  1  Sam.  ii.  12,  the  sons  of  Eli  are  called  sons  of 
Belial,  being  more  eminently  wicked  than  others ;  so  in  Judges  xix.  22 ; 
one  given  to  drunkenness  is  called  a  daughter  of  Belial,  1  Sam.  i.  16.  Those, 
therefore,  that  either  in  respect  of  living  in  profaneness,  or  in  respect  of  op- 
position to  God  and  Christ,  are  more  eminent  than  others,  are  especially 
sons  of  Belial ;  yea,  they  are  called  even  Belial  itself.  And,  in  2  Cor.  vi.  15, 
BeUal  is  called  the  devil  himself ;  even  as  in  the  New  Testament  the  devil 
is  called  '  that  wicked  one.'  And  answerably,  one  that  is  more  eminently 
wicked  is  called  a  devil ;  as  in  that  speech  of  Christ,  who  saith  of  Judas  that 
he  was  a  devil. 

The  word  'disobedience'  is  dvsiduai,  an  obstinacy  of  heart,  that  a  man  hath 
stood  out  persuasions.  So  as  now  it  doth  import  such  kind  of  men  likewise 
as  have  received  the  truth,  or  have  heard  of  the  truth,  yet  obey  it  not,  but 
do  the  contrary.  '  I  have  stretched  forth  my  hands  to  a  disobedient  and  gain- 
saying people,'  Eom.  x,  21 ;  those  are  called  disobedient — it  is  the  same 
word — which  have  had  God's  hand  stretched  out  to  them.  You  have  many 
places  for  it :  Rom.  ii.  8,  and  Titus  i.  16,'  In  works  they  deny  him,'  saith  he, 
'  and  are  disobedient,' — it  is  the  same  word  here, — '  and  to  every  good  work 
reprobate.'     And  in  Heb.  iv.  6,  11,  it  is  used  for  unbelief. 

Now,  if  it  be  taken  in  a  large  sense,  as  perhaps  in  Eph.  v.  6,  it  is  taken 
for  aU  unregenerate  men ;  '  for  which  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  upon  the 
children  of  disobedience : '  then  the  observation  in  a  word  is  this.  It  cometh 
in  here  by  way  of  difference  from  Satan's  working  in  godly  men  and  in  un- 
regenerate men.  He  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience,  that  is,  he 
ordinarily  prevaileth  with  them,  I  mean  for  those  lusts  they  are  addicted  to ; 
he  ruleth  them,  as  it  is  spoken  in  that  curse  concerning  Judas,  Ps.  ciz.  He 
prevaileth  over  them,  he  works  effectually  in  them, — take  that,  I  say,  which 
is  their  proper  and  special  way  of  sinning,  that  which  their  spirits  are  ad- 
dicted to, — they  are,  as  I  may  so  express  it,  his  working  shop,  they  are  called 
his  house  where  he  dwelleth.  *  I  wiU  go,  and  return  to  my  house,'  saith  he, 
when  he  was  cast  out  there,  in  Luke  xi.  24.  He  works  as  an  enemy  in  the 
people  of  God,  but  in  these  as  a  prince.  He  works  as  a  t3Tant  in  those,  and 
prevails  often  over  them  for  acts ;  but  in  these  as  a  conqueror,  taking  them 
captive  at  his  will.  My  brethren,  I  take  it,  that  there  is  this  difference  set  by 
God  between  those  that  are  godly  and  regenerate  men,  translated  into  the 
kingdom  of  Chi-ist ;  and  unregenerate  men,  who  are  members  of  the  king- 
dom of  Satan.  It  is  true,  indeed,  he  cannot  carry  all  unregenerate  men  to 
all  the  sins  he  would,  because,  like  a  tyrant,  he  applies  himself  to  the 
several  humours  of  men,  and  that  by  God's  ordination;  yet  so,  as  the  com- 
mon law  that  God  aUoweth  him  to  rule  over  them  with,  it  is  in  respect  of 
their  peculiar  lust,  and  peculiar  sin.  Look,  what  a  man's  snare  is,  the  devil 
hath  him  at  his  will,  as  the  expression  is,  2  Tim.  ii.  26.  Bat  now,  if  he 
come  to  deal  with  a  godly  man,  he  ordinarily  asketh  leave  :  Luke  xxii.  31, 
he  '  hath  desired,'  he  hath  sought  to  winnow  thee,  speaking  of  Peter,  when 
the  devU  carried  him  on  to  that  great  sin  against  Christ.  But  when  he 
comes  to  unregenerate  men,  they  are  his  subjects,  his  natives,  his  proper 
goods ;  and  he  enters  into  them  as  into  his  own  house.  And  the  reason  of 
it  is  this.  Because  the  saints  are  translated  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
therefore  if  he  will  deal  with  them,  he  must  come  like  a  party  into  another 
kingdom,  into  another's  quarters,  where  he  hath  not  ordinarily  the  power 
and  the  rule ;  and  what  hath  he  to  do  with  another  man's  servant?     That  is 


68  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IV. 

the  law.  A  regenerate  man  is  Christ's  free  man,  therefore,  but  by  special 
permission  from  God,  to  exercise  his  children,  he  doth  not  so  come  to  tempt 
them  as  to  carry  them  on  to  great  sins. 

Now  if  it  be  meant,  as  I  take  it  rather  it  is,  of  men  eminently  wicked, 
that  are  the  ringleaders  of  all  the  devil's  kingdom ;  then,  in  a  word,  here  is 
the  observation  : — 

Obs.  1. — That  Satan  in  his  kingdom  hath  several  sorts  of  sinners,  and 
there  are  some  in  whom  the  devil's  breath  is  so  strong  that  a  man  may  smell 
it ;  as  a  holy  man  may  savour  the  Spirit  of  God  in  another  man  that  is  holy. 
You  may  see  how  it  worketh,  saith  he,  in  some  of  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence, that  are  the  ringleaders — and  so  instances — of  the  bondage  that  all  the 
rest  are  in.  I  say,  of  unregenerate  men,  there  are  several  sizes  of  them ;  yea, 
the  same  man,  as  he  grows  wickeder,  so  he  hath  more  devils.  '  He  brought 
with  him  seven  devils  worse  than  himself  *  You  make  him,'  saith  Christ, 
*  ten  times  more  the  child  of  Satan '  than  he  was.  I  quote  it  for  this,  to 
shew  you  there  are  several  sizes  of  wicked  men,  though  the  meaning  is,  that 
of  every  generation  of  men,  the  second  is  worse  than  the  first ;  for  otherwise 
how  could  they  make  him  worse  than  themselves  1  But  they  making  him  a 
jiroselyte,  the  curse  of  God,  when  they  had  made  him  so,  made  him  worse. 
But  I  wUl  not  stand  upon  that. 

Ohs.  2. — The  second  observation  is  this :  That  which  makes  men  eminently 
wicked,  and  the  spirit  thus  of  the  devil  to  work  in  them,  more  than  in  others, 
it  is  an  unpersuadableness.  They  have  been  dealt  withal  by  God,  and  by 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel ;  they  have  had  some  hints,  some  hearsays  of  it ; 
and  they  refuse  that  light,  and  wiU  not  believe  that  truth.  And  for  this  dis- 
obedience, doth  the  Lord  give  them  up  to  Satan,  to  rule  in  them  more  fuUy, 
and  to  transform  his  spirit  into  them.  In  2  Thess.  ii.  10,  he  cometh  with 
aU  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness.  But  in  whom  is  it  ?  In  them  that  re- 
ceive not  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it. 

Now,  my  brethren,  in  a  word,  this  is  the  Apostle's  scope  plainly  to  me. 
Saith  he,  Whilst  you  were  unregenerated,  you  lived  in  the  devil's  kingdom. 
And  though  you  were  not  opposite  to  the  gospel  of  Christ  then,  and  had  not 
that  spirit  which  you  see  now  worketh  in  some;  why?  because  you  never 
heard  of  the  gospel  before  ;  ye  turned,  when  ye  first  heard  it :  yet  you  may 
see  what  you  would  have  been,  if  God  had  not  turned  you.  That  spirit  that 
you  see  now  worketh  in  men  eminently  wicked, — by  which  you  may  see  that 
the  devil  hath  a  hand  over  men, — that  spirit.  If  you  had  gone  on,  would 
have  wrought  in  most  of  you  too.  So  that  his  scope  is,  to  hold  forth  the 
spirit  that  was  more  eminently  in  some  men  that  were  sinners  amongst  them, 
or  perhaps  in  the  generality  of  men,  that  did  conspire  in  one  way  of  wicked- 
ness, to  let  them  see  what  themselves  would  have  been.  And,  my  brethren, 
we  are  apt  to  forget  our  natural  condition.  Let  us  make  just  that  use  of  it 
the  Apostle  here  dotL  We  think  we  should  not  have  been  so  bad,  we  should 
never  openly  have  done  thus  and  thus,  as  others  do.  Oh,  but  remember  and 
consider  this,  that  whilst  you  walked  in  sin  you  were  under  the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air;  and  look,  what  spirit  you  see  now  works  in  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience,  had  you  not  turned  unto  God,  had  you  been  unteach- 
able  and  unpersuadable,  the  same  spirit  would  have  been  in  you.  So  that 
now  what  wickedness  is  abroad  in  the  world,  all  men  that  are  turned  to  God 
may  make  use  of  it :  The  like  would  have  been  my  heart,  I  should  thus  have 
been  the  slave  of  the  devil ;  as  these  are  carried  headlong,  so  should  I  have 
been. 


EpH.  II.  2,]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  69 

And,  my  brethren,  let  me  add  this  last :  Though  he  speaks  thus  of  such, 
and  saith  they  are  children  of  disobedience,  yet  he  caUs  them  not  the  sons  of 
perdition  :  he  calls  them  children  of  wrath  indeed,  in  respect  of  their  present 
state,  namely,  in  the  next  words;  but  he  calls  them  not  sons  of  perdition,  as 
for  the  future  ordained  to  destruction.  Then,  although  men  should  have  great 
high  spirits  against,  and  be  unteachable,  and  unpersuadable  to  the  truth  of 
God  and  ways  of  religion,  yet  pray  for  them,  seek  to  God  for  them.  Though 
they  are  children  of  disobedience  for  the  present,  yet  it  follows  not  that  they 
are  children  of  perdition,  as  Judas  is  called.  In  2  Tim.  ii.  24,  25,  saith  he, 
*  The  minister  of  God  must  be  gentle,  in  meekness  instructing  those  that 
oppose  themselves ;  if  God  peradventure  will  give  them  repentance,  that 
they  may  recover  themselves  out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil,' — that  though  now 
they  are  under  the  spirit  of  Satan,  and  he  hath  a  snare  upon  them,  and  out 
of  that  they  do  oppose,  yet  in  meekness  instruct  them ;  they  are  children 
of  disobedience,  thou  canst  not  say  they  are  children  of  perdition. — So  much 
now  for  the  opening  of  this  text. 


70  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  V. 


SERMON  V. 

Among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past  in  the  lusts  of 

our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind ;  and  were 
hy  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others. — Ver.  3. 

The  Apostle,  in  this  and  the  two  former  verses,  doth  set  himself  to  give  an 
exact  description  of  all  men  unregenerate  ;  and  as  he  is  comprehensive  in  the 
doctrine  about  it,  so  he  is  as  comprehensive  also  in  the  application.  He  had 
shewn  two  of  the  causes,  that  were  external,  of  all  that  sinfulness  that  is  in 
unregenerate  men  :  the  world,  in  the  2d  verse,  and  the  devil.  And  now  he 
Cometh  to  that  third,  which  is  the  flesh,  or  natural  corruption.  There  were  but 
two  sort  of  persons  in  the  world,  that  shared  the  world  between  them,  and 
they  were  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles  :  and  the  Apostle  doth  apply  all  the 
doctrine  of  man's  unregenerate  condition  by  nature  to  both  these.  And  as 
men  that  read  lectures  of  anatomy  do  not  only  give  the  doctrine  of  the  parts 
of  a  man's  body,  but  they  exemijlify  it  in  having  a  body  cut  up  before  them ; 
so  the  Apostle  here  doth  not  simply  lay  down  the  corrupt  estate  of  man's 
heart  by  nature,  but  he  applies  it,  exemplifies  it,  and  that  both  unto  the  Jew 
and  the  GentUe,  he  shares  this  common  condition  between  them :  '  wherein 
in  time  past  ye  walked,'  speaking  of  the  Gentdes,  ver.  2 ;  '  among  whom 
also  we  all  had  our  conversation,'  speaking  of  the  Jews,  in  this  3d  verse. 

These  words  I  have  read  unto  you,  which  concern  that  third  and  last 
cause  of  all  sin  in  men,  namely,  their  natural  corruption,  which  is  called 
flesh,  divide  themselves  generally  into  two  parts  : — 

1.  The 2Jerso7is  that  he  speaks  this  of;  'we  aU.' 

2.  The  description  he  gives  of  the  state  of  nature,  in  respect  of  inbred 
corruption,  and  the  fruits  of  it  in  these  Ephesians. 

I  ^\ill  begin  first  with  the  persons : — 

Our  holy  Apostle  had  a  care  in  the  application  of  this  doctrine  to  wind  in 
the  Jews  as  well  as  the  Gentiles.  He  named  the  Gentdes  twice  in  the  for- 
mer verses,  '  you  hath  he  quickened,  that  were  dead,'  ver.  1 ;  *  wherein  in 
times  past  past  ye  walked,'  ver.  2.  And  he  nameth  the  Jews  as  often  in 
this  3d  verse,  '  among  whom  we  had  our  conversation ; '  '  and  were  by 
nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.'  He  had  stUl  carried  along  in 
this  epistle  what  God  doth  both  unto  Jews  and  Gentdes :  he  carries  the 
state  of  both  along  with  him  in  everything  he  handles.  When  he  had 
spoken  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  great  benefits  of  redemption,  he  applies  it 
both  to  the  Jews  and  also  to  the  Gentiles.  To  the  Jews,  ver.  1 1, '  In  whom  also 
we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  that  we  should  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory, 
that  first  trusted  in  Christ.'  He  applies  it  to  the  Gentiles,  ver.  13,  'In  whom 
ye  also  trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your 
salvation :  in  whom  also  after  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  holy  Spirit 
of  promise.'  Now,  as  in  the  matter  of  redemption,  and  all  the  benefits  of  it, 
he  applies  it  unto  both ;  so  he  takes  the  like  and  the  same  course  in  the 
matter  of  corruption,  and  of  our  natural  condition. 

And  besides  that  reason  which  many  interpreters  give  why  he  doth  so, 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  71 

namely,  because  he  would  not  seem  to  upbraid  the  Gentiles,  as  the  Jews  were 
wont  to  do,  who  called  them  '  sinners  of  the  GentUes,'  Gal.  ii.  15,  but  that 
he  and  his  countrymen  were  as  bad  as  they, — I  say  that  is  not  the  only 
reason,  but  it  was  to  shew  the  freeness  of  God's  grace  to  save  the  Jews  as 
well  as  the  Gentiles.  For  his  scope,  why  he  doth  mention  the  state  of 
nature  so  exactly,  and  apply  it  thus  to  both  these  sorts  of  persons,  is  to  illus- 
trate the  free  grace  of  God.  Saith  he,  in  the  next  verse,  '  But  God,  who  is 
rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  mercy  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we 
were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us;  by  grace  ye  are  saved.'  So  that  he 
would  shew  that  all,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  needed  it.  You  shall  find 
likewise  he  takes  the  same  course  in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans.  In  the  first 
chapter  he  proves  that  the  Gentiles  were  all  corrupted;  and  in  the  second 
chapter  he  convinceth  them,  and  proveth,  that  the  Jews  were  so  also.  In  the 
third  chapter  he  concludeth  that  all  were  sinners  :  there  is  no  difference, 
saith  he,  '  all  have  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God ;'  and,  '  there  is  none 
righteous,  no,  not  one.'  And  to  what  end  was  all  this  ?  It  was  to  glorify 
the  gi-ace  of  God,  as  it  follows,  ver.  24,  '  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,' 
&c.  And  then  again  he  doth  apply  it  to  the  Jews,  and  he  speaks  as  hard 
words,  and  harder  of  them  than  he  doth  of  the  Gentiles,  and  of  both  in 
respect  of  their  conversations.  The  poor  Gentiles,  they  were  led  away,  he 
saith,  by  the  world  and  by  the  devil ;  he  applies  that  part  of  man's  misery 
unto  them.  But  when  he  comes  to  the  Jews,  '  Ye  were  by  nature  the  chil- 
dren of  wrath,'  saith  he  ;  and,  '  Ye  have  had  your  conversation  in  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh.'  He  shews  the  internal  cause  of  corruption  when  he  applies  it  unto 
them.  And  what  is  the  reason?  You  must  know  this,  that  first,  for  their 
conversations,  the  Jews  would  not  so  much  as  converse  with  the  Gentiles; 
they  called  them  '  sinners  of  the  GentUes,'  Gal.  ii.  They  would  not  so  much 
as  eat  with  them,  as  you  read  in  Acts  x.  that  Peter  would  not,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  ceremonial  law  he  ought  not.  And  so  in  John  iv.,  when  Christ 
conversed  with  the  Samaritan  woman,  there  was  a  wonder  at  it.  But  saith 
the  Apostle  here,  you  Jews  that  stand  so  much  upon  this  privilege,  and 
therefore  think  yourselves  holier,  look  to  your  natural  estate,  and  you  are  of 
the  same  number  with  the  Gentiles ;  '  among  whom  we  also  all  had  our  con- 
versation in  times  past.'  They  stood  likewise  upon  their  privilege  that  they 
were  a  holy  seed,  and  that  they  were  the  children  of  God,  and  that  all 
of  them  were  so  by  birth ;  you  know,  they  said  they  were  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  and  '  we  have  Abraham  to  our  father.'  He  batters  down  that  too ; 
*  We  were  by  nature,'  saith  he,  'the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.'  And 
therefore  now  he  applies  it  thus  to  the  persons  of  the  Jews. 

Now,  all  the  controversy  is  this,  and  it  is  a  thing  that  interpreters  diffei 
in,  that  seeing  the  word  here  which  we  translate,  '  among  whom,'  may 
be  also  interpreted  as  weU,  '  in  which,'  whether  of  these  two  should  be  here 
intended?  The  question  then  is,  whether  'among  whom'  refer  to  the  per- 
sons,— that  is,  '  We  Jews  walked  among  you  Gentiles,  had  our  conversations 
like  to  you?' — or  whether  the  meaning  be  that  'we  Jews  walk  in  the  same 
sins  f  '  In  which  we  also  had  our  conversation,'  as  referring  unto  sins  and 
trespasses,  'wherein  in  times  past  ye  walked,  ver.  1,  2. 

I  for  my  part  think  the  Holy  Ghost  writes  the  Scripture  so  as  to  take  in  a 
comprehensive  meaning;  and  it  hath  been  a  rule  that  I  have  observed  all 
along  in  interpreting  this,  and  shall  in  aU  other  Scriptures.  I  think  he  in- 
tended both.  For  to  say  both  of  these  Jews,  that  as  for  their  persons  they 
are  to  be  reckoned  among  the  Gentiles,  among  the  same  number,  '  among 
whom  we  also ;'  and  to  say  they  walked  in  the  same  sins  and  in  the  same  lusts; 


73  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  V. 

it  makes  the  scope  and  the  sense  more  full,  it  makes  up  the  likeness  of  their 
condition  the  more  and  the  greater.  His  scope  was  to  humble  the  Jews 
in  both  respects,  that  though  they  stood  upon  it  that  they  were  a  privileged 
people,  yet,  saith  he,  you  are  to  be  reckoned  among  the  Gentiles,  '  among 
whom  we  also  walked.'  And  he  would  prove  that  they  were  to  be  reckoned 
among  them,  because  they  walked  in  the  same  sins ;  '  in  which  we  also  walked 
as  well  as  they.' 

So  that  now  these  words  that  are  translated  '  among  whom,'  note  out  two 
things : — 

1.  The  manner  of  their  conversation,  that  they  walked  ad  eundem  modum  ; 
or,  as  the  Vulgar  translation  hath  it,  ad  quem  modum,  in  the  same  sins. 
Quemadmodum  vos,  itcl  et  7ios.    Look,  as  they  Gentiles  walked,  so  did  ye  Jews. 

2.  It  imports  also  that  their  persons  are  to  be  reckoned  in  the  same  num- 
ber ;  ex  eodem  numero,  they  are  in  the  same  number ;  and  are  to  be  put  in 
eodem  albo,  in  the  same  rank  and  catalogue*  with  the  Gentiles. 

Now,  there  is  an  objection  or  two  against  either  interpretation  ;  for  I  take 
in  both,  therefore  I  must  remove  the  objections  against  both. 

The  first  objection,  that  by  h  olg  should  not  be  meant,  '  in  which  sins,'  is 
this.  For,  say  they  that  are  of  another  mind,  then  it  should  have  been  in 
the  feminine  gender,  h  ah,  smce  raTi  dfiairiaig  was  the  last  word  mentioned 
in  the  first  verse ;  therefore  if  it  referred  to  sins,  it  shoidd  have  been  in  the 
feminine  gender. 

But  that  receiveth  an  easy  answer ;  for  as  there  is  dfiaoTiaig,  so  there  is 
vapa':TTuj/j,aai,  namely,  'trespasses,'  in  the  neuter  gender.  But  the  answer 
that  Estius  gives  is  this,  that  it  refers  to  both,  though  the  one  be  the  neuter 
and  the  other  the  feminine  gender ;  yet  when  he  makes  the  participle,  he 
saith  it  refers  unto  both ;  therefore  that  interpretation,  '  in  which,'  will  stand. 

Then  again,  as  for  that  other,  '  among  whom,'  as  our  translation  renders 
it,  that  that  is  more  especially  meant  is  clear,  because  the  nearest  connexion 
doth  carry  it,  the  other  is  a  more  remote  connexion.  For  if  it  be,  '  in  which 
sins,'  it  must  refer  to  the  first  verse,  and  there  comes  in  between  the  whole 
second  verse  ;  but  if  it  refer  to  the  persons,  '  among  whom,'  then  it  referreth 
in  the  next  coherence :  '  among  whom  ' — namely,  which  children  of  disobedi- 
ence— '  we  all  had  our  conversation,'  which  are  the  words  just  before. 

But  there  is  this  objection  against  that,  say  they  that  are  of  another  mind. 
All  the  Jews  were  not  children  of  disobedience ;  for  '  children  of  disobedience' 
doth  imply  persons  eminently  wicked  in  a  more  special  manner,  as  '  chil- 
dren of  Belial'  did.  Now,  the  apostle  saith,  '  among  whom  all  we  had  our 
conversation  ;'  now,  say  they,  all  the  Jews  had  not  their  conversation  among 
children  of  disobedience  ;  there  were  some  more  eminently  children  of  dis- 
obedience amongst  the  Jews,  as  well  as  amongst  the  Gentiles.  This  is  the 
objection  against  that  interpretation. 

But  the  answer  is  easy ;  for,  in  the  first  place,  '  children  of  disobedience' 
doth  not  only  note  out  men  eminently  wicked,  but  it  is  the  common  expres- 
sion given  unto  unregenerate  men.  In  chap.  v.  6,  '  For  which  things,'  saith 
he,  *  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  upon  the  children  of  disobedience.' 

Neither,  secondly,  will  it  foUow  in  the  connexion  that  all  the  Jews  should 
have  been  children  of  disobedience  ;  but  indeed  this  will  follow,  that  they 
are  to  be  reckoned  of  the  same  rank  with  them ;  all  unregenerate  men  shall 
belong,  and  do  belong,  unto  the  same  kingdom  with  the  highest  and  emi- 
nentest  sinners  that  are.  Therefore,  saith  he,  never  boast  yourselves ;  if  you 
be  children  of  disobedience,  if  you  walked  among  them,  you  were  of  that 
company,  of  that  drove. 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  73 

And  indeed  and  in  tnith,  thirdly,  the  Jews  were  in  a  more  peculiar  man- 
ner the  children  of  disobedience  than  the  Gentiles  were.  What  is  the  reason? 
Because  they  had  the  law — they  are  still  called  a  stiflF-necked  jjeople,  which 
is  not  applied  to  the  Gentiles.  Disobedience  is  in  a  more  special  manner 
attributed  unto  them,  because  they  had  the  means,  especially  when  the  gos- 
pel came  upon  them. 

So  now,  the  interpretation  being  fully  cleared,  that  '  among  whom'  refer- 
reth  to  both,  and  the  reason  also  why  it  referreth  to  '  in  which,' — for  I  must 
give  you  a  reason  of  it,  that  '  in  which  sins  ye  walked'  is  also  meant, — the 
reason  of  it  is  this,  because  that  in  Col.  iii.  7,  which  is  a  parallel  epistle  to 
this,  there  it  is,  '  in  which  ye  walked,  whilst  ye  lived  in  them,'  referring  unto 
sins.  And  so  the  Syriac  also  renders  it ;  'in  which,'  viz.,  'in  which  sins  ye 
also  walked.'  And  it  makes  the  Likeness  between  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  to 
be  more  full ;  for  then  his  meaning  is  plainly  this :  we  that  are  Jews  had  a 
lilce  condition  with  the  Gentiles,  first,  in  respect  of  conversation ;  we  all 
walked  in  the  same  sins,  we  had  a  like  condition  in  respect  of  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh :  '  in  which  also  we  all  had  our  conversation,  in  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh.'  And  we  had  a  likeness  of  condition  in  respect  of  natural  corrup- 
tion, which  is  the  ground  of  all ;  '  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath, 
as  well  as  others.'  And  so  now,  having  cleared  this  interpretation,  that  it 
refers  to  both,  yet  especially  to  the  latter,  I  come  to  the  observations  out  of  it. 

There  is  one  great  observation  which  I  will  not  now  insist  on,  but  refer  it 
tm  we  come  to  those  words,  '  were  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  even  as 
others,'  namely  this,  that  original  corruption  is  universal  to  all  mankind, 
both  Jew  and  Gentile.  That  observation  is  proper  to  those  words,  therefore 
I  omit  it  here. 

But  here  he  speaks  of  the  likeness  of  the  Jew  to  the  Gentile,  and  that 
they  are  to  be  reckoned  among  them,  the  Jews  all  one  with  the  Gentiles,  in 
respect  of  their  conversation ;  that  is  the  thing  that  these  first  words  hold 
forth,  '  among  whom  we  also  had  our  conversation,' 

First,  then,  if  the  interpretation  be  that  they  are  to  be  reckoned  of  the  same 
number  with  the  Gentiles,  then  I  make  these  two  observations  upon  it : — 

Obs.  1. — First,  Though  there  be  several  sizes  of  unregenerate  men,  several 
sorts  of  them,  yet  they  that  are  the  best  of  them  are  to  be  reckoned,  and 
they  are  to  reckon  themselves,  and  Jesus  Christ  at  the  latter  day  will  reckon 
them,  even  among  the  worst.  He  had  spoken  of  the  highest  children  of  dis- 
obedience in  the  verses  before,  that  were  more  eminently  such, — for  I  take 
that  interpretation  also  in, — and  it  followeth,  '  among  whom  we  all  had  our 
conversation.'  There  may,  I  say,  be  several  sizes  of  unregenerate  men, 
yet  all  shall  be  reckoned  of  one  sort.  It  is  a  consideration  may  mightily 
strike  us.  Let  men  be  never  so  civil,  let  men  be  temporary  believers  and 
profess  religion  with  never  so  much  strictness,  if  they  be  unregenerate  they 
will  be  reckoned  among  the  children  of  disobedience.  '  Among  whom  we,' 
saith  Paul,  putting  in  himself,  who  had  his  '  conversation  according  to  the 
law,  blameless.'  No  man  could  say  black  was  his  eye.  He  professed  that 
he  walked  according  to  his  conscience  all  his  days ;  yet  I  am  to  be  reckoned, 
saith  he,  and  had  my  conversation  among,  and  shall  be  accounted  of  that 
number,  with  the  highest  children  of  disobedience.  It  is  an  excellent  obser- 
vation that  a  late  critic  hath  made :  that  in  the  Old  Testament,  especially  in 
the  book  of  Proverbs,  where  hell  is  mentioned  or  spoken  of,  as  it  is  often,  the 
word  in  the  Hebrew  signifies  the  Place  of  the  Giants.  '  They  shall  go  down 
into  hell,'  that  is,  to  the  place  of  the  giants.  That  was  the  term  that  the 
Jews  did  anciently  give  to  hell.     What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?     You  know 


74  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SiiKMON  V. 

that  the  giants  of  the  old  world  were  the  eminent,  grand  wicked  men.  Gen. 
vL  5,  '  The  wickedness  of  man  was  great  upon  earth.'  And  he  saith  there 
were  giants  that  did  corrupt  their  ways  before  him  ;  and  the  earth  was  filled 
with  violence.  Now,  the  flood  came  and  swept  all  these  giants  away,  and 
carried  them  all  to  hell.  And  because  such  a  cluster  of  them  went  there  all 
at  once,  hell  had  its  name  from  thence ;  and  whoever  went  to  heU,  though 
he  were  a  Jew,  though  he  were  never  so  strict,  if  unregenerate  he  went  to 
the  place  of  the  giants,  he  went  among  wicked  men ;  and  so  they  are  to  be 
reckoned  here.  Nay,  the  gospel  speaks  higher  words  of  hell,  as  in  relation 
to  whom  wicked  men  shall  be  gathered.  Matt.  xxv.  41.  He  speaks  to  all 
unregenerate  men,  that  shall  be  found  so  at  the  latter  day,  that  died  in  that 
estate,  though  there  be  never  so  many  sizes  of  them,  Go  into  the  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devn  and  his  angels.  They  are  not  only  gathered  to  the  giants, 
but  they  are  gathered  to  their  great  prince,  Satan.  They  walked  according 
to  the  prince  of  the  air,  and  they  shall  go  to  hell,  where  the  prince  of  the 
fire  is,  when  he  is  there — a  poor  prince,  when  he  is  there.  And  God  will 
bring  forth  men  so,  though  they  walk  among  the  drove  of  his  children  in 
profession  now,  yet  if  they  walk  in  by-lanes,  God  will  rank  them  at  the  lat- 
ter day,  yea,  often  in  this  world,  with  the  workers  of  iniquity.  In  Ps.  cxxv. 
5,  *  As  to  such  as  turn  aside  to  their  crooked  ways,'  that  walk  in  by-lanes  of 
sin,  '  the  Lord  shall  lead  them  forth  with  the  workers  of  iniquity.'  They 
do  walk  after  them  here  before  God,  and  God  will  manifest  so  much  before 
he  hath  done.  The  Lord,  saith  he,  shall  lead  them  forth  with  the  workers 
of  iniquity. 

And  the  reason,  my  brethren,  why  they  are  to  be  reckoned  among  them, 
and  as  walkers  among  them,  though  they  sever  themselves  from  them  in  re- 
spect of  external  conversation,  is,  because  they  agree  in  the  same  internal 
principle  of  sin.  They  walk  in  lusts,  every  unregenerate  man  doth  ;  refine 
him  how  you  will,  it  is  certain  he  doth.  Now,  the  fellowship  that  men  have 
with  other  wicked  men,  lies  not  so  much  in  keeping  company  personally 
with  them,  as  it  lies  in  walking  in  the  same  lusts  and  in  the  same  sins, 
smaller  or  greater.  '  Have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  dark- 
ness.' Fellowship  lies  in  the  works  more  than  in  the  persons  ;  it  lies  in  the 
consent,  as  Ps.  1.  18. 

And  then,  again,  there  is  this  observation,  but  you  need  not  make  a  dis- 
tinct one  of  it,  that  those,  even  among  Christians, — for  there  is  the  same 
reason, — that  live  in  the  same  lusts  that  the  Gentiles  do,  they  shall  all  be 
reckoned  as  Gentiles  before  God.  '  Among  whom,'  saith  he,  '  we  aU  had  our 
conversation  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.'  If  they  live  in  lusts,  they  are  said  to 
live  as  Gentiles ;  for  lusts  are  called  in  a  more  peculiar  manner  the  '  lusts 
of  the  Gentiles.'  My  brethren,  in  Rev.  xi.  2  you  find  that  the  holy  city  is 
to  be  given  up  to  the  GentUes,  to  tread  down  for  a  certain  time.  Whom 
doth  he  mean  there  by  GentUes  1  Why,  he  meaneth  indeed  and  in  truth  the 
Popish  Christians ;  for  it  is  a  preparatiom  to  the  killing  of  the  witnesses, 
which  is  in  that  chapter,  which  is  clear  shall  be  done  by  the  beast ;  and  you 
know  who  the  beast  is.  He  saith,  ver.  7,  that  '  the  beast  that  ascendeth 
out  of  the  bottomless  pit  shall  make  war  against  them,  and  shall  overcome 
them,  and  kill  them.'  Now  he  caUeth  them,  though  they  jjrofess  Chris- 
tianity, Gentiles ;  and  the  prophets  of  old  used  the  same  language,  Jer.  ix. 
26.  There  is  but  this  difference,  saith  he,  between  you  Jews  that  are  wicked 
and  the  Gentiles  :  they  are  uncircumcised  in  the  flesh,  and  ye  are  uncircum- 
cised  in  the  heart.  And  let  me  add  this  further,  for  I  fear  it  is  a  thing  to 
be  fulfilled,  and  I  have  feared  it  many  years,  that  when  once  the  temple 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  75 

of  God  i3  measured, — and  the  reed  is  in  men's  hands,  doing  it  now,  and  hath 
been  a  good  while, — and  the  altar  of  worship,  and  the  worshippers,  them 
that  worship  therein,  as  it  is  Eev.  xL  1 ;  that  then  this  temple  wiU  be  given 
up  to  these  Gentiles  to  be  trodden  down  ;  and  why  1  Because  there  is  so 
great  an  outward  court  laid  to  this  temple.  The  temple  should  consist  of 
those  that  are  priests  and  saints ;  but  the  reformed  churches  have  laid  too 
great  an  outward  court,  which  are  as  bad  as  Gentiles :  therefore,  saith  he, 
seeing  they  stand  upon  GentUe  ground,  the  Gentiles  shall  re-enter  again. 
He  saith  that  the  court  that  was  without  the  temple  was  not  to  be  measured; 
for  they  are  not  fit  to  be  worshippers,  though  they  be  Christians  ;  for  it  is 
given  to  the  Gentiles,  and  the  holy  city  shall  they  tread  under  foot.  And 
therefore  now,  as  Musculus  well  observeth,  for  us  to  boast  against  the  Papists, 
We  are  the  reformed  churches ;  yet,  for  the  multitude  and  shoal  of  Christians 
to  walk  in  the  same  lusts,  they  are,  saith  he,  to  be  accounted  to  live  even 
Popishly  ;  as  these  Jews  are  reckoned  to  live  heathenishly,  whilst  they  walk 
in  the  same  lusts  the  Gentiles  did.  And  though  men  are  not  idolaters,  as 
the  Papists  are  ;  yet,  notwithstanding,  whilst  they  walk  in  their  lusts,  they 
are  idolaters  stilL  For  you  shall  find,  in  CoL  iii.  5,  the  Apostle,  speaking 
there  of  covetousness,  and  uncleanness,  and  the  like,  saith  he,  '  which  are 
idolatry.'  Some  indeed  read  it,  '  which  is  idolatry,'  and  so  refer  it  only  to 
covetousness  ;  '  and  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry.'  But  other  copies  are, 
'  which  are  idolatry,'  referring  to  '  fornication,  and  vmcleanness,  and  evil  con- 
cupiscence, and  covetousness,  which  are  idolatry ; '  because  indeed  they  do 
set  up  idols  in  their  hearts  which  they  worship ;  for  every  lust  setteth  up 
another  thing  beside  God  ;  and  it  is  as  truly  GentUism,  as  truly  idolatry,  as 
Popish  or  heathenish  idolatry  is  ;  only  this  devil  of  idolatry  takes  a  shape, 
and  appears  visibly  to  them  and  in  them,  but  it  is  invisibly  in  the  hearts  of 
others. — And  so  much  now  for  that  first  observation  from  those  words, 
'  among  whom  we  also  walked.' 

Obs.  2. — I  will  give  you  a  second,  and  that  is  this  :  That  there  is  no  ligJit 
or  means  will  do  corrupt  nature  good.  Are  the  Jews  born  under  the  light 
of  the  law  1  Had  they  the  light  of  the  gospel  come  upon  them  also  by  John 
Baptist,  and  by  Christ,  and  by  the  apostles,  and  do  they  remain  still  and 
walk  in  their  lusts  ?  I  say,  no  means  will  do  corrupt  nature  good.  And  in 
Rom.  viiL  you  have  a  place  for  it.  '  The  law,'  saith  he,  '  was  weak  through 
the  flesh,'  ver.  3.  Go  and  inform  men  never  so  much  with  the  law,  and 
though  it  seem  to  be  a  strong  thing  to  work  upon  a  man,  to  tell  him  of 
hell,  ttc.,  yet,  saith  he,  it  is  '  weak  through  the  flesh.'  That  natural  corrup- 
tion that  is  in  a  man  will  never  be  wrought  upon  by  it,  it  will  hinder  the 
working  of  the  physic,  be  it  never  so  strong ;  flesh  wiU,  corruption  will. 
Isa.  xxvi  10,  let  them  live  in  a  land  of  uprightness,  they  will  deal  unjustly, 
and  will  not  behold  the  majesty  of  the  Lord.  The  Jews  here  had  aU 
these  means,  yet  they  remained  still  in  the  same  unregenerate  condition. 
Men  may  restrain  indeed,  the  gospel  may  do  so,  and  the  law  may  do  so,  re- 
strain corruption  in  men,  yet  they  will  please  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  still,  they 
will  walk  in  them  ;  and  if  not  in  the  grosser  lusts  of  the  flesh,  yet  they  will 
walk  in  the  lusts  of  the  mind.  There  are  other  spiritual  lusts  in  the  under- 
standing, that,  let  corrupt  nature  be  cooped  up  never  so  much,  let  the  gospel, 
let  the  law,  all  grapple  with  it,  it  will  be  corrupt  nature  still.  '  Among  whom 
also  we' — we  Jews,  that  had  all  those  means — '  had  our  conversation  in  the 
lusts  of  the  fiesL' 

065.  3.— I  will  add  a  third  observation,  and  that  is  this  :  That  no  privi- 
leges whatsoever  men  can  have  will  save  them  from  an  unregenerate  condition. 


76  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  V. 

The  law,  and  having  the  privileges  thereof,  will  not  do  it ;  neither  will  the 
gospel,  and  all  the  privileges  thereof,  do  it.  The  privileges  of  the  law  wotdd 
not  do  it,  you  see  by  this  text,  and  you  may  have  it  more  clear  in  Rom.  iL 
25,  and  so  to  the  end.  '  Circumcision,'  saith  he,  'verily  profiteth,  if  thou  keep 
the  law  :  but  if  thou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is  made  uncir- 
cumcision.  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  outwardly,  neither  is  that  circum- 
cision which  is  outward  in  the  flesh ;  but  he  is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly,  and 
circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter,  whose 
praise  is  of  God,  and  not  of  men.'  The  law,  you  see,  will  not  do  it.  And 
the  gospel  wiU  not  do  it,  though  the  gospel  uncaseth  men  much  more.  There 
was  a  kind  of  ceremonial  typical  holiness  under  the  law,  whereby  aU  the 
seed  of  Abraham  were  holy  unto  God ;  but  when  the  gospel  came,  it  uncased 
them.  "What  saith  John  Baptist,  when  he  began  first  to  preach  the  gospel  ? 
*  Think  not,'  saith  he,  '  to  say  within  yourselves.  We  have  Abraham  to  our 
father.'  And  it  was  prophesied  of  Christ,  when  his  day  should  come  to 
preach  the  gospel,  that  he  should  do  it  much  more :  Mai.  iii.  1,  *  I  will  send 
my  messenger,  and  he  shall  prepare  the  way  before  me,' — that  is,  John  Bap- 
tist, for  so  it  is  applied.  Matt.  xi.  10, — '  even  the  messenger  of  my  covenant, 
whom  ye  delight  in ;  behold,  he  shaU  come.  But  who  may  abide  the  day  of 
his  coming  1  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like  fullers'  soap  ;'  and  he.  shall 
sit  in  his  shoj),  saith  he,  in  his  church,  *as  a  refiner  and  purifier  of  silver; 
and  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi.'  He  came  and  purified  the  church 
more  and  more ;  tells  them,  except  their  righteousness  exceed  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  they  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.  And,  my  brethren,  this  you  shall  find,  that  stiU  the  higher  and  purer 
the  gospel  riseth  in  the  light  of  it,  the  more  unregenerate  men  wiU  be  dis- 
covered, and  their  privileges  which  they  possess  in  the  church  of  Goal  be 
taken  from  them.  Not  only  ignorance  and  profaneness,  but  civility ;  yea,  in 
the' end  it  will  rise  so  high  that  aU  temporary  believers  shall  be  discovered 
in  that  glorious  new  Jerusalem.  There  shall  not  be  a  man  there  that 
maketh  a  lie ;  not  only  not  a  man  that  telleth  a  lie,  but  not  a  man  that 
maketh  a  lie  ;  that  is,  not  a  man  whose  heart  is  not  changed,  not  a  man 
that  is  in  the  least  degi-ee  a  Gentile  ;  and  aU  unbelievers  shall  be  without. 
StUl  as  the  gospel  goes  higher,  it  uncases  men  the  more,  and  discovers  the 
vanity  of  such  outward  privileges  as  these  are,  and  wiU  thrust  them  out. 
— So  much  now  for  the  first  thing  in  the  text,  '  Among  whom  we.' 

Among  whom  we  all. — I  must  speak  a  little  to  that  word  '  all,'  and  it  .shall 
be  but  a  little ;  that  is,  all  we  Jews,  or  more  especially,  aU  we  that  are  be- 
lievers, converted  of  the  Jews ;  saith  he,  '  we  all,'  aU  we  apostles,  we  were 
once  unregenerate  men,  and  we  lived  in  that  state  and  condition,  and  in  the 
same  lusts  that  ye  Gentiles  did ;  and  all  the  converts  among  the  Jews  they 
did  so  too. 

Now  you  Will  say  unto  me.  Were  there  none  of  these  that  were  holy  even 
from  their  infancy  ? 

Yes,  my  brethren,  it  may  be  there  were  some,  but  there  were  but  a  very 
few.  You  know  John  Baptist  was ;  but  aU,  that  is,  the  generality,  for  the 
most  part  even  aU  the  behevers  that  lived  among  us,  they  were  for  some  time 
in  a  natural  and  unregenerate  condition. 

But  there  is  a  special  reason  why  it  was  spoken  of  the  Jews  in  the 
Apostle's  time,  '  we  all  j'  for  the  truth  is  this,  in  the  Old  Testament  you 
shall  find  very  few  conversions ;  you  do  not  read  when  Isaac  was  converted  : 
you  read,  indeed,  that  Abraham  had  a  call,  for  the  text  saith  he  was  an 
idolater  :  but  take  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  Joseph,  and  Moses,  and  you  shall 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  77 

read  nowhere  of  their  conversion  ;  whereas  ye  have  abundance  of  stories  of 
conversions  in  the  New  Testament :  but  in  the  Old  Testament,  the  truth  is, 
God  wrought  much  even  from  their  infancy ;  although  that  speaks  of  con- 
version too  ;  for  the  prophet  saith  that  Levi  turned  many  from  their  iniquity 
whilst  he  kept  the  covenant,  Mai.  ii.  G  ;  and  in  Ps.  li.,  David  saith,  '  sinners 
shall  be  converted  unto  thee.'  But  yet  before  the  times  of  the  gospel,  before 
the  time  of  John  Baptist's  preaching,  the  truth  is,  there  was  then  such  a  cor- 
ruption generally  among  the  Jews,  that  they  were  in  a  manner,  as  it  were,  all 
left  in  their  natural  condition,  there  were  very  few  godly  among  them,  that 
so  the  fruit  of  the  gospel  might  the  more  appear.  I  will  give  you  but  one 
text  for  it,  Luke  i.  17.  It  is  said  there  of  John  that  when  he  should  come 
to  preach,  he  should  '  turn  the  hearts  of  the  children  to  their  fathers ;'  that 
is,  whereas  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  those  holy  and  godly  fathers, 
had  been  for  justification  by  grace,  they  had  rested  upon  the  Messiah,  the 
promise  of  God,  and  had  turned  to  God,  and  served  him  truly ;  these  Jews 
were  so  generally  corrupted,  that  tlie  whole  nation  needed  a  new  conversion, 
to  be  of  the  old  fathers'  religion ;  therefore  it  is  said  he  shoidd  '  turn  the 
hearts  of  the  children  to  their  fathers.' 

But  then,  again,  there  is  a  third  answer.  '  We  all ;'  he  shews  not  so 
much,  de  facto,  what  all  were,  or  in  a  strict  word,  or  in  strict  terms  that  all 
the  Jews  had  been  unregenerate  for  a  long  while  before  they  were  turned  ; 
but  his  scope  is  to  shew  what  the  generality  of  them  were,  and  what  all 
would  have  been ;  the  same  nature  would  have  wrought  the  same  effect,  had 
not  the  grace  of  God  come  and  put  the  difference. 

I  should  likewise  speak  a  little  to  these  words,  in  times  2^ast ;  but  I  shall 
meet  with  it  so  often,  as  in  ver.  11,  '  Remember,  that  ye  being  in  time  past 
Gentiles  in  the  flesh ;'  and  in  the  next  words  hkewise,  '  and  were  the  chil- 
dren of  wrath  :'  and  the  observation  I  have  upon  it  I  will  not  now  insist 
upon,  but  rather  come  to  what  foUoweth.  And  so  now  I  come  to  these  other 
words — 

We  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  j^ast  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfill- 
ing the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  ;  and  were  hy  nature  the  children 
of  wrath,  even  as  others. 

Here  is  an  exceeding  exact  description  of  the  corruption  of  man's  heart 
and  conversation  by  nature.  And  the  Apostle  hath  a  double  scope  in  it. 
His  scope  is — 

First,  to  shew  the  pedigree  of  causes  of  all  that  corruption  that  is  in  men 
while  they  are  unregenerate ;  as  he  had  shewn  the  world  to  be  a  cause,  and 
the  devil  to  be  a  cause,  so  here  the  flesh,  the  cause  of  causes,  he  putting 
this  difference  between  the  causes,  that  Satan  and  the  world  are  but  external 
causes.  '  We  walk  according  to  the  course  of  the  world,  and  according  to 
the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air ;'  but  when  he  speaks  of  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  he  speaks  of  that  as  the  internal  cause  :  '  We  walk  in  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,'  &c.  You  have  here,  my  brethren,  aU  the  causes  of  sin  in  men's  lives. 
You  have  sin  in  the  heraldry  of  the  causes  of  it.  We  have  it  emblazoned 
here  as  fuUy  as  can  be  desired.     For — 

1.  Here  is  flesh,  corrupt  nature,  which  sticks  in  us,  which  is  as  the  root 
and  fountain. 

2.  Here  are  lusts,  which  are  the  first-bom  of  that  flesh,  of  that  corruption, 
that  are  the  immediate  ebullitions,  the  boilings,  the  springings  up  from  that 
fountain. 

3.  Here  is  a  division  of  the  several  sorts  of  lusts ;  he  doth  not  only  call 
them  lusts,  in  the  plural,  because  they  are  many,  but  he  gives  us  their  several 


78  A.N  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SdRMOK  V- 

sorts.  There  are  lusts  of  tlie  flesli,  or  the  body,  the  sensual  part,  wherein 
the  soul  partaketh  with  the  body ;  and  there  are  the  lusts  of  the  mind,  the 
superior  part,  whose  actings  are  abstracted  from  the  body.  Then  there  is 
the  outward  conversation.  The  flesh  begets  lusts,  and  the  lusts  bring  forth 
a  corrupt  conversation ;  '  we  had  our  conversation  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  ;' 
they  are  as  the  streams,  or  the  springings  that  lusts  from  the  fountain  make. 
And  the  conversation,  the  badness  of  that,  he  setteth  forth  two  ways.  (1.) 
By  the  constancy  of  it ;  that  all  an  unregenerate  man's  courses  are  nothing 
else  but  sin — they  walked  in  it,  had  their  whole  conversation  in  it.  (2.)  That 
it  is  nothing  else  but  a  fulfilling  of  some  lust  or  other ;  '  fulfilling,'  saith  he, 
'the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.' 

4.  Because  it  will  be  said,  man  is  a  reasonable  creature,  and  hath  an  un- 
derstanding and  a  will,  and  is  not  led  to  an  action  as  beasts  are,  by  brutish 
and  unreasonable  passions, — can  lusts  carry  a  reasonable  man  on  alone  in  a 
brutish  way,  as  beasts  are  led? — therefore  he  tells  you  that  the  truth  is, 
that  these  lusts  have  all  of  them,  before  they  come  to  act,  the  consent  of 
the  will ;  and  therefore  what  he  calleth  lusts  in  the  first  j)art  of  the  dis- 
course,— '  had  our  conversation  in  the  hists  of  the  flesh,' — he  varies  the  phrase 
in  the  next,  '  doing  the  wills  of  the  flesh,'  so  it  is  in  the  Greek,  ra  SsX^j^ara 
r^s  (Saoxhc..  But  doth  the  will  move  without  the  understanding  ?  No,  there 
is  the  will  of  the  mind  too,  tuv  diamiJii,  it  is  in  the  plural  too.  Take  all  the 
intellectual  powers  in  a  man,  they  are  all  corrupt,  they  have  all  their  lusts, 
and  they  aU  concur  through  their  corruption  to  dictate  to  the  wiU  to  yield 
to  all  these  lusts.     But  then — 

5.  The  question  will  be,  how  do  we  come  to  be  thus  corrupt  ?  What  is 
the  cause  of  aU  this  '  flesh,'  which  is  the  cause  of  lusts,  and  which  is  seated 
thus  in  the  will  and  understanding,  and  which  causeth  all  men's  sins  in  their 
lives'?  If  you  ask  me  how  you  come  by  it,  I  will  tell  you,  saith  the 
Apostle  ;  you  had  it  by  nature.  We  were  aU  the  children  of  wrath  by  nature, 
therefore  we  were  sinful  by  nature  ;  for  the  object  of  God's  wrath  and  anger 
is  only  sin.     That  is  one  scope. 

But  a  second  scope  the  Apostle  hath  is,  as  to  shew  the  causality  of  sin 
in  this  its  pedigree,  that  flesh  is  the  original  of  lusts,  those  lusts  are  the 
original  of  all  the  wicked  conversation  in  us,  to  which  the  will  consents,  and 
the  understanding  also ;  so  likewise  his  scope  is  to  afi'ord  matter  of  humilia- 
tion to  those  Ephesian  GentUes  and  the  Jews  also,  and  so  to  all  mankind, 
and  to  magnify  the  free  grace  of  God  the  more ;  and  therefore  he  doth  set 
forth  corrupt  nature  in  the  full  and  most  exact  manner  that  we  find  in  all 
the  book  of  God ;  as,  when  I  open  the  particulars,  will  appear.  I  thought  to 
have  done  it  now  by  way  of  .analysis,  but  I  shall  not  be  able  then  to  come 
to  the  particular  exposition  of  these  words,  '  had  our  conversation  in  the 
lusts  of  our  flesh,'  which  I  would  make  an  end  of ;  therefore  I  will  reserve  it 
till  the  last  of  all,  where  it  will  come  in  as  welL    I  am  to  open  three  things  : — 

1.  What  is  meant  hj  flesh. 

2.  What  is  meant  by  lusts  of  the  flesh. 

3.  What  this  importeth,  to  have  our  conversation  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 
First,  what  is  meant  hj  flesh  ?     I  must  do  two  things  in  that  : — 

1.  What  the  thing  itself  is  that  is  meant  by  flesh,  namely,  that  corrup- 
tion of  nature  original 

2.  The  reason  of  the  phrase,  why  this  original  corruption  is  termed  the  flesh. 
I  shall  do  both  these,  as  briefly  as  possibly  I  can.     And — 

First,  For  the  thing  itself,  I  will  give  you  but  this  brief  description  or 
definition  of  it,  and  give  you  Scripture  for  eveiy  word  of  it,  or  for  the  chief 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  Tira  EPIIESIANS.  79 

branches  of  it.  It  is  a  sinful  disposition  in  man's  nature,  that  is  become  his 
nature,  -svhereby  it  is  empty  of  all  good,  yea,  opposite  to  it,  to  all  good  that 
is  towards  God,  and  containeth  in  it  the  seeds  and  princiijles  of  all  sins 
■whatsoever.     This  in  a  word  is  meant  by  '  flesh.'     Now  to  make  this  out — 

1.  I  say  it  is  a  corrupt  disposition,  or  bias,  as  I  may  so  call  it,  in  the 
nature  of  man,  in  the  whole  nature  of  man.  It  is  not  the  substance  of  man's 
nature  ;  for  then,  when  it  was  said,  '  The  Word  was  made  flesh,'  the  meaning 
were,  that  the  Word  was  made  sin,  if  that  flesh  and  corruption  had  been  the 
substance  of  man's  nature,  and  Jesus  Christ  and  we  had  not  been  of  the 
same  nature  as  he  was  man.  In  John  iii.  6,  saith  Christ,  '  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh.'  He  evidently  meant  here  by  '  flesh '  a  distinct 
thing  from  the  nature  of  man ;  for  he  saith  that  '  that  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh,'  even  as  he  saith  that  '  that  which  is  bom  of  the  Spirit  is 
spirit.'  By  '  spirit '  in  the  last  words,  he  meaneth  a  differing  thing  from 
Spirit  in  the  first  words ;  so  when  he  saith,  *  is  flesh,'  he  meaneth  a  differing 
thing  from  that  which  is  bom  of  flesh.     The  one  notes  out  the  substance ;  the 

O  ... 

other,  the  adjunct  disposition  of  it. 

Wliich  disposition  is  yet  now  become  man's  nature, — that  is,  as  natural 
dispositions  are, — and  all  this  emptiness  of  good,  and  seeds  of  all  evil :  there- 
fore the  next  words  tell  us,  that  he  is  by  nature,  as  I  shall  open  it  afterwards 
in  part,  the  chUd  of  wrath.  And  as  there  is  a  divine  nature,  that  hath  the 
seeds  of  all  good  in  it,  all  things  belonging  to  life  and  godliness,  2  Peter  i. 
3,  4, — compare  but  the  verses  together;  it  is  called  the  divine  nature,  and  it 
is  said  to  have  all  things  belonging  to  life  and  godliness, — so  this  corrupt 
nature  of  ours,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  disposition  to  all  evil  I  say,  a  disposi- 
tion. And  therefore,  although  this  corrupt  nature  of  man  is  sometimes  called 
'flesh ;'  yet  you  shall  find  in  other  scriptures  it  is  said  to  be  '  fleshly,'  and 
said  to  be  '  carnal.'  Though  it  be  called  flesh  in  the  abstract,  for  some 
reasons,  yet  to  shew  it  is  but  a  disposition  in  man's  nature,  not  the  substance 
of  his  nature,  therefore  he  is  said  to  be  fleshly;  as  in  Rom.  vii.  14,  '  I  am 
carnal,' — it  is  the  same  word,  but  only  there  is  an  adjective;  he  saith  not,  I 
am  flesh,  but,  I  am  carnal, — '  sold  under  sin.'  As  that  spirit  which  is  bom 
of  the  Spirit  is  called  the  spiritual  man  in  Scripture ;  so  that  which  is  bom 
of  the  flesh,  and  called  flesh,  is  called  the  carnal  man  in  Scripture.  1  Cor. 
iii.  3,  'Are  ye  not  carnal  1'  And,  1  Peter  ii.  11,  they  are  called  'fleshly 
lusts ; '  because  this  flesh  is  but  an  adjunct,  it  is  but  a  corrupt  quality,  or 
corrupt  disposition,  that  clingeth  to  man's  nature. — ^And  so  much  now  for 
the  first  part  of  the  definition. 

2.  It  makes  man's  nature  empty  of  all  good  dispositions  whatsoever;  it 
importeth  an  emptiness,  a  vacuity  of  all  good.  What  saith  the  Apostle,  Rom. 
vii.  1  '  In  my  flesh  dweUeth  no  good  thing.'  And  yet  if  ever  in  any  man's 
flesh,  in  his  unregenerate  part,  there  had  reason  to  have  been  some  good 
thing,  there  was  as  much  reason  it  should  have  been  in  Paul's  unregenerate 
part  as  ever  in  any  one's.  Why  1  Because  there  was  so  much  grace  mingled 
wdth  it.  Yet  all  that  grace  could  never  kill  it,  never  work  good  in  it,  so  long 
as  it  remained ;  it  might  destroy  it,  but  it  could  never  teach  the  unregene- 
rate part  good,  or  work  the  least  good  in  it.  Nay,  it  is  not  only  an  empti- 
ness of  all  good,  but  it  is  an  enmity  to  all  good ;  as  you  have  it,  Rom.  viiL 
7.  He  saith  that  the  fleshly  mind,  or  <pp6vr,aa, — the  least  stirrings  of  the 
flesh  in  any  act, — is  enmity  against  God.     And — 

3.  It  containeth  in  it  the  mass,  it  is  the  seed,  the  seminary  of  all  sort  of 
sin  whatsoever.  For  that  I  will  give  you  that  place  in  Col.  ii.  1 1,  '  The 
body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh.'     It  is  a  whole  body  of  sin.     What  is  the  mean- 


80  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  V. 

ing  of  tliat  1  In  a  word  thus :  go  take  a  child's  body,  and  it  hath  all  the 
parts ;  though  they  are  not  so  big  as  a  man's  that  is  gxown  up,  yet  it  hath 
all  the  parts  of  a  man.  So  go,  take  that  corruption  that  lies  in  the  heart  of 
every  child,  it  is  a  whole  body  of  sin,  it  is  perfect  for  parts,  indeed  the  Ihnbs 
may  grow  greater  and  greater,  as  men  grow  wickeder;  for  this  original  cor- 
iniption,  I  mean,  this  vicious  disposition,  is  increased  in  men  ;  but  yet,  not- 
withstanding, it  is  not  increased  by  adding  new  parts  of  corruption  to  it, 
but  the  seeds  of  all  were  at  the  first,  and  it  still  groweth  greater  and  greater. 
So  you  see  here,  as  briefly  as  I  can,  what  Jiesh  is. 

That  which  hath  exercised  my  thoughts  most  is  why  it  is  called  Jlesh. 
I  find  that  the  Old  Testament  did  use  it  from  the  very  first.  Gen.  vi.  3. 
When  God  gives  the  reason  there  why  he  would  destroy  man,  and  indeed  the 
very  sons  of  God,  they  that  professed  themselves  to  be  the  sons  of  God,  but 
were  all  generally  unregenerate,  but  Noah,  and  one  or  two  more  that  be- 
longed to  his  family,  he  gives  this  reason  for  it,  expresseth  it  thus :  '  The 
Lord  said.  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man,  for  that  he  also  is 
flesL'  By  '  flesh  '  here  he  doth  not  mean  that  man  is  a  frail  creature ;  but 
he  speaks  of  him  as  he  is  sinful,  as  he  is  corrupt,  and  his  meaning  is  this :  I 
see,  saith  he,  that  man  is  nothing  but  flesh,  that  his  whole  nature  is  nothing 
but  a  resisting  and  an  opposmg  of  my  Spirit ;  and  therefore  my  Spirit  shall 
not  always  strive  with  him  for  that  he  is  flesh.  Yet,  '  his  days  shall  be  a 
hundred  and  twenty  years,'  not\vithstanding  they  were  so  generally  cornipt. 
And  that  he  meaneth  by  '  flesh '  the  corrupt  nature  of  man,  I  have  much  to 
make  plain,  but  I  shall  in  a  word  manifest  it.  It  is  not  only  because  it  is 
alleged  as  a  cause  of  the  flood,  and  because  it  is  brought  in  as  ojDposite  to 
the  Spirit ;  but  in  the  5th  verse  he  sheweth  the  fruits  of  this  '  flesh.'  '  God 
saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  ima- 
gination of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually.'  And  then 
compare  with  it  chap,  viii  21.  He  had  given  a  reason  here  in  this  6th 
chapter  why  he  would  bring  the  flood ;  and,  mark  it,  the  reason  must  be  general, 
for  the  flood  destroyed  infants  as  well  as  those  of  riper  years,  and  therefore  he 
gives  a  reason  that  shaU  reach  infants,  and  all :  and  he  saith,  they  were  flesh. 
Now  in  the  8th  chapter,  ver.  21,  he  giveth  a  reason  why  he  would  not  any 
more  bring  the  flood ;  and  what  is  it  ?  '  The  Lord  said  in  his  heart,  I  will 
not  curse  the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake ;  for  the  imagination  of  man's 
heart  is  evil  from  his  youth,'  or  infancy.  There  are  some  inter2)reters  that 
read  it  thus  :  I  vnM  not  destroy  it,  although  the  imagination  of  man's  heart 
is  evil ;  before,  indeed,  I  destroyed  the  world  because  man  is  flesh,  and  be- 
cause the  imaghiation  of  his  heart  is  continually  evil  from  his  youth ;  yet, 
although  I  did  it  once,  I  will  not  do  it  again.  It  comes  all  to  one,  the 
meaning  is  this  :  I  have  now  received  a  sacrifice,  I  smell  the  savour  of  the 
blood  of  Christ  in  Noah's  sacrifice ;  therefore  for  his  sacrifice'  sake  I  will  be 
patient  with  man ;  for  he  is  corrupt,  and  I  must  bring  I  know  not  how  many 
floods  to  wash  away  liis  corruption,  therefore  I  wiU  be  patient.  I  only  bring 
it  for  this,  to  shew  that  the  word  '  flesh '  is  used  for  original  sin.  I  might 
be  large  in  this. 

Only,  by  the  way,  let  me  observe  this  one  thing  ujDon  it :  that  the  old 
world,  you  see,  was  weU  instructed  in  the  doctrine  of  original  corruption. 
God  reveals  it  plainly  to  Noah,  gives  it  for  a  reason  of  the  flood.  And  there 
was  good  reason  why  it  should  be  then  weU  known,  because  that  the  world 
had  fallen  not  many  hundred  years  before  in  Adam,  and  Adam  hved  nine 
hundred  of  them  to  teU  the  story  of  it.  So  that  indeed  the  doctrine  of 
man's  corruption  was  perhaps  more  rife  and  quick  in  those  times,  than  in 


KpII.   II.   3.j  TO  THE  EPHKSIANS.  81 

after-times  it  was  unto  the  very  Jews  themselves.  Now  then,  the  Old 
Testament  having  used  the  word  '  flesh,'  our  Saviour  Christ  continues  it ; 
and  in  John  iii.  6,  giving  the  reason  why  that  every  man  must  be  born  again, 
or  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  he  tells  them,  because  every 
man  by  his  first  birth  is  nothing  but  flesh, — that  is,  nothing  but  corruption, 
nothing  but  sin,  '  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,' — therefore  of 
necessity  men  must  be  born  again.  And  the  apostles  after  Christ  did  use  it, 
and  the  New  Testament  in  the  epistles  commonly  useth  it,  and  putteth  it  for 
corruption. 

But  now  to  give  you  the  reasons  of  this  appellation  in  a  word  or  two  : — 
First,  it  is  called  flesh  in  distinction  from,  and  in  opposition  to  S2nrit. 
The  Jews  did  call  things  flesh  that  were  not  spirit.  Hence  therefore  now, 
if  it  were  a  substantial  spirit  that  flesh  was  distinguished  from,  look  what 
kind  of  spirit  that  any  thing  was  diff'erenced  from,  in  that  sense  we  are  to 
anderstand  flesh  in  distinction  from  it.  I  shall  give  you  but  one  instance, 
though  I  could  give  you  a  great  many.  You  know  that  God  is  a  Spirit, 
and  that  Jesus  Christ  had  in  his  person  both  a  human  and  a  divine  nature  : 
the  divine  nature,  that  is  called  Spirit ;  and  the  human  natitre,  that  is  called 
flesh.  There  is  a  multitude  of  instances  for  it :  '  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quick- 
eneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing.'  That  is,  it  is  his  Godhead  putteth  all  the, 
influence  into  his  humanity ;  if  he  had  been  man  alone,  it  would  not  have 
done  it.  He  was  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  and  quickened  in  the  Spirit.  But 
the  most  express  place  is  in  Rom.  i.  3,  4.  He  saith  he  came  '  of  the  seed  of 
David  according  to  the  flesh,'  but  he  was  raised  by  the  '  Spirit  of  holiness,' 
that  is,  by  his  Godhead.  Man  himself  hath  a  spirit  in  him,  his  soul :  hence 
therefore  his  body  is,  in  opposition  to  the  soul,  called  flesh,  2  Cor.  vii.  1, 
*  Let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  pollution  of  flesh,' — that  is,  of  bodily  lusts, 
— '  and  of  spirit,'  that  is,  of  the  soul,  which  the  soul  exerciseth  without  depend- 
ence upon  the  body.  So  in  Ps.  Ixxix.  2,  the  bodies  of  the  saints  are  called  the 
flesh  of  the  saints.  Yea,  the  very  gospel  itself,  because  it  hath  a  spiritual- 
ness  in  it,  is  called  spirit,  and  the  law  is  called  flesh.  The  gospel,  in  2  Cor. 
iii.  8,  is  called  '  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit.'  And,  Gal.  iii.  3,  '  Did  you 
begin  in  the  Spirit,  and  will  you  end  in  the  flesh  1 '  or,  will  you  be  '  per- 
fected in  the  flesh?'  That  is,  by  adding  the  law  to  the  gospel,  which  was 
the  thing  they  endeavoured.  Now  then  the  word  '  flesh'  being  still  used  in 
opposition  to  and  in  distinction  from  '  spirit,'  whether  taken  in  a  substantial 
sense,  or  otherwise,  hence,  because  that  the  new  creature,  which  is  begot  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  is  called  spirit, — '  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit,' — 
hence  therefore  the  contrary  quality,  that  corrupt  nature  that  lusteth 
against  this  spirit,  and  is  opposite  unto  it,  is  called  flesh.  And  as  that 
spirit  is  the  bundle  of  all  graces,  so  this  flesh  is  the  bundle  of  folly  that  is 
bound  up  in  the  heart  of  man,  a  whole  bundle  of  it,  a  mass  of  corruption. 
'The  law,'  saith  Paul,  'is  spiritual,  but  I  am  carnal,'  Ptom.  viL  14.  All  cor- 
ruption opposite  to  the  law  is  called  carnality  or  flesh,  because  the  holy  law 
is  spiritual. 

But,  secondly,  there  is  another  reason  why  it  is  called  flesh ;  and  that  is, 
because  this  corrupt  nature  of  ours  doth  confine  us  to  things  fleshly,  as  to 
our  objects ;  that  is,  that  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  soul  and  body  shall 
only  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh — but  I  do  not  mean  things  of  the  body 
when  I  say  so, — whereas  spirit,  the  new  creature,  hath  for  its  object  all  sort 
of  spiritual  things.  I  do  found  this  upon  Rom.  viii.  5  ;  saith  he  there, 
'They  that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh;  but  they 
that  are  after  the  Spirit  do  mind  the  things  of  the  Spirit.'     It  is  a  saying  in 

VOL.  II,  s 


82  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  V. 

philosophy,  and  it  is  a  true  one,  that  facuUates  distingmmtur  per  actus  et 
objecta,  all  natural  faculties  are  distinguished  by  their  objects.  So  is  flesh 
and  spirit,  grace  and  corruption.  And  because  corrupt  nature  hath  the  things 
of  the  flesh  for  its  object,  hence  it  is  called  flesh;  and  because  that  there  are 
spiritual  things  -which  are  the  object  of  grace  and  holiness,  which  are  spiri- 
tual things,  hence  that  is  called  a  spirit. 

Now,  my  brethren,  let  me  tell  you  that  by  the  things  of  the  flesh  is  not 
meant  only  things  of  the  body,  or  belonging  to  the  body,  or  the  object  of 
bodily  lusts,  but  all  outward  things  whatsoever,  all  creature-comforts;  yea,  I 
may  say,  all  creatures,  take  God  and  Christ  out  of  them,  and  they  are  all 
the  things  of  the  flesh.  The  Apostle  exj^resseth  it  there,  in  Col.  iii.  2,  when 
he  calleth  them  '  earthly  things,'  which  our  earthly  members  are  set  upon ; 
for  corrujjt  nature  confines  us  to  things  on  earth,  confines  us  to  things  of 
this  world :  spiritual  things,  that  are  of  another  world,  the  natural  man  hath 
no  suitableness  to  them.  And  by  '  things  of  the  flesh '  is  not  meant  only 
gross  sins,  which  are  called  '  the  works  of  the  flesh,'  Gal.  v.  19 ;  but  all  creature- 
comforts  whatsoever,  all  dignities,  all  excellencies,  honours,  riches,  all  the 
glories  of  the  world,  that  do  so  much  take  up  the  minds  of  men,  are  called 
the  things  of  the  flesh ;  and  to  these  doth  corrupt  nature  suit  us  and  carry 
us  on.  2  Cor.  v.  16,  '  Henceforth  know  we  no  man  after  the  flesh.'  '  After 
the  flesh,'  referreth  both  unto  the  things  known,  and  to  the  manner  of  know- 
ing them.  To  the  things  knoivn,  which  is  that  which  is  to  our  purpose, — that 
is,  we  value  no  man  by  his  outward  privileges  and  dignities;  we  value  no 
man  by  honours,  riches,  or  greatness,  or  by  what  he  is  in  this  world.  So 
likewise,  in  Rom.  xv.  27,  when  they  had  sent  a  contribution  to  them  at  Je- 
rusalem, saith  Paul,  they  did  partake  of  your  '  carnal  things,' — that  is,  of  your 
fleshly  thmgs ;  he  calleth  their  riches  and  estates  things  that  are  fleshly.  So 
in  1  Cor.  ix.  11.  And  you  have  the  like  in  another  place,  '  I  will  not  glory 
in  the  flesh.'  And  there  is  a  phrase  in  Gal.  vi.  12,  of  making  '  a  fair  show 
m  the  flesh,' — that  is,  in  fleshly  things,  in  anjrthing  but  in  God  and  in  Christ. 
The  Jews  did  call  whatsoever  was  outward,  flesh  and  fleshly.  The  very 
ceremonial  law  therefore  the  Apostle  calls  *  a  carnal  commandment,'  a  fleshly 
commandment,  Heb.  vii.  16.  And  so  he  calls  the  duties  of  it  the  works  of 
the  flesh,  though  they  were  the  institutions  of  God;  yet  because  they  had 
an  outwardness  in  them,  in  regard  of  the  gospel,  he  calleth  them  flesh. 
I  allege  it  for  this,  that  all  things  that  were  outward  were  called  flesh 
among  the  Jews;  yea,  the  works  of  the  moral  law,  if  a  man  would  aflTect  to 
be  never  so  holy,  if  he  take  away  aiming  at  God  as  the  principal,  and  if  he 
will  go  and  trust  in  them  when  they  are  done,  they  are  all  flesh,  they  are 
things  of  the  flesh.  What  saith  the  apostle,  Phil.  iii.  4  ?  'If  any  have 
reason  to  be  confident  in  the  flesh,  much  more  I.'  I  had  cause  to  trust  in 
the  flesh.  He  had  relation  to  that  speech  in  Jer.  xvii.  5,  '  Cursed  is  the 
man  that  maketh  flesh  his  arm  ;'  which  is,  not  only  to  make  man  his  confi- 
dence, but  anything ;  for  Paul  interpreteth  it  here,  my  own  righteousness,  and 
whatsoever  I  did,  all  the  works  of  the  law,  it  is  all  but  flesh,  all  the  privi- 
leges, if  you  go  and  sever  Christ  from  them. 

Now,  my  brethren,  consider  what  I  say  :  corrupt  nature  then  hath  for 
its  object  all  the  things  of  the  flesh.  Take  spiritual  out  of  the  law  and  the 
duties  of  it,  take  the  new  creature  out  of  it,  and  take  Jesus  Christ  out  of  it, 
and  it  is  all  flesh,  and  corrupt  nature  will  suit  with  them  all ;  it  may  be  wound 
up  to  the  works  of  the  law,  to  a  seeking  and  an  aflecting  of  blamelessness, 
&c.  The  very  works  of  the  gospel,  if  you  will  let  them  be  carried  on  for 
self-ends,  they  are  all  the  works  of  the  flesh,  and  things  of  the  flesh ;  if  you 


EpH.  II.  3.J  TO  THE  EPHKSIANS.  83 

will  trust  in  what  you  do,  they  become  things  of  tlie  flesh.  Take  a  man  that 
is  a  temporaiy  believer,  and  he  may  be  wound  up  to  the  ways  and  things  of 
the  gospel,  yet  he  turns  them  all  to  the  things  of  the  flesh,  and  corrupt  nature 
remaining,  flesh  will  suit  with  all  these. 

And  then  again,  a  third  reason  why  it  is  called  flesh  is  this  :  because  it  is 
propagated  by  natural  generation  ;  John  iii.  6,  '  That  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh,' — the  thing  that  is  bom  or  begotten  hath,  the  name  of  the  beget- 
ter,— '  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.'  That  which  is  bom  of  the 
flesh — that  is,  by  a  fleshly  way  of  generation — is  flesh,  is  corruption. 

And  let  me  make  this  observation  of  it.  Sin,  you  know,  is  the  work  of 
Satan :  *  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,'  saith  he.  Why  1  Because  he  is 
the  remote  cause.  Original  sin  hath  not  its  denomination  from  him,  for 
he  hath  not  that  influence  into  sin  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  in  work- 
ing grace  in  us ;  therefore  he  would  not  say,  that  which  is  of  Satan  in  you 
is  corruption;  but  because  that  generation  is  the  next  and  immediate  or 
proximate  cause,  therefore  it  beareth.  the  name  '  flesh,'  because  it  is  born 
of  flesh,  and  flesh  is  the  immediate  cause  of  it.  And  hence  it  was  that 
circumcision  was  in  the  foreskin  of  the  flesh  ;  and  it  is  called  flesh  pecu- 
liarly in  Rom.  ii.  28.  And  I  could  give  you  other  scriptures,  as  Lev.  xv.  2, 
and  Ezek.  xxiii.  20. 

Then  agaui,  in  the  fourth  place,  it  is  called  flesh  in  respect  of  the  more 
visible  seat  and  subject  of  corrupt  nature,  in  which  it  is  most  seen  ;  visibly 
it  is  in  the  flesh,  it  is  in  the  lusts  of  the  body  of  all  sorts  and  kinds.  The 
Scripture  doth  give  j^ou  denominations  not  always  from  the  more  principal 
part,  but  it  gives  the  denomination  from  what  is  visible,  as  speaking  ad  vul- 
gits,  to  the  people ;  as,  for  example,  the  nature  of  man  consists  of  body  and 
soul.  The  soul  is  a  spirit,  you  know,  but  the  body  is  flesh.  Usually  in 
Scripture  the  name  that  is  given  to  man  is  '  flesh.'  '  The  Word  was  made 
flesh.'  '  In  his  sight  shall  no  flesh  h-  justified;'  that  is,  no  man.  Here  you 
see  the  body  carries  away  the  denomination.  It  is  not  that  man  hath  not  a 
soul,  and  that  that  is  not  the  more  principal  part,  but  because  the  flesh  is 
the  more  visible  part,  that  which  we  behold,  in  which  the  soul  dwelleth. 
Hence  therefore  the  Scripture  calleth  man  '  flesh.'  Answerably,  though  sin 
is  as  much,  and  much  more  in  our  will  and  understanding  than  it  is  in  sensual 
lusts;  yet,  notwithstanding,  because  that  original  sin  is  seen  most  in  sensual 
lusts  which  have  their  seat  in  the  flesh,  hence  it  is  caUed  flesh  ;  the  denomi- 
nation of  the  whole  ariseth  from  thenee.  And  let  me  give  you  this  observa- 
tion by  the  way  :  that  the  devils,  though  they  have  the  same  corruption  in 
their  understanding  and  will  that  we  have,  and  we  the  same  that  they  have, — 
for,  saith  he,  '  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devU,  and  his  lusts  ye  will  do,' — yet 
they  are  not  called ^es/i^y,  neither  are  they  called ^esAy  but  they  are  called, 
in  Eph.  vi.  12,  '  spiritual  wickednesses.'  Why  1  Because  they  have  no  bodily, 
no  sensual  lusts  in  them,  which  in  a  visible  way  should  carry  away  the  de- 
nomination. But  because  in  man's  nature  there  is  another  part  in  which 
sin  is  more  visibly  seen,  which  eminently  is  called  lust,  which  is  original  cor- 
ruption, therefore  it  is  in  a  more  peculiar  manner  called  'flesh.' — And  so 
much  now  for  the  reasons  of  the  denomination.  I  will  give  you  an  obser- 
vation or  two  : — 

Obs. — In  the  first  place,  my  brethren,  we  may  from  hence  take  a  direc- 
tory for  the  Immhling  of  ourselves.  Here  you  see,  in  those  words,  '  having 
our  conversation  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,'  there  are  three  things  the  Apostle 
holds  forth  to  every  man  to  consider,  when  he  would  humble  himself  before 
God.     In  the  first  place,  he  discovers  to  him  his  flesh ;  that  is,  his  corrupt 


84  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  V. 

nature,  having  the  seeds  of  all  sin  in  him.  Which  corrupt  nature,  he  tells 
him,  in  the  second  place,  is  an  active  principle  in  him,  it  is  the  cause  of  all 
the  lusts  in  his  heart,  and  all  the  evil  in  his  conversation.  It  is  an  active 
principle  that  is  never  idle  ;  for  though  itself  is  indeed  but  a  mere  privation, 
yet  because  it  is  a  privation  in  an  active  subject,  as  man's  soul  is,  hence  there- 
fore it  is  never  quiet.  In  Rom.  vii.  5,  he  saith,  that  when  he  was  in  the 
flesh,  the  motions  of  sin  wrought,  they  had  force  in  his  members  to  carry 
him  on  to  evU ;  and  in  ver.  8  he  giveth  the  name  of  sin  above  all  else  to 
this  original  corruption  by  way  of  eminency.  '  Sin,'  saith  he,  '  wrought 
in  me  all  concupiscence.'  What  doth  he  mean  by  sin?  Most  plainly 
original  sin.  Why  1  Because  that  which  works  concupiscence,  which 
brings  forth  lusts,  that  must  needs  be  original  corruption.  '  Sin  wrought,* 
saith  he.  I  speak  it  for  this,  it  is  an  active  principle,  therefore  he 
calleth  that  the  great  sin  of  all  the  rest ;  he  giveth  it  the  name  of  sin  above 
all  the  rest,  not  only  because  it  hath  the  seeds  of  all  sin  in  it,  but  because  it 
is  the  worker,  the  great  mother  of  all  the  abominations.  As  Babylon  is 
called  the  mother  of  all  the  abominations  in  Europe,  all  idolatries  come  from 
thence  ;  so  this  is  the  great  mother  of  all  the  abominations  in  man's  heart. 
Therefore,  in  the  same  Rom.  vii.  1 3,  he  calleth  it '  sin  above  measure,'  though 
he  means  sin  in  the  general,  and  actual  sin  too  ;  but  yet  original  sin  he 
especially  speaks  of,  and  carrieth  along  in  that  discourse ;  it  is,  saith  he, 
'  above  measure  sioful,'  for  it  is  the  mother  of  all  abominations,  and  works 
all  concupiscence ;  and  therefore  this  humbled  Paul  more,  and  so  it  should 
do  us. 

And,  my  brethren,  it  is  a  predominant  principle  too ;  that  is  clear  in  the 
text  also  :  for  all  our  lusts,  and  all  our  sms,  they  are  not  so  much  called  the 
lusts  of  the  man,  as  the  lusts  of  the  flesh ;  because  that  flesh,  that  corruption, 
is  now  the  predominant  principle  in  every  man's  nature  :  therefore  aU  sina 
are  called  the  '  fruits  of  the  flesh,'  so  in  Gal.  v.  They  are  called  the  *  deeds 
of  the  flesh,'  so  in  Rom.  viii.  And  we  are  said  to  be  '  in  the  flesh,'  Rom.  vii. 
5.  And  not  only  the  flesh  to  be  in  us,  but  as  a  man  is  said  to  be  in  drink, 
or  in  love,  that  is,  he  is  overcome  with  it.  It  is  a  predominant  principle. 
And  indeed,  though  Aristotle  gave  the  definition  of  a  man,  that  he  was  a 
reasonable  creature,  having  an  understanding  and  a  will ;  yet  divinity  tells 
us  plainly  that  man  is  flesh,  if  you  will  speak  theologically,  take  Christ's 
definition,  and  it  is  so.  Whyl  Because  look  what  flesh  is  to  him,  as  he  is 
man,  that  sin  is  to  him  now  ;  it  is  his  nature,  it  is  his  form.  Therefore,  if 
I  would  define  a  man,  I  would  define  him  to  be  a  fleshly  creature,  as  Aris- 
totle defined  him  a  rational  creature ;  therefore,  in  1  Cor.  iii.  3,  saith  the 
Apostle,  Ye  walk  as  men ;  are  ye  not  carnal  1  And  to  be  carnal  and  fleshly 
is  all  one.  When  thou  hast  seen,  therefore,  corrapt  flesh  as  the  root  of  all, 
then  go  and  look  to  thy  lusts,  aU  the  corruption  that  is  in  thy  life,  it  is  from 
the  stirring  of  lusts  in  thee ;  all  the  corrui^tion  in  the  world  is  said  to  be 
through  lusts,  2  Peter  i.  4 ;  therefore  go  and  look  especially  to  them. 

And,  lastly,  then  go  to  thy  actions  ;  or,  if  you  wUl,  begin  at  your  actions, 
and  so  go  to  your  lusts,  and  next  to  the  flesh  :  for,  indeed,  there  is  the  pedi- 
gree of  sin.  If  a  man  would  be  humbled,  let  him  view  his  actions,  let  him 
look  into  his  heart,  see  all  his  lusts  and  aU  the  engines  that  act  them ;  and 
when  he  hath  done,  let  him  go  down  to  the  spawn  of  all,  and  then  to  that 
birth  which  was  the  means  of  conveying  it. 


Ki'U.  IL  3.J  TO  THE  EPHliSIAiiS.  85 


SEEMON  VI. 

Among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past  in  the  lusts 
of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  [or,  the  wills\  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  mind ;  and  were  hy  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others. 
— Ver.  3. 

I  HAVE  formerly  told  you  that  in  these  three  first  verses  of  this  second 
chapter,  there  is  an  exact  description  of  the  state  of  man  by  nature,  so  com- 
plete and  so  compendious  a  one  as  is  nowhere  else  together,  that  I  know, 
in  the  whole  Book  of  God. 

I  did  cast  the  whole  into  these  three  generals : — 

I.  Here  is  the  internal  habitual  estate,  which  in  that  state  of  nature  men 
stand  and  lie  in ;  they  are  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.' 

II.  Here  is  their  external  conversation,  with  all  the  three  causes — the 
world,  flesh,  and  Satan — which  do  pervert  them  ;  '  wherein,'  saith  he,  '  in 
time  past  ye  walked.'     There  is — 

1.  The  exemplary  cause,  the  weakest;  'according  to  the  course  of  this 
world.' 

2.  The  outioard  efficient  and  inciter,  or  procatartical  cause, — that  is,  Satan ; 
according  to  the  '  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'     There  is — 

3.  The  inward  cause,  the  lusts  of  our  ovv^n  hearts  ;  '  fulfilling  the  desires 
of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,'  &c. 

III.  Here  is  the  misery  and  the  punishment  that  is  the  consequent  of 
both, — that  we  are  '  children  of  wrath  ; '  we  Jews,  saith  the  Apostle,  as  well 
as  others,  and  all  mankind. 

The  last  thing  I  fell  upon  was,  the  description  of  that  third  and  last 
cause,  of  all  the  corruption  in  men's  conversation  :  '  Having  our  conversa- 
tion in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind,'  &c. 

In  opening  of  this  third  cause,  which  is  the  corruption  of  nature,  I  told 
you  that  the  Apostle's  scope  was  to  shew  the  pedigree  of  all  these  causes. 
Here  is — 

1 .  The  root  whence  all  spring  ;  *  our  flesh,'  a  body  of  sin.     Which  flesh — 

2.  Begetteth  lusts,  which  are  the  first-born  buds  of  original  corruption 
inherent  in  us  ;  '  the  lusts,"  saith  he,  '  of  our  flesh.'     And  then  you  have — 

3.  The  division  of  these.     They  are  either — 
(1.)  The  lusts  of  the  body,  sensual  lusts.     Or — 

(2.)  The  lusts  of  the  mind,  of  the  understanding  and  superior  part.  And 
then  he  telleth  you — 

4.  What  is  the  spring,  both  of  this  flesh  and  this  inherent  corruption, 
that  produceth  these  lusts,  which  lusts  we  obey,  and  all  our  conversation 
by  nature  is  nothing  else  but  the  fulfilling  of  these  lusts  ;  he  saith,  it  is  our 
birth,  we  have  it  by  nature.  So  he  tells  us  in  the  next  words,  '  and  are 
the  children  of  wrath  by  nature,  even  as  others.' 

And  as  he  tells  us  the  order  of  corruption  thus,  and  the  pedigree  of  it, 


86  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VI. 

of  pure  and  mere  corruption  so  considered,  so  he  sliews  the  order  of  the 
causes  in  the  course  of  nature,  according  to  the  subordination  of  the  facul- 
ties one  to  another.  !Man  hath  an  understanding,  and  man  hath  a  will, 
and  there  is  no  lust  fulfilled  but  there  is  a  consent  of  the  will  first  given 
thereunto.  And  therefore  that  which  he  calls  lusts  in  the  first  part  of  the 
words,  '  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,'  when  it  comes  to  the  fulfilling  of  them,  he 
talis  them  the  tvills  of  the  flesh ;  so  it  is  in  the  original  and  in  your  margins. 

And  so  you  have  the  analysis  of  the  words. 

I  left  in  these  words,  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  and  I  shall  proceed  in 
them.     There  are  four  things  to  be  explained  : — 

I.  What  is  meant  by  'flesh.' 

II.  Why  it  is  called  'flesh  ; '  for  there  is  not  a  particle,  nor  a  word,  that 
is  in  vain  here. 

III.  WJiat  are  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  and  the  sinfulness  of  them. 

IV.  What  it  is  to  have  our  conversation  in  these  lusts. 
I.    What  is  meant  by  flesh. 

I  told  you,  by  it  is  meant  that  inherent  corruption  which  sticks  in  us, 
and  overspreadeth  all  the  powers  both  of  soul  and  body.  '  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh.' 

When  I  handled  this,  I  did  two  things  : — 

1.  I  gave  you  an  account  of  the  phrase  and  the  reasons  of  it,  why  inhe- 
rent corruption  is  called  flesh.  It  was  called  so  by  Moses,  in  Gen.  vi.,  and 
it  was  called  so  by  Christ,  and  so  the  apostles  used  it. 

2.  I  described  the  thing  itself,  and  I  told  you  it  was  a  mass,  or  a  bundle, 
or  body  of  sinful  dispositions  in  man's  nature,  which  were  become  his 
nature,  whereby  the  whole  man  and  all  the  powers  thereof  were  empty  of 
all  good ;  and  it  contained  within  it  the  seeds  and  the  inclinations  to  all 
sins  whatsoever.     It  is  caUed  the  '  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh,'  Col.  ii. 

I  will  not  stand  to  repeat  what  I  then  delivered,  but  will  proceed  to — 

II.    Why  is  it  called  our  flesh  ? 

When  God  made  man,  it  is  said  he  made  him  in  his  image ;  as  the  grace 
that  Adam  had,  it  was  God's,  it  was  his  image.  But  you  read  in  Gen.  iv., 
when  man  was  fallen,  he  is  said  to  beget  Seth  in  his  image ;  the  style  is 
altered  fi'om  God's  image  to  his  image.  An  account  may  easily  be  given 
why  it  is  called  Adam's  image,  because  that  he  sinned,  and  contracted  it 
to  himself  But  why  is  it  called  ours,  as  here  '  our  flesh  1 '  The  truth  is, 
because  we  are  the  miserable  subjects  of  it.  So,  why  is  it  called  our  flesh, 
but  because  we  are  the  miserable  subjects  of  it,  because  it  is  our  nature  1 
Though  we  have  it  from  our  parents,  that  is  derived  to  us  by  them,  yet 
being  our  nature  it  is  of  all  things  properly  ours ;  for  there  is  nothing  so 
properly  ours  as  what  is  our  nature,  and  what  is  ourselves.  As  therefore 
heU  is  called  a  sinner's  place,  as  you  have  it,  Acts  i.,  so  corruption  and  flesh 
is  called  our  flesh  ;  we  possess  nothing  but  sin.  Yea,  Paul  caUeth  it  hun- 
self :  '  In  me,'  saith  he,  '  that  is,  in  my  flesh ; '  he  doth  not  only  call  it 
flesh,  but  he  calls  it  himself.     And — 

2.  It  is  called  our  flesh  in  opposition  to  God's  work.  '  Let  no  man,'  saith 
James,  *  when  he  is  tempted,  say  he  is  tempted  of  God  ; '  he  is  tempted  of 
his  own  lusts,  of  his  own  flesh.  '  Of  his  own  lusts,'  that  is  the  phrase  there,  in 
James  i.  13,  14.  It  is  spoken  there  in  opposition  to  the  work  of  God  in  us  ; 
it  is  not  that  wMch  at  first  God  created  us  in.     And — 

3.  It  is  called  our  flesh  in  opposition  to  the  grace  that  is  in  us.  When 
the  devil  is  said  to  sin,  he  is  said  to  sin  '  of  his  own,'  John  viii.  44.  And  in 
Jude,  ver.  1 6,  carnal  men  are  said  to  walk  after  their  own  lusts.     But  if  any 


EpH.  K.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  87 

grace  be  spoken  of  that  is  in  us,  how  runs  the  style  of  that?  I  have  done 
thus  and  thus,  saith  Paul,  and  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  that  is  in  nic. 
I  know  a  man  in  Christ,  saith  he,  was  thus  and  thus ;  not  of  myself  will  I 
glory,  but  of  that  man  in  Christ.  The  phrase  that  is  used,  speaking  of  grace, 
and  all  the  workings  of  it,  in  2  Cor.  iii.,  is,  '  We  are  not  sufficient  of  our- 
selves, as  of  ourselves,' — there  is  all  the  exclusion  that  may  be,  both  a^'  tauruv 
and  i^  iuvruv,  either  of  ourselves,  or  out  of  ourselves ;  neither  a  nobis,  tan- 
quam  ex  nobis, — '  to  think  a  good  thought.' 

And  so  much  now  why  it  is  called  our  flesh.  The  interpretation  doth 
carry  observations  with  it  which  I  need  not  mention.     I  come  to — 

III.    What  are  the  lusts  of  our  flesh  ? 

All  the  buddings  of  this  cursed  root  of  inherent  corruption  in  us  are  in 
Scri[)ture  expressed  to  us  by  lusts.  Sometimes  the  word  lusts  is  put  for  the 
root  itself,  for  original  sin  itself,  that  inherent  quality  in  us;  as  in  James  L, 
'  When  lust  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin.'  He  calleth  corrupt  nature 
lusts;  but  here  he  calls  the  first  buds,  the  first  risings  of  corruption  from  this 
root,  he  calls  them  lusts.  So,  in  Rom.  vii.  8,  '  Sin  wrought  in  me  all  man- 
ner of  concupiscence;'  that  is,  aU  manner  of  lusts.  Lusts  there  are  taken 
for  the  buddings  of  original  corru[)tion,  which  is  there  meant  by  sin,  which 
is  the  sin  that  dwells  in  us. 

Now  all  the  corruption  that  is  in  corrupt  nature  I  reduce  to  these  two 
heads ;  yet  not  I,  but  the  Apostle — 

1.  All  those  principles  of  atheism,  of  infidelity,  and  ungodliness  that  are  in 
the  hearts  of  men,  which  are  the  foundation.  For  the  principles  of  unbelief, 
and  of  darkness,  and  presumption,  and  the  like,  these  do  cut  a  man  off  from 
God ;  and  the  soul  being  cut  off  from  God  is  left  to  eternal  death,  as  I  shall 
shew  you  how  by  and  by.  I  say,  all  the  corruptions  in  man's  heart,  they 
are  reduced  either  to  the  principles  of  atheism,  of  infidelity  and  unbelief, 
or  else — 

2.  To  those  j>ositive  lusts,  and  inclinations,  and  desires  after  something  in 
the  world  which  a  man  would  have,  and  which  he  placeth  his  comfort  in 
more  than  in  God. 

I  take  this  division  from  that  of  the  Apostle,  in  Titus  ii.  12,  •  Teaching  us 
to  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts.'  Here  you  have  the  sum.  And 
hence  in  the  18th  verse  of  the  Epistle  of  Jude,  you  shall  find  that  they  are 
ailed  'ungodly  lusts;'  for  the  heart  being  cut  off  from  God  is  left  to  the 
swing  of  its  own  natural  lusts  and  desires.  And  in  these  two  lies  the  utmost 
extent  of  all  the  corruption  in  man's  nature. 

Now  although  indeed  the  Apostle  here  doth  not  directly  mention  that 
privative  part,  as  I  may  caU  it,  of  atheism  and  unbelief,  yet  it  is  evidently 
implied ;  for  our  lusts  were  not  sinful  lusts  unless  they  did  arise  from  ungodli- 
ness, from  that  ungodliness,  and  that  atheism,  and  that  unbelief,  that  is  in 
the  spirits  of  men.  He  had  occasion  to  have  mentioned  those  principles  that 
are  in  the  mind,  but  yet  he  terms  these  '  lusts,'  and  calleth  them  '  wills,'  or 
lusts,  or  desires  of  the  mind,  of  the  reasoning  part,  as  the  word  signifies. 

Under  the  word  '  lusts '  the  Apostle  by  a  synecdoche  meaneth  all  the  in- 
ward acts,  aU  the  purposes,  all  the  contrivances,  all  the  counsels  of  the  heart. 
For  what  are  purposes?  They  are  but  the  continuation  of  desires.  And  what 
are  all  the  contrivements  and  counsels  of  the  hearts  of  men  ?  They  are  but 
to  accomplish  their  desires  and  lusts.  Therefore  the  Scripture  indeed  doth 
express  the  corruptions  in  the  hearts  of  men  by  lusts. 

I  could  open  to  you  the  several  names  that  are  given  to  the  buddings  of 
comiption  in  us  of  all  sorts,  as  the  Scripture  hath  laid  them  down.     As- — 


88  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VI. 

1.  Sometimes  they  are  called  the  savouring  ofthefiesh;  as  in  Rom.  viii. 
5,  'Those  that  are  after  the  flesh  savour  the  things  of  the  flesh.'  Every 
faculty  hath  a  principle  to  discern  what  is  suitable  to  it,  and  it  doth  savour 
that  thing  and  mind  it.  The  word  expresseth  the  suitableness  that  there  is 
between  a  fleshly  heart  and  fleshly  things. 

2.  It  is  called  sTidu,u,!a,  as  here,  lust ;  for  when  the  heart  doth  find  a 
suitableness  between  it  and  any  object,  it  puts  forth  a  desire  and  a  lust  to- 
wards it.  That  which  is  in  other  creatures  an  instinct,  in  man  that  is  reason- 
able is  called  a  lust,  a  desire. 

3.  They  are  called,  ra  'rradrifjbara,  passions  ;  and  that  indeed  is  the  proper 
implication  of  the  word ;  so  in  Rom.  vii.  5  ;  and  in  Gal.  v.  24,  to  '  crucify 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh,'  it  is  the  *  passions  of  the  flesh.'  For  God  being  gone, 
aU  these  lusts  become  passions,  become  inordinate  in  us,  they  turn  into  vio- 
lence. They  are  'jra&rj/Mo.ra,  as  Galen  useth  the  word,  which  is  the  fits  of  the 
disease  ;  for  all  sinful  desires  come  by  fits,  and  come  with  violence  as  the  fits 
do,  and  put  nature  into  a  fire, — set  on  fire,  as  James  expresseth  it,  the  whole 
course  of  nature. 

4.  They  are  called,  as  here,  wills;  wills  of  the  flesh.  When  they  are  gotten 
so  high  as  they  have  got  the  consent  of  the  will,  and  then  are  put  forth  into 
action,  they  are  caUed  the  wills  of  the  flesh.  And  so  much  for  the  names 
that  are  given  to  flesh. 

For  the  thing  itself ;  I  shall  endeavour  a  little  that  you  may  understand 
the  nature  of  the  lusts  of  the  hearts  of  the  sons  of  men :  it  reacheth  to  all 
the  motions  of  man's  nature  whatsoever, — that  is,  the  desires, — and  there 
is  no  faculty  but  hath  its  desires.  To  open  this,  I  shall  do  these  three  things, 
that  so  you  may  see  in  what  Heth  the  sinfulness  of  these  lusts.     I  shall — 

1.  Shew  you  the  natural  state  of  the  soul,  and  the  lustings  thereof;  for 
this  you  must  know,  that  lusting  and  lust  is  used  sometimes  in  a  good  sense  ; 
for  it  is  said  the  Spirit  lusteth  against  the  flesh,  as  well  as  the  flesh  lusteth 
against  the  Spirit.  So  that,  I  say,  I  shall  shew  you,  first,  the  natural  state 
of  the  soul,  and  the  lusts  thereof,  without  the  consideration  of  being  good  or 
evil.     I  shall — 

2.  Shew  you  the  Jwliness  of  all  the  lusts  and  desires  of  the  heart — wherein 
that  lieth — in  mans  first  nature,  and  now  when  he  is  renewed.     And  so — 

3.  You  will  understand  the  sinfulness  of  the  heart  of  man,  in  all  its  lust- 
ings, now  when  God  is  gone,  now  when  they  are  become  ungodly  lusts. 

First,  I  shall  speak  of  the  lustings  of  the  heart,  abstractedly  considered 
from  good  and  evil  in  man's  soul,  in  man's  spirit. 

My  brethren,  what  is  the  soul  of  man  in  its  natural  essential  constitution  ? 
It  is  nothing  else  but  a  chaos  of  desires,  (let  me  so  express  it  j)  it  is  as  the  first 
matter,  which  was  void  of  all  form,  and  was  full  of  nothing,  but  desires  after 
forms,  of  being  filled,  and  being  satisfied.  God  created  the  soul  as  a  mere 
stomach  to  receive  from  other  things  a  filling  of  it,  and  as  we  use  to  say,  it 
is  an  empty  stomach.  And  therefore  the  voice  of  aU  tilings  and  of  aU  mankind 
by  nature  is,  '  Who  will  shew  us  any  good  ?'  Ps.  iv.  And  all  faculties  are  like 
so  many  birds  in  a  nest,  that  stand  gaping  to  be  fiUed  with  some  good  thing 
suitable  thereunto.  So  that  now  there  are  not  only  the  sensual  desires,  or 
the  bodily  lusts,  but  the  lusts  of  the  mind  ;  the  mind  itself  hath  its  lusts  in 
it,  and  its  desires.  As  a  man  hath  a  desire  to  think  of  this  rather  than  of 
that, — though  it  be  his  understanduig  only  that  works, — he  hath  a  mind  to 
such  a  thing,  a  thought  to  such  an  object,  to  take  such  a  thing  into  consi- 
deration. All  the  superior  parts,  the  memory  and  the  understanding,  they 
have  all  their  lustings,  as  well  as  th«  lower  and  inferior  parts  of  the  spirit  of 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THK  EPHESIANS.  89 

man.  Now  then,  the  essential  constitution  of  the  soul  of  man  being  nothing 
but  a  chaos  of  desires,  an  emptiness, — as  the  earth,  the  first  matter,  in  Gen. 
i.,  is  said  to  be  void ;  so  naturally  in  the  essence  of  it  the  soul  is  a  void 
thing,  made  to  be  filled  up  with  other  things,  which  may  satisfy  this  vast 
chaos  of  desires, — the  Lord  ordained  first  himself  to  be  man's  chiefest  good, 
and  to  satisfy  and  to  fiU  all  the  desires  both  of  the  understanding  and  the 
will.  He  opened  their  mouths  wide,  and  he  was  able  and  ordained  himself 
to  fiU  them.  And  to  that  end  he  created  him  with  the  image  of  God, — that 
is,  with  such  a  divine  impression,  that  look,  as  the  needle  when  it  is  touched 
by  the  loadstone  moves  northward,  so  the  soul  being  touched  with  that 
image,  carries  the  understanding,  the  will  and  affections,  and  all  the  lusts 
thereof,  unto  God,  as  the  chiefest  good,  as  finding  a  suitableness  in  him  more 
than  in  aU  things  else.  And  yet,  in  the  second  place,  God  putting  this  soul 
of  man  into  a  body,  and  so  to  lead  an  animal  life, — as  the  expression  is  in 
1  Cor.  XV.  48, — he  made  a  world  suited  to  this  soul  in  this  body.  And 
there  is  nothing  in  man,  either  in  his  understanding  or  his  will,  or  in  any  of 
the  senses,  or  in  anything  belonging  unto  man,  but  there  is  something  in  the 
■world  likewise  to  suit  it.  He  hath  made  the  little  world  suited  to  the  great 
world,  and  the  great  world  to  the  little,  as  he  hath  suited  ears  unto  sounds ; 
'  meats  for  the  belly,'  as  the  Apostle  saith.     Now  then — 

Secondly,  Wherein  lay  the  holiness  of  all  these  lustings  and  desires  of  the 
ioul  of  man  ?  The  holiness  of  them  lay  in  these  three  things,  and  by  that 
you  shall  see  wherein  lieth  their  sinfulness  : — 

1.  This  image  of  God,  which  had  touched  the  soul  of  man,  through  the 
working  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  him,  did  carry  on  the  soul  of  man  to  God 
as  his  chiefest  good,  to  nothing  above  him,  to  say,  '  Whom  have  I  in  heaven 
in  comparison  of  thee,  and  whom  in  earth?'     And — 

2.  It  carried  the  soul  of  man,  and  all  its  desires,  to  other  things  that  had 
a  sweetness  in  them,  but  only  as  means  to  taste  the  goodness  of  God,  to  en- 
joy God  in  and  by  them,  to  know  God  the  more,  and  to  love  him.  And 
then — 

3.  It  carried  on  all  the  desires  of  the  soul  to  all  things  else  besides  God, 
for  God's  sake ;  yea,  and  unto  God  himself,  not  only  as  his  chiefest  good, 
but  as  the  chiefest  good,  not  oat  of  love  of  pleasure,  but  out  of  love  unto 
God  himself :  for  holiness  being  the  image  of  God,  as  God  is  for  himself, — 
therein  lieth  his  holiness, — so  this  image  makes  the  creature  also  to  be  for 
God. 

And  thus  you  have  the  holiness  of  these  lustings  in  the  soul  of  man.  I 
have  shewed  you,  first,  what  the  natural  constitution  of  the  soul  was  in  it- 
self ;  it  is  indeed  nothing  else  but  lusts,  a  heap  of  desires.  What  the  holi- 
ness of  aU  these  desires  was,  I  have  shewn  you  in  the  second  place.  Now 
then — 

Thirdly,  I  am  to  shew  you  the  sinfulness  of  them,  which  makes  them  to 
be  here  called  the  lusts  of  our  flesh.  You  may  easily  understand,  by  what 
hath  been  said  of  the  holiness  of  them,  wherein  their  sinfulness  lies.  In  a 
word,  it  lies  in  two  things.     It  lies — 

1 .  In  a  privation ;  and — 

2.  In  something  positive. 

They  are  ungodly  lusts,  and  they  are  worldly  lusts ;  they  are  called  both. 
The  one  expresseth  the  privative  part,  the  other  the  positive. 

1.  For  the  privative  part.  The  foundation  of  all  the  sinfulness  of  these 
desires  lies  in  the  want  of  that  image  of  God,  of  that  magnetic  virtue,  that 
virtue  of  the  loadstone,  that  should  carry  up  all  these  desires  to  God  and 


90  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VL 

unto  other  things  for  his  sake.  This  iron,  as  I  may  say,  hath  lost  this 
magnetic  touch,  this  influence,  and  now  it  moveth  only  as  iron.  The  under- 
standing is  taken  off  from  God,  and  the  Tvill  is  taken  oif  from  God,  and  so 
all  the  affections.  You  have  that  in  Rom.  iiL  11, '  There  is  none  that  under- 
standeth,' — namely,  God, — '  and  there  is  none  that  seeks' — that  have  a  will  to 
seek — '  after  God.'  The  one  expresseth  the  privation  of  the  understanding, 
the  other  of  the  -u-ill.  The  heart  is  cut  off  from  God  utterly,  it  cannot  go 
that  way ;  therefore,  as  I  said  before,  they  are  called  '  ungodly  lusts.'  Athe- 
ism, mibelief,  &c.,  have  cut  the  heart  off  from  God,  from  either  aiming  at 
him  as  his  chiefest  end,  for  he  wanteth  holiness,  or  going  forth  to  him  as 
his  chiefest  good,  for  he  wants  his  image,  which  maketh  a  soul  suitable  unto 
God ;  and  a  man  desireth  nothing  but  what  he  knows,  and  what  is  suitable 
to  him.  Hence  therefore  you  have  it,  in  Job  xx\Ti.  10,  that  a  carnal  heart 
cannot  delight  himself  in  the  Almighty ;  there  is  no  suitableness.  And  in 
Rom.  viii.  7,  the  carnal  mind  is  called  '  enmity  against  God.' 

2.  For  the  positive  part.  The  image  of  God  being  thus  gone, — you  have 
that  expression  in  Rom.  iiL  23,  all  men  are  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God; 
where  by  the  '  glory  of  God,'  I  understand  his  image,  that  which  carried 
the  heart  of  man  out  to  God,  to  glorify  him,  which  made  him  stand  under 
the  favour  of  God  in  that  covenant  of  works ;  for  so,  in  1  Cor.  xl  7,  the 
image  of  God,  and  the  glory  of  God,  are  both  made  one :  man,  saith  he,  is  the 
glory  and  the  image  of  God ; — this  image,  I  say,  being  gone,  the  soul  being  de- 
prived thus  of  that  touch,  all  the  lustuigs  that  it  had  in  its  natural  constitu- 
tion remain  stUl,  there  is  not  a  desire  which  the  soul  had  before  but  it  hath 
still ;  and  all  the  sinful  desires  it  now  hath  are  but  what  were  before,  take 
the  nature  of  the  desires.  There  is  nothing  of  the  substance  of  the  body  or 
of  the  soul  destroyed,  nor  any  new  lusts  put  in.  Now  when  God  is  thus 
gone,  and  holiness  is  thus  gone,  and  aU  the  lustings  and  desires  of  a  man's 
heart  are  left  to  themselves,  then  what  do  you  think  is  left  1 

(1.)  Here  is  a  love  of  himself  left.  There  is  one  great  lust,  and  the  greatest 
of  all  the  rest.  "VMien  holiness  was  there,  the  love  of  God  subjected  the  love 
of  a  man's  self  unto  God  :  now  take  this  love  of  God  away,  and  then  self- 
love  is  the  next  heir,  that  great  lust  steppeth  up  into  the  throne ;  and  that 
indeed  is  the  very  bottom  of  original  sin,  it  is  the  spring. 

(2.)  I  told  you  man  was  made  suitable  to  all  the  creatures ;  there  was  no- 
thing in  this  world  but  God  had  framed  a  suitableness  between  man  and  it. 
All  these  suitablenesses  still  remain,  a  suitableness  to  all  creature-comforts 
whatsoever.  Now  here  lies  the  sinfulness  of  it,  that  aU  these  lustings  are 
carried  out,  and  managed  by  self-love,  which  is  the  great  lust  of  all  the  rest. 
And  then,  secondly,  they  are  carried  out  to  all  the  creatures,  and  to  all  crea- 
ture-comforts,— which  indeed  the  soul  and  body  were  made  for, — rather  than 
unto  God.  So  that  the  lusting  or  desiring  of  happiness  merely  for  a  man's 
self,  and  the  seeking  of  this  happiness  in  those  things  that  man  was  made 
for,  without  God  :  in  these  two  doth  lie  all  that  positive  part  of  the  lusts  of 
our  flesh ;  for  now  we  describe  them  but  in  general.  And  therefore  you 
shall  find  that  in  these  two,  viz.,  love  of  a  man's  self  and  love  of  pleasure, 
nameljj  in  other  things  than  in  God,  is  the  sum  of  all  man's  corruption  re- 
duced imto,  in  that  2  Tim.  iiL  2-4,  where  he  reckons  up  all  sorts  of  corrup- 
tions, a  great  bead-roU  of  sins ;  and  he  makes  '  love  of  men's  selves '  to  be 
the  captain,  as  I  may  so  speak,  the  first,  the  ringleader ;  and  '  lovers  of 
pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God,'  to  be  that  which  cometh  in  the  rear. 
For  these  two  are  the  spring  of  all  the  corruption  in  us,  and  unto  these  two  are 
all  our  lusts  reduced.     And, — as  I  may  rightly  express  it, — as  there  is  never 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  91 

a  vein  in  tlie  body  of  a  man  but  there  is  an  artery,  as  we  say,  tliai  runs 
under  it,  the  one  carrying  blood,  and  the  other  spirits ;  so  in  the  lustings 
of  the  soul  of  man,  there  runneth  a  vein  of  the  love  of  pleasures,  or  some 
other  thing  than  God,  and  an  artery  of  love  of  a  man's  self  that  puts  spirits 
into  this.  And  as  the  prhiciples  of  motion  (of  life  at  least)  are  blood  and 
spirits  in  a  man's  veins,  so  are  these  in  a  man's  soul. 

So  by  this  you  may  easily  understand  wherein  the  sinfulness  of  these  lusts 
lies.  All  these  lusts  are  guided  by  love  to  a  man's  self,  and  love  to  pleasures 
in  something  else  than  God.  The  passage  being  stopped  to  God,  it  runs  to 
riches,  beauty,  honour,  and  all  these  worldly  things,  as  its  chiefest  good. 
Whatsoever  the  understanding  of  a  man,  if  he  be  wise,  can  find  that  is  suit- 
able to  him,  it  draws  forth  a  lust  towards  that  thing.  "Whatsoever  the  art 
and  wit  of  man  finds  any  way  suitable  to  him,  he  is  carried  out  to  it,  and 
that  merely  out  of  a  love  he  beareth  to  himself,  and  merely  for  pleasure's 
sake  :  that,  look  which  way  self-love  moveth,  still  that  way  the  vein  of  lust 
runneth  ;  as  that  is  pleased  or  displeased,  the  soul  cometh  off  or  on,  putteth 
forth  lusts  or  desires,  and  pulls  them  in  again.  And  he  hath  no  new  desires 
put  into  him  which  he  had  not  at  first,  only  these  desires  are  left  to  th  m- 
selves,  God  being  taken  away  :  so  that  now  all  the  affections  in  the  oul 
turn  with  that  wind  every  way;  if  another  man  have  happiness  and  he  wants 
it,  self-love,  desiring  happiness,  puts  forth  envy ;  the  spirit  that  is  in  us  ust- 
eth  after  envy.  Still,  they  have  all  their  rise  and  spring  in  the  love  of  a 
man's  self,  and  in  the  love  of  pleasures,  setting  up  the  creature  more  than 
God.  Therefore  the  belly  is  said  to  be  god,  and  Mammon  is  said  to  be  god. 
The  holiness  of  man's  desires  lay  in  subordinating  all  things  to  God ;  and 
the  sinfulness  of  them  lies  in  loving  of  pleasures  more  than  God  :  so  the 
Apostle  expresseth  it,  '  these  are  the  lusts  in  our  flesh.'  There  is  not  an 
action  stirreth  but  these  lusts  are  the  ground  of  it.  And  hence,  that  I  may 
give  you  a  scripture  for  this  division,  they  are  called  '  our  own  lusts,'  and 
*  worldly  lusts.' 

They  are  called,  in  respect  of  self  in  us,  our  own  lusts.  And  therefore  to 
live  to  a  man's  lusts,  and  to  live  to  a  man  s  self,  are  all  one.  In  2  Cor.  v.  that 
which  in  one  place  is  called  living  to  a  man's  lusts,  is  in  another  place  called 
living  to  a  man's  self,  because  that  self-love  runs  in  the  vein  of  every  lust,  as 
an  artery  doth  under  a  vein  in  a  man's  body ;  and  you  may  feel  the  pulse  of 
it,  if  you  lay  your  hand  upon  your  heart,  and  search  but  narrowly  into  the 
bottom  of  all.  And  they  are  therefore  called  the  lusts  of  our  own  hearts,  in 
Rom.  i.  24. 

They  are  likewise  called  worldly  lusts,  because  the  things  of  this  world  are 
the  objects  of  them.  They  are  called  '  earthly  members,'  because  they  run 
out  to  things  on  earth,  as  in  Col.  iii.  5,  and  '  fleshly  lusts,'  in  1  Peter  ii.  1 1. 
And  so  now  I  have  shewn  you  wherein  lies  the  sinfulness  that  is  in  every 
lust  in  the  heart  of  man.  I  come  now,  in  the  next  place,  likewise — 
IV.   To  sheio  you  what  it  is  to  have  oxir  conversation  in  these  lusts. 

If  you  mark  it,  the  Apostle,  when  he  speaks  of  the  efiicacy  that  Satan 
and  the  world  hath  upon  us,  he  useth  another  phrase, — '  walking,'  saith  he, 
'  according  to  the  course  of  the  world,'  and  '  according  to  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air ;'  but  when  he  speaks  of  lusts,  he  speaks  of  them  as  of  an 
inward  intrinsical  cause,  '  having  our  conversation  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh' — 
in  the  flesh,  as  a  fish  is  said  to  live  in  the  water.  And  a  man  is  said  to  be 
in  love,  or  in  wine,  or  in  anger,  or  in  passion,  because  he  is  overcome  with 
it.  So  we  are  said  to  have  our  conversation  in  lusts,  and  to  be  in  the  flesh  ; 
because  a  man  is  always  overcome  with  some  one  lust  or  othtr,  and  that  is 


92  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  VI. 

the  ground  of  all  the  actions  he  doth,  so  long  as  he  is  in  his  natural  estate. 
And  therefore  James  saith,  '  He  that  is  tempted  is  drawn  aside  of  his  own 
lusts;'  and  as  Christ  saith,  ' That  which  com eth  from  within  defileth  the 
man.'  The  Scripture  therefore  doth  attribute  all  the  actions  of  the  sons 
of  men  unto  their  lusts.  In  2  Tim.  iii.  6,  '  led  away  with  divers  lusts.' 
All  the  coiTuption  that  is  in  the  world  is  attributed  to  the  daily  boilings  up 
of  these  lusts,  to  the  tumblings  and  tossings  of  these  desires  ;  for  the  soul  of 
man  is  like  the  raging  sea,  tossing  to  and  fro,  and  never  resteth.  So  in  2 
Peter  i.  4,  '  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust ; '  and  the  old 
man  is  said  to  be  corrupt  in  lusts,  Eph.  iv.  22.  And  therefore  the  Apostle 
doth  propound  these  lusts  as  the  chiefest  object  of  mortification,  as  I  shall 
speak  by  and  by. 

And  then,  in  the  second  place,  to  have  our  conversation  in  these  lusts,  it 
doth  note  out  a  constancy  also,  a  constant  walking  in  some  lust  or  other ; 
whereas  there  is  no  other  foundation  of  all  the  actions  of  a  man's  ways  but 
these  sinful  lustings  of  his  own  heart.  It  may  be  reduced  either  into  the 
love  of  pleasure  in  something  else  rather  than  in  God ;  or  to  the  love  of  a 
man's  self  above  God. 

Now,  men  have  their  conversation  in  these.  Why  ?  Because  that  the  soul 
of  man  being  an  empty  chaos  of  desires,  as  I  said  at  first.  As  the  stomach 
cannot  live  unless  it  have  some  nourishment  in  it,  so  a  man  cannot  live  un- 
less some  lust  or  other  be  satisfied.  '  In  which  ye  walked,'  saith  he.  Col. 
iii.  7,  '  whilst  ye  lived  in  them  ;'  he  speaks  of  lusts  plainly,  as  appears,  ver. 
3.  All  creatures  are  conversant  about  that  which  is  their  life,  and  they  are 
constant  about  that  which  is  their  life.  As  a  fish,  whose  element  is  the 
Avater,  if  it  be  out  of  the  water  it  dies ;  therefore  we  are  said  to  '  drink 
in  iniquity  like  water.'  And  these  lusts,  and  the  satisfying  of  them,  being 
a  man's  life,  he  is  said  to  '  war  after  them  ; '  it  is  a  mighty  expression.  In 
2  Cor.  X.  3,  our  warfare,  saith  he,  is  not  after  the  flesh.  He  speaks  in 
opposition  to  what  carnal  men's  warfare  is  ;  they  pursue  after  the  satisfac- 
tion of  their  lusts,  as  a  matter  of  life  :  as  men  that  in  war  do  fight  pro  aris 
etfocis,  for  their  subsistence,  for  their  lives;  therefore  they  are  called  the 
'  lusts  that  war  in  our  members,'  James  iv.  1.  They  are  not  only  compared 
to  a  law  in  the  members,  as  in  Rom.  vii.  23,  but  they  are  compared  to  the 
violence  of  war  too  ;  '  the  lusts,  saith  he,  '  that  war  in  our  members.'  And 
so  you  have  the  sinfulness  of  these  lusts  described,  and  what  it  is  to  have 
our  conversation  in  them.  There  is  not  an  act  which  a  carnal  man  doth  but 
it  is  to  satisfy  some  lust  or  other. 

All  that  I  shall  more  observe  is  but  this  :  that  they  are  called  lusts,  in 
the  plural  ;  there  are  a  variety  of  them  ;  they  are  said  to  be  '  divers  lusts,' 
Titus  iii.  6  ;  they  are  not  one,  but  many.  And  the  reason  why  they  are 
many  is  this  :  the  desires  of  man's  soul  were  once  united  in  one  object, 
namely,  in  God ;  but  he  being  gone,  the  soul  breaks  into  a  thousand  desires, 
and  makes  every  one  of  them  its  god.  That  which  did  unite  and  begirt 
up  aU  the  desires  in  one,  that  centre  being  gone,  all  these  beams  are  scat- 
tered. And  look,  how  many  objects  there  are  which  may  any  way  please  a 
man,  and  in  which  he  may  have  pleasure,  the  soul  being  all  for  pleasure, 
and  being  itself  an  unsatisfiable  thing, — for  it  being  made  to  be  filled  with 
God,  it  must  needs  be  so, — and  because  one  thing  cannot  fill  it,  it  runs  to 
another,  and  so  to  another,  and  so  the  soul  is  scattered  into  a  thousand  seve- 
ral lusts. 

And  then  again,  we  are  said  to  walk  in  our  lusts,  in  the  plural,  because  a 
man  cannot  always  live  in  satisfying  one  lust  only,  therefore  in  the  interim 


EpII.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  93 

there  must  be  other  lusts  to  entertain  the  soul  :  for  the  soul  is  never  idle, 
it  can  never  want  a  moment's  pleasure  some  way  or  other ;  it  must  have 
relief,  or  at  leastwise  desiring  and  seeking  after  it  :  and  so  what  in  one  thing, 
and  what  in  another,  a  man  walketh  all  his  Life  in  some  lusts  or  other,  and 
makes  it  a  sorrowful  life.  And  thus  natural  men  have  their  conversation  in 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh. — And  so  much  now  for  these,  words. 

I  come  to  the  next :  fulfilling  the  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind. 

That  which  the  Apostle  had  said  in  the  general  before,  here  he  speaks  of 
more  particularly.  He  doth  both  further  explain  what  it  is  to  walk  in  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh ;  it  is  to  fulfil  them,  saith  he,  it  is  to  act  them, — it  is  the 
most  proper  word  in  the  English  that  can  be, — to  act  the  wills  of  the  flesh 
and  of  the  mind.     As  in  our  usual  speech  we  say,  a  man  acteth  his  spirit. 

And  then,  secondly,  he  divides  these  lusts  into  two  parts,  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  or  of  the  sensual  part;  and  the  lusts  of  the  mind,  that  is,  of  the  under- 
standing and  the  will.     I  shall  first  open  the  phrases. 

The  first  phrase  I  shall  give  you  an  account  of  is  this,  the  wills;  for  indeed 
in  the  original  so  the  word  is,  and  so  you  shall  find  it  in  your  margins.  It 
is  certain  that  what  he  meant  by  lusts  in  the  general,  in  the  words  before, 
he  meaneth  the  same  thing  by  wills  here.  The  truth  is,  in  a  strict  sense, 
only  the  lustings  and  the  motions  of  the  understanding  and  of  the  wiU  are  ra 
'^iXri/MUTu,  they  are  '  wills ; '  but  in  the  inferior  part,  in  the  sensual  part, 
those  sensual  afi'ections,  of  anger  and  the  like,  are  but  lusts  and  desires.  And 
yet  notwithstanding  the  one  is  put  for  the  other  sometimes  in  the  Scripture, 
as  Beza  hath  observed  upon  John  i.  13,  out  of  Mark  x.  35.  Now  by  '  wills 
of  the  flesh,'  he  therefore  here  meaneth  lusts  or  desires,  as  it  is  translated, 
as  he  had  done  before.  As  when,  in  Rom.  vii.,  he  caUeth  the  lusts  of  a  man's 
heart  the  law  of  the  members,  which  properly  are  the  lusts  of  the  body,  but 
he  means  likewise  aU  the  lusts  of  the  mind  too  :  so  here,  when  he  calls  them 
the  wills  of  the  flesh,  he  meaneth  all  the  motions  of  the  body  also,  all  the  lusts 
both  of  soul  and  body.  But  to  give  you  an  account  why  he  calls  them  '  wills,' 
it  is  for  these  reasons  : — 

1.  To  shew  that  the  desires,  the  lustings  of  the  hearts  of  men,  are  not 
merely  brutish,  they  have  a  tincture  of  will  and  reason  in  them  ;  and 
though  oftentimes  they  are  involuntary,  for  there  are  many  motions  arise 
before  the  will  is  put  forth,  yet  because  they  are  in  a  creature  that  hath 
will  and  reason,  which  will  and  reason  shoTild  be  too  strong  for  the  risings 
of  such  lusts,  and  keep  them  down,  hence  therefore  they  are  called  '  wills.' 
You  shall  see  the  same  kind  of  lusts  in  beasts  as  in  men.  You  shall  see 
pride  in  a  horse,  you  shall  see  revenge  in  an  elephant,  &c.  But  yet  these 
very  lusts  that  are  the  same  in  men  with  those  that  are  in  beasts,  because 
they  are  in  a  creature  that  hath  a  wiU  and  reason  to  keep  them  down,  the 
fault  therefore  of  all  these  lusts  is  laid  upon  the  will,  and  they  are  called 
'  the  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.'  Take  now  a  natural  fool,  between 
whom  and  a  beast  there  is  but  a  nice  distinction  in  appearance ;  yet  these 
lusts  in  him  are  sins,  not  in  the  other,  because  he  hath  a  will  and  reason. 
But— 

2.  The  chief  reason  why  the  apostle  here  alters  his  phrase,  and  calls 
them  the  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,  is  this.  He  speaks  here  in 
relation  to  action,  of  acting  or  fulfilling  the  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind.  And  therefore,  to  shew  how  it  comes  to  pass  that  all  these  lusts, 
these  brutish  sensual  lusts  that  are  in  the  flesh  and  in  the  body,  as  well  as 
in  the  reason,  do  come  forth  to  outward  action,  he  saith,  there  is  a  consent 
of  the  will ;  and  therefore  now  in  James  i.  lust  is  said  to  be  the  tempter, 


94  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  VL 

but  the  •will,  that  is  the  thing  tempted ;  for  that  is  the  stern  and  rudder  of 
aU  in  man.  And,  as  I  shall  tell  yoii  in  the  observation  when  I  come  to  it, 
there  is  no  lust  so  sensual  but  before  it  comes  forth  into  act  there  must  be 
the  consent  of  the  will,  for  the  order  of  nature  still  standeth ;  they  must 
have  the  will's  pass  and  commission  for  it ;  and  therefore  he  calls  it  here 
fulfilling.  When  once  they  come  into  action,  these  lusts  are  turned  into 
wills  :  hence  therefore  they  are  said  to  be  the  '  wills  of  the  flesh.' 

3.  He  calls  them  '  wills  of  the  flesh,'  to  shew  where  the  chief  seat  of 
corruption  lies  :  it  lies  in  the  will.  Therefore  Amesius,  as  I  remember, 
when  he  speaks  of  the  corruption  of  the  will,  quoteth  this  place.  And 
therefore  in  other  scriptures,  that  which  is  called  the  '  lusts  of  men,'  ia 
called  the  '  wills  of  men.'  Look  but  in  1  Pet.  iv.  and  you  shall  find  that 
that  which  in  the  2d  verse  he  calleth  '  the  lusts  of  men,'  in  the  3d  he 
calleth  '  the  will  of  the  Gentiles ; '  and  he  calls  them  so  m  opposition  to 
the  will  of  God,  because  it  is  the  will  of  man  that  must  consent  to  the  act- 
ings of  those  lusts. 

Therefore,  my  brethren,  by  the  way,  a  man  can  never  be  saved  by  any 
power  in  this  will.  In  John  i.  13,  'which  were  born  not  of  blood,  nor 
of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  but  of  God.'  He  instanceth,  you  see,  in  the  will 
of  the  flesh.  Beza  indeed  takes  it  to  be  meant  of  the  seat  of  the  grosser 
corruptions  in  the  sensual  part  of  the  flesh.  But  surely  the  Apostle  would 
not  instance  in  that,  as  if  that  should  have  any  hand  in  salvation ;  there 
was  not  so  much  as  any  pretence  for  that  :  his  intention  is  therefore  to 
instance  in  the  best  part,  and  the  strength  of  the  wilL  Take  the  will  in 
itself,  in  the  uttermost  purity  of  it,  yet  it  being  a  will  of  the  flesh,  a  man 
can  never  be  born  again  of  it ;  he  speaks  of  the  best  endeavours  of  the  will. 
— And  so  much  now  why  it  is  called  '  the  wills  of  the  flesh.' 

Obs.  1. — I  will  only  now  give  you  an  observation  or  two  from  what  hath 
been  said.  And  the  observation  from  that  which  was  last  said — for  from 
ever)i;hing  there  might  be  observations  raised — is  this.  Thai  there  is  no  hist 
cometh  forth  to  action  hut  it  is  by  the  consent  of  the  will ;  yea,  and  of  the 
reasoning  pa?'i  too.  They  are  called  the  '  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind,'  of  the  reasoning  part.  It  may  refer  as  well  to  the  order  of  the 
casuaUty  of  sin,  how  it  cometh  forth  into  action,  as  to  the  subject  of  these 
lusts. 

As  to  this  you  must  know,  that  although  man  is  fallen,  yet  the  order  of 
nature,  in  the  subordination  of  the  faculties  one  to  another,  stands  as  it 
did,  works  as  it  did.  The  most  brutish  lust  that  is,  the  understanding 
and  the  will  must  concur  and  consent  ere  it  is  fulfilled ;  only  the  first 
motion  doth  not  come  from  the  mind  and  the  will.  And  there  is  this 
dift'erence  between  the  workings  of  grace  and  sin  in  tliis  respect,  that  aU 
the  workings  of  grace  begin  with  the  mind ;  for  all  the  motions  of  grace 
must  arise  from  the  apprehensions  of  faith  in  the  understanding,  and  so 
they  pass  to  action ;  and  so  spiritual  afTections  are  moved  in  us.  And 
therefore  it  is  called  the  '  law  of  the  mind,'  in  Rom.  vii.  It  begins  there, 
and  the  understanding,  like  a  burning-glass,  that  takes  in  the  beams  of  the 
sun,  receiving  the  beams  of  spiritual  things,  it  inflameth  and  setteth  on  fire 
the  affections  with  them.  But  now,  if  you  come  to  lusts  and  corruption 
they  begin  oftentimes  in  the  sensual  part ;  and  therefore  in  Rom.  vii.  are 
called  oppositely  the  '  law  of  the  members.'  And  they  propound  first,  yet 
so  as  still  the  order  of  nature,  in  respect  to  outward  action,  remains — that 
the  understanding  and  will  must  first  give  their  consent.  In  man's  pure 
stAte,  as  now  in  our  regenerate  condition,  so  far  as  we  are  regenerate,  the 


EWI.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  95 

understanding  and  the  will  lead  on  to  every  action ;  but  in  the  corrupt 
state  usually  the  affections  begin  to  lead ;  yet  so  as,  until  the  understand- 
ing and  the  will  do  consent,  the  man  proceeds  not  to  action.  The  dif- 
ference of  these  two  may  be  expressed  by  those  ways  of  government :  the 
one  when,  suppose,  in  a  corporation,  there  should  not  a  motion  pass  the 
common  council  but  it  must  come  from  the  mayor  and  aldermen,  with 
their  consents,  first ;  the  other,  that  motion  must  come  from  the  vulgar  sort 
first.  So  it  is  in  the  corrupt  state ;  all  cometh  from  below,  or  at  least 
much  of  all  the  actions  in  which  men  live  in  sin,  they  come  from  the  sen- 
sual desires,  and  gain  the  consent  of  the  will. 

And  then,  if  you  ask  the  reason  why  that  the  understanding  and  will 
do  assent  to  such  lusts  as  it  receiveth  not  immediately  ?  the  reason  is 
this  :  because  the  understanding  and  the  will  know  no  better ;  they  are 
cut  off  from  God,  and  bemg  cut  off  from  God,  they  must  give  consent  :  for 
the  man  is  for  pleasure,  and  the  will  is  for  pleasure,  and  so  is  the  under- 
standing ;  therefore  what  pleaseth  the  man,  the  understanding  approveth  for 
best,  and  so  doth  the  will  too,  though  not  best  in  itself,  yet  best  for  the 
man.  And  qualis  quisque  est,  talis  Jinis  ei  videtur,  as  is  the  man,  such  is 
Ms  end ;  as  he  is  disposed  in  himself,  such  is  his  end  in  working ;  every 
man  works  for  his  end,  and  look  what  the  man  is,  such  is  his  end.  As  now, 
a  man  in  a  sickness  desireth  drink ;  reason  and  understanding  tell  him  it  is 
ill  and  naught;  but  yet  the  understanding  consents  and  approves  it.  Why? 
Because  as  the  man  is  affected,  such  is  his  end  and  happiness,  that  is 
judged  best  which  suitcth  the  man.  And  hence  now  all  the  sensual  lusts 
come  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  will. 

Ohs.  2. — Secondly,  in  that  here,  lusts,  when  they  come  to  action,  are 
called  wills,  observe  from  hence  :  That  the  chief  sinfiilness  of  a  man  in  his 
actions,  it  is  not  simply  his  lusts,  and  the  rage  and  violence  of  them, — though 
therein  lies  a  great  inordinacy  which  a  man  is  to  be  humbled  for, — but 
when  they  come  to  act,  it  is  the  will  either  that  is  indulgent  to  those  lusts, 
suffers  the  thoughts  to  dwell  upon  them,  pore  upon  them,  or  which  yieldeth 
to  the  performing  and  fulfilling  of  them.  You  see  here  that  the  Apostle, 
when  he  comes  to  speak  of  fulfilling  of  lusts,  instead  of  fulfilling  of  lusts, 
he  saith,  fulfilling  the  wills  of  the  flesh.  The  will  is  the  great  measure  of 
sin.  My  brethren,  the  aggravation  of  sinning  against  knowledge  lies  chiefly 
in  this,  that  the  more  knowledge  a  man  hath,  the  more  his  will  is  disco- 
vered to  be  for  the  sin,  notwithstanding  that  knowledge ;  therefore  the 
highest  sinning  of  all,  what  is  made  the  measure  of  it  1  '  That  sin  wilfully, 
saith  he,  'after  they  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,'  Heb.  x. 
Therefore  they  are  called  '  children  of  disobeclience,'  in  the  very  words 
before ;  for  their  disobedience,  their  sinfulness  especially,  hes  in  the  obsti- 
nacy and  perverseness  of  the  will.  Therefore  when  God  turns  any  m?n  to 
him,  he  fasteneth  that  man's  will.  He  trusted  to  the  will  of  man  first,  and 
was  deceived  by  it ;  and  now  he  is  resolved  to  make  sure  work  wnth  him 
when  he  comes  to  save  him,  and  therefore  he  puts  man's  salvation  out  of 
himself.  And  therefore  now,  when  he  doth  work  upon  him,  he  works 
especially  upon  the  will ;  the  Holy  Ghost  sits  there,  as  in  the  centre  of  the 
soul,  and  hath  a  chief  hand  upon  the  stern  of  a  man's  spirit.  My  brethren, 
your  wills  are  the  slipperiest  things  in  the  world,  the  fullest  of  a  lubricity, 
of  a  fickleness.  You  see,  Adam's  wUl,  though  it  was  strengthened  with 
grace,  and  poised,  how  it  was  overcome,  how  fickle  it  was.  Therefore, 
above  all,  desire  the  Lord  to  fasten  your  wills,  to  hold  his  hand  upon  that 
stern,  always  to  guide  you ;  for  if  God  hold  his  hand  upon  that  stern,  if  tha 


96  AN  EXPOSITIOX  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  VX 

will  remain  firm,  and  be  kept  close  to  him,  it  is  called  '  arming  our  mind,' 
1  Pet.  iv.  1.  Though  lusts  do  arise,  and  tempt,  as  they  will  do  continually, 
yet  you  shall  not  fulfil  them,  they  shall  be  as  water  about  a  rock  that 
breaks ;  the  will  keeps  these  lusts  from  breaking  forth  into  action,  and  takes 
the  mind  off  from  thinking  of  them. 

Obs.  3. — Thirdly,  you  may  see,  my  brethren,  wherein  lies  the  slavery  of  the 
most  noble  creature.  What  is  the  noblest  thing  in  us  ?  Our  reasoning  and 
our  wUl.  Now  you  may  see  by  this  th.at  all  these  are  enslaved  to  lusts  ;  that 
phrase  which  the  Apostle  used  before,  '  walking  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,' 
here  he  turns  it,  and  saith,  '  fulfilUng  the  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  reason- 
ing part.'  It  is  not  a  will  now,  it  is  indeed  nothing  but  lusts;  for  that 
which  he  terms  lusts  in  one  part  he  termeth  wills  in  another ;  so  brutish  it  is. 
The  will  hath  lost  that  freedom  which  once  it  had,  and  now  it  is  in  bondage, 
serving  pleasures,  serving  divers  lusts, — these  expressions  the  Apostle  hath, 
— falling  down,  God  being  now  gone,  to  the  poorest  and  meanest  creature 
below  itself.  Herein  lies,  I  say,  the  uttermost  expression  of  the  slavery  of 
man,  that  his  wall  is  thus  subject  to  the  common,  as  I  may  express  it,  to  all 
the  brutish  lusts  that  are  in  a  man's  spirit 


EpH.  IL  3.1  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  97 


SERMON"  VIL 

Among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past  in  the  lusts  of 
ourjlesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  (or,  the  wills)  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind, 
&c.— Ver.  3. 

In  the  words  before,  the  Apostle  had  mentioned  the  two  external  causes  of 
all  the  corruption  in  the  lives  of  men  by  nature, — namely,  the  world  and  the 
devil ;  *  wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this 
world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'  In  these  words  you 
have  the  third  cause,  and  that  the  intrinsical  one,  '  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.' 
And  when  he  cometh  to  lay  open  that  as  the  cause,  which  is  indeed  the 
bottom  and  root  of  all  the  corruption  in  men's  lives,  he  doth  it— 

1.  In  a  general  way. 

2.  More  particularly. 

He  first  doth  it  in  a  general  way :  '  We  had  all  our  conversation  in  times 
past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh.'  And  then  he  doth  particularise  those  lusts : 
'  the  lusts  of  the  flesh' — the  body — 'and  of  the  mind.' 

I  have  opened  formerly  what  is  meant  by  flesh,  and  told  you  that  by  it  is 
here  meant  that  inherent  corruption  in  our  natures,  whether  that  which  we 
derive  at  the  first  by  birth,  and  brought  into  the  world  with  us,  or  that 
increase  and  addition  to  it, — for  by  every  actual  sin  an  addition  thereunto  is 
made, — that  which  the  Apostle  calleth  the  indwelling  of  sin. 

I  shewed  formerly  why  it  is  called  flesh ;  and  among  others,  I  gave  tlus 
reason  :  because  that  when  God  is  taken  out  of  the  heart,  then  all  the  ob- 
jects that  the  heart  is  carried  to  are  things  of  the  flesh.  And  I  did  prove  by 
many  places  of  Scripture  that  that  was  the  meaning  of  the  phrase,  and  to 
that  it  did  extend,  when  it  is  said,  '  Those  that  are  after  the  flesh  seek  the 
things  of  the  flesh.' 

I  gave  you  a  description  of  the  thing  itself,  as  well  as  an  account  of  the 
phrase,  why  it  is  called  flesh.  It  is  that  sinful  disposition  in  man's  nature, 
whereby  the  whole  man  is  empty  of  aU  good,  and  fixU  of  all  inclinations  to 
whatsoever  is  evil. 

I  came  the  last  day  to  shew  you  what  was  meant  by  lusts;  *  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh.'  They  are  the  immediate  sproutings  of  that  inherent  corruption,  all 
the  motions,  and  inward  workings,  and  first  risings  and  agitations  of  the 
heart  of  man,  either  against  what  is  good  or  unto  what  is  evil,  (I  may  add 
that  to  what  I  said  the  last  discourse,  it  is  not  only  the  motions  of  the 
heart  unto  what  is  evil,  but  also  against  what  is  good,)  as  in  Gal.  v.  17, 
'  The  flesh,'  saith  he,  '  lusteth  against  the  Spirit.' 

I  opened  to  you  the  nature  of  these  lusts.     I  did  it  two  ways : — 

1.  I  opened  in  general  the  nature  of  lusts,  or  of  the  lustings  of  the  soul 

2.  I  opened  the  sinfulness  of  it. 

I  opened  first,  in  general,  the  nature  of  these  lustings.     I  told  you  that 
God  hath  made  the  soul  of  man,  in  the  essential  constitution  of  it,  mere 
emptiness,  to  be  filled  up  by  something  else.     It  is  aU  things  in  capacity, 
VOL.  IL  Q 


98  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VII. 

but  it  is  nothing,  not  in  happiness,  or  pleasure,  or  comfort,  unless  it  be 
joined  with  something  else.  The  soul  of  man  is  nothing  but  a  chaos  of 
desires,  a  mere  stomach,  as  I  may  express  it,  mere  appetite,  mere  hunger ; 
and  aU  the  faculties,  both  of  soiil  and  body,  like  so  may  birds  in  a  nest, 
stand  gaping  for  some  good.  *Who  will  shew  us  any  good?'  Pa.  iv.,  is 
the  voice  of  all  mankind.  Now  this  being  the  original  constitution  of  the 
soul  of  man,  if  you  ask  me  in  the  general,  what  '  lust'  or  '  lustings'  are ; 
why,  it  is  the  moving,  or  extending,  or  putting  forth  of  any  faculty  or  power 
in  soul  or  body  in  desires  and  longings  after  any  object  agreeable  thereunto, 
and  in  which  it  may  find  pleasure  and  contentment.  It  is,  I  say,  the  goings 
forth  of  this  soul,  or  of  any  power  of  it,  to  any  object  suitable  unto  it;  this 
in  the  general  nature  is  lusting.  Now  the  soul  that  God  thus  made  mere 
emptiness,  and  stomach,  and  appetite,  he  put  into  a  body,  for  our  souls 
are  clothed  with  flesh  ;  and  when  he  first  made  us  in  the  state  of  inno- 
cency,  he  did,  for  objects  to  fill  up  this  soul  in  this  body,  first,  ordain  himself 
to  satisfy  the  desires  of  it ;  he  did  ordain  himself  to  be  the  chiefest  good 
and  happiness  to  this  soul.  And,  secondly,  he  made  a  world  of  creatures, 
which  we  see  and  behold  with  our  eyes,  which  are  all  suited  to  the  variety  of 
desires  of  man's  soul  dwelling  in  this  body.  Therefore  Solomon  saith,  '  he 
hath  placed  the  world  in  man's  heart'  There  is  nothing  in  the  world  but 
is  suited  to  man ;  and  there  is  nothing  in  man  but  there  is  something  in 
the  world  suited  unto  it.  And  then,  thirdly,  God  did  put  into  man's 
soul  this  principle,  to  love  himself  as  well  as  to  love  God,  and  in  loving  God 
to  love  himself  most ;  and  so  to  rejoice,  when  as  his  desires  were  satisfied 
with  God  himself,  or  with  the  creatures,  in  a  subordinate  way  unto  him. 
Here  now  is  the  natural  constitution  and  condition  of  the  soul  of  man. 

Now  I  must  shew  you  the  sinfulness  of  all  these  lustings  and  desires.  If 
I  must  shew  you  the  sinfulness,  I  must  shew  you,  first,  wherein  the  hoHness 
of  them  lay  whilst  we  were  in  the  state  of  innocency ;  for  one  contrary  is 
known  by  another.  Now  the  holiness  of  all  the  desires  of  the  soul  of  man, 
which  was  nothing  in  itself  but  desires,  lay  in  this,  that  God  touched,  I  so 
express  it,  all  these  desires  of  the  heart  of  man  as  the  iron  of  the  needle 
is  touched  with  the  loadstone.  He  did  put  a  magnetic  virtue  into  it,  his 
own  image  of  holiness,  which  did  guide  and  carry  all  these  desires  unto 
himself  And  there  being  holiness  then  in  the  soul,  the  holy  God  was  sviited 
to  this  soul,  and  all  the  desires  thereof,  to  satisfy  and  fill  it ;  and  so  by  the 
guidance  of  this  magnetic  virtue,  the  heart  still  went  God-ward.  And  then, 
secondly,  the  holiness  that  God  did  implant  and  stamp  upon  all  the  desires 
and  lustings  of  man's  heart,  it  did  regulate,  and  order,  and  subordinate  all 
other  desires  that  we  had  to  creatures,  to  comforts  here  below;  it  did  subject 
them  all  unto  God,  that  we  should  seek  nothing  above  God,  we  should 
seek  nothing  but  in  order  unto  God,  not  have  a  desire  stir  but  as  related 
unto  him. 

Now  then,  the  sinfulness  of  all  these  lusts  and  desires  is  easily  to  be  known. 
For  now  the  image  of  God  being  gone,  the  heart  having  lost  that  magnetic 
virtue,  that  virtue  of  the  loadstone  that  once  touched  it,  it  is  now  mere 
dull  iron,  and  now  it  moveth  not  at  all  unto  God  ;  neither  unto  him  as  its 
chief  good,  nor  unto  him  as  its  chief  end  ;  nay,  it  is  opposite  unto  him.  Saith 
the  Apostle,  in  Rom.  iii.  11,  speaking  of  all  mankind  by  nature, '  None  under- 
standeth,' — namely,  none  understandeth  God, — '  none  doth  seek  after  God.' 
Now  although  that  holiness  that  did  carry  us  out  to  God  be  gone,  yet  all 
the  desires  remain  stUl  the  same;  I  speak  for  the  natural  constitution  of 
them;  the  soul  is  nothing  but  desires  still.     Now,  as  I  told  you  before,  that 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  99 

God  did  not  only  suit  this  sonl  to  himself,  but  to  all  creatures  and  comforts 
here  below  in  this  visible  world, — now  when  God  is  gone,  and  a  man  is  with- 
out God  in  the  world,  as  it  is  in  the  1 2th  verse  of  this  chapter,  what  doth  his 
desires  do  1  They  are  all  left  to  themselves,  to  run  which  way  they  will,  to 
this  creature,  and  to  that  creature,  as  their  chiefest  good,  to  Jiave  happiness 
in  them.  And  God  being  gone,  and  all  love  unto  him  being  gone,  there 
is  nothing  left  but  self-love,  which  is  the  great  original  desire  in  man,  and 
which  seeks  after  comfort  in  all  things  merely  for  itself,  and  for  pleasure's 
sake.  In  this  Ues  the  sinfulness  of  all  the  lustings  of  man's  heart ;  that  now 
when  God  is  gone,  the  way  to  God  is  stopped,  the  heart  runs  a  thousand 
ways,  to  this  and  that  creature,  to  this  and  that  comfort,  and  doth  it  merely 
for  pleasure's  sake,  doth  it  merely  out  of  that  natural  desire  of  self-love,  which, 
love  unto  God  being  gone,  is  the  next  heir  in  the  heart  of  man. 

Now  then,  as  the  corruption  of  the  heart  is  therefore  called  Jlesh,  as  I 
shewed  when  I  opened  that  phrase,  because  it  is  carried  out  to  the  things 
of  the  flesh,  and  take  God  out  of  any  thing,  and  it  is  a  thing  of  the  flesh ; 
so,  take  but  God  out  of  the  world,  and  let  the  lusts  of  the  heart  then  go 
whither  they  will  go,  though  they  run  to  things  in  themselves  lawful,  yet 
because  they  run  to  them  without  God  and  instead  of  God,  and  but  for 
themselves,  hence  they  are  all  sinful  and  abominable  lusts  in  the  sight  of 
God.  Now  then,  look  how  many  things  there  are  that  are  not  God,  or  that 
may  be  sought  or  desired  without  him,  so  many  lusts  are  there  in  the  heart 
of  man.  Not  only  all  things  that  are  evil,  as  fornication  and  the  like, — as  in 
1  Cor.  X.  6  it  is  said  they  '  lusted  after  evU  things,'  speaking  of  their  rising 
up  to  play, — things  that  are  forbidden,  but  all  things  lawful,  without  God, 
whether  honours,  or  riches,  or  beauty,  or  pleasures  of  any  kind,  which  in 
themselves  are  lawful;  all  these,  take  God  out  of  them,  and  let  the  desires 
of  man's  heart  be  carried  to  them  without  God,  and  subordinate  unto  him, 
and  in  reference  unto  him  they  are  all  sinful  lusts.  Therefore  Christ,  in 
Mark  iv.  19,  saith,  '  The  cares  of  the  world,  and  the  lusts  of  other  things,' — 
mark  that  phrase,  the  lusts  of  other  things;  be  they  what  they  will  be,  if  they 
be  lusts,  that  is,  if  they  be  inordinate  lusts,  not  subjected  unto  God  as  the 
chiefest  good,  tasting  him  in  them,  and  subordinated  unto  him  as  our  chiefest 
end,  they  are  all  lusts  which  vsdll  choke  the  word  and  undo  the  soul. 

I  shall  illustrate  the  sinfulness  of  these  lusts  to  you  by  this  ordinary  com- 
parison, in  all  the  parts  of  it.  Go,  take  a  man  now  that  is  out  of  health, 
that  is  in  a  fever,  whose  stomach  and  palate  are  vitiated  ;  as  I  told  you,  the 
soul  is  nothing  but  stomach.  Suppose  this  stomach  to  be  a  vitiated  and  dis- 
tempered stomach  and  palate,  as  a  man  in  a  fever  hath.  I  ground  my  simi- 
litude upon  that  in  Eccles.  v.  17,  speaking  of  a  man  by  nature,  'All  his 
days,'  saith  he,  '  he  eateth  in  darkness,  and  he  hath  much  sorrow  and  wrath 
with  his  sickness.'  A  man  leadeth  but  a  sick  life  that  leadeth  a  life  of  lusts, 
living  upon  the  creature,  and  he  hath  much  anguish  and  sorrow  and  vanity 
with  it.  Now  take  a  man  that  is  sick,  wherein  lieth  his  distemper,  you 
shall  see  the  like  explaineth  fully  the  corruptions  that  are  in  man's  heart. 
It  lieth— 

1.  In  this,  that  by  reason  of  that  distemper  that  is  in  him  he  is  taken  off 
from  delighting  in  what  is  good  and  wholesome,  and  is  the  natural  nourish- 
ment to  him.  Bring  him  meat,  his  stomach  riseth  at  it,  at  the  least  scent 
of  it ;  if  he  either  hear  it  spoken  of,  or  if  he  think  of  it,  the  repre.senting  it 
in  any  way  to  his  fancy  turns  his  stomach.  So  now  take  the  soul  of  man 
by  nature,  that  is  thus  distempered  in  his  lusts,  when  God  and  holiness  is 
gone,  whatsoever  holdeth  forth  God  to  him  in  a  spiritual  way,  to  bring  Mm 


100  AN  EXPOSITION  Off  THE  EPISTLB  [SeEMON  VII. 

to  communion  and  fellowship  with  God  in  any  duty,  his  heart  riseth  against 
it,  against  holiness,  against  the  spiritual  law,  against  the  spiritual  part  of 
religion,  the  power  of  godliness.  Why?  Because  he  is  nothing  but  lusts 
distempered.  These  were  once  the  natural  food  and  nourishment  of  his  soul, 
but  now  he  is  distempered.  So  that  now  here  is  a  privation  with  an  oppo- 
sition unto  God. 

2.  Take  a  man  that  is  distempered  and  his  stomach  thus  vitiated,  such 
things  as  will  hurt  him,  such  things  he  mightily  and  greedily  longeth  for;  as 
also  whatever  else  he  desires,  he  doth  it  with  a  violence,  with  a  thirst  be- 
yond natural  thirst.  So  now  doth  the  soul  of  man  by  nature,  whilst  it  hath 
nothing  but  lusts  in  it.  He  both  lusteth  after  what  is  contrary  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  such  creatures  as  God  did  make  for  man,  and  are  lawful  for 
him  to  use  in  themselves,  yet  his  heart  is  carried  out  to  them  with  a  vehe- 
mency  of  thirst.  The  expression  is  in  Deut.  xxix.  19  :  it  is  called,  '  adding 
drunkenness  to  thirst.'  And  the  reason  is  this,  because  the  soul  having  been 
made  for  God,  and  widened  for  him,  now  that  God  is  gone,  you  can  no  more 
fill  these  desires  with  the  creatures,  than  you  can  fill  a  cistern  with  a  drop  of 
water.  Therefore  the  desires  are  enraged,  like  a  man  in  a  fever.  Saith  he, 
in  Eccles.  vi.  7,  'All  the  labour  of  a  man  is  for  his  mouth,  and  yet  the  appe- 
tite is  not  filled.'  He  speaks  of  a  covetous  man.  The  meaning  of  it  is  this : 
It  is  strange,  saith  he,  that  although  a  man  needs  no  more,  and  needs  labour 
for  no  more,  than  what  will  feed  him,  than  what  wiU  fill  his  mouth  and  his 
belly;  and  if  you  have  meat  and  raiment,  saith  the  apostle,  be  therewith 
content ;  and  nature  is  content  with  a  few  things  :  yet  though  nature  be  con- 
tent with  a  few  things,  and  a  man  need  labour  for  no  more,  yet  there  is  an 
inordinacy  in  the  very  appetite,  a  man  must  have  more  than  will  serve  the 
turn,  the  appetite  is  not  filled. 

3.  Take  a  man  in  a  fever,  and  his  desire  of  drink,  or  of  what  wUl  hurt 
him,  is  merely  to  satisfy  his  humour,  it  is  merely  to  please  himself,  and  to 
satisfy  the  inordinacy,  and  for  no  other  end ;  it  is  not  to  nourish,  he  knows 
it  will  do  him  hurt.  So  now  the  desires  of  the  hearts  of  men  and  their  lusts 
are  therefore  sinful,  because  they  are  carried  out  to  all  things  merely  for 
pleasure's  sake.  They  are  not  carried  out  to  other  things  for  God, — '  whether 
you  eat  or  drink,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God,' — but  it  is  merely  to  satisfy  a 
humour,  it  is  merely  for  pleasure's  sake,  and  to  please  himself.  Therefore 
you  shall  find  stiU  in  Scripture,  as  in  Titus  iiL  3,  we  are  said  by  nature  to 
serve  divers  lusts  and  pleasures  ;  they  are  both  joined  together.  '  Lovers 
of  pleasures,'  saith  the  Apostle  in  2  Tim.  iii  4,  '  more  than  lovers  of  God.' 
And  in  James  iv.  3,  they  are  said  to  consume  upon  their  lusts ;  that  is,  all 
that  they  get  is  merely  for  their  lusts'  sake,  it  is  merely  to  satisfy  the  desire, 
to  satisfy  the  humour,  all  is  spent  ujDon  that ;  and  that  is  all  the  fruit  thereof. 

Now  then  in  these  three  things  lies  the  sinfulness  of  the  lusts  of  man's 
heart.  I  shall  give  you  them  in  Scripture  phrase.  You  have  three  epithets 
that  are  attributed  to  our  lusts  :  — 

1.  They  are  called  ungodly  lusts  ;  so  you  have  it  in  Jude,  ver.  18.  Why] 
Because  they  are  carried  on  to  all  things  without  God ;  yea,  and  in  an  enmity 
and  opposition  unto  him.  They  are  taken  off  wholly  from  him,  and  there- 
fore they  are  ungodly  lusts.     And — 

2.  They  are  carried  to  other  things,  merely  for  a  man's  own  sake,  out  ol 
love  unto  himself,  and  for  pleasure's  sake.  So  in  the  same  18th  verse  of  the 
Epistle  of  Jude,  '  their  own  ungodly  lusts.'  And  therefore  for  a  man  to  live 
to  his  lusts,  1  Peter  iv.,  and  to  live  to  himself,  2  Cor.  v.,  it  is  all  one.  To 
live  to  a  man's  lusts,  that  phrase  you  have  in  1  Peter  iv.  2,  and  to  live  to 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS,  101 

a  man's  self,  that  you  have  in  2  Cor,  v.  15.  Therefore  they  are  called  in 
Eom,  i.  24,  '  the  lusts  of  their  own  hearts.' 

3.  They  are  called  worldly  lusts.  You  have  that  in  Titus  ii.  12,  *  denying 
all  ungodly  and  worldly  lusts.'  Why  ?  Because  when  God  is  gone,  and 
the  desires  are  carried  out  no  more  unto  him,  they  run  out  to  all  things  in 
the  world. — And  so  now  you  have  the  sinfulness  of  the  lusts  of  man's  nature 
laid  open  to  you. 

I  made  entrance  into  the  next,  which  is  a  more  particular  explanation  of 
the  diversity  of  those  lusts  which  the  heart  of  man  doth  follow.  '  Fulfilling,' 
saith  he,  *  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.     In  the  original  it  is, 

*  the  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.'  I  did  give  you  an  account  of  that 
phrase  in  the  last  discourse,  which  I  will  not  now  stand  upon ;  only  I  shaU 
add  one  or  two  things  more. 

I  told  you  that  all  the  lusts,  even  the  lusts  of  the  body  and  of  the  mind, 
be  they  what  they  will  be,  the  poorest  lusts  in  a  man,  they  are  all  the  wills 
of  the  flesh,  when  they  are  fulfilled.  Why  1  Because  that  no  lust  can  be 
satisfied  by  action  but  the  will  must  give  its  consent.  God  hath  placed  in 
man  a  supreme  lord  and  power,  a  will,  and  that  must  give  consent ;  and 
when  lusts  have  once  its  consent,  then  they  are  wills.  Now  here  he  speaks 
of  them  as  fulfilled,  therefore  he  calls  them  the  '  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind.'  To  which  only  let  me  add  this  further  :  it  is  corruption  in  the  will, 
from  whose  influence  these  lusts  are  called  '  wills.'  The  will  doth  not  only 
give  its  consent  to  every  lust  that  passeth  into  action,  but  it  doth  oftentimes 
strengthen  and  stir  up  and  provoke  lusts.  A  man's  own  will  is  his  own 
tempter  :  and  he  hath  an  obstinacy  in  his  will  to  follow  his  lusts  :  the  will 
doth  not  only  thus  follow  after,  but  it  goes  before.     So  in  1  Tim.  vi.  9, 

*  They  that  will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare ;'  and  in  John  viii. 
44,  '  The  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do.'  You  see  it  is  not  only  that  the 
lusts  come  and  tempt  the  will,  but  the  will  strengtheneth  the  lusts,  and  sets 
the  lusts  on  work,  and  puts  a  resolution,  a  back  of  steel  to  the  lusts.  A 
man  is  resolved  to  be  rich,  and  resolved  to  be  revenged,  &c.  '  The  lusts  of 
your  father  you  will  do.' 

And  so  I  come  now  to  the  second  thing  which  I  am  to  open  and  explain, 
namely,  the  diversity  of  these  lusts  in  the  hearts  of  men ;  '  fulfilling  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.' 

You  must  know  that  hjjlesh  here  is  not  meant  corrupt  nature,  but  it  is 
here  spoken  of  as  in  opposition  to  the  mind  of  man  ;  and  therefore  the  body 
is  here  meant.  In  Titus  iii.  3,  he  calls  them  there,  divers  lusts  ;  '  serving,' 
saith  he,  '  divers  lusts  and  pleasures.'  Now  here  you  have  the  diversity  of 
them  in  two  general  heads.     There  are,  you  see — 

1.  The  lusts  of  the  flesh,  or  of  the  body.     And  there  are — 

2.  The  lusts  of  the  mind. 

The  soul,  as  I  told  you,  is  nothing  else  in  all  the  faculties  of  it  but  a 
chaos  of  desires.  Therefore  now,  look  into  how  many  parts  you  may  cut 
or  make  a  division  of  the  man,  accordingly  you  may  make  a  division  of  his 
lusts.  And  look  into  what  eminent  parts  the  soul  of  a  man  may  be  divided, 
into  these  his  lusts  may  be  divided. 

In  Gen.  ii.  7,  it  is  said,  '  God  breathed  into  man  the  breath  of  lives,' — 
so  it  is  in  the  original, — as  being  more  than  one.  The  soul  of  man,  so  far 
as  it  is  the  subject  of  lusts  and  desires,  is  divided  into  two  parts,  and  nature 
hath  made  that  division ;  and  indeed  death  makes  it  when  it  divides  the 
soul  and  body  :  and  the  philosophers  made  it.     There  is — ■ 

(1.)  The  sensitive  soul,  which  is  common  to  us  with  beasts.    The  soul  of  a 


102  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VII 

beast,  as  some  say,  runs  in  the  blood  j  it  is  a  sensitive  soul,  it  is  the  quint- 
essence of  the  elements, — I  cannot  stand  to  describe  it, — it  contains  two 
things,  the  inward  senses  and  the  outward  senses.  The  inward  senses,  the 
fancy,  of  which  I  shall  speak  anon,  for  your  beasts  have  fancies,  for  they 
dream ;  as  you  see  by  the  starting  of  beasts  in  their  sleep ;  this  is  eminent 
in  apes,  monkeys,  and  elephants.  And  they  have  outward  senses,  as  hearing, 
seeing,  and  the  like,  which  have  objects  suited  to  them.  Now  a  man  hath 
the  like.  And  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  are  those  lusts  that  are  seated  in  the 
sensitive  part,  in  the  fancy,  and  in  all  the  other  senses.     There  is  in  man — 

(2.)  The  reasonable  soul,  which  a  beast  hath  not;  the  reasonable  soul  which 
is  put  to  dwell  in  a  body.  And  as  man  partakes  with  beasts  in  respect  of 
his  sensitive  part,  so  he  partakes  with  angels  in  respect  of  his  spiritual  part, 
his  understanding  and  his  will,  whereby  he  is  able  to  rise  to  higher  objects 
than  beasts  are,  to  put  a  valuation  upon  honours,  riches,  and  the  like,  which 
beasts  do  not. 

The  soul  of  man  now  being  thus  divided,  it  comes  to  pass  that  the  lusts 
of  man's  soul  are  accordingly  divided.     There  are  either — 

1.  Those  lusts  which  are  common  to  him  with  beasts, — though  they  have 
a  tincture  of  reason  in  them,  for  even  the  senses,  the  fancy,  is  by  participa- 
tion reasonable ;  yet  because  it  is  in  a  beast  too,  it  is,  I  say,  but  a  sensitive 
faculty, — which  are  the  sensitive  appetite,  whether  it  be  in  the  fancy  in  things 
suited  to  it,  or  in  the  outward  senses  in  things  suited  to  them.  Or  there 
are — 

2.  Those  lusts  which  are  common  to  men  with  devils.  For,  as  the  spirit 
of  man,  whilst  he  was  holy,  had  such  desires  as  angels  have  that  are  holy ; 
so  when  he  is  corrupt,  his  spirit  hath  such  lusts  as  devils  have. 

I  will  give  you  Scripture  for  both,  that  you  may  see  that  the  Scripture 
runs  upon  this  division.  All  such  good  things  as  are  suited  to  the  senses, 
and  which  the  soul  takes  a  pleasure  in  by  means  of  the  senses,  are  called 
*  lusts  of  the  flesh,'  or  of  the  body.  But  all  such  lusts  as  a  man  takes  in 
purely  by  his  understanding, — though  his  understanding,  dwelling  in  a  body, 
would  not  approve  of  many  things  to  be  good,  yet  it  is  the  understanding 
that  simply  approves  of  the  goodness  of  things,  as  of  riches  and  honours,  and 
the  like, — these,  I  say,  are  called  the  '  lusts  of  the  mind.'  I  will  give  you 
Scripture  for  them  both. 

1.  For  those  lusts  which  are  in  the  sensitive  part, — sensual  lusts, — you 
shall  find  it  in  Jude,  ver.  10;  speaking  there  of  false  teachers  which  were  cor- 
rupt and  abominable  in  their  way,  saith  he,  '  These  speak  evil  of  things  they 
know  not ' — spiritual  things,  which  they  understand  not,  and  are  opposite  to 
them,  they  oppose  mightily, — 'but  what  they  know  naturally,  as  brute 
beasts,  in  those  things  they  corrupt  themselves  ; '  they  are  given  over,  saith 
he,  to  brutish  lusts.  To  open  this  to  you  a  little,  you  must  know  that  the 
second  Epistle  of  Peter  and  this  of  Jude  are  parallel  epistles,  and  speak 
both  of  the  same  sort  of  men,  according  to  this  division  mentioned.  The 
apostle  Peter  had  shewed,  2  Pet,  ii.  10,  the  corruptions  that  are  in  the 
understanding,  the  superior  part  of  these  corrupt  teachers;  they  were  'proud, 
self-willed,'  '  having  men's  persons  in  admiration  for  advantage  ; '  these  are 
lusts  in  the  reasoning  part.  Now  Jude  here  saith  that  they  were  not 
only  corrupt  therein,  but  in  other  lusts  also  ;  for,  saith  he,  '  what  they 
know  naturally,  as  brute  beasts,  in  those  things  they  corrupt  themselves,' 
I  have  formerly  taken  the  meaning  of  these  words  to  be  this,  that  they 
came  to  sin  against  the  very  light  of  nature  ;  that  look,  what  light  they  had 
against  gross  sins,  they  even  sinned  against  it ;  and  that  they  had  sinned 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  103 

away  their  light.  I  thought,  I  say,  that  that  had  been  the  meaning ;  and 
the  truth  is,  that  which  deceived  me  was  the  placing  of  the  words  in  the 
translation  :  for  the  translation  runs  thus,  '  what  they  know  naturally,  as 
brute  beasts  ; '  but  in  the  Greek  it  runs  thus,  *  what  they  naturally,  as  brute 
beasts,  know.  And  so  examining  by  learned  expositors,  Estius,  and  Gerard, 
and  others,  I  did  find  that  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle  is  clearly  this,  that 
those  things  which  they  know  as  brute  beasts,  naturally, — natural  knowledge 
here  being  taken,  as  Estius  saith,  in  opposition  to  rational  knowledge, — what 
they  know  by  senses  in  a  natural  way,  as  beasts  do,  in  these  things,  saith 
the  Apostle,  they  corrupt  themselves,  thereby  shewing  the  further  corrup- 
tion of  their  hearts.  So  as  his  scope  is  not  to  shew  the  manner  of  their 
sinning  against  the  light  of  nature,  but  the  matter  of  their  sinning,  and  that 
not  only  in  corrupt  opinions,  but  brutish  lusts  also — that  they  were  given 
up  to  those  lusts  that  beasts  were  given  up  to.  '  What  they  know,  as 
beasts,  naturally,'  saith  he,  '  in  those  things  they  corrupt  themselves  ; '  as 
in  meats,  and  drinks,  and  sleep,  and  the  Like.  So  you  have  mention  of  their 
'  feeding  themselves  without  fear,'  ver.  1 3,  and  '  defiUng  the  flesh  through 
filthy  dreams,'  ver.  8  of  this  Epistle  of  Jude  ;  and  '  having  eyes  full  of  adul- 
tery,' &c.,  as  in  Peter.  In  these  lusts,  saith  he,  they  corrupt  themselves,  in 
sensual  lusts, — namely,  that  are  common  to  beasts, — of  uncleanness,  and 
the  like.     And  these  are  the  lusts  common  to  beasts. 

2.  You  shall  find  another  sort  of  lusts  that  are  in  the  spirits  of  men, 
which  are  called  the  devil's  lusts ;  and  they  are  the  '  lusts  of  the  mind.' 
As  in  John  viii.  44,  Christ  speaking  there  of  the  Jews  that  had  a  malice 
against  him,  saith  he,  '  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devU  ;  and  the  lusts  of 
your  father  ye  will  do.'  Mark,  as  the  Apostle  had  said  of  those  corrupt  men 
that  they  were  corrupt  in  bodily  lusts,  in  sensitive  lusts,  such  as  are  com- 
mon to  beasts ;  so  Christ  speaks  of  the  Jews,  who  were  malicious  and 
envious  against  him,  and  aimed  to  kill  him,  and  he  saith  that  they  did  do 
the  lusts  of  the  devil  The  devil,  you  know,  is  of  a  spiritual  nature,  he 
mindeth  not  the  lusts  of  the  body,  he  minds  not  beauty,  or  any  such  thing; 
he  is  of  a  spiritual  nature,  and  he  is  taken  with  spiritual  excellencies, 
therefore  he  is  called  'spiritual  wickedness,'  Eph.  vi.  12.  All  his  lusts  are 
spiritual  lusts — revenge,  and  pride,  and  envy,  and  malice,  and  the  like ;  these 
are  lusts  of  the  mind.  They  are  not  called  the  devil's  lusts,  ejQflciently, 
because  he  stirs  them  up  in  men ;  but  they  are  called  his  lusts  by  way  of 
imitation,  men  doing  the  same  lusts  that  he  did,  *  You  seek  to  kill  me,' 
saith  he,  and  he  is  a  murderer  as  well  as  ye,  and  ye  as  well  as  he.  These 
now  therefore  are  the  '  lusts  of  the  mind.' 

So  then,  as  the  man  is  divided  into  these  two  parts,  a  body  and  a  mind, 
the  sensitive  part  and  the  rational  part, — in  the  one  he  partakes  with 
beasts,  (you  see,  there  are  lusts  common  with  beasts  in  men,)  in  the  other 
he  partakes  with  spirits  in  devils, — therefore  there  are  the  lusts  which  are  in 
men  also. 

I  wiU  give  you  one  scripture,  to  close  up  all,  for  the  proof  of  this.  It  is 
in  2  Cor.  vii.  1,  'Let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh' — 
namely,  of  the  body — '  and  of  the  spirit.'  Here,  you  see,  all  sinful  lusts,  all 
filthiness  whatsoever,  is  reduced  to  these  two  heads.  How  do  I  prove  that 
all  is  meant  here  ?  All  that  is  to  be  purged  is  reduced  to  these  two  heads, 
therefore  all  is  meant ;  and,  saith  he,  '  growing  up  to  holiness  in  fear.' 
Therefore  now  all  the  sinfulness  of  man's  nature  is  reduced  to  these  two 
heads  :  either  bodily  wickedness,  sensitive  wickedness,  inward  or  outward, 
in  the  fancy,  and  the  like  j  or  intellectual  wickedness,  spiritual  wickedness, 


104  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  VIL 

as  the  scliool-men,  and  the  fathers,  upon  such  and  the  lite  scriptures,  have 
grounded  this  notion.  So  now  you  have  the  lusts  of  the  mind,  and  the 
lusts  also  of  the  flesh.  This  is  a  clear  and  certain  truth,  that  look,  how  far 
pleasure  and  desire  extendeth,  so  far  sinful  lusts  extend.  As  there  are 
pleasures  in  the  body,  and  from  the  desires  of  the  body,  so  sinful  lusts ;  so 
likewise  in  the  soul.  Some  things  the  soul  takes  pleasure  in,  merely  by 
the  help  of  the  body,  which,  when  it  is  out  of  the  body,  it  shall  have  no 
pleasure  in  :  other  things  it  takes  pleasure  in,  merely  as  it  is  an  intellectual 
substance ;  for  revenge  hath  a  pleasure  in  it,  it  is  no  bodily  lust,  yet  it  is 
the  sweetest  lust,  to  them  that  are  revengeful,  in  the  world. 

Now  then,  to  open  these  more  particularly,  that  I  may  a  little  anatomise 
your  hearts  unto  you — 

The  lusts  of  the  flesh  are  reduced  to  two  heads  :  the  one  lower,  or  more 
sensual ;  the  other  more  superior. 

There  are,  as  I  said  before,  the  inward  and  outward  senses ;  for  besides 
hearing  and  seeing,  in  a  man  and  in  a  beast,  there  is  fancy,  which  is  but 
a  fleshly  faculty ;  for  it  is  suited  to  buildings  and  pleasant  gardens,  and  a 
thousand  of  these  things  which  are  artificial,  beauty  and  the  like ;  all  these 
are  seated  in  the  fancy,  they  are  not  seated  in  the  reason.  The  fancy  hath 
a  little  kind  of  reason  in  it  materially ;  it  is  but  a  very  mechanic,  an  ap- 
prentice to  the  understanding,  to  make  shapes  for  it,  as  the  understanding 
is  pleased  to  call  them  up,  to  represent  its  own  thoughts  to  himself.  You 
have  fancy  in  the  night.  Whence  are  all  your  dreams  1  They  are  not 
from  your  understanding  so  much,  the  understanding  doth  but  heavily  and 
dully  accompany  them  ;  they  are  from  the  fancy,  and  the  nimbleness  of  it, 
and  the  species  there.  Now  you  have  the  same  fancies  awake,  only  they 
appear  lively  in  the  night  when  you  are  asleep,  because  then  reason  is 
down ;  but  they  are  wan  and  pale  when  you  are  awake.  I  use  to  say  that 
fancy  is  as  the  moon,  that  ruleth  the  night;  and  reason  as  the  sun,  that  rules 
the  day.  When  the  sun  is  down,  the  moon  is  up ;  but  when  the  sun  is  up, 
the  moon  grows  pale  and  wan,  though  it  remains  still,  even  when  the  sun 
shines  most. 

Now  then  there  are  these  two  sorts  of  lusts  in  the  sensitive  part :  there 
are  lusts  in  the  fancy,  and  the  lusts  in  the  brutish  part  of  man,  in  the 
body,  the  more  sensual  part.  I  take  it,  that  is  the  meaning  of  John,  in 
1  John  ii.  1 6.  There  are  the  lusts  of  the  eye,  saith  he,  and  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh.  By  the  *  lusts  of  the  eye,'  he  meaneth  the  fancy.  Walk,  0  young 
man,  saith  Solomon,  (who  are  fullest  of  fancy,)  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes. 
And  then  there  are  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  which  are  the  more  brutish  lusts. 
To  distinguish  these  two  a  little  : — 

Meats,  and  drinks,  and  sleep,  and  the  hke,  all  other  refreshments  to  the 
body,  to  the  sensual  part  of  it,  are  lusts  of  the  flesh,  properly  so  called,  in 
opposition  to  the  lusts  of  the  eye. 

The  lusts  of  the  eye  are  such  as  beauty,  apparel,  buildings,  pleasant 
stories,  jests,  pomp,  and  state,  and  a  thousand  of  these  kind  of  things ;  all 
these  are  the  puppets  of  the  fancy,  as  I  may  so  express  them.  In  Acts 
XXV.  23,  you  have  a  notable  place  for  this ;  it  is  said  there  that  Agrippa 
and  Bernice  came  '  in  great  pomp.'  That  outward  state  and  garb,  with  fine 
clothes  and  glorious  attendants,  which  they  were  so  pleased  and  taken  with, 
is  called  great  pomp  ;  but  what  is  it  in  the  original  1  '  They  came  with 
great  fancy  ; '  it  is  called  so.  Why?  Because  such  things  as  these  are  the 
objects  of  the  fancy.  So  those  little  additaments  to  women's  ornaments, 
we  call  them  fancies ;  it  is  but  the  calling  of  the  thing  by  that  which  it 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  105 

Buiteth  to.  Now,  though  a  thousand  of  these  things  are  lawful  in  them- 
selves,— for  this  is  certain,  that  God  made  not  anything  but  there  is  some- 
thing in  man  to  suit  it  and  take  pleasure  in  it,  and  it  were  to  destroy 
a  work  of  God  to  deny  it, — but  take  God  out  of  all  these,  when  a  man's 
fancy,  his  spirit,  is  carried  out  to  these  without  God,  when  there  is  not 
grace  in  the  heart  to  subdue  all  these  to  God,  then  it  is  sinful.  These  are 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 

There  are,  secondly,  the  lusts  of  the  reason,  of  the  mind.  You  must 
know  this,  that  the  word  here  in  the  text  wliich  is  translated,  '  lusts  of  the 
mind,'  in  the  Greek  it  is,  '  lusts  of  the  reason,' — that  is,  of  the  understand- 
ing of  man. 

Now  in  the  reasoning  part  of  man  there  are  two  sorts  of  lusts.  I  take 
it,  you  have  these  in  that  place  of  John  I  quoted  even  now.  There  are,  saith 
he,  the  lusts  of  the  eye,  the  lusts  of  the  flesh ;  and  what  they  are  I  have  told 
you,  the  lusts  of  the  eye  is  the  fancy,  that  of  the  flesh  is  the  brutish  part. 
And,  saith  he,  there  is  the  '  pride  of  life,'  which  is  the  lusts  of  the  under- 
standing. I  say,  these  lusts  of  the  understanding  are  of  two  sorts,  that  I 
may  diversify  them  unto  you.     They  are  either — 

1.  Direct  lusts;  that  is,  which  are  carried  out  directly  in  objects  before 
them,  suited  to  them,  suited  to  the  understanding,  which  it  apprehends  an 
excellency  in.     Or — 

2.  Collateral  lusts ;  lusts  that  by  a  rebound  rise  and  spring  from  thence. 
The  one  are  prima,  and  the  other  orta:  there  are  lusts  which  are  primary; 
and  there  are  lusts  which  arise  from  them,  and  are  secondary.  I  wUl  explain 
them  to  you  as  I  can. 

1.  The  understanding  of  a  man  hath  a  world  of  direct  lusts, — that  is,  lusts 
that  are  directly  carried  on  to  objects  suited  to  it.  As,  for  example,  *  pride 
of  life,'  which  the  Apostle  mentioneth  there  in  John  :  look,  whatever  excel- 
lency the  understanding  hath,  or  knoweth,  or  is  in  a  man,  of  beauty,  or  parts, 
or  wit,  and  the  like ;  in  all  these  there  is  pride,  which  the  Apostle  calleth 
pride  of  life,  as  the  other  he  calleth  the  lusts  of  the  eye,  and  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh.  Affectation  of  power,  and  of  glory,  and  of  sovereignty,  of  subjection, 
to  carry  on  a  man's  plots,  and  to  accomplish  them,  to  carry  on  a  man's  ends ; 
pride  in  wisdom,  learning,  parts,  whatever  else  it  be ;  any  excellency  that  the 
understanding  only  apprehendeth, — all  these  are  called  the  pride  of  life,  these 
are  lusts  of  the  reasoning  part :  excellency  in  civil  virtues,  conformity  to  the 
law,  of  which  Paul  boasted  in  Phil.  iii.  The  philosophers  in  civU  virtues; 
as  he  said,  Calco  Platonis  superhiam,  &c., — Diogenes  went  in  a  poor  habit,  and 
Plato  in  costly  apparel ;  he  would  tread  upon  his  coat,  and  the  other  trod 
upon  Diogenes's.  It  was  a  humility,  but  it  was  his  pride.  To  rise  higher 
yet,  there  are  lusts  of  the  mind  towards  religion.  Idolatry  is  mentioned  in 
Gal,  V,  20  amongst  the  works  and  lusts  of  the  flesh ;  for  in  the  1 6th  verse 
he  had  said  that  you  should  not  'fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh;'  and  what 
followeth?  Among  the  works  of  the  flesh  which  spring  from  these  lusts, 
idolatry  is  one  ;  for  if  men  set  up  an  idolatrous  worship,  they  are  *  inflamed 
with  their  idols;'  so  the  prophet  saith,  Isa.  Ivii.  5.  If  men  be  superstitious, 
they  are  puffed  up  with  that  superstition,  it  is  a  lust  of  the  understanding. 
In  Col.  ii.  18,  '  Let  no  man  beguile  you  in  a  voluntary  humility  and  wor- 
shipping of  angels,  intruding  into  those  things  which  he  hath  not  seen,  vainly 
puffed  up  by  his  fleshly  mind.'  Go  now,  and  take  a  form  of  religion  that  men 
fashion  to  themselves,  suited  to  their  lusts,  though  it  is  in  itself  a  good  re- 
ligion, yet  they  making  but  a  form  of  it,  as  the  Pharisees  and  Paul  did ; 
conformity  to  the  law  of  God  is  good,  but  he  made  a  form  of  it,  it  was  suited 


106  -  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  Vll. 

to  his  worldly  lusts  and  ends; — when  you  take  the  spiritual  part,  the  power 
out  of  religion  itself,  wind  it  up  as  high  as  you  will,  it  is  certain  that  there 
are  luets  towards  it.  A  man  hath  a.  zeal  for  it,  but  what  saith  the  Apostle  ? 
You  are  zealous  towards  God,  estabUshing  your  own  righteousness.  You 
shall  see  men  as  hot  for  that  which  is  the  way  of  their  religion ;  though  it  be 
but  a  form,  carnal  men  wUl  be  for  it.  This  zeal,  I  say,  if  you  resolve  it,  it 
is  properly  the  lust  of  the  mind ;  for  take  any  religion,  any  elevation,  any 
pitch  of  religion  that  a  man  sets  upon  and  is  zealous  for,  if  it  doth  not  rise 
up  to  spii'itualness,  all  his  zeal  for  that  religion  is  but  lust.  These  you  see 
are  the  direct  lusts  that  are  in  the  mind  of  man. 

2.  There  are  also  lusts  that  are  orta,  that  spring  from  hence ;  as  from 
pride  and  self-love.  Look  what  excellency  any  man  affecteth,  if  it  be  eclipsed 
by  another,  envy  ariseth  ;  if  any  oppose  him  in  it,  hatred  ariseth ;  if  any  hinder 
him  in  it,  revenge  ariseth.  These  now  are  not  direct  lusts,  but  are  lusts  that 
arise  upon  a  rebound,  when  the  desu'es  of  a  man's  heart  are  crossed,  and  yet 
they  are  lusts.  You  shall  find  in  Gal.  v.  20,  21,  that  envyings,  murders,  and 
witchcrafts,  and  all  these,  are  called  lusts.  Do  but  compare  the  16th  verse, 
where  he  bids  them  not  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh ;  and  then  he  shews 
them  what  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  that  arise  from  these  lusts ;  saith  he, 
'  idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath,  strife,  seditions,  here- 
sies, envyings,  murders,'  &c.  Now  would  one  think  that  witchcraft  were  a 
lust  1  No  man  hath  a  mind  to  go  and  give  his  soul  to  the  devil  simply ;  it  is 
not  a  direct  lust,  but  thus.  When  Saul  was  put  to  it  for  a  kingdom,  then  he 
goes  to  the  devil.  When  men  would  have  what  they  inordinately  desire, 
and  cannot  get  it  by  other  means,  then  Acheronta  movebo  ;  they  do  not  go 
to  the  devil  simply,  for  no  man  naturally  delighteth  to  converse  with  him ; 
nay,  there  is  naturally  an  averseness  to  it  in  the  heart  of  man  :  but  it  is  a 
collateral  lust,  it  ariseth  from  the  other.  And  so  doth  envying,  and  so  dotii 
wrath  and  sedition.  '  Whence  come  envjdngs  amongst  you  %  come  they  not 
hence,  even  of  your  lusts?'  saith  the  apostle  James,  chap.  i. 

I  come  now  to  the  next  thing,  which  having  despatched,  I  have  explained 
this  part  of  the  text.  You  understand  what  is  meant  by  '  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh  and  of  the  mind.'  There  is  one  word  more  must  be  opened,  and  that 
is,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind. 

The  word  is  '7:otoZ\iTig.  If  I  should  translate  it,  I  would  translate  it  thus, 
according  to  the  phrase  we  now  use,  acting  their  lusts;  it  is,  if  you  will  so 
render  it,  '  doing  their  lusts.'  We  translate  it  well,  '  fulfilling  their  lusts.* 
either  by  outward  actions,  or  by  a  continuation  of  inward  thoughts  and 
fancies,  or  musings  upon  such  things  as  the  soul  would  have,  or  desires.  It 
is  elsewhere  called  '  obeying  of  lusts;'  so  Kom.  vi.  13.  It  is  called  'serv- 
ing of  lusts;'  so  Titus  iii.  3.  It  is  called  '  perfecting '  or  completing  '  a  man's 
lusts ; '  so  Gal.  v.  16.  It  noteth  out  to  us  these  five  things  in  an  unregene- 
rate  man.     It  noteth — 

1.  That  lusts  are  the  ground  of  all  his  actions.  And  therefore  you  shall 
find  in  2  Peter  i.  4,  that  all  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  is  said  to  be 
'  through  lusts.'  It  is  some  lust,  some  inordinate  desire,  either  in  the  under- 
standing or  fancy,  or  other  of  the  outward  senses,  which  is  the  ground  of  all 
the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world ;  that  as  all  the  grace  that  is  in  the  heart 
is  in  and  through  Christ,  so  all  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  is  through 
lust.  I  could  give  you  a  world  of  scriptures  for  it,  that  lusts  are  the  founda- 
tion of  all  action  in  a  carnal  man ;  not  a  thought  stirreth,  not  a  consent,  not 
a  consultation  that  the  heart  hath,  examine  it  when  you  will,  but  a  lust  hi 


EpH.  II.  3,]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8,  107 

in  the  bottom  of  it ; — that  is,  an  inordinate  desire  and  love  to  something  that 
the  heart  would  have,  that  sets  all  these  on  work. 

Now  that  lust  is  the  ground  of  all  action, — and  that  is  one  part  of  the  mean- 
ing,— it  is  clear  by  what  hath  been  said.  Do  but  lay  all  these  together.  The 
soul  of  man,  in  the  first  place,  is  nothing  but  emptiness  of  good,  it  is  mere 
want,  mere  stomach,  nothing  but  desires,  it  would  have  somewhat ;  it  wants 
and  it  would  be  filled :  therefore  that  which  we  translate  committing  sin 
'with  greediness,'  in  Eph.  iv.  19,  is  in  the  original,  'to  have  enough,'  it 
would  have  something  it  wants.  The  soul  wants  now,  and  being  corrupt,  it 
cannot  go  to  God  ;  it  spies  out  some  objects  suitable  to  it,  that  it  thinks  will 
fill  up  that  want,  and  which  if  once  it  could  enjoy  it  should  have  pleasure ; 
which  is  always  a  conjunction  of  two  things  suitable.  When  a  man's  desires 
and  what  he  desireth  meet,  then  doth  pleasure  arise.  As  now  in  Ps.  Ixxviii. 
18,  when  they  asked  quails  (they  should  have  been  content  with  manna)  it 
is  said,  '  they  asked  meat  for  their  lusts.'  -For  lust  is  nothing  else  but  the 
extending  of  the  soul,  which  is  a  wanting,  hungry  thing,  to  something  it  de- 
sires, and  spies  out  something  suitable  unto  itself.  But  now,  when  the  soul 
hath  put  forth  desires  to  this  thing  suitable,  there  wants  some  action  or  other, 
either  of  thought  or  outward  action,  to  make  the  object  and  the  soul  meet. 
And  hence  comes  that  which  is  called  putting  a  man's  hand  forth  to  wicked- 
ness, it  is  to  bring  the  heart  and  the  object  together ;  and,  by  reason  of  that 
action,  the  heart  hath  communion  and  pleasure  with  what  it  doth  desire. 
So  that  now  all  the  actions  which  a  man  goes  about,  they  are  merely  his 
lusts'  business.  And  what  is  his  lusts'  business  but  to  aim  at  pleasure  1 
And  how  shall  pleasure  be  gotten  but  by  bringing  the  object  and  the  heart 
together  1  and  that  is  done  by  action.  Therefore  they  are  still  joined,  '  living 
in  pleasures,'  and  '  living  in  lusts  ; '  it  is  all  one,  as  in  James  v.  5.  And  James 
hath  an  emphatical  expression  in  that  place,  '  they  nourish  their  hearts.'  The 
heart  is  mere  stomach,  and  must  have  meat.  Now  all  the  objects  which  a 
man  desireth  are  but  to  nourish  the  heart,  merely  to  keep  life  in  it.  And 
look,  as  the  stomach  hath  contentment  by  eating,  and  when  the  meat  comes 
down  into  it,  so  hath  the  soul  by  action.  Hence  now  it  comes  to  pass,  that 
in  all  a  man  doth,  he  doth  act  his  lusts.  The  expression  that  is  in  Gal.  v. 
16,  is  extremely  emphatical  j  he  calls  it,  fulfilling  of  a  man's  lusts;  it  is  trans- 
lated so  indeed  here,  but  the  words  in  the  Greek  are  difi"erent;  for  it  is  ao/oDi'- 
Tsg  here,  and  nXhTin  there.  And  what  is  the  meaning  of  nXsersrsI  It  is  to 
perfect.  He  speaks  of  action,  for  he  doth  not  say.  Walk  in  the  Spirit  and 
you  shall  not  have  lust,  but, '  You  shall  not  fulfil  them.'  He  speaks  of  action 
therefore,  and  the  word  in  the  Greek  is  perfecting  and  accomplishing.  Lust 
is  an  imperfect  thing ;  it  is  a  motion  towards  pleasure,  but  it  is  imperfect. 
Now  action  cometh  and  perfecteth  it,  completeth  it,  attaineth  to  what  it 
would  have.  So  James  expresseth  it :  '  lust,  when  it  conceiveth,  brings  forth 
sin ; '  he  compares  the  lust  to  the  conception,  and  the  outward  act  to  the 
bringing  forth  of  sin.  And  that  is  the  first  thing  which  fulfilling,  or  doing, 
or  acting  lusts  doth  imply ;  that  action  which  the  soul  continually  goes  about, 
it  is  some  way  or  other  to  satisfy  some  lust  or  other. 

2.  It  implies  that  lust  is  the  master^  and  the  heart,  and  the  action ;  and  all 
these  are  but  instruments,  set  on  work  by  the  lust  that  hath  power  to  com- 
mand. How  prove  you  that  1  By  John  viii.  34,  '  He  that  doth  sin ' — it  is 
the  same  word  that  is  used  here — '  is  the  servant  of  sin  :'  and  because  he  is 
the  servant  of  sin,  he  therefore  does  it,  in  the  sense  there  spoken  of,  and  here 
also.     Saith  the  Apostle  in  Rom.  vii.  5,  '  the  motions  of  sin  had  force ;'  the 


108  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  VIL 

word  is,  they  had  '  energy,'  they  did  work  effectually :  therefore  it  is  called 
*  serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures '  in  Titus  iii.  3.  In  an  unregenerate  man 
a  lust  saith,  *  Do  this,  and  he  doth  it,'  as  the  centurion  speaks  of  his  servants 
unto  Christ;  so  as  he  cannot  cease  from  sin,  2  Peter  ii.  14.  What  hard 
tasks  doth  covetousness,  to  instance  in  that,  set  a  raan  about !  What  a  slave 
doth  it  make  a  man  !  '  He  that  will  be  rich,'  saith  he  in  1  Tim.  vi.  9,  '  falls 
into  temptation,  and  a  snare,  and  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,'  which 
his  own  reason  tells  him  to  be  so,  hurts  himself,  pines  his  carcass,  eats  the 
bread  of  carefulness,  riseth  up  early,  goes  to  bed  late,  and  all  to  get  a  little 
money  more  than  he  needs.  Do  but  read  Eccles.  vi.,  and  there  you  have 
his  description  ;  what  a  toilsome  thing  it  is  to  serve  that  lust !  Therefore 
the  phrase  is,  '  obeying  sin  in  the  lusts  of  it.'  He  compares  lust  to  a  law, 
the  '  law  of  the  members,'  so  he  calls  it,  Rom.  vii.  23.  Yea,  James  compares 
it  not  only  to  a  law  in  time  of  peace,  but  to  the  force  of  arms  in  war,  '  the 
lusts  that  war  in  your  members,'  saith  he,  in  James  iv.  Therefore  now  all 
the  members  and  faculties,  they  are  ready  Lastruments  to  please  lusts. 
'  Their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood,  and  they  run  greedily  after  the  ways  of 
unrighteousness.' 

3.  To  do  lusts,  as  the  word  here  signifies,  noteth  out  an  industry,  a  study,  and 
carefulness.  So  the  word  '  doing '  is  taken  in  Scripture,  as  Musculus  observes 
upon  that  speech  of  Christ,  when  he  said  unto  Judas,  '  What  thou  doest,  do 
quickly.'  What  was  Judas  a-doing  then?  He  was  plotting  and  contriving, 
he  was  thinking  how  to  do  the  business  of  betrajdng  his  Master.  '  What 
thou  art  doing,  do  quickly;'  so  he  interprets  it.  Therefore  in  Rom.  xiii.  14, 
men  are  said  to  take  ir^ovoiav,  to  take  thought,  to  be  careful  to  fulfil  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh. 

4.  It  noteth  out,  in  the  Scripture  phrase,  constancy.  To  do  iniquity  is 
not  to  do  an  act  of  iniquity,  but  it  is  to  make  a  trade  of  it.  So  in  1  John 
iiL  8,  doing  is  taken,  whether  it  be  meant  of  sinning  or  meant  of  righteous- 
ness :  '  He  that  committeth  sin,'  saith  he, — the  word  in  the  original  is  the 
same  with  that  here  in  the  text, — '  he  that  doth  sin  is  of  the  devil.'  What 
is  the  meaning  of  '  doing  sin'  here?  It  is  making  a  trade  of  sin.  How  do 
I  prove  that  ?  Because  it  is  doing  as  the  devU  doth.  And  how  doth  he 
do?  For,  saith  he,  the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning.  When  a  man 
doth  make  a  trade  and  course  of  sinning,  as  the  devil  doth,  he  it  is  that  the 
Apostle  meaneth  when  he  saith,  '  he  that  doth  sin.'  'Whosoever  is  born 
of  God,'  saith  he,  ver.  9,  '  doth  not  commit  sin ; '  he  doth  not  do  sin  thus, 
he  doth  not  make  a  trade  of  any  sin,  it  is  impossible  he  should.  '  In  this,' 
saith  he,  ver.  10,  'the  children  of  God  are  manifest,  and  the  children 
of  the  devil  :  whosoever  doth  not  righteousness  is  not  of  God,  neither 
he  that  loveth  not  his  brother.'  For  to  do  righteousness  is  to  set  a  man's 
self  to  make  a  trade  of  it ;  as  in  1  Peter  iii.  1 1,  '  K  thou  wouldest  see  good 
days,  do  good,  and  eschew  evil'  What !  do  one  good  action  ?  No,  but 
doing  good  there  is  the  same  word  here  in  the  text,  and  is  meant,  making  a 
trade  of  it,  setting  a  man's  self  in  the  course  of  good.  So,  to  do  a  man's  lusts, 
or  to  act  a  man's  lusts,  or  fulfil  them,  as  we  translate  it,  implieth  constancy. 

5.  It  implieth  universality ;  the  meaning  whereof  is  this,  that  an  unre- 
generate man  is  never  but  a  fulfilling  some  lust  or  other ;  he  hath  never  but 
some  one  imp  or  other  sucking  of  him,  as  I  may  so  express  it,  either  lusts  of 
the  body  or  of  the  mind.  For  the  soul  of  man  never  can  be  idle  ;  it  is  like 
the  heavens,  always  moving ;  it  is  always  wanting,  and  there  must  be  meal 
in  the  mill,  it  must  grind  something  or  other ;  it  is  nothing  but  lusts,  and 
all  the  actions  of  it  are  nothing  but  to  satisfy  those  lusts,  and  so  he  makes 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  109 

up  hi3  whole  life,  and  a  sorrowful  life  it  is,  in  satisfying  first  one  lust,  and 
then  another  lust ;  he  is  always  acting  for  them  one  way  or  other. 

So  now  you  have  the  nature  of  these  lusts  opened.  I  shall  make  an  ob- 
servation or  two. 

Ohs.  1. — The  first  obser\'ation  is  this,  That  the  whole  man,  and  all  the 
parts,  both  of  soul  and  body,  are  corrupt.  And  it  is  a  great  observation  to 
humble  us,  my  brethren.  The  body,  and  all  the  desires  of  it ;  the  mind,  the 
will,  whatsoever  is,  there  is  almost  no  part  but  there  is  something  in  the 
text  here  that  holds  forth  the  corruption  of  it,  either  directly  or  implicitly. 
Here  is  the  '  lusts  of  the  flesh,'  you  see,  of  the  body,  the  sensitive  part :  here 
is  the  '  lusts  of  the  mind,'  the  reasoning  part  :  here  is  also,  the  will,  the  cor- 
ruption of  that ;  for  he  calleth  lusts,  because  they  come  to  action,  '  wills  of 
the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.'  Here  is  the  understanding  in  the  word  raJi* 
diavoiuv,  for  so  the  word  properly  referreth  to  the  understanding.  And  here 
likewise  are  all  the  sensitive  powers  of  a  man  included  in  the  word  '  flesh,' 
which  belongeth  to  his  body  in  common  to  him  with  beasts.  Therefore  cor- 
rupt nature  in  Scripture  is  called  a  man ;  so  you  have  it  in  EpL  iv.  22, 
'  Put  off  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts.' 
Why  is  it  called  a  man  ?  Because  it  is  spread  over  the  whole  man,  and 
hath  members  as  large  as  a  man's  soul  and  body  hath.  In  Rom.  iii.  10,  he 
goes  over  aU  the  powers  of  man.  In  the  mind  :  there  is  none  that  under- 
standeth,  no,  not  one.  In  the  will  :  none  seeks  after  God.  In  all  the  other 
parts  :  the  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre,  under  their  lips  is  poison,  their  feet 
are  swift  to  shed  blood ;  itching  ears,  2  Tim.  iv.  3 ;  hands  full  of  blood, 
Isa.  i.  15.  Yea,  if  you  will  have  it,  the  tongue  is  a  world  of  evil,  so  saith 
James.  And  in  Isa.  i  6,  from  the  sole  of  the  foot  to  the  crown  of  the  head 
there  is  no  one  whole  part. — That  is  the  first  observation. 

Obs.  2. — The  second  is  this.  That  our  superior  parts,  the  mind  and  the 
will,  have  their  corruption  as  well  as  the  sensitive  part.  It  is  a  strange  thing 
that  the  Papists  should  go  and  cut  off  at  one  blow  half  of  a  man's  corrup- 
tion ;  they  would  make  the  understanding  to  be  a  kind  of  virgin,  the  will 
only  to  be  as  one  that  is  bound ;  if  the  fetters  were  but  ofi",  he  would  go. 
My  brethren,  this  is  a  certain  rule,  that  there  is  the  same  subject  of  pri- 
vation, and  of  the  habits.  I  shall  explain  myself  to  you.  The  eye  is  the 
subject  of  sight ;  the  eye  therefore  is  the  subject  of  blindness,  if  sight  be 
gone.  What  parts  in  man  were  the  subjects  of  holiness?  The  understand- 
ing and  the  will,  it  is  certain.  Therefore  when  holiness  is  gone,  what  is  sin? 
The  want  of  holiness.  What  must  be  the  subject  of  it  then  ?  Certainly  the 
understanding,  and  the  will  too,  is  the  chief  subject  of  it. 

That  which  deceived  the  school-men,  who  brought  up  that  notion  first, 
was  the  gross  interpretation  of  the  word  '  flesh '  in  the  Scripture,  as  only 
taking  it  for  the  body;  whenas  the  Scripture  doth  not  speak  like  the  philo- 
sophers, but  the  Scriptures  speak  theologically.  '  That  which  is  born  of 
the  flesh  is  flesh.'  He  doth  not  only  say  he,  but  that;  there  is  not  that 
thing  in  man  that  is  born  of  flesh,  and  propagated,  but  it  is  flesh ;  that  is, 
it  is  corruption. 

The  fathers  likewise  in  the  primitive  times  spake  gently  of  the  corruption 
of  the  mind  and  of  the  understanding,  because  they  approved  so  much 
good,  and  the  philosophers  magnified  that,  for  they  knew  no  other  good 
in  man  but  that  :  the  other  spake  too  gently,  by  reason  of  the  opposition 
of  the  times,  and  to  take  off  the  absurdities  of  the  doctrine  of  Christian 
religion,  and  not  according  to  the  Scriptures.  My  brethren,  the  greatest 
sins  of  all  are  in  the  understanding,  as  I  might  shew  you  if  I  had  time. 


110  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VII. 

Envy  and  wrath,  wMcli  are  lusts  properly  in  the  understanding,  and  re- 
venge, and  the  Like,  are  all  called  lusts  of  the  flesh  ;  that  is,  of  corrupt 
nature,  yet  they  are  lusts  properly  seated  in  the  understanding. 

My  brethren,  they  are  the  devil's  lusts,  they  are  therefore  the  worst  lusts 
of  all  the  rest ;  the  devil's  lusts,  I  say,  most  opposite  unto  Christ ;  the  high- 
est idolatry  lies  there.  Therefore  when  he  speaks  of  an  intellectual  lust, 
such  as  covetousness  is,  he  saith,  '  which  is  idolatry ; '  because  the  inward 
idolatry  of  the  mind  is  the  worst  idolatry  of  all  the  rest.  Men  that  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  what  is  it  makes  them  so  vsdcked?  It  is  their 
understanding  and  their  will.  Julian  the  Apostate  was  a  civil  man,  he  was 
not  given  up  to  gross  sins,  yet  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost  It  lies  in 
revenge,  in  the  devil's  lusts.  The  vrisdom  of  the  world,  saith  he,  is  'earthly, 
sensual,  and  devilish,'  the  very  wisdom  is.  There  are,  in  a  word,  other 
corruptions  in  the  understanding.  There  is,  first,  a  darkness  as  to  the 
knowledge  of  aU  spiritual  things.  There  are  also  all  sorts  of  principles 
contrary  to  true  principles.  The  fool  saith.  There  is  no  God,  and  God  seeth 
not.  Psalm  x.  There  are  also  in  it  lusts  of  its  own,  proper  to  itself,  which 
are  the  strongest  lusts,  and  have  the  greatest  influence  into  men's  lives  of 
any  other ;  as  outward  excellencies  apprehended  by  the  understanding,  to 
have  honour,  and  riches,  and  power,  and  greatness,  and  the  like ;  these  are 
the  objects  of  the  understanding,  and  these  are  the  great  lusts  of  the  world; 
other  lusts  are  but  petty  ones,  these  have  the  great  influence  into  men.  I 
could  shew  you  that  covetousness  and  such  lusts  are  lusts  of  the  under- 
standing. Men  are  not  covetous  merely  because  they  love  to  see  money 
and  to  see  gold  ;  but  covetous  to  uphold  their  state  and  greatness,  that 
they  may  be  said  to  be  worth  so  much,  to  leave  behind  them  a  name,  and 
a  house,  and  an  estate  for  their  children.  These  are  the  lusts  of  the  under- 
standing, and  these  are  the  grounds  of  covetousness.  And  so  likewise  the 
understanding  is  set  on  work  to  accomplish  all  worldly  lusts.  Men  are 
wise  to  do  evil,  saith  Jeremiah,  and  to  do  good  they  have  no  understanding. 
I  have  not  walked  among  you,  saith  Paul,  with  fleshly  wisdom,  1  Cor.  ii. 
I  could  name  many  more,  but  I  pass  them  over. 

Obs.  3. — A  third  observation  is  this.  You  see  how  much  more  man  that 
is  a  sinner  hath  to  be  humbled  for,  in  some  respects,  than  devils.  For  he 
hath  more  lusts,  and  a  greater  capacity  of  sinning,  than  the  devils  them- 
selves have  in  some  respects.  The  devil  indeed  is  the  father  of  all  sin, 
because  he  began  it ;  but  all  the  lusts  of  the  body,  and  the  like,  he  is  not 
capable  of.  But  now  look  how  many  desires  are  in  the  outward  senses,  or 
in  the  fancy,  and  the  like,  vmto  all  things  in  this  world,  so  many  ways  of 
sinning  hath  man ;  and  then  all  the  ways  that  the  devils  have  of  sinning  he 
hath  too  :  of  revenge,  and  pride,  and  all  such  lusts. 

And,  my  brethren,  see  how  hard  a  thing  it  is  to  be  saved;  for  take  a 
man  in  his  natural  condition,  holiness  being  gone,  look  how  many  several 
things  the  soul  is  fitted  to  desire,  or  to  lust  after,  so  many  ways  he  hath  to 
heU ;  and  that  is,  ten  thousand  thousand,  for  the  desires  of  the  heart  of 
man  are  infinite  every  way.  Suppose  now  that  a  man  were  moated  about 
in  a  great  compass,  and  there  were  a  thousand  paths  to  walk  in;  let  him 
take  which  path  he  will,  if  he  would  walk,  being  blindfold,  he  must  cer- 
tainly fall  into  the  moat :  so  is  it  here. 

And  likewise  you  may  see  by  this  the  evil  of  all  our  lusts.  Either  we 
are  beasts  or  devils.  If  we  satisfy  the  lusts  of  the  body,  we  are  beasts ;  if 
of  the  mind,  devils.  Choose  which  of  these  two  you  will  be,  for  into  one 
you  must  faU. 


EpH.  11.  3.1  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  Ill 


SEEMON  vm 

And  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others. — ^Vek.  S. 

The  last  discourse  I  handled  these  words,  *  fulfilling  the  desires,'  or  wills, 
*  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.'  The  Apostle  had  before  in  general  shewed 
how  that  the  conversation  of  all  men  in  the  state  of  nature  is  in  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh-  And  by  '  lusts  of  the  flesh  '  there,  he  means  the  lusts  of  corrupt 
nature  in  general,  as  Jlesh  in  Scripture  is  often  taken.  But  not  contented 
with  that,  he  doth  particularise  the  lusts  which  are  in  the  hearts  of  men. 
which  in  their  Uves  they  do  fulfil,  dividing  them  according  to  that  division 
of  nature,  of  soul  and  body.  '  Fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh ; '  that  is,  of 
the  body,  or  those  lusts  which  the  soul  partakes  in  by  reason  of  the 
body  ;  all  those  sensitive  lusts,  both  of  the  outward  senses,  and  of  the 
inward  senses,  the  fancy,  and  the  Like.  'And  of  the  mind;'  that  is,  those 
lusts  which  John  calls  lusts  of  the  eye,  which  are  purely  reasonable,  and 
which  have  their  seat  merely  in  the  understanding  and  mind,  and  those 
rational  faculties  ;  '  fulfilling  the  wills  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind.' 

I  opened  to  you  the  difference  of  these  two  in  the  former  discourse,  and 
I  shewed  that,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  all  the  sins  of  men,  and  all  the 
lusts  in  the  hearts  of  men,  are  reduced  to  these  two  heads.  Either  those 
which  we  have  common  with  beasts,  or  at  leastwise  are  seated  in  those  facul- 
ties which  are  common  to  beasts ;  or  else  such  as  are  common  to  us  with 
devils.  I  told  you,  that  either  there  are  those  lusts  which  are  in  the  most 
sensitive  part  of  the  outward  senses,  or  those  which  are  in  the  fancy,  the 
objects  whereof  are  buildings,  and  a  thousand  other  artifices  of  men,  beauty, 
and  the  like,  or  else  they  are  the  lusts  which  are  in  the  rational  part,  purely 
such,  as  pride  in  any  excellency,  envy,  and  the  like.  I  discoursed  at  large  of 
these  things  ;  I  shall  only  add  this  : — 

I  reduce  many  of  those  lusts  in  the  hearts  of  men  to  the  fancy,  not  because 
beasts  who  have  fancies  are  capable  of  them,  as  to  see  an  excellency  in  build- 
ings and  beauty  and  the  like  ;  these  things  fanciful  beasts  are  not  capable  of. 
Yet  because  the  fancy  is  by  participation  reasonable  in  a  man,  hence  it  is 
that  men  are  capable  of  many  lusts  in  their  fancies,  whereof  they  see  no 
image  in  a  beast,  and  yet  they  are  not  properly  the  lusts  of  the  mind,  because 
they  are  not  purely  intellectual,  but  the  soul  is  drenched  in  them  by  reason 
of  its  conjunction  with  the  flesh.  I  only  add  that,  to  explain  what  I  said  in 
the  last  discourse.  I  would  not  have  repeated  so  much,  but  only  in  order 
to  somewhat  more  that  I  mean  to  speak  at  this  time,  concerning  these  lusts 
of  the  mind  ;  and  so  I  shall  come  to  the  other  part  of  the  verse  :  And  were 
hy  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others. 

Concerning  these  lusts  I  shall  give  you  one  or  two  general  rules,  and  so 
come  off.  I  shall  not  go  about  now  to  set  down  notes  and  signs  of  what 
is  the  master-lust  in  men,  a  thing  which  elsewhere  I  have  largely  handled ; 
but  I  shall  only  give  you  some  two  or  three  general  rules  concerning  lusts, 
and  concerning  the  lusts  of  the  mind  especially. 

The  first  whereof  is  this  :  That  these  lusts  do  vary,  according  as  men's 


112  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VIII. 

natural  tempers  or  their  understandings,  and  the  degrees  thereof,  are  more 
or  less.  In  men  of  understanding,  lusts  of  the  mind  prevail  most ;  and  in 
fools,  sensual  pleasures,  in  meat  and  drink,  and  the  like,  and  in  the  natural 
comforts  of  the  body.  And  they  are  diversified  thus  according  as  the 
natural  constitution  or  natural  elevation  of  the  spirits  of  men  are,  according 
to  the  various  elevation  or  advancement  of  the  understanding ;  for  man, 
being  a  rational  creature,  and  reason  being  the  chief  principle  in  him,  he 
useth  that  little  understanding  he  hath  to  find  out  what  will  suit  him  most, 
what  he  can  have  dearest  contentment  in,  and  accordingly  he  pitcheth  upon 
and  prosecuteth  by  nature  that.  Though  a  man  hath  all  lusts  in  him,  yet  he 
prosecuteth  those  things  with  the  dearest  contentment  which  that  poor  small 
understanding  he  hath  counteth  most  excellent.  Hence  therefore,  according 
to  the  variation  of  men's  understandings,  it  comes  to  pass  that  their  lusts  are 
ordinarily  pitched  higher  or  lower.  In  worldly  objects,  there  is  a  great  deal 
of  difference  in  the  excellency  of  them.  Some  are  more  abstracted  from  the 
gross  substance  of  things,  as  I  may  so  speak ;  some  are  more  spiritual  and 
more  airy.  And  as  you  see  among  living  creatures,  there  are  some  that  live 
upon  a  finer  kind  of  food  than  others ;  birds,  you  know,  live  upon  a  finer 
kind  of  food  than  beasts ;  and  there  is  one  bird,  the  chameleon,  that  lives, 
as  some  say,  merely  upon  air.  So  the  spirits  of  men,  the  more  airy  and  in- 
tellectual they  are,  the  finer  is  that  food  that  nourisheth  their  lusts.  There- 
fore your  great  philosophers  of  old,  that  were  wise  men,  pitched  upon  moral 
virtues,  and  upon  civility,  and  placed  their  happiness  in  them  ;  and  their 
wisdom  was  so  strong  in  them  that  even  that  did  judge  mere  sensual  plea- 
sures to  defile  the  soul,  which  they  apprehended  to  be  the  most  noble  of  crea- 
tures, and  out  of  the  greatness  of  theii"  spirits  they  would  not  stoop  to  what  was 
base  ;  they  thought  it  most  unfit  for  an  elevated  soul  to  serve  any  creature 
less  than  itself;  but  as  for  virtue,  and  morality,  and  the  like,  they  thought 
that  these  were  meet  for  the  understanding  and  soul  of  a  man.  Yet  because 
they  took  not  God  in  these  things,  hence  it  came  to  pass  that  these  were 
lusts,  though  lusts  of  the  mind,  as  I  shewed  you  likewise  the  last  discourse. 
So  likewise  those  among  the  Jews  that  were  raised  higher  than  the  hea- 
thens, accordingly  the  lusts  of  their  minds  were  raised  higher  also.  The  zeal 
that  Paul  had  for  the  law  was  a  lust  of  the  mind,  for  it  was  without  God. 
*  They  have  a  zeal,  but  not  according  to  knowledge,'  saith  he,  Rom.  x.  2 ; 
without  a  directing  of  it  to  God  as  the  chiefest  end.  And  this  also  I  under- 
stand to  be  part  of  the  meaning  of  that  place,  which  is  pat  and  express  for 
this,  in  1  Peter  i.  14  ;  where,  writing  to  the  Jews,  he  bids  them  that  they 
should  not  fashion  themselves  according  to  their  former  lusts  in  their  ignor- 
ance ;  and  among  other  arg-uments  he  hath  this,  ver.  1 8,  '  Forasmuch  as  ye 
know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things  from  your  vain  con- 
versation received  by  tradition  from  your  fathers.'  That  Jewish  religion  which 
they  stuck  in,  and  which  they  had  received  by  tradition  from  their  fathers, 
even  this  was  one  part  of  the  object  of  those  former  lusts  in  their  ignorance, 
according  to  which  he  bids  them,  ver.  14,  not  to  fashion  themselves.  And 
thus  Ukewise  experience  shews  this  to  be  true  ;  for  you  shall  find  that  as  men 
grow  up  in  years,  and  so  grow  up  in  wisdom,  accordingly  their  lusts  vary ; 
as  they  grow  more  wise,  so  they  live  more  intellectual  lives,  and  grow  up 
more  to  lusts  of  the  mind.  Therefore  covetousness,  which  is  plainly  a  lust 
of  the  mind,  prevails  most  in  old  age ;  whereas  prodigality,  which  is  a  lust 
of  the  fancy,  prevails  in  youth  more.  Why?  Because  men  grow  wiser. 
Lusts  therefore  are  varied  in  men  according  as  their  understandings  grow 
higher  or  lower. 


EpH.   11.   3.]  TO  THE  KPHESIANS.  113 

The  second  thing  that  I  shall  say  unto  you  is  this  :  Tliat  of  the  two,  the 
lusts  of  the  mind  are  the  strongest  in  men,  and  they  are  the  greatest.  They 
are  the  strongest  lusts,  for  they  have  the  greatest  compass.  If  a  man  con- 
fine himself  to  sensual  pleasures,  he  hath  a  greater  narrow ;  but  if  to  lusts  of 
the  mind,  pride  and  the  like,  he  hath  a  larger  field  to  run  in  ;  for  desire  of 
credit  and  the  like  ariseth  from  a  thousand  things,  out  of  all  sorts  of  excel- 
lencies, of  what  kind  soever.  And  such  lusts  now  a  man  seeks  continually 
to  uphold.  Men  are  given  to  sensual  lusts  occasionally,  but  these  lusts  of  the 
mind,  they  act  the  great  part  of  men's  lives.  Yea,  many  sins  are  abstained 
from  in  relation  to  the  lusts  of  the  mind ;  the  lusts  of  the  mind  will  devour 
other  lusts,  and  keep  them  under  for  credit's  sake,  and  the  like.  The  lusts 
of  the  mind  have  the  largest  revenues  of  comfort  of  any  other,  because  they 
can  fetch  it  out  of  anything ;  whatsoever  one  hath  that  is  excellent,  apparel, 
beauty,  wit,  learning,  riches,  power,  buildings, — '  Is  not  this  great  Babel,  that 
I  have  built  by  the  might  of  my  power,  and  for  the  honour  of  my  majesty  T 
— whatsoever  it  is,  all  these  feed  the  lusts  of  the  mind.  Therefore  now 
many  lusts  that  have  seemed  to  have  other  names,  as  the  love  of  money,  it 
is  not  properly  the  love  of  money  itself,  but  it  is  a  lust  of  the  mind  that 
makes  a  man  given  to  it ;  it  is  to  uphold  his  state  among  his  neighbours 
and  his  rank,  to  erect  a  name  and  leave  a  posterity  after  him,  to  have  said, 
he  died  worth  so  much  ;  all  these  are  the  lusts  of  the  mind.  And  Hkewise, 
as  they  are  the  strongest  because  they  are  of  the  largest  compass,  so  they 
are  the  strongest  because  they  have  the  most  reasonings  for  them.  There- 
fore when  you  come  to  turn  to  God,  you  do  not  stick  so  much  at  parting 
from  sensual  lusts,  as  those  lusts  that  hold  the  debate  with  you,  that  bring 
reason  to  plead  for  them,  as  the  repute  of  friends,  the  holding  correspondency 
with  others,  and  the  like.  These  are  the  great  roots,  like  those  which,  I 
take  it,  you  call  tap-roots,  that  every  tree  hath ;  aU  the  little  roots  may  be 
easily  puUed  in  pieces,  but  these  stick ;  they  are  the  last  repented  of,  when 
one  comes  to  cast  off  the  old  man.  And  the  ground  of  this  is,  because  the 
strength  of  a  man  lies  in  his  reason,  therefore  to  part  with  those  lusts  that 
lie  in  the  rational  part,  the  strength  of  a  man  shews  itself  to  the  utmost 
there.  Therefore,  in  2  Cor.  x.  4,  the  Apostle  speaks  of  reasonings,  and  high 
thoughts,  and  strongholds  in  men  that  are  to  be  pulled  down,  when  Christ 
comes  to  convert ;  these  are  they  that  keep  a  man  from  turning.  All  the 
great  ordnance  that  natural  corruption  hath  lies  in  this  tower  of  the 
mind,  (as  Aristotle  called  the  soul,  arx  animce.)  As  for  other  lusts,  reason 
itself  is  against  them,  and  the  more  reason  a  man  hath,  the  more  the  folly  of 
them  is  discovered ;  but  for  these  lusts  there  is  a  great  deal  of  reason.  A 
man  shall  lose  but  his  humour  in  parting  with  the  one ;  but  he  loseth  his 
honour,  his  repute,  and  the  like,  in  parting  with  the  other.  Other  lusts  do 
not  persuade  by  reason  ;  no,  reason  is  fain  to  condescend  unto  them,  because 
they  please  the  man  and  he  can  have  no  other  happiness,  but  reason  itself 
is  against  them  ;  but  now  for  the  lusts  of  the  mind,  all  the  strength  of  reason 
iakes  part  with  them. 

And  therefore  let  me  give  you  a  third  rule  also,  and  that  is  this  :  That  of 
all  lusts  they  are  the  deceitfulest.  You  have  that  phrase  given  in  Scripture, 
*  deceitful  lusts.'  Other  sensual  lusts  do  but  deceive  by  promising  more 
than  they  can  perform,  by  tempting  you ;  but  these,  a  man  may  Live  in 
them,  and  not  see  them,  and  so  they  deceive  most,  for  natural  men  judge 
nothing  sinful  but  what  hath  a  gross  action.  Now  all  such  aerial  lusts  as 
these,  which  are  the  lusts  of  the  mind,  have  no  such  gross  action,  nay,  the 
objects  of  them  are  things  lawful,  yea,  commendable.     Other  lusts  in  the 

VOL.  II.  H 


114  AN  KXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VIII. 

sensitive  part  are  more  turbulent,  more  violent,  and  so  more  discernible,  and 
in  that  respect  they  deceive  least.  Like  poison  that  is  in  the  bowels,  which 
makes  a  man  roar,  and  so  is  more  discerned  than  poison  taken  in  at  the 
nose,  into  the  head,  which  kills  before  it  is  felt,  because  it  strikes  that  part 
which  should  feel ;  so  the  lusts  of  the  mind,  being  seated  in  that  part  which 
should  discern,  possessing  that  part,  they  take  the  senses  away,  and  in  that 
respect  deceive  most.  The  eye  sees  not  the  bloodshed  that  is  in  itself,  but 
will  see  a  spot  that  is  on  the  hand,  or  upon  another  member.  The  under- 
standing doth  not  so  easily,  being  corrupted,  reflect  upon  itself;  therefore 
the  lusts  of  the  mind  are  more  deceitful 

And  lastly.  Of  all  lusts  they  are  the  worst  lusts,  as  having  the  most  sin- 
fulness in  them ;  for  the  greatest  idolatry  is  here.  Therefore,  both  in  the 
Colossians  and  in  the  Ephesians,  you  shall  find  that  when  he  speaks  of 
covetousness,  which  is  an  intellectual  lust,  still  he  puts  a  difference,  and 
an  emphasis  upon  it,  from  other  lusts.  '  Covetou.sness,'  saith  he,  '  which  is 
idolatry  j'  because  the  greatest  idol  is  that  which  the  mind  is  set  upon,  and 
because  that  is  a  lust  of  the  mind,  he  puts  that  emphasis  upon  it.  Other 
lusts  are  idolatry  too,  but  they  are  but  outward  idolatry ;  this  is  inward, 
and  so  the  worst  of  the  two.  And  so  much  now  in  brief  for  that  which  I 
thought  to  speak  more  concerning  the  fulfilling  the  desii-es  of  the  flesh  and 
of  the  mind.     I  come  now  to  the  latter  part  of  the  verse  : — 

And  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others. — The  general 
scope  of  the  Apostle  in  these  words — that  I  may  give  you  that  first — is  to 
make  a  general  conclusion  concerning  the  corrupt  estate  of  man  by  nature, 
not  only  in  respect  of  original  sin,  though  that  is  eminently  intended,  but 
as  involving  all  that  he  said  before.  It  is,  I  say,  a  general  conclusion  that 
mvolveth  all  that  he  said  before,  with  an  addition  of  these  three  things — 

1.  With  an  addition  of  the  first  cause  of  the  corruption  of  all  men's  hearts 
and  lusts  ;  they  are  so  '  by  nature,'  saith  he. 

2.  With  an  addition  of  the  punishment  that  is  due  to  men  in  this  natural 
condition,  both  in  respect  of  their  natures  and  their  first  birth,  as  also  in  re- 
spect of  all  their  sins  which  in  that  state  they  continue  in ;  they  are  '  chil- 
dren of  wrath.'     And — 

3.  With  an  addition,  or  rather  a  conclusion,  of  universality.  It  is  every 
man's  case,  saith  he.  He  had  parted  it  before  ;  some  things  he  had  said  of 
the  Gentiles :  'You' — you  Gentiles — "hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  sins 
and  trespasses,  wherein  in  times  past  ye  walked.'  Some  things  likewise  he 
had  said  of  the  Jews :  *  amongst  whom  we' — we  Jews — '  also  had  our  conversa- 
tion.' But  now,  in  the  close  of  all,  he  puts  them  both,  Jews  and  Gentiles, 
together  :  '  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.' 

I  say  it  is,  in  the  first  place,  a  general  conclusion  that  involveth  all,  not 
only  because  it  comes  in  at  the  last,  and  so  is  as  it  were  the  total  sum,  but 
that  same  word  Xoizoi  takes  in  all  that  went  before ;  and  were  as  well  as 
others  by  nature  thus  and  thus,  namely,  '  we  were  all  by  nature  dead  in  sins.' 
We  are  all  by  nature  in  the  state  of  nature,  for  so  '  by  nature'  is  also  taken, 
as  I  shall  shew  you  anon.  *  We  all  by  nature,'  one  as  well  as  another, '  walked 
according  to  the  course  of  the  world,'  and  were  subjected  to  the  devil.  In 
a  word,  whatsoever  he  had  said  before  of  lusts,  or  whatsoever  a  man  is  by 
nature,  his  intent  is  to  involve  it  here  in  these  words,  and  to  bring  down 
upon  all,  all  that  he  had  spoken. 

And  as  it  holds  forth  a  general  conclusion,  involving  all  that  went  before ; 
so,  secondly,  it  shews  especially  the  origmal  ground  of  all  that  corruption 
that  is  in  men's  hearts  :  it  is  by  nature,  it  is  by  birth,  and  it  is  our  natura 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  11.5 

For  it  is  clear  and  plain  that  his  scope  all  along  is  to  hold  forth  the  cause 
of  all  the  corruption  that  is  in  men  :  therefore  he  calls  it  the  '  wills  of  the 
flesh  and  of  the  mind.'  The  flesh  is  the  cause  of  lusts,  lusts  are  the  cause 
of  action,  and  nature  is  the  cause  of  both,  of  all.     And  therefore — 

In  the  third  place,  you  have  the  punishment  due  to  men  in  the  state  of 
nature,  yea,  to  men  in  their  very  first  birth.  They  are  '  children  of  wrath' 
in  that  state,  for  all  the  lusts  and  sins  they  commit ;  and  they  are  children 
of  wrath  even  in  the  very  womb,  before  they  commit  any  actual  sin. 

And,  lastly,  he  speaks  universally  of  all,  both  Jew  and  Gentile  ;  *  we 
were  all  by  nature,'  &c.  So  you  have  the  general  scope  cleared,  and  the 
reason  of  it.     I  shall  now  come  to  open  the  phrases. 

First,  for  this  phrase,  by  nature. 

Pelagius,  who  was  against  original  sin,  gave  this  interpretation  ;  that  *  by 
nature'  was  meant  vere  et  germane,  dXriSMc  xal  yvrjaiu;,  they  were  truly, 
really,  childre:i  of  wrath  ;  so  the  Scholiast  hath  it,  and  so  Cyril  reads  it  also. 
And  that  interpretation  we  will  not  omit,  although  it  is  not  the  utmost 
meaning  of  what  is  here  intended.  For  '  by  nature '  in  Scripture  is  meant 
oftentimes,  '  truly,  really ;'  as,  for  example,  in  GaL  iv.  8,  Ye  worshipped 
those  that  '  by  nature  were  no  gods ;'  that  is,  those  that  were  not  truly 
gods,,  that  were  gods  only  in  opinion,  not  really  so.  So  by  being  '  children 
of  wrath  by  nature,'  is  to  be  really  and  truly  such.  But  that  which  makes 
this  opinion  fall  short  of  the  true  sense  is  this  :  for  to  what  end  should  the 
Apostle  say  they  were  really  and  truly  the  children  of  wrath  ?  There  were 
none  held  they  were  in  opinion  children  of  vrrath  ;  but  there  were  those  who 
held  that  they  were  so,  not  by  nature,  but  by  imitation  or  custom ;  therefore 
it  is  to  no  purpose  it  should  be  brought  in  here  to  that  sense. 

The  Syriac  translation  adds  this  :  they  were  plane,  plene,  wholly  children 
of  wrath,  not  in  one  part,  but  in  the  whole  nature.  But  that  is  held  forth, 
as  I  have  said,  in  the  words  before.  For  it  was  an  observation  I  made, 
grounded  upon  the  words  in  the  last  discourse,  that  it  is  seated  in  the 
whole  man. 

But  to  come  to  that  meaning  which  indeed  the  Apostle  aims  at,  and 
therefore  I  will  call  it  the  first,  for  I  do  but  mention  the  other,  which  though 
they  are  true,  yet  they  are  not  the  ultimate  scope  of  the  Apostle  here. 

1.  Therefore  '  by  nature'  is  in  opposition  to  imitation  or  to  custom,  which 
yet  is  altera  natura,  as  Aristotle  uses  the  word  (and  so  does  the  Scripture 
too)  in  the  second  book  of  his  Ethics.  Virtues,  saith  he,  are  not  (piiou,  are 
not  by  nature,  as  notitioe,  as  the  common  seeds  of  knowledge  in  the  minds 
of  men  are.  So  that  what  is  innate  in  us,  bred  with  us,  which  we  have 
from  the  principles  of  nature,  which  is  interwoven  with  our  natures,  that  is 
said  to  be  by  nature.  And  therefore  now,  in  one  word,  according  to  all  lan- 
guages, that  which  is  the  inclination  of  any  one,  the  natural  disposition,  that 
which  a  man  is  naturally  addicted  unto,  is  said  to  be  by  nature.  The  Apostle 
therefore,  having  spoken  of  the  lusts  of  the  mind  and  of  the  flesh  in  the 
words  before,  his  meaning  here  is  that  these  are  natural  unto  men ;  they  are 
the  very  inclination  of  their  minds,  the  natural  frame  of  their  hearts.  And 
so  now  it  hath  an  emphasis  in  it,  that  what  we  are  by  reason  of  original 
corruption,  which  he  had  called  flesh  before,  is  nature  in  aU  men.  And 
though  he  only  saith,  we  are  '  children  of  wrath  by  nature,'  yet  this  wrath 
must  be  for  something ;  for  God  is  not  angry  for  what  is  not  sin ;  therefore 
it  implies  that  our  natural  disposition,  all  those  lusts  which  he  had  men- 
tioned, and  that  flesh  which  is  the  mother  of  these  lusts,  that  is  that  which  is 
man's  nature.     And  so  now  the  scope  of  the  Apostle  is  plainly  and  clearly 


116  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VIII, 

this :  further  to  aggravate  and  set  out  that  corruption  and  sinfulness  that  is 
in  the  hearts  of  men.  Ye  are  not  only  '  children  of  wrath,'  saith  he,  and  de- 
serve eternal  damnation,  which  was  that  that  hung  over  your  heads  for  all  the 
actual  sins  you  have  committed,  of  which  he  had  spoken  before,  but  further, 
even  '  by  nature,'  and  for  your  very  natures,  and  the  inclinations  thereof, 
even  for  the  very  nature  that  is  in  you, — he  brings  it  m  as  a  further  addition 
and  aggravation, — even  for  this  also  you  are  the  children  of  wrath,  *  By 
nature;'  it  is  that  which  a  man  doth  being  left  to  nature;  as  in  Rom.  ii.  14, 
the  Gentiles  do  by  nature  the  things  of  the  law,  from  their  natural  princi- 
ples that  are  in  them  ;  so  '  by  nature'  is  that  principle  that  is  in  a  man 
that  is  principium  motus,  the  principle  of  all  his  actions.  For  everything 
works  according  to  its  nature,  as  Aristotle  tells  us. 

2.  '  By  nature'  imports  not  only  that  it  is  a  man's  nature,  but  that  his 
birth  is  a  cause  some  way  or  other,  or  a  foundation,  of  his  being  thus  corrupt. 
*  By  nature  ;'  it  is  taken  for  the  nativity;  it  is  cpban,  and  it  is  all  one  with 
birth.  As  now,  in  Rom.  ii.  27,  the  Gentiles  are  called  '  the  uncircumcision 
by  nature,' — that  is,  by  birth,  not  in  respect  of  their  constitution,  but  in 
respect  of  a  privilege  that  the  Jews  had  by  birth  which  the  Gentiles  had  not ; 
as  privileges  you  know  go  by  birth, — so  in  Gal.  ii.  15,  in  opposition  there- 
unto, saith  he,  *we  who  are  Jews  by  nature,'  that  is,  who  have  the  privilege 
of  Jews  by  birth.  And  so  Paul  saith  he  was  bom  a  Roman, — that  is,  he  was 
Roman  by  nature.  In  the  same  sense  the  Gentiles  were  called  '  uncircum- 
cision by  nature,'  too,  that  the  Jews  were  called  '  Jews  by  nature.'  Now  to 
me  that  is  evidently  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle  here,  and  that  for  these  rea- 
sons : — (1.)  Because  he  changes  the  phrase,  which  is  an  observable  thing.  In 
the  second  verse  he  had  said  they  were  children  of  disobedience,  h  toTc,  u'loTg 
TTJ;  d-ziideiag,  but  here  r'exvcx, ;  which  though  it  signifies  a  child  at  large,  yet, 
more  expressly  and  properly,  it  signifies  a  child  begotten.  His  using  that 
phrase  here,  in  distinction  from  the  other  in  the  second  verse,  when  he  speaks 
of  disobedience,  imports  that  they  were  thus  by  birth.  I  will  not  trouble 
you  to  confute  a  criticism  which  Zanchy  hath,  because  the  confutation  of  it 
is  obvious.  Then,  (2.)  he  adding  besides  that,  '  and  were  by  nature  the  begot- 
ten children  of  wrath,'  as  I  may  so  interpret  it.  And,  which  is  observable 
too,  he  doth  not  say,  *  which  are  the  children  of  wrath  by  nature,'  but  in  the 
Greek  it  is,  *  which  were  children  by  nature  of  wrath ;'  so  as  '  by  nature' 
comes  in  between,  to  shew  that  they  were  thus  by  birth.  And  there  is  this 
third  reason,  too,  why  when  he  saith  '  by  nature'  he  specially  means  *  by  birth :' 
because  it  is  spoken  plainly  and  clearly  in  opposition  to  that  pride  of  the 
Jews  in  the  privileges  they  had  by  their  birth  :  for  the  Jews,  you  know,  stood 
much  upon  it  that  they  were  the  children  of  Abraham.  Now  the  Apostle,  as 
is  evident,  speaks  point-blank  in  opposition  to  that.  We,  saith  he, — namely, 
we  Jews, — though  we  pride  ourselves  that  we  have  Abraham  to  our  father, 
we  are  children  of  wrath  ;  that  is,  we  are  so  by  birth,  as  well  as  others ; 
namely,  as  well  as  the  poor  Gentiles,  whom  the  Apostle,  in  Gal.  iL  15,  speak- 
ing according  to  the  vulgar  opinion  of  the  Jews,  calls,  '  sinners  of  the  Gentiles.' 
Though  you  stand  upon  it  that  you  are  the  children  of  Abraham,  and  that 
yoii  are  Jews  by  nature,  that  is  by  birth,  yet,  as  God  told  the  Jews  after- 
wards, you  had  a  father  before  Abraham,  in  whom  ye  sinned,  and  so  you  are 
'children  by  nature' — that  is,  by  birth — '  of  wrath  as  well  as  others,' 

3,  '  By  nature'  is  taken  here  for  the  whole  state  of  nature,  from  a  man's 
birth  until  God  turn  him.  He  shews  what  they  were,  not  only  in  respect  of 
their  first  birth,  but  of  that  continued  state  which  they  stood  in  before  they 
were  converted,  which  we  call  the  state  of  nature.     And  this  is  an  excellent 


EpH,  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  U7 

place  for  the  confirmation  of  that  phrase.  He  doth  not  simply  mean  only 
their  estate  by  birth, — for  the  Apostle's  scope,  and  the  Holy  Ghost's,  is  always 
general,  and  in  a  latitude, — but  he  doth  comprehend  their  whole  state  from 
their  bii-th  all  their  days,  while  they  fulfilled  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind.  Whatever  state  they  had  by  birth,  whatever  state  they  stood  in  dur- 
ing the  time  of  their  unregeneracy,  it  was  all  a  state  of  nature;  and  they 
were  in  that  state  of  nature  children  of  wrath.  So  nature  is  taken,  and  so 
it  is  clearly  taken  here.  For  '  by  nature'  here  in  ver.  3  is  spoken  in  oppo- 
sition to  what  the  Apostle  afterwards  saith,  as  Erasmus  well  observes,  in  the 
5th  verse,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved.'  So  that  now  the  state  of  nature,  and 
the  state  of  grace,  is  that  which  the  Apostle  here  intends.  And  that  he 
speaks  of  an  unregenerate  condition,  the  words  '  were  by  nature'  import 
clearly ;  that  is,  while  they  were  in  a  state  of  nature.  His  scope  is  therefore 
to  shew  what  naturally,  without  grace,  their  condition  was ;  and  therefore, 
ver.  11,  in  the  winding  up  of  all,  he  speaks  of  the  whole  estate  :  *  Remember/ 
saith  he,  *  that  ye  were  once  Gentiles.'  And  thus  the  Scripture  always  speaks. 
Ps.  Iviii.  3,  '  They  are  gone  astray  from  the  womb ;'  they  were  not  only  cor- 
rupt in  the  womb,  but  gone  astray  from  the  womb.  So  in  Gen.  viiL  21. 
speaking  of  original  corruption,  saith  he,  the  imagination  of  man's  heart  is 
evil  from  his  youth;  that  is,  even  from  a  babe,  as  in  Exodus  the  phrase  is 
used,  as  I  shall  shew  afterwards. 

So  that  '  by  nature'  eminently  importeth  these  three  things  : — 1.  That  their 
natures  were  defiled  with  all  sorts  of  inclinations  unto  evil ;  all  those  lusts  of 
the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  which  he  had  spoken  of  before,  were  natural  unto 
them,  for  which  they  were  children  of  wrath.  2.  That  the  way  of  convey- 
ing this  to  them,  or  how  they  came  to  be  so  at  first,  how  their  natures  were 
thus  originally  corrupted,  it  was  not  by  imitation  or  custom,  but  it  was  by 
birth.  And,  3.  that  all  the  while  they  walked  in  those  lusts  they  were  in  a 
state  of  nature,  under  which,  and  in  which,  while  they  continued,  till  such 
time  as  they  came  into  a  state  of  grace,  they  were  children  of  wratL  This, 
I  say,  I  take  to  be  the  comprehensive  meaning  of  the  Apostle  in  this  con- 
clusion of  his  discourse  of  lusts. — So  that  now  I  have  opened  to  you  that  first 
phrase,  and  were  hy  nature. 

The  second  phrase  is,  children  of  wrath; — 

Which,  as  I  have  formerly  said,  is  a  Hebraism;  and  so,  according  to 
the  Hebrew  language,  you  read  of  a  child  of  captivity,  a  child  of  the  resur- 
rection, a  child  of  disobedience,  and  the  like.  It  is  either  taken  actively  or 
passively. 

1.  Actively,  thus:  what  a  man  is  addicted  to,  what  he  seeks  after,  he  is 
said  to  be  a  child  of.  As  a  man  is  said  to  be  a  child  of  wisdom, — *  Wisdom 
is  justified  of  her  children,' — so  wicked  men  are  said  to  be  children  of  dis- 
obedience, ver.  2 ;  that  is,  addicted  to  disobedience,  it  is  taken  actively.  So, 
in  a  way  of  opposition,  Peter  exhorts  them,  in  1  Pet.  i.  14,  that  they  would 
be  children  of  obedience, — so  the  phrase  is  in  the  Greek,  we  translate  it 
'  obedient  children,'  it  comes  all  to  one ;  but,  I  say,  in  the  Greek  it  is  *  children 
of  obedience,'  as  here  in  ver.  2  it  is  '  children  of  disobedience,' — that  is,  addict 
yourselves,  as  children  to  such  a  father,  to  do  the  wiU  of  God. 

2.  Passively,  thus  :  a  *  child  of  the  captivity;'  that  is,  one  led  into  cap- 
tivity. So  Jesus  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of  God's  love,  or  the  child  of  his 
love.  Col.  L  1 3.  We  translate  it,  *  his  beloved  Son ; '  but  in  the  original  it 
is,  the  *  Son  of  his  love,'  because  that  God  hath  cast  his  love  upon  him.  So 
in  2  Pet.  iL  14,  one  that  is  accursed  to  death  is  called  (we  translate  it 
'  cursed  children,'  but  it  is)  *  children  of  the  curse,'  as  here,  '  children  of 


113  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  VIII. 

■wratL'  So  in  Matt,  xxiii  15,  lie  is  made  a  'son  of  heU,'  worse  tlian  he  was 
before ;  that  is,  one  whose  due  hell  is.  As  we  use  to  say,  such  a  one  the 
gallows  is  his  due ;  that  is,  if  we  should  speak  according  to  the  Hebrew 
language,  one  that  is  the  child  of  the  gallows ;  so  a  son  of  hell,  a  son  of 
wrath,  a  son  of  the  curse.  You  have  it  also  in  1  Sam.  xx.  31,  and  in  2  Sam. 
xii  5.  So  now,  as  before  it  is  taken  actively,  '  a  child  of  disobedience  ; '  so 
here,  a  '  child  of  wrath '  is  taken  passively  :  and  both  according  to  the  analogy 
of  the  Hebrew  phrase. 

It  doth  sometimes  imply  one  that  is  designed  by  God's  decree  to  death 
and  damnation ;  as,  in  John  xviL  1 2,  Judas  is  called  a  son  of  perdition ;  that 
is,  one  who  is  ordained  by  God  to  perdition  ;  as  Christ  was  called  the  Son  of 
his  love,  because  he  was  ordained  to  be  the  object  of  his  love.  But  so  it  is 
not  here  meant  that  they  were  the  children  of  %\Tath  by  God's  decree,  because 
he  speaks  of  men  that  were  converted.  Therefore  the  meaning  is  plainly 
this,  that  they  were  in  a  state  in  which  they  were  not  only  worthy  of  wrath, 
but  WTath  was  due  to  them,  yea,  according  to  a  just  sentence,  wrath  was  pro- 
nounced against  them  ;  it  was  not  only  their  desert,  but  they  were  in  that 
state  wherein  wrath  went  out  against  them,  they  stood  under  the  sentence  ot 
%vTath,  and  were  so  adjudged.  You  have  the  phrase  plain  and  express  in 
Deut.  XXV.  1,  '  If  there  be  a  controversy  between  men,  and  they  come  unto 
judgment,  that  the  judge  may  judge  them  ;  then  they  shall  justify  the 
righteous,  and  condemn  the  wicked.  And  it  shall  be,  if  the  wicked  man  be 
worthy  to  be  beaten,  the  judge  shall  cause  him  to  Lie  down,'  &c.  In  the 
original  it  is,  '  If  he  be  a  son,'  or  a  child,  '  of  beating  ; '  that  ls,  if  he  be  one 
that  is  found  that  it  is  his  due  to  be  beaten,  and  that  the  judges  have  con- 
demned him.  So  now,  to  be  a  child  of  -RTath,  it  is  one  not  only  to  whom 
wrath  is  due,  but  one  that,  according  to  the  sentence  of  the  great  Judge, 
wrath  is  pronounced  against,  sentence  is  given  forth.  So  in  that  place  I 
mentioned  before,  2  Sam.  xii.  5,  saith  Solomon  there,  '  He  shall  surely  die ; ' 
in  the  original  it  is,  '  He  is  a  son  of  death.'  It  was  a  sentence  pronounced 
by  the  king,  as  of  a  judge  that  gave  out  a  sentence.  Therefore  we  translate 
it,  *  He  shall  surely  die ; '  he  was  not  only  one  that  deserved  death,  but  one 
tliat  was  appointed  and  sentenced  thereunto. 

So  now  you  have  what  is  meant  by  a  '  cliild  of  wrath.'  It  is  one  that  is 
passively  under,  and  obnoxious  unto,  and  over  whom  the  wrath  of  God 
hangeth,  unto  whom,  and  to  which  estate,  the  sentence  of  wrath  and  con- 
demnation is  gone  out  from  the  great  King ;  so  that  he  must  alter  his  estate 
if  he  wiU  get  out  of  wrath. 

If  you  ask  me  whose  wrath  it  is ;  I  answer,  it  is  not  indeed  in  the 
text,  but,  as  I  shall  shew  you  afterward,  it  is  the  WTath  of  God,  working 
eternal  punishment.  Wrath  in  Scripture  signifies  punishment  as  from  a 
judge ;  as,  fur  example,  Rom.  xiii.  1,5,  'Be  subject  to  the  higher  powers, 
not  for  wrath,' — that  is,  not  for  punishment'  sake,  which  comes  from  the 
wrath  of  the  prince  or  the  magistrate, — '  but  for  conscience'  sake.'  So  that  to 
be  children  of  wrath  is  to  be  children  of  the  punishment  which  the  great 
Judge  of  heaven  and  earth  hath  ordained  ;  and  it  noteth  out  that  the  wrath 
of  God  is  the  author  of  that  punishment,  as  I  shall  shew  you  when  I  come 
to  make  observations.  In  Eph.  v.  6,  that  which  is  here  the  'children  of 
wrath,'  is  there  called  the  wi-ath  of  God.  '  The  wrath  of  God,'  saith  he, 
'  Cometh  upon  the  children  of  disobedience  ;'  for  the  wrath  of  God,  as  it  im- 
plies punishment,  so  it  imports  also  that  he  is  as  the  author  and  executioner 
of  that  pimishment.  So  that,  in  a  word,  whilst  that  men  are  in  this  con- 
ditioUj  or  take  men  simply  considered  as  they  are  by  nature  in  their  very 


EpH.   II.   3. J  TO  THE  El'HKSlANS.  119 

first  birtli,  and  while  they  continue  in  tliat  estate,  they  arc  children  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  and  the  wrath  of  God  abides  upon  them,  as  John  iii.  3G. 
Wrath  is  their  portion  from  the  Almighty.  And  as  they  are  children  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  so  of  that  punishment  which  his  wrath  and  indignation  will 
inflict  eternally  upon  them,  and  they  stand  under  the  sentence  of  it.  So 
that  until  their  estate  be  altered,  God  himself  cannot  do  otherwise,  but  he 
must  out  of  wrath  inflict  punishment  upon  them.  And  let  me  give  you  one 
place  to  open  it ;  see  Job  xx.  23,  29,  compared.  He  mentioneth  there 
manifold  curses  that  are  upon  men,  over  whom  the  wrath  of  God  hangeth ; 
and  saith  he,  ver.  23,  *  When  he  is  about  to  fill  his  belly,  God  shall  cast  the 
fury  of  his  wrath  upon  him,  and  shall  rain  it  upon  him  while  he  is  eating.' 
And  what  is  the  conclusion  in  the  29th  verse  1  '  This  is  the  portion  of  a 
wicked  man  from  God,  and  the  heritage  appointed  him.'  Mark,  he  is  a 
child  of  wrath ;  of  whose  wrath  1  Of  the  wrath  of  God,  that  abideth  upon  him, 
that  hangs  as  a  cloud  over  his  head,  and  God  will  rain  it  upon  him  while 
he  is  eating ;  and  this  is  his  portion,  it  is  his  due,  nay,  saith  he,  it  is  the 
heritage  appointed  unto  him  by  God,  a  heritage  which  is  gone  out  by  a 
decree  from  God,  either  from  his  eternal  decree,  as  Judas  was  a  child  of  per- 
dition, or  at  leastwise  from  a  decree  that  goes  forth  out  of  God's  court,  out 
of  his  word,  whereby  he  standeth  under  the  sentence  of  wrath. — And  so  now 
you  have  the  second  phrase  opened,  '  and  were  children  of  wrath.' 

The  last  is  this,  even  as  others.  The  meaning  whereof,  in  one  word,  is 
tliis,  only  I  shall  give  you  a  parallel  phrase  for  it.  We  Jews  as  well  as 
Gentries.  So  you  have  it,  Eph.  iv.  17,  'Walk  not  as  other  Gentiles  walk;' 
or,  even  as  others,  that  is,  even  as  all  the  rest  of  mankind,  of  what  nation 
soever  they  be,  circumcised  or  uncircumcised,  bond  or  free ;  let  them  be  born 
in  what  condition  soever  they  wUl,  noble  or  base,  rich  or  poor,  high  or  low, 
we  are  all  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  we  Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles 
Which  doth  imply  these  two  particulars  : — 

1.  The  commonness  of  this  condition  ;  that  it  is  the  condition  of  all  man 
kind,  one  as  well  as  another,  Jew  as  well  as  Gentile. 

2.  The  equality  of  this  condition ;  '  even  as  others,'  in  the  same  manner, 
in  the  same  degree ;  others  are  children  of  wrath,  so  are  we,  we  Jews,  even 
as  the  profanest  men  in  the  world. 

So  you  have  the  full  scope  and  meaning,  so  far  as  the  phrase  goes,  of  these 
words  :  *  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.' 

I  shall  come  now  to  the  observations  which  do  arise  out  of  them,  which 
will  further  open  and  explain  them. 

Obs.  1. — The  first  observation  is  founded  upon  that  first  interpretation  I 
gave  you,  which  was  to  shew  this  :  That  that  flesh  or  corruption,  which  was 
the  ground  of  all  those  lusts,  which  were  the  ground  of  all  the  sins  in  men's 
lives  spoken  of  before  ;  that  this  flesh  and  those  lusts  are  man's  nature.  So, 
I  told  you,  '  by  nature '  is  taken,  both  in  Scripture  and  common  acceptation. 
It  is  a  sajdng  that  Austin  quoteth  out  of  Plato,  though,  I  take  it,  the  place 
is  not  now  extant  in  the  works  of  Plato,  because  it  is  perished :  Homines 
natura  sunt  mail — that  men  are  evil  by  nature.  Neither  can  they  ever  be 
brought,  saith  he,  to  seek  after  that  righteousness  which  mankind  ought  to 
seek  after.  This  was  the  speech  of  a  heathen.  It  is,  I  say,  a  man's  nature, 
as  he  is  a  man.  1  Cor.  iii.  3,  '  Whilst  there  are  contentions  among  you,  ai'e 
ye  not  carnal  ? '  That  is,  are  you  not  flesh  ?  are  ye  not  corrupt  ?  And  Avhat 
follows  1  '  Do  not  ye  walk ' — 'Tn^iiroLTiTn — '  according  to  men  1 ' — that  is,  ac- 
cording to  your  kind,  according  to  that  nature  and  disposition  that  is  in  men. 
Everything  acts  according  to  its  kind ;  thus  to  be  carnal  and  subjected  to 


120  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  VIII. 

lusts  is  the  nature  of  man,  it  is  according  to  his  kind.  Therefore,  to  follow 
this  phrase  a  little  more,  in  Mark  vii.  20  our  Saviour  Christ  saith,  *  That 
which  Cometh  out  of  the  man,  that  defileth  the  man.  For  from  within,* 
saith  he,  'out  of  the  heart  of  man,  proceed  evil  thoughts,'  &c.  That  is, 
what  cometh  from  the  nature  of  man,  from  his  natural  disposition,  from 
the  intrinsical  principles  which  his  nature  and  heart  is  made  up  of,  that 
defiles  the  man.  Therefore  a  man  is  said  to  sin  de  propria,  of  his  own, 
as  the  devil  is  likewise  said  to  do,  in  John  viii.  44.  And  a  man's  lusts,  as 
I  said  before,  are  called  his  own  lusts.  And  as  what  comes  from  within, 
as  all  sort  of  sins  do,  argues  this  to  be  a  man's  nature ;  so  likewise  what 
a  man  takes  in  from  without,  what  it  is  he  lives  in,  what  is  his  element, 
argues  his  nature  too.  As  a  thirsty  man,  you  may  know  what  his  disposi- 
tion is  within  by  what  he  takes  in  from  without ;  or,  as  it  is  with  a  fish, 
it  is  natural  to  it  to  live  in  the  water,  to  drink  in  water  :  so  a  man  is  com- 
pared to  a  fish,  that  doth  continually  drink  in  water,  in  Job  xv.  16,  '  How 
much  more  abominable  and  filthy  is  man,  which  drinketh  iniquity  like 
water?'  And  hence  now  it  is  that  men  are  never  weary  of  sinning,  nay, 
though  haply  they  may  spend  their  natural  spirits  in  sinning,  yet  their 
lusts  are  never  weary.  As  they  cannot  cease  from  sin,  as  Peter  saith,  so 
they  are  never  weary  in  it.  Why  ?  Because  it  is  their  nature,  it  is  natural 
to  them  to  sin.  As  the  eye,  because  it  is  natural  to  it  to  see,  is  never 
weary  of  seeing ;  the  eye  indeed  may  be  weary  thus,  for  want  of  bodily 
spirits,  and  so  men  may  be  weary  of  sinning  ;  but  if  there  could  still  come 
spirits  to  the  eye,  it  would  never  be  weary  of  seeing.  Why  1  Because  it 
is  natural  to  it  to  see.  And  so  it  is  with  all  the  lusts  in  the  hearts  of  men, 
it  is  their  nature.  Hence  it  is  that  infants  will  sin  without  being  taught. 
'A  child  left  to  himself,'  saith  Solomon,  Proverbs  xxix.  15,  'bringeth  his 
mother  to  shame.'  Do  but  leave  him  to  himself,  and  his  very  nature  wiU 
carry  him  on  to  it.  And,  Ps.  Iviii.  3,  '  The  wicked  go  astray  from  the  womb, 
speaking  Hes.'  A  child  that  never  heard  a  lie  in  his  life,  never  knew  what 
a  lie  was  from  another,  yet  he  will  tell  a  lie,  he  will  do  it  from  himself,  and 
he  doth  it  from  the  very  womb;  the  nature  of  man  will  seek  out  these 
inventions,  as  Ecclesiastes  hath  it,  chap.  vii.  29. 

You  may  see  the  reason  therefore — besides  what  is  matter  of  humiliation, 
which  I  shall  mention  afterwards — why  grace,  though  it  be  in  a  man's  heart, 
yet  doth  not  thrive  there,  further  than  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  in  a  super- 
natural way  accompany  it ;  and  why  sin  thrives  so  fast.  The  reason  is, 
because  sin  is  thy  nature,  it  is  that  which  thou  hast  as  thou  art  a  man ; 
thou  walkest  as  a  man  whilst  thou  sinnest.  That  which  ^Esop  said  to  his 
master,  when  he  came  into  his  garden  and  saw  so  many  weeds  in  it,  is 
applicable  unto  this.  His  master  asked  him  what  was  the  reason  that  the 
weeds  grew  up  so  fast  and  the  herbs  thrived  not?  He  answered,  The 
ground  is  the  natural  mother  to  the  weeds,  but  a  stepmother  to  the  herbs. 
So  the  heart  of  man  is  the  natural  mother  to  sin  and  corruption,  but  a 
stepmother  to  grace  and  goodness ;  and  further  than  it  is  watered  from 
heaven,  and  followed  with  a  great  deal  of  care  and  pains,  it  grows  not. 

And  likewise,  if  it  be  thy  nature,  walk  in  a  continual  fearfulness  of  it; 
though  thou  hast  mortified  a  lust  never  so  much,  yet  there  is  a  root  re- 
maining, as  Job  hath  it,  chap.  xiv.  8,  *  Though  the  root  thereof  wax  old  in 
the  earth,  and  the  stock  thereof  die  in  the  ground  ;  yet  through  the  scent 
of  water  it  will  bud,  and  bring  forth  boughs  like  a  plant.'  So  it  is  with  us. 
Why?  Because  it  is  nature.  Therefore  fear  in  all  thy  ways.  I  was 
afraid,  saith  David,  Ps.  xxxviii.  16,  lest  my  foot  should  slip.     And  in  ver. 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  121 

1 8,  that  which  we  translate,  *  I  was  sorry  for  my  sin,'  I  find  that  it  is,  I 
was  '  cautelous,'  I  was  '  fearful '  for  my  sin,  fearful  still  lest  I  should  slip : 
I  will  declare  it,  and  confess  it,  use  all  means  against  it,  because  it  is  my 
nature. 

And  you  see  the  reason  also  why  that  corruption  is  never  got  out  of  you ; 
no,  not  till  you  die.  Why  ?  Because  it  is  involved,  it  is  blended,  it  is 
mingled  with  your  nature  ;  it  is  like  the  ivy  in  the  wall, — it  is  the  old  com- 
parison that  the  fathers  used,  but  I  shall  give  you  another.  It  is  like  the 
leper's  house  in  Lev.  xiv.  45.  The  leprosy  could  never  be  got  out  till 
house  and  all  were  pulled  down.  It  is  a  note  of  that  sin  that  dwells  in  us, 
as  the  Apostle's  phrase  is,  Rom.  vii.  17.  It  is  enwrapped  in  thy  nature, 
that  thou  wilt  never  get  it  out.  Like  a  house  that  standcth  upon  a 
foundation  that  hath  saltpetre  in  it,  it  will  never  be  got  out,  do  what  you 
can ;  so  is  it  here. 

Obs.  2. — The  second  observation  is  this  :  That  to  sin,  as  it  is  thy  nature, 
thy  natural  incUnation,  so  thou  hast  it  by  birth ;  for  so  I  told  you,  '  by 
nature '  is  also  taken  for  birth,  and  it  is  clear  to  be  the  Apostle's  scope  here. 
For  he  had  shewn  all  the  external  causes  of  sin,  the  world  and  the  devil ; 
the  internal  cause,  the  flesh,  which  causeth  lusts.  Now  what  is  the  cause 
of  this  flesh  1  Nature,  saith  he,  your  birth.  *  And  were  by  nature,'  that 
is,  by  birth,  *  children  of  wrath,  as  well  as  others.'  I  need  not  quote  many 
places  for  it,  the  Scripture  is  abundant  in  it.  *  Man  born  of  a  woman,' 
saith  Job,  '  is  filthy  and  abominable.'  And,  '  that  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh.'  And  not  only  that  which  is  bom,  but  that  which  is  con- 
ceived. So  saith  David,  Ps.  H.  5,  *  I  was  conceived  in  sin.'  And  his 
meaning  is,  to  shew  that  not  only  as  soon  as  he  was  bom  he  was  sinful ; 
but,  saith  he,  I  was  sinful  too  in  my  very  conception.  Look,  when  first  I 
had  the  nature  of  man  communicated  to  me,  then  was  I  a  sinner ;  that 
which  conveyed  my  nature  to  me,  as  birth  doth,  and  conception  doth  before 
birth,  that  which  did  constitute  me  a  man,  did  constitute  me  a  sinner  like- 
wise, made  me  a  sinner.  Therefore  men  are  not  only  said  to  be  '  transgres- 
sors from  the  womb,'  as  in  Isa.  xlviii.  8,  and  to  *  go  astray  from  the  womb,' 
as  in  Ps.  Iviii.  3,  but  in  the  womb  also ;  for  so,  you  see,  David  speaks  of 
himself.  Austin,  who  was  one  of  those  that  most  cleared  this  doctrine  of 
the  corraption  of  man  by  nature,  against  Pelagius  that  called  it  in  question, — 
for  God  doth  clear  trutlas  still  as  they  are  controverted, — forbore  on  purpose 
to  call  it  natural  sin,  or  sin  in  man's  nature,  because  if  it  should  be  so 
called,  the  Manichees,  that  held  there  was  a  God  which  was  the  cause  of 
all  evil  in  man's  nature,  would  have  been  emboldened  and  encouraged  by 
it  in  their  error ;  therefore  he  called  it  original  sin  :  for  he  was  the  first  that 
gave  it  that  title,  though  it  agrees  with  the  Scripture;  he  might  have  called 
it  the  other,  for  it  is  all  one.  And  he  called  it  so,  not  only  because  it  is 
the  original  of  all  sin  else,  the  womb  in  which  all  sin  is  conceived, — '  When 
lust  hath  conceived,'  saith  James,  chap.  i.  15,  'it  bringeth  forth  sin,' — but 
chiefly  because  it  is  ab  origine  in  man,  from  the  time  that  the  foundation 
of  a  man's  nature  is  laid.  That  which  at  once  giveth  him  his  nature,  gives 
him  sin  with  it ;  it  is  from  the  very  first  moment  of  conception,  elder  indeed 
than  that  which  we  call  birth,  or  his  being  brought  forth  out  of  the  womb 
into  the  world ;  it  is  when  a  man  begins  first  to  be  a  man,  and  must  neces- 
sarily be  then. 

Now  when  he  saith,  'we  are  by  nature' — meaning  by  'nature'  a  man's 
birth — '  the  children  of  wrath,'  it  implies  two  things.  It  implies  that  what- 
soever is  sin  is  conveyed  to  a  man  in  his  conception ;  and  that  he  hath  it 


122  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VIII. 

by  nature,  one  part  of  the  sinfulness  as  well  as  the  other.  Both  these  I  am 
to  open  and  to  make  good.  The  Apostle  doth  not  speak  here  merely  of  our 
inherent  corruption  ;  but  if  there  be  any  other  sinfulness  which  a  man  con- 
tracts by  birth,  he  hath  it  by  nature.  Now,  you  know  that  our  divines  do 
make,  and  most  truly  and  rightly  according  to  the  Scriptures,  a  twofold  sin- 
fulness, which  we  have  hereditary  to  us,  as  from  our  first  parents.  The 
first  is,  the  guilt  of  that  first  act  of  sinning  which  Adam  committed ;  and 
the  second  is,  an  inherent  corruption,  or  '  flesh,'  the  inclinations  to  all  sin, 
derived  as  the  punishment  of  the  guilt  of  that  fact.  Here  therefore  lies 
two  things  before  us,  for  the  Apostle  plainly  means  both  ;  for  whatsoever 
makes  a  man  a  child  of  wrath,  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  of  God  in  his  first 
conception,  that  is  it  he  intendeth.  Now  it  is  not  only  inherent  corruption 
that  makes  us  children  of  wrath,  but  it  is  also  the  guUt  of  that  first  act. 
Nay,  we  could  never  have  had  inherent  corruption  to  be  as  a  sin  in  us,  if 
we  were  not  some  way  involved  in  the  guilt  of  that  first  act ;  and  both  these 
are  by  nature.  Now,  that  we  should  have  inherent  corruption,  that  that 
t^hould  be  propagated  by  birth  and  generation,  there  is  a  more  easiness  in 
it.  Why  ?  Because  everything  begets  its  like  ;  out  of  an  unclean  thing 
you  cannot  bring  a  clean  ;  it  must  needs  be  that  such  a  nature  as  the 
father  had,  for  inherent  qualifications,  such  a  nature  the  child  must  have. 
But  that  a  man  should  be  guUty  of  that  act  that  Adam  committed,  that  this 
should  be  by  nature,  and  by  the  law  of  nature  too, — which  yet  to  me  clearly 
the  Apostle  holds  forth,  not  simply  by  a  prerogative  law  of  God,  but  by 
a  law  of  nature, — this  seems  difficvilt.  These  two  things  therefore  I  would 
open  to  you,  though  briefly,  yet  so  as  to  clear  the  point.  I  will  begin  with 
the  first. 

First,  To  speak  in  general,  when  we  say  the  gmlt  of  an  act  is  conveyed 
by  birth,  by  nature — 

1.  It  is  not,  as  some  would  have  it,  the  sin  of  the  act  of  generation  in  the 
parents,  it  is  not  that  which  is  conveyed  to  the  chUd.  Some  would  have 
that  the  meaning  of  that  of  David,  in  Ps.  li.  5,  '  In  sin  my  mother  conceived 
me,'  as  if  the  guilt  which  cleaves  to  such  actions  were  that  which  David  in- 
tended. But  that  cannot  be  his  meaning ;  for  it  is  most  certain  that  when 
Adam  did  first  beget  his  son  Cain,  he  did  not  convey  to  him  the  sin  of  that  act 
of  begetting,  for  the  act  itself  is  la^vful,  and  whatsoever  sin  cleaves  unto  it  is 
not  that  which  is  conveyed ;  but  it  was  his  first  sin,  the  guUt  of  that,  which 
he  conveyed  to  him.  Now,  if  Adam  himself  did  not  convey  the  guilt  of  the 
act  of  begetting,  then  certainly  other  parents  do  not ;  and  David  would  never 
have  humbled  himself  so  for  his  mother's  sin  in  conceiving  of  him,  but  it  was 
that  sin  he  was  guilty  of,  and  that  pollution  of  nature  that  arose  from  thence. 

2.  It  is  not  simply  the  coming  as  from  Adam  which  doth  thus  defile  our 
natures,  or  by  which  we  contract  the  guilt  of  that  act  of  his.  For  if  you 
could  suppose  that  a  man  or  a  woman  had  been  made  out  of  Adam  after  his 
fall,  as  Eve  was  made  out  of  him  before  his  fall, — mark  what  I  say, — if  God 
had  taken  a  rib  from  Adam  after  he  feU,  and  made  a  man  or  a  woman  out  of 
it,  this  man  or  woman  would  not  have  been  sinful.  The  instance  of  Christ 
is  clear ;  for  he  is  directly  called  the  son  of  Adam,  Luke  iii,  in  respect  of 
the  matter  he  was  made  of,  and  made  in  the  womb  too ;  yet  because  he  came 
not  into  the  law  of  generation  and  conception  in  the  natural  way,  therefore 
he  was  excepted,  and  sin  could  not  seize  upon  him.  So  that  it  goes  by 
birth,  and  by  nature,  by  generation,  that  is  certain. 

Secondly,  Therefore,  to  shew  you  how  the  inherent  corruption  is  derived, 


El'll.    II.   3. J  TO  THE  EPUESIANS.  123 

for  these  are  but  the  two  generals  to  both,  that  defilement  of  nature,  that 
flesh  that  is  seated  in  us — 

1.  It  is  not  founded  simply  upon  this,  that  there  is  a  participation  of  like 
from  like.  Tliat  is  not  all  the  ground ;  it  is  a  partial  cause,  but  it  is  not  a 
total  cause.  It  is  a  cause,  and  therefore  Job  saith,  '  Can  a  man  fetch  a  clean 
thing  out  of  an  unclean  V  But  yet  it  is  not  the  whole  cause.  Why  1  Be- 
cause then  every  father,  according  to  the  proportion  of  that  inherent  sinful- 
ness that  is  in  his  nature,  should  beget  a  child  in  the  like  proportion.  I 
say,  if  that  traduction  were  the  total  cause  of  like  in  the  parent  and  like  in 
the  cliild,  if  this  were  the  rule  simply  and  wholly,  then  take  a  wicked  man 
that  begets  children  in  his  elder  years,  when  he  is  more  wicked,  and  hath 
more  corruption  of  nature  in  him  a  hundred  times  than  vhen  he  was  young, 
those  children  would  be  proportionably  more  wicked  than  his  elder  children ; 
and  the  more  wicked  men  would  still  have  the  more  wicked  children.  There- 
fore it  must  be  by  some  other  standing  law  of  nature  that  is  equal ;  and  the 
standing  law  of  nature,  it  doth  not  beget  like  in  a  gradual,  but  in  a  substan- 
tial way.     Yet — 

2.  It  is  the  common  law  of  generation  that  like  from  like  is  the  ground 
of  the  propagation  of  inherent  corruption ;  and  it  was  the  justest  law  of 
nature  that  could  be  made.  For  God  did  put  this  difference  between  angels 
and  men  :  angels  shoiJd  all  be  single  persons,  by  and  of  themselves ;  they 
were  all  immediately  created  by  God  himself,  as  Adam  was ;  but  that  which 
chould  convey  the  nature  of  man,  the  very  substance  of  his  nature  unto  man, 
should  be  generation,  the  same  that  should  convey  the  substance  of  the 
nature  of  beasts  to  beasts ;  though  I  do  not  say  as  the  soul  of  these  last  is 
propagated, — we  shaU  open  that  a  little  afterwards, — but  I  say  that  which 
should  make  them  men  is  the  common  law  of  generation ;  and  man,  if  he 
will  have  his  nature  from  man,  he  must  be  subjected  to  the  common  law  of 
generation,  which  all  the  rest  of  the  creatures  are.  Now  what  is  the  com- 
mon law  to  aU  the  creatures  1  Saith  God,  in  Gen.  i.  11,  let  everything  bring 
forth  in  its  kind.  So  you  shall  find  it  all  along.  He  saith  it  of  the  very 
herbs,  of  the  beasts  ;  they  were  all  to  bring  forth  of  their  kind.  Now  if  that 
man  must  have,  and  shall  have  by  God's  ordination,  the  very  substance  of 
his  nature,  the  kind  of  it,  as  all  other  creatures  have,  then  he  must  be  sub- 
jected herein  to  the  common  law  of  nature,  and  like  must  beget  like ;  it 
necessarily  follows.  Now,  mark  it,  the  law  of  nature  hath  its  course,  whe- 
ther things  prove  good  or  evil.  It  holds  in  the  common,  it  doth  so  in  our 
actions.  The  Lord's  common  providence  was  with  man  when  he  wrought 
holily ;  the  same  common  providence  is  with  man  now  he  works  sinfully. 
He  alters  not  the  course  of  nature.  So  here,  this  being  the  law  of  nature, 
look  what  assistance  there  went  for  the  propagation  of  man  according  to  the 
image  of  God  at  first — in  a  common  way,  according  to  the  law  of  nature — 
concurreth  in  propagating  man's  own  image.  I  do  not  say  that  God  is  alike 
the  author  of  one  as  of  the  other,  but  the  common  law  of  nature  holdeth  as 
well  in  the  one  as  in  the  other.  I  shall  clear  these  things  more,  I  hope, 
hereafter.  Nay,  my  brethren,  the  law  that  man  should  beget  his  like  was  so 
strong  a  law  of  nature,  whether  man's  nature  should  prove  good  or  prove  evU, 
that  God  himself,  unless  by  grace,  could  not  help  it.  I  speak  according  as 
God  binds  himself  to  the  course  of  providence,  for  God  works  not  by  preroga- 
tive, '  Let  everything  bring  forth  in  its  kind,'  was  the  common  law  given, 
and  the  course  of  nature  must  hold,  as  well  when  man  is  sinful  as  when  he 
is  good.    Help  it  God  may  by  grace ;  but  if  you  will  go  according  to  the  law 


124  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  VIII. 

of  nature,  by  the  same  law  a  beast  propagatetli  bis  kind,  by  the  same  law 
doth  man  propagate  his  Uke.  Therefore  by  nature,  and  by  the  law  of  nature 
and  generation,  which  this  is  founded  upon,  a  man  must  be  inherently  sinful 
if  he  come  from  parents  inherently  sinful;  a  sinful  man  must  beget  a  sinful 


£PH.  11.  3.]  TO  TUK  KPUKSIANS.  125 


SERMON  IX. 

And  were  hy  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others. — Veb.  3. 

These  words  are  the  general  conclusion  and  winding  up  of  what  the  Apostle 
had  said  concerning  our  state  by  nature ;  which  he  had  largely  and  punctu- 
ally set  forth  in  the  words  before.  And  unto  all  that  he  had  said  before, 
there  is  in  these  words  the  addition  of  three  things  : — 

1.  Of  the  cause,  and  the  first  cause,  or  at  least  the  fundamental  cause,  of 
all  the  corruption  that  is  in  our  hearts,  and  of  all  those  lusts,  and  of  all  that 
tiesh  and  corruption  which  he  had  spoken  of  immediately  before  ;  '  and  were 
by  nature.' 

2.  Of  that  punishment  which  is  due  to  men  in  their  natural  state,  and  for 
their  natures,  and  for  all  the  sins  committed  in  that  state ;  '  the  children  of 
wrath.' 

3.  Of  universality ;  it  is  every  man's  case,  both  Jew  and  Gentile ;  '  even 
as  others.' 

I  opened  formerly  the  phraseology  of  these  words.     As — 
I.  What  was  meant  by  '  nature '  here.     I  told  you  by  nature  was  meant 
here — 

1.  Natural  dispositions.  The  inlet  of  sin,  the  ground  and  the  root  of  it, 
was  not  custom  and  imitation,  but  it  was  our  natural  dispositions. 

2.  '  By  nature,' — that  is,  by  birth;  so  it  is  taken  in  Rom.  iL  14. 

3.  *  By  nature  : '  it  imports  that  whole  estate  of  nature  which  while  men 
live  in,  they  live  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  they  are  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses, 
and  they  are  children  of  wrath. 

II.  What  was  meant  by  '  children  of  wrath.'  I  shewed  you  the  phrase 
was  taken  both  actively  and  passively.  Actively,  for  what  one  is  addicted 
to ;  so  they  are  called  children  of  wisdom,  children  of  obedience,  and  in  the 
words  before,  children  of  disobedience.  Passively,  so  it  is  taken  here,  chil- 
dren of  wrath ;  or,  as  Peter  hath  it,  cursed  children ;  or,  as  it  is  in  the  original, 
children  of  the  curse. 

III.  What  was  meant  by  that  phrase,  *  even  as  others.'  I  told  you  it  im- 
plied two  things : — 

\.  That  it  is  the  common  condition  of  all  men. 

2.  That  it  is  equally  the  condition  of  aU  men. 

Answerable  to  these  three  phrases,  I  pitched  upon  three  things  to  be  ex- 
plained. 

Of  the  first  I  have  spoken  at  large. 

I  made  entrance  into  the  second,  viz.,  that  the  corruption  which  is  in  us, 
we  have  it  by  birth  and  by  the  law  of  nature.  But  I  finished  it  not.  I 
shall  give  you  a  brief  account  of  what  I  then  delivered,  and  so  I  shall  proceed. 

I  explained  this  unto  you  both  by  some  generals,  and  also  I  began  to  enter 
into  particulars.     The  generals  are  these : — 

1.  We  have  it  by  birth  and  not  by  imitation.  For  then  we  should  have 
the  fountain  of  our  corruption  ascribed  unto  the  devil,  for  he  was  the  first 


12G  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IX. 

sinner;  and  unto  Eve,  for  slie  was  first  in  tbe  transgression,  1  Tim.  ii.  14. 
But  you  shall  find  in  Scripture  it  is  ascribed  to  the  first  man,  namely,  unto 
Adam,  as  I  shall  shew  you  afterwards. 

2.  It  is  not  simply  coming  of  Adam  :  for  then,  if  you  could  suppose  that 
God  should  have  taken  the  rib  out  of  Adam  after  that  he  had  sinned,  and 
have  made  Eve  thereof,  it  is  true  she  had  been  of  Adam,  but  yet  she  had  not 
been  corrupted,  she  had  not  been  sinful ;  because  it  is  to  be  by  nature,  and 
so  by  birth  and  by  generation.  Therefore  Christ,  though  he  is  called  the 
son  of  Adam,  Luke  iii.,  and  the  seed  of  the  woman.  Gen.  ii , — that  is,  he 
was  made  of  that  matter  which  was  propagated  from  Adam, — yet  he  was  not 
corrupted,  because  he  had  it  not  by  the  law  of  nature,  he  had  it  not  by  birth. 

3.  It  is  not  the  sin  of  the  parents  in  the  act  of  begetting  that  is  conveyed. 
For  marriage  is  honourable,  as  the  Scripture  hath  it.  Adam  did  not  con- 
vey, when  he  first  begat  his  son  Cain,  the  sin  of  that  act  of  begetting,  for 
the  action  itself  is  lawful ;  but  it  was  his  first  sin,  his  eating  of  the  forbid- 
den fruit. 

These  were  the  generals  I  gave  you.  For  all  these  do  but  prepare  a  way 
for  the  opening  of  what  it  is  by  virtue  of  which  sin  is  derived  unto  us. 
And  I  find  it  exceeding  hard  to  speak  distinctly  to  it,,  to  find  out  that  origi- 
nal seed  of  poison  from  whence  it  is  diffused,  and  the  weight  of  it.  I  shall 
now  therefore  come  to  particulars  whereby  I  desire  to  explain  it,  and  in  them 
I  shall  briefly  give  you  my  whole  judgment  in  the  thing;  and  when  I  have 
done,  I  shall  resolve  it  into  two  or  three  propositions,  which  shall  contain 
the  sum  of  all,  for  your  clearer  understanding.  It  is  evident,  you  see,  by 
this  text,  that  it  is  by  nature  ;  and  therefore  that  it  is  by  birth  and  by  the 
law  of  nature.     Now  to  proceed — 

In  the  first  place,  our  God  did  put  this  difference  between  angels  and 
men,  that  angels  were  created  single ;  and  therefore  when  they  fell,  they  did 
fall  singly,  each  one  for  himself  They  had  their  nature  conveyed  to  them 
by  God's  immediate  creation,  and  thei-efore  they  stood  upon  their  own  bot- 
toms. But  he  ordained  that  men  should  all  come  of  one  man.  Acts  xvii. 
26,  'He  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men,  for  to  dwell  on  all  the 
face  of  the  earth.'  Now  then,  the  law  of  nature  that  doth  convey  blood — 
that  is,  manhood — to  us,  conveys  also  the  natural  properties  that  do  accom- 
pany and  are  in  that  nature,  in  the  fountain  of  it,  whether  they  shall  ba 
good  or  evil.  Now,  good  they  were  by  creation,  that  is  certain.  And  the 
reason  is,  because  that  law  of  nature  that  did  fall  upon  the  generation  of  all 
creatures  else,  foils  upon  man's  generation  also.  Now  you  shall  find  that  it 
is  not  only  the  law  proper  to  man,  but  to  all  things  begotten  of  another,  that 
they  all  bring  forth  in  their  kind.  If  you  look  into  Gen.  i.,  you  shall  see 
that  of  the  very  herbs  God  saith.  Let  them  bring  forth  in  their  kind;  he 
saith  it  also  of  the  beasts,  and  it  holds  of  man  too,  that  he  is  to  bring  forth 
in  his  kind.  If  there  be  a  generation  and  a  begetting,  he  is  to  bring  forth 
in  his  kind.  If  his  nature  had  remained  holy  and  good,  he  had  brought 
forth  that  which  was  holy  and  good.  So  the  same  providence  of  God  that 
would  have  accompanied  man  to  convey  and  propagate  a  holy  nature  had 
he  remained  holy,  doth  also  accompiiny  him  to  convey  a  corrupt  nature  now 
he  is  corrupt  and  made  evil.  As  the  same  acts  of  common  providence 
which  run  on  and  assist  us  in  doing  good  concur  even  in  evil  also,  so  is  it 
here. — And  that  is  the  first  thing. 

Yet,  in  the  second  place,  let  me  tell  you  this,  that  take  our  birth  and 
generation  simply,  and  that  is  not  the  cause,  the  physical  cause,  it  is  but  the 
channel ;  and  because  it  is  the  instrument  of  making  men,  therefore  it  is  the 


ErH.  II.   3. J  TO  THE  EPUESIANS  127 

instrument  also  of  making  sinful  men.  Now  that  generation  is  not  tlie  cause 
is  evident  by  this  :  because  if  it  were,  then  men  should  beget  men  sinful  ac- 
cording to  that  degree  of  sinfulness  they  themselves  have.  And  therefore 
parents  more  wicked  should  beget  children  more  wicked ;  parents  in  their 
elder  days,  when  they  are  more  wicked,  as  wicked  men  are,  for  they  grow 
worse  and  worse,  should  then  have  children  more  wicked  than  in  their  younger 
time ;  but  so  it  is  not.  It  is  therefore  to  be  resolved  into  the  common  law 
that  lies  upon  generation,  not  simply  into  generation  itself,  or  what  it  con- 
veyeth.  Generation  is  but  the  chamiel,  the  pipe,  in  which  it  runneth  ;  it  is 
therefore,  I  say,  rather  the  law  that  is  annexed  unto  generation.  And  the 
law  of  generation  doth  not  reach  to  degrees  of  sinning,  but  only  to  the  sub- 
stantial image,  not  to  the  gradual. 

In  the  third  place,  the  cause  and  the  ground  why  we  are  made  sinful  is 
not  simply  that  we  are  born  of  immediate  parents  that  are  sinful,  that  is 
not  the  whole  cause  neither :  but  as  generation  is  but  as  the  channel,  so  the 
immediate  parents  are  but  the  instruments  of  conveying  it.  My  meaning  is 
this  :  the  ground  why  a  man  is  born  sinful  is  not  simply  because  his  next 
parents,  father  and  mother,  are  such.  They  are  causes  sine  quibus  non  of 
sin ;  that  is,  if  it  could  be  supposed  they  are  not  sinful,  the  child  would  not 
be  sinful ;  they  are  but  instruments  of  conveying  it.  And  that  they  are  in- 
struments of  conveying  it,  is  clear  by  what  David  saith,  Ps.  li.  5,  '  in  sin  did 
my  mother  conceive  me.'  But  yet  they  are  causes  sine  quibus  non,  without 
which  sin  would  not  be. 

There  are  two  great  evidences  to  me  of  this  truth.  The  one  is  a  negative 
one,  the  other  a  positive. 

The  negative  one  is  this  :  the  Lord  hath  expressly  said — he  hath  a  whole 
chapter  about  it,  Ezek.  xviii. — that  the  child  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of 
the  father.  And  our  Saviour  Christ  saith,  John  ix.  3,  that  it  was  not  for 
the  sin  of  the  parents  that  the  man  was  born  blind.  So  that  it  is  not  put 
upon  the  sin  of  the  ordinary  parents.  Nay,  I  shall  give  you  a  further 
instance  of  it,  why  it  is  not  to  be  put  simply  upon  the  immediate  parents. 
For  although  we  come  of  Eve,  yet,  notwithstanding,  the  corruption  that  we 
have  and  the  sin  which  we  have  by  nature  is  not  put  upon  Eve  now,  it  is 
put  upon  Adam,  and  that  throughout  the  whole  Scripture.  Though  Eve 
did  first  corrupt  our  nature,  for  she  was  first  in  the  transgression  ;  though 
we  all  come  of  her  as  well  as  of  Adam,  and  have  a  share  as  from  her  and 
that  by  generation  also;  yet  notwithstanding,  read  Eom.  v.  12,  '  By  one  man 
sin  entered  into  the  world : '  which  was  the  type  of  Christ's  conveying  obe- 
dience and  righteousness.  I  will  not  dispute  that  nice  question  which  some 
divines  have.  Whether,  if  that  Eve  had  not  fallen,  though  Adam  had  fallen,  we 
should  have  been  corrupted  or  no  1  No,  for  we  must  all  acknowledge  that 
she  was  causa  sine  qua  non.  Had  not  her  nature  been  corrupted,  we  had 
not  had  sin  derived  to  us.  All  divines  do  attribute  a  secondary  cause  to 
her,  but  still  the  primary  to  the  man. 

The  positive  ground  is  this  :  that  the  Scripture  doth  ascribe  it  to  our 
coming  of  Adam,  and  that  by  birth,  coming  of  that  first  man  ;  and  therefore 
what  is  here  said  in  the  text  to  be  '  by  nature,'  if  you  consult  other  scrip- 
tures, you  shall  find  it  to  be  because  we  come  of  Adam,  thaf.  one  man,  be- 
cause we  come  by  generation  from  him.  Mark  it,  so  I  put  it;  though  parents 
are  the  instrumental  cause  of  conveying  it,  generation  is  the  channel,  yet  it 
is  because  we  fetch  our  nature  from  that  fountain.  I  shall  give  you  Scrip- 
ture express  for  it.  Not  only  that  in  Kom.  v.  1 2,  which  yet  is  very  clear  ; 
for  otherwise  Eve  had  been  made  the  type  of  Christ  as  well  as  Adam :  but 


128  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IX. 

the  text  there  you  see  doth  only  put  it  upon  Adam,  as  being  the  type  or 
figure  of  him  that  was  to  come,  so  ver.  14.  And,  ver.  18,  'by  the  offence  of 
one,'  and,  '  by  one  man's  disobedience,'  ver.  19,  It  is  not  only  for  *  one 
offence,'  as  some  of  those  texts  have  it,  but  other  texts  run,  '  of  one  man  ;' 
so  ver.  12,  'Wherefore,  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world.'  But 
besides  this  scripture,  look  into  1  Cor.  xv.  47,  48,  and  there  you  shall  see 
this  truth  clear.  The  Apostle  there  puts  it  upon  the  first  man.  '  The  first 
man,'  saith  he,  '  is  of  the  earth,  earthy.  As  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  that 
are  earthy.  As  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,' — namely,  of  this  first 
man,  as  he  had  called  him, — '  so  we  shall  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly.' 

And  as  the  New  Testament  affirms  this,  so  the  Old  too.  I  shall  give  you 
but  that  one  scripture  in  Isa.  xliii.  27,  '  Thy  first  father  hath  sinned,  and  thy 
teachers,'  or,  thy  intercessors,  '  have  transgressed  against  me,'  speaking  to  the 
nation  of  the  Jews.  Thy  first  father  hath  sinned,  and  thy  interventores,  as 
Junius  translates  it, — that  is,  those  that  come  between  me  and  thee, — they 
have  all  sinned.  What  is  the  reason  God  objecteth  this  ?  Why,  in  the  words 
before  he  stands  upon  the  confounding  of  them  against  all  their  carnal  pleas 
and  justifications  of  themselves,  and  he  rips  up  their  sin  from  the  first. 
Come,  saith  he,  ver.  26,  '  let  us  plead  together  :  declare  thou,  that  thou 
mayest  be  justified,'  if  thou  hast  anything  to  say.  Besides  all  the  wicked- 
ness that  is  in  thyself,  whatsoever  thou  canst  trust  in,  I  can  easily  answer  it. 
Thou  dost  trust  in  thy  father  Abraham,  and  thou  thinkest  because  thou  art 
of  the  seed  of  Abraham  thou  shalt  be  saved.  I  tell  thee  thou  hast  an  older 
father  than  Abraham,  thy  first  father  Adam  hath  sinned.  But  thou  wilt  say 
unto  me  that  thou  hast  priests  that  do  daily  offer  sacrifice,  and  do  come  be- 
tween me  and  thee ;  I  tell  thee  that  those  that  are  thy  intercessors,  thy  teachers, 
and  thy  interpreters,  as  it  is  translated  by  others,  that  come  between  me  and 
thee,  they  have  transgressed  against  me.  The  Lord  takes  both  away  ;  they 
boasted  that  they  had  Abraham  to  their  father.  Ay,  but,  saith  he,  there  is 
an  older  father,  thy  first  father.  And  though  some  would  interpret  it  of  their 
fathers,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  make  it  in  the  plural,  yet  there  is  an 
emphasis  upon  this,  it  is  father,  and  it  is  thy  first  father.  And  it  agrees 
clearly  with  what  the  New  Testament  saith,  in  that  1  Cor.  xv.  45,  &c.,  where 
you  shall  find  that  the  Apostle  doth  put  the  conveying  of  the  image  upon 
our  depending  upon  that  first  father,  and  that  therefore  we  bear  the  image 
of  the  earthy.  So  as  that  now  generation  and  immediate  parents  are  indeed 
the  channel  and  instruments  of  conveying ;  but  the  original  cause,  as  the 
Scripture  makes  it,  is  the  first  father.  Our  generation  then,  or  our  birth, 
had  a  curse  laid  upon  it,  and  by  the  law  of  nature,  by  reason  and  by  virtue 
of  that  first  man.  And  because  all  men  did  depend  upon  him  by  genera- 
tion,— that  is,  are  propagated  from  him  by  generation, — therefore  by  the  law 
of  generation,  by  virtue  of  something  tliat  he  did  and  that  he  was,  it  is  that 
we  are  corrupted  to  the  end  of  the  world,  I  take  it  to  be  one  great  reason 
why  corrupt  nature  is  called  in  Scripture  the  'old  man,'  because  it  is  derived 
for  so  many  generations  from  that  old  first  man  Adam.  We  ourselves  usually, 
when  we  see  a  thing  that  is  evil  or  corrupt  in  children,  say.  This  is  old  Adam. 
It  is  not  what  is  in  other  parents  so  much,  though  their  corruption  is  causa 
sine  qua  non, — it  is  the  cause  without  which  it  would  not  be  conveyed  to  us, 
— but  it  is  Adam's  image,  the  image  of  that  first  man  ;  so  it  is  called  in  1 
Cor.  XV,     Therefore  Adam  is  said  to  beget  in  his  likeness.  Gen.  iv. 

So  that,  in  a  word,  this  is  the  sum  of  these  three  things.  It  is  not  gene- 
ration simply  that  physically  conveys  it,  but  rather  the  law  that  falleth  upon 
generation  ;  it  is  not  the  immediate  parents  so  much  as  it  is  that  first  maa 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  1 29 

Adam  ;  because  we  depend  upon  him  by  nature  and  by  generation,  hence  it 
ia  we  have  been  and  are  all  corrupted. 

Now  we  will  go  on  further,  and  more  particularly  still,  to  search  into  it,  and 
to  see  whether  it  was  by  nature  or  no.  And  I  shall  do  it  by  answering  these 
queries  : — 

Quei-y  1. — What  it  was  in  that  man,  which  we  hy  generation  have  from 
him,  that  polluteth  ? 

Ans. — If  you  would  have  the  great  and  the  principal  cause,  I  answer  you 
fuUy,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  it  was  an  act  of  sinning  of  his,  and  the 
first  act  of  sinning  that  he  committed.  Generation,  as  I  have  said,  is  but 
the  mere  channel,  and  immediate  parents  are  but  mere  instruments  ;  as  they 
beget  men,  they  beget  men  sinful :  but  if  you  ask  what  it  is  that  is  con- 
veyed, and  which  to  the  end  of  the  world  polluteth  and  defileth  by  genera- 
tion, as  the  instrument  and  channel ;  it  is  the  first  sin  of  that  first  man. 
Will  you  give  me  leave,  by  this  supposition,  to  make  my  meaning  plain,  and 
then  I  shall  make  it  good  by  proofs  1  As  I  told  you  before  that  simply 
generation  doth  not  do  it ;  so  if  you  could  have  supposed  corruption  of  nature 
had  been  derived  by  birth,  physically,  as  a  leprosy  is  from  parent  to  child, 
or  by  virtue  of  that  law  of  generation  that  like  shall  beget  like,  yet  let  me 
tell  you,  that  unless  he  that  had  this  corruption  conveyed  to  him  by  nature 
had  been  guilty  of  some  act  which  did  first  corrupt  that  nature,  that  corrup' 
tion  had  not  been  sin  in  him.  I  shall  express  it  thus.  Adam,  you  know, 
lost  all  righteousness,  and  had  his  nature  corrupt,  as  ours  is ;  if  we  could 
suppose  this  righteousness  to  have  been  taken  from  him,  without  being 
guilty  of  an  act  that  was  the  cause  of  it,  that  corruption  indeed  had  been  a 
punishment,  it  had  not  been  his  sin ;  that  which  makes  it  to  be  sinful  is,  be- 
cause that  it  was  lost  and  he  was  deprived  of  it  justly  by  an  act  of  sin. 
Take  Adam  himself,  if  you  could  have  supposed  him  deprived  of  it  any  other 
way,  without  a  precedent  act,  or  the  guilt  of  an  act  that  caused  it ;  I  say,  it 
had  not  been  sin  to  him,  it  might  have  been  a  punishment,  but  not  a  sin. 
And  therefore  now  it  must  be  the  guilt  of  an  act  that  doth  defile  us,  and 
make  the  corruption  of  nature  in  us,  and  that  which  we  have  by  birth  to  be 
sinfuL 

But  then  aU  the  question  will  be  by  and  by,  Wbether  by  nature  we  are 
guilty  of  that  act  or  no  ?  Now  here  is  all  the  difference  between  us  and 
Adam,  that  he  was  personally  guilty  of  that  act,  but  we  are  guilty  of  it  by 
a  just  law  of  nature,  as  I  shall  endeavour  to  explain  it  to  you  by  and  by. 
But  as  he  became  a  dead  man,  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  by  eating  of  the 
forbidden  fruit ;  so  must  we  be  supposed  to  be  also.  Therefore  we  shall 
find,  the  New  Testament, — -which  speaks  more  accurately  in  this  point  than 
the  Old, — though  it  mentions  generation  as  the  instrumental  cause,  which 
the  Old  Testament  only  did  run  upon,  yet  it  puts  it  upon  that  one  act.  So 
Eom.  v.  12,  *  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  in  whom,'  mark  the 
expression,  '  aU  have  sinned.'  It  is  not  only,  *  in  whom  all  are  made  sinful,' 
as  it  foUows  in  the  19th  verse;  but  it  is,  ' in  whom  all  have  sinned.'  It  is 
plain  he  speaks  not  only  of  inherent  corruption  in  our  natures,  but  of  an 
act  of  sin  ;  for  he  saith  '  all  have  sinned.'  Now,  mark  it,  in  the  14th  verse, 
he  speaks  of  children  that  never  actually  sinned  personally,  as  Adam  did ; 
and  yet  he  saith  that  death  reigned  over  them.  '  Death  reigned,'  saith  he, 
*  from  Adam  to  Moses,  even  over  them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude 
of  Adam's  transgression ;'  that  is,  they  did  not  personally  in  themselves  sin, 
as  Adam  himself  did,  and  yet  death  did  pass  upon  them ;  therefore  they 
must  be  guilty  of  that  act  of  his. 

VOL.  IL  I 


130  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [i^^ERMON  IX. 

Now  I  take  it,  these  words,  '  death  reigned  over  all,'  are  the  interpretation 
of  the  first  curse,  '  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thou  shalt  die  the  death,'  in  which 
Adam  was  considered  as  a  common  person.  Now  by  virtue  of  this  law  and 
rule  given,  death  reigneth  according  to  the  threatening.  And  the  next 
words,  which  are  those  I  pitch  upon,  do  give  the  reason  of  it  clearly  and 
plainly,  which  are  otherwise  very  obscure.  Tor,'  saith  he,  ver.  13,  'until 
the  law,  sin  was  iu  the  world  ;  but  sin  is  not  imputed  where  there  is  no  law.' 
This  is  brought  in  as  a  reason,  by  virtue  of  what  it  was,  that  children  are 
made  sinful,  or  accounted  to  have  sinned.  Why  this,  saith  he,  cannot  be 
by  Moses'  law ;  you  cannot  find  it  that  children  are  guilty  of  sin,  of  whom  he 
speaks,  ver.  14,  and  that  all  have  sinned,  so  he  saith,  ver.  12,  in  the  ten 
commandments.  And  yet  it  must  be  by  some  law  or  other ;  for  if  there 
had  not  been  a  law,  God  would  never  have  charged  children  and  all  the 
world  with  this  sin ;  therefore  clearly  it  must  be  that  law  which  God  gave 
pecuHarly  to  that  first  man.  This  is  plainly  the  Apostle's  meaning,  and  the 
coherence  of  those  words.  Tou  shall  not  find  this,  saith  he,  in  Moses'  law  ; 
it  is  therefore  to  be  resolved  into  that  first  law  that  was  given  to  Adam,  '  In 
the  day  thou  eatest  thou  shalt  die  ;'  thou,  and  all  thy  posterity  ;  for  it  must 
be  some  older  law  than  that  of  Moses  which  this  must  be  put  upon  ;  for,  saith 
he,  there  was  sin  in  the  world  before  the  law  of  Moses  came,  or  else  God 
could  not  have  charged  it,  and  children  should  not  have  died  :  but  they  did 
all  die,  death  reigned  over  all ;  therefore  it  must  be  resolved  into  a  higher 
law  than  that  of  Moses ;  and  what  was  that  1  I  say,  that  law  that  God 
gave  to  Adam,  '  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thou  shalt  die.'  And  that  is  clearly 
interpreted  in  1  Cor.  xv.  22,  '  In  Adam  all  died ;'  that  is,  by  reason  of  the 
transgression  of  that  first  law,  which  is  a  law  older  than  Moses,  by  virtue  of 
which  children  are  said  to  have  sinned  in  Adam,  and  so  also  to  have  died 
in  him. 

Now  then,  to  conclude  this  first  query.  If  you  ask,  what  it  is  that  in 
strict  terms  is  the  cause  that  doth  pollute  us  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  I 
say,  it  is  not  generation,  it  is  not  the  immediate  parents,  they  are  the 
channels  through  which  it  is  conveyed ;  but  it  is  plainly  and  clearly  that  first 
act  of  Adam's,  which  as  it  corrupted  his  nature,  corrupteth  ours  to  the  end 
of  the  world.  The  text  is  so  clear  for  this,  as  nothing  more.  Rom.  v.  19, 
*  By  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners.'  If  you  ask  what  it 
is  that  makes  many  sinners,  the  Apostle  himself  resolves  you, — it  is  that 
one  man's  disobedience.  Even  as  Christ's  obedience  doth  make  us  holy  to 
the  end  of  the  world ;  though  God  use  the  word  and  use  ministers  to  con- 
vert us,  yet  it  is  not  the  word  nor  the  ministers  that  make  us  holy,  but  it  is 
that  one  man's  obedience.  '  By  the  obedience  of  one,'  saith  he  in  the  same 
verse,  •'  many  are  made  righteous.'  So  is  it  here.  It  is  not  generation 
simply  doth  pollute  us ;  neither  is  it  our  immediate  parents ;  these  are  in- 
struments and  ways  of  conveying  it,  they  are  channels  through  which  it  runs : 
but  it  is  that  one  man's  disobedience,  it  is  the  gmlt  of  that  act  that  seizeth 
upon  us  all,  which  makes  us  sinners. 

And  so  much  now  for  that  first  query.  I  come  now  to  a  second,  and  that 
is  this : — 

Query  2. — Why  should  the  guilt  of  that  act  which  infects  our  nature  be  con- 
veyed to  us  by  generation,  as  the  channel,  and  by  nature,  rather  than  the  sin 
of  other  parents  ? 

Ans. — All  divines  do  answer  that  clearly  thus  :  that  Adam  was  a  public 
person,  and  he  was  therein  Christ's  tjrpe,  which  no  other  parent  is.  Eve 
was  not :  for  though  she  was  first  in  the  transgression,  yet  it  is  not  said,  by 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  131 

the  disobedience  of  that  one  woman,  or,  by  the  disobedience  of  those  first 
parents,  we  are  made  siimers ;  but  it  is  clearly  put  upon  the  '  disobedience 
of  that  one  man.'  Why  ?  Because  he  was  made  a  public  person,  and  stood 
as  a  public  person,  which  Eve  in  that  respect  did  not.  Indeed,  without  her, 
and  her  corruption  and  fall,  we  had  not  been  sinful ;  but  if  you  resolve  it 
into  its  original  primary  cause,  it  is  the  sin  of  that  one  man,  because,  I  say, 
he  was  a  public  common  person,  representing  aU  his  posterity,  which  other 
parents  are  not,  which  Eve  herself  was  not :  and  therefore  he  was  Christ's 
type,  which  Eve  was  not. 

I  will  not  stand  to  shew  you  the  equity  of  that,  that  those  that  stand  as 
common  persons  convey  the  guilt  of  their  act  to  their  posterity  and  those 
they  represent, — it  hath  been  cleared  enough, — but  rather  come  to  a  third 
question ;  for  by  answering  questions,  I  hope  I  shall  clear  the  thing. 

Query  3. — Whether  was  Adam  a  common  person  hy  the  law  of  nature,  yea 
or  no  1  Whether  by  the  law  of  generation  ?  that  is  more.  For  we  must 
bring  it  to  birth  and  generation  at  last. 

Atis. — There  are  three  ways  by  which  you  may  suppose  one  to  be  a  common 
person.     Either — 

1.  By  choice  of  the  parties  themselves,  as  you  choose  the  burgesses  in 
Parliament.  It  is  clear,  Adam  was  not  so  a  common  person,  we  never  chose 
him,  our  wills  did  never  go  to  make  him  one.     Or  else — 

2.  A  common  person  is  chosen  for  us  by  another.  So  Christ ;  we  did  not 
choose  him  to  be  our  Head,  but  God  chose  him  for  us.     But — 

3.  There  is  a  third  way,  and  that  is,  that  it  shaU  not  only  be  founded 
upon  a  mere  act  of  choice,  but  upon  a  law  of  nature ;  and  so,  I  take  it,  Adam 
was  a  common  person.  He  was  so  by  God's  appointment,  yet  by  God's  ap- 
pointment founded  upon  a  law  of  nature.  And  therefore,  both  by  genera- 
tion as  the  channel,  and  by  the  law  of  nature  as  the  foundation,  are  we 
made  sinful  to  the  end  of  the  world.  This  I  shall  endeavour  to  make  clear 
to  you. 

I  take  it,  it  was  mixed  of  both ;  that  is,  both  that  God  made  him  so,  and 
yet  God's  choice  of  him  was  not  merely  an  act  of  his  prerogative,  or  a  mere 
act  of  his  will ;  but  it  was  an  act  of  his  will  founded  upon  the  law  of  nature, 
and  the  law  of  nature  required  it,  and  it  was  necessary  it  should  be  so,  and 
that  therefore  we  come  to  inherit  the  guilt  of  that  act  of  his.  It  is  clear 
that  God  did  pronounce  Adam  a  common  person ;  for,  before  ever  Eve  was 
made,  it  is  said,  Gen.  i.  28,  '  God  blessed  them,  and  God  said  unto  them. 
Be  finiitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth.'  And  in  1  Cor.  xv.  45, 
it  is  said  that  the  first  man  Adam  was  eysnTo,  made,  that  is,  appointed, — 
as  in  Heb.  iii.  it  is  said  that  Christ  was  faithful  to  him  that  made  him,  so 
it  is  in  the  Greek ;  to  him  that  *  appointed  him,'  so  we  translate  it, — he  was 
made  to  be  a  living  soul ;  unto  others,  namely,  as  well  as  in  himself,  as  I 
have  elsewhere  opened.  But  yet  it  was  not  by  a  mere  act  of  prerogative, 
but  upon  a  natural  and  necessary  ground  that  it  should  be  so. 

You  shall  observe  this  difference  between  conveying  Adam's  disobedience 
and  Christ's  obedience.  The  one,  speaking  of  Adam's,  is  expressed  thus, 
*  By  the  offence  of  one  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation.'  But 
speaking  of  Christ's  obedience,  he  calls  it  'the  free  gift  of  righteousness;'  for 
it  was  a  mere  voluntary  act.     So  you  have  it  in  Eom.  v.  18. 

But  how  is  this  made  out? 

Thus :  Adam  being  the  first  man,  he  was  the  receptacle  of  man's  nature, 
the  whole  cistern  of  it ;  he  had  aU  the  blood  of  mankind  in  him ;  they  must 
all  fetch  it  from  that  fountain,  at  that  well-head,  and  generation  or  birth 


132  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IX. 

was  the  way  by  which  he  should  propagate.  Now  the  law  of  generation 
was,  that  he  should  beget  in  his  own  image,  whatever  it  should  be  ;  and  that, 
as  I  said  before,  is  the  common  law  of  all  creatures  else.  Now  add  that  to 
it,  this  nature  could  not  have  been  conveyed  as  sinful — that  is,  that  it  should 
be  a  sinful,  corrupt  nature  such  as  it  was  in  him — unless  we  had  been  guilty 
of  that  act  which  he  committed,  of  that  act  which  first  in  him  did  infect  our 
nature.  Therefore  now,  if  he  should  propagate  his  like, — and  if  he  did  not,  the 
law  of  nature  should  not  be  fulfilled,  for  that  law  was  to  take  place  in  him 
as  in  other  creatures,  namely,  that  he  was  to  beget  in  his  own  image, — of  ne- 
cessity he  must  be  constituted  by  a  law  a  common  person,  that  that  act  that 
corrupted  his  nature,  his  posterity  must  be  guUty  of  I  say,  the  law  of 
nature  could  not  else  have  taken  place,  and, it  would  not  otherwise  have  been 
a  sinful  image,  but  in  relation  to  the  guilt  of  such  an  act  which  was  the  cause 
of  it.  Hence  therefore,  if  you  will  suppose  him  to  convey  by  the  law  of 
nature  his  corrupt  sinful  image,  of  necessity  the  same  law  must  and  doth 
constitute  him  to  be  a  common  person,  as  in  relation  to  that  act  that  did  first 
defile  him.  So  far,  and  in  order  to  propagation  of  his  like,  if  he  fall,  in 
respect  of  that  act  that  defiled  him,  it  was  necessary  he  should  be  constituted, 
for  that  first  act,  to  be  a  common  person. 

You  shall  see  that  his  being  a  common  person  was  only  upon  this  neces- 
sary ground,  to  be  exceeding  clear  by  this  one  instance.  For  as  soon  as  ever 
he  had  eaten  the  forbidden  fruit,  as  soon  as  he  had  committed  that  same  one 
sin,  he  ceaseth  to  be  a  common  person,  he  is  then  but  as  any  ordinary  parent. 
And  that  is  clear  by  this.  For  otherwise  all  the  sins  he  committed  before 
he  begat  Cain  should  have  been  imputed  to  Cain,  as  well  as  the  first  sin 
of  all.  And  otherwise  likewise,  had  he  continued  a  common  person  aftel 
he  committed  that  first  sin,  we  had  not  been  made  sinners  by  that  one  dis- 
obedience, as  the  text  hath  it  in  that  Rom.  v.,  and  by  that  first  act  of  dis« 
obedience,  but  we  must  have  inherited  all  the  sins  that  he  committed.  No, 
only  that  first  act ;  and  the  reason  is  this  :  because  when  that  was  once  done, 
when  that  sin  was  committed,  that  first  act  did  cast  our  nature  out  of  the 
road  of  holiness  into  the  road  of  sin,  corrupted  our  nature.  So  that  it  is  clear 
he  was  a  common  person  by  virtue  of  that  law  that  he  should  beget  in  his 
own  likeness  ;  for  as  soon  as  the  corrupt  image  was  stamped  upon  his  heart 
by  that  first  sin,  he  ceased  to  be  a  common  person. 

So  that  now  it  was  not  a  mere  act  of  prerogative  in  God,  as  some  think, 
that  Adam  should  be  made  a  public  person  in  that  act  of  disobedience ;  but 
it  is  resolved  into  that  principle  of  the  law  of  nature,  that  he  must  beget 
his  like ;  and  it  would  not  have  been  a  sinful  likeness  that  he  should  beget, 
if  he  had  not  been  a  public  person  in  that  first  act  that  should  make  his 
nature  so.  It  is  not  by  any  positive  law,  as  that  of  Moses  was;  for  that  law 
came  after,  and  yet  it  was  charged  upon  us,  as  I  have  before  shewed,  and 
therefore  it  must  be  founded  upon,  and  resolved  into  a  law  of  nature.  And 
that  is  the  difference  betwixt  Christ  and  Adam.  God  did  distinctly  deal 
with  Christ ;  he  told  him  he  must  be  a  head,  and  undertake  for  these  and 
these  persons;  but  you  do  not  find  that  God  did  propound  it  distinctly  to 
Adam.  He  never  said  to  him,  Look  to  yourself,  what  you  do  it  is  for  your  pos- 
terity;  and  if  you  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  not  only  you,  but  all  that  come 
of  you  shall  die  the  death.  No,  it  needed  not ;  for  all  men  being  to  come 
of  him,  he  being  to  convey  his  sinful  image, — and  that  image  could  not  be 
conveyed  except  he  became  guilty  of  a  sinful  act, — he  must  needs  know  that 
his  posterity  must  be  guilty  of  it  if  his  image  were  conveyed.     So  that  it 


EPH.  II.  3.]  TO  THB  EPHESIANa  133 

was  necessarily  resolved  into  the  law  of  nature ;  although  it  was  mixed,  it  wa» 
by  Grod's  appointment  also  that  it  should  be  so. 

So  that  now,  to  sum  up  this  business  :  still,  we  see,  we  are  children  of 
wrath  by  nature.  Whether  we  respect  the  corrupt  sinful  habit  which  we  have 
inherent  in  us,  conveyed  to  us  by  birth,  or  whether  we  respect  the  guilt  of 
that  act,  it  is  still  resolved  into  the  law  of  nature,  and  generation  or  birth  is 
but  the  channel  to  convey  it,  and  our  immediate  parents  are  but  the  instru- 
ments of  conveying  it,  the  causes  indeed  without  which  it  would  not  bo 
conveyed  ;  but  it  is  the  guilt  of  that  first  act  of  Adam,  upon  whom  by  nature 
and  generation  we  all  depended,  and  it  is  that  first  act  of  his  that  to  the 
end  of  the  world  makes  us  sinners. 

And  so  now  I  shall,  in  a  word  or  two,  gather  up  in  a  few  propositions 
what  I  have  said,  and  so  pass  over  this  point.  The  sum  of  all  I  shall  resolve 
into  these  three  propositions  : — 

Pro'p.  1. — First,  That  generation  is  not  the  physical  cause  of  our  being 
sinful, — that  is,  it  is  not  because  a  man  hath  sin  propagated  in  the  matter 
that  comes  from  his  parents ;  that  is  not  it.  But  it  is  the  common  law  that 
lies  upon  all  creatures,  and  that  lies  upon  man  also,  that  like  shall  beget  like. 
Whether  his  soul  be  created  by  God,  or  whatever  it  be,  yet  notwithstanding, 
I  say,  it  is  the  law  of  generation  that  doth  it. 

Pro'p.  2. — Secondly,  Generation  is  but  the  channel;  it  is  the  act  of  Adam's 
sin,  and  the  first  act  of  Adam's  sin,  whilst  he  stood  a  common  person,  being 
imputed  to  us,  charged  upon  us,  that  makes  us  sinful.  Only,  if  you  ask 
who  they  are  that  shaU  be  made  sinful ;  only  those  that  come  of  Adam  by 
generation,  because  it  is  by  virtue  of  the  law  of  generation  that  like  shall 
beget  like.  So  that  it  is  not,  I  say,  that  the  children  have  an  impure  nature 
from  an  impure  nature  of  the  next  parents ;  this  is  not  simply  it.  Whether 
the  soul  be  from  the  parents,  as  some  hold,  or  immediately  from  God,  it  is 
all  one,  because  it  is  the  act  of  Adam's  sin  seizing  upon  a  man,  he  being  made 
a  son  of  Adam,  that  pollutes  him.  By  one  man's  disobedience  we  are  made 
sinful.  If  the  soul  be  made  immediately  by  God,  yet  it  being  at  the  same 
instant  that  it  is  made  united  to  the  body;  hence  the  guUt  of  Adam's  sin,  by 
virtue  of  that  law  of  nature,  seizeth  upon  it ;  and  the  guilt  of  it  seizing  thus 
upon  that  soul  in  this  body,  which  is  now  made  a  son  of  Adam,  the  Lord 
making  of  it,  withdraws  his  Spirit  from  it,  from  giving  grace.  Not  that  God 
is  the  author  of  it,  but  that  sin  cometh  in  between,  and  cutteth  off  the  influ- 
ence which  God  would  have  upon  it,  according  to  the  original  law  of  nature, 
to  make  it  holy.  And  as  sin  caused  God  to  withdraw  his  Spirit  out  of 
Adam,  so  it  preventeth  that  God  should  bestow  holiness  upon  this  soul, 
which  is  made  a  man  as  soon  as  made  a  soul.  So  that  you  need  not  trouble 
yourselves  about  those  questions,  whether  the  soul  be  ex  traduce,  &c.  For 
all  those  questions  suppose  that  the  matter  of  our  nature  is  corrupted  from 
our  parents,  and  so  is  derived  unto  us.  But  it  doth  not  lie  in  that,  but  in 
the  guilt  of  Adam's  act,  and  that  is  it  which  makes  sinners  to  the  end  of 
the  world. 

Prop.  3. — Thirdly,  That  Adam  was  by  the  law  of  nature  a  common  per- 
son, and  therefore  we  come  to  be  guilty  of  that  first  act  by  which  our  nature 
was  defiled. 

And  so  now  I  have  explained  this  thing,  as  far  as  to  me  the  Scripture 
doth  give  leave,  as  briefly  as  I  could. 

Let  me  but  add  this  :  Hence  it  comes  to  pass  that  Jesus  Christ  comes 
not  to  be  tainted  with  original  sin.      The  matter  of  his  body,   he  had 


134  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IX. 

it  in  the  womb  of  the  virgin ;  for  he  was  in  that  respect  the  son  of  Adam, 
but  he  came  not  from  Adam  according  to  the  law  of  nature,  that  is,  by 
generation ;  and  therefore  Adam  was  not  a  common  person  to  represent 
him.  For  the  ground  of  Adam's  being  a  common  person  was,  that  he  was 
to  beget  his  like,  and  his  nature  was  to  be  propagated  by  generation.  Now 
Christ  was  not  to  come  of  him  by  generation  ;  hence  therefore  our  Saviour 
Christ  is  separated  from  sinners,  as  Heb.  vii.  26  hath  it.  He  had  a  mother, 
and  his  mother  conceived  him;  but  she  did  not  conceive  him  in  sin,  be- 
cause it  was  not  by  the  way  of  generation:  for  he  was  conceived  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  text  saith  so,  Matt.  i.  20.  The  Holy  Ghost  did  articulate 
(whereas  the  spirits  of  the  father  do  it  in  ordinary  generation)  that  body  of 
Christ.  '  A  body  hast  thou  framed  me,'  saith  he,  Heb.  x.  5.  Therefore 
he  is  said  to  be  '  made  of  a  woman,'  not  begotten  of  a  woman,  in  Gal.  iv.  4. 
And  therefore  he  came  not  under  (and  it  was  well  for  us  he  did  not)  the  law 
of  generation  ;  hence  he  escapeth  being  defiled  with  original  sin.  And 
hence  Adam  is  not  a  common  person  to  bim  ;  no,  he  was  ordained  a  com- 
mon person  before  Adam  was  made  one,  for  Adam  was  his  type.  And 
therefore  things  are  ordered  so  that  he  should  not  come  by  generation, 
because  he  was  to  be  a  head  of  a  second  sort ;  and  therefore  he  is  caUed  the 
second  man,  as  Adam  is  the  first. 

And  let  me  add  this  likewise  for  our  comforts :  That  Christ,  because  he 
would  take  away  original  sin  in  us,  he  came  as  near  as  possibly  could  be, 
so  as  to  escape  pollution.  He  would  be  made  of  the  same  matter  we  were 
made  ofi' ;  he  would  be  made  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin ;  he  would  be  con- 
ceived ;  and  he  took  upon  him  too  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  with  aU  the 
frailties  of  it,  as  Like  sinful  flesh  every  way  as  could  be.  Nay,  he  would 
have  his  mother  go  and  be  purified,  as  if  she  had  brought  forth  an  unclean 
son  ;  for  the  law  in  Leviticus  was,  to  shew  the  impurity  of  our  birth,  that 
the  mother  was  to  be  purified.  Nay,  and  not  only  so,  but  he  was  circum- 
cised, as  if  he  had  had  original  sin  to  be  cut  off  as  well  as  we.  What  was 
all  this  for?  The  Apostle  teUs  us.  Col.  ii.  11,  we  were  circumcised  in 
Christ,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  cut  off  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ. 
It  was  that  he  might  take  away  this  original  corruption,  which  we  had 
from  the  first  Adam. 

Now  then,  having  explained  this,  I  come  to  some  observations. 

Obs.  1. — The  first  is  this,  which  is  the  Apostle's  scope  here  :  Th^t  we 
should  get  our  hearts  humbled  for  the  sin  of  our  nature,  and  for  the  sin  of 
Adam  which  by  generation  corrupteth  our  nature  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
whereof  we  are  guilty.  This  is  that  which  is  the  great  corrupter  of  us,  it 
is  the  greatest  cause  of  all  the  rest.  You  know,  David,  in  Ps.  li.,  hath 
recourse  to  it,  as  to  the  spring  of  all  his  actual  defilements.  '  In  sin,'  saith 
he,  '  hath  my  mother  conceived  me ; '  and  he  puts  a  '  behold '  upon  it, 
because  his  soul  was  eminently  humbled  for  it.  It  is  the  cause,  and  the 
greatest  cause.  Do  but  take  a  poisonous  root,  and  you  shall  find  more 
venom  in  the  root  than  in  aU  the  branches  that  spring  from  it.  There  is  a 
greater  contrariety  betwixt  God  and  us  in  that  our  nature  is  defiled,  than 
that  our  actions  are  sinful.  For  as  holiness  that  is  in  the  nature  of  God  is 
greater  and  deeper,  and  a  higher  holiness,  than  that  holiness  that  is  in  his 
actions,  or  in  what  is  done  by  him, — for  that  is  an  essential  holiness,  the 
other  is  but  a  manifestative  holiness, — so  there  is  a  greater  sinfulness  that 
is  in  om-  nature  than  is  simply  ki  our  actions.  You  shall  find,  in  Isa.  bdv.  6, 
that  the  church  there,  when  they  humbled  themselves,  they  do  not  only 
say  that  their  righteousness  was  as  a  menstruous  cloth,  but  they  themselves 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANg.  135 

cry  out  of  their  persons.  '  We  are  all,'  say  they,  '  as  an  unclean  thing ; ' 
and  then  follows,  *  and  our  righteousness  as  a  menstruous  cloth.'  But,  I 
say,  the  uncleanness  of  their  persons,  and  that  in  respect  of  their  natures, 
is  that  they  chiefly  complain  of ;  and  they  do  it  in  the  very  same  terms 
that  the  leper  complains  in  Lev.  xiii.  45.  It  is  our  nature  that  is  abomi- 
nable to  God ;  we  are  children  of  wrath  by  nature.  Therefore  God  hateth 
it,  and  God  is  angry  with  nothing  but  what  he  hateth,  and  but  for  sin. 
Now  in  Job  xv.,  saith  he,  filthy  man,  abominable,  putrified  man,  as  the 
word  signifies,  he  speaks  of  what  we  are  by  nature  :  for  he  had  discoursed 
of  it  in  the  14th  and  15th  chapters.  And  the  Psalmist  useth  that  very 
same  word  when  he  speaks  of  the  corruption  of  nature,  Ps.  xiv.  3,  and 
liii.  3,  both  which  psalms  are  psalms  of  the  corruption  of  man  by  nature. 
He  calls  man  '  stinking,'  compares  him  to  a  rotten  carcass  ;  for  so  he  is  in 
the  nostrils  of  God,  in  respect  of  his  original  pollution,  and  so  he  is  to  the 
regenerate  part,  and  therefore  Paul,  in  Eom.  viL,  calls  it  a  body  of  death, 
as  if  there  were  twins,  one  whereof  was  dead,  and  the  other  that  lived  was 
forced  to  carry  it  about  with  him,  which  continually  did  stink  and  annoy  him : 
such,  saith  he,  is  this  corruption  of  nature  that  is  in  me,  it  is  a  body  of  death. 

Obs.  2. — Secondly,  you  see  the  reason  why  death  reigneth  over  infants  ; 
for  so  the  Apostle  tells  us  in  Kom.  v.  13,  14.  It  is  because  they  have  sinned, 
and  sin  is  conveyed  to  them  by  generation,  as  the  channel  and  instrument. 
God,  in  1  Sam.  xv.,  commanded  that  the  sucklings  of  the  Amalekites  should 
be  destroyed,  as  well  as  men  and  women,  and  others.  And  of  Edom  it  is 
said  in  Ps.  cxxxvii.  9,  '  Happy  shaU  he  be  that  taketh  and  dasheth  thy 
little  ones  against  the  stones.'  This  must  needs  be  for  the  guilt  of  sin, 
for  '  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin,'  so  saith  the  text,  Rom. 
V.  12. 

But  you  will  say.  Doth  God  inflict  eternal  death  merely  for  the  corrup- 
tion of  nature  upon  any  infants  1 

My  brethren,  it  must  be  said,  Yes ;  we  are  children  of  wrath  by  nature : 
and  unless  there  come  in  election  amongst  them,  for  it  is  election  saveth, 
and  is  the  root  of  salvation,  it  must  needs  be  so.  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
all  suffered  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire,  and  surely  there  were  multitudes 
of  infants  there ;  and  if  they  had  been  righteous  as  well  as  others,  they 
might  have  been  put  into  Abraham's  plea,  but  they  were  not.  The  flood 
swept  away  infants,  and  they  are  called,  I  mean  those  that  were  destroyed 
with  the  flood,  in  2  Peter  ii.  5,  'the  world  of  the  ungodly.'  And  God 
therefore,  if  you  mark  it,  both  in  Gen.  vi.  5  and  viii.  21,  did  put  the 
bringing  of  the  flood  upon  the  original  corruption  of  man's  heart ;  that  not 
only  the  heart,  but  the  formation,  the  very  womb,  the  matrix, — so  the  word 
which  we  translate  '  the  imaginations  of  the  heart,'  sigaiifies, — in  which  all 
our  thoughts  are  formed,  the  very  frame  in  which  they  are  cast  and 
moulded,  is  evil,  and  only  evil,  and  evil  continually,  yea,  evil  even  from  his 
infancy,  (for  what  we  translate  '  youth  up,'  the  same  word  in  Exod.  ii.  6  is 
used  for  Moses  when  he  was  an  infant,)  not  only  in  respect  of  actual  sin,  but 
in  respect  of  original  sin.  Therefore,  saith  God,  because  man  is  thus  flesh, 
and  nothing  but  corruption,  I  will  bring  the  flood ;  and  the  flood  came 
upon  the  world  of  the  vmgodly,  upon  infants  as  well  as  upon  others.  But 
in  Rom.  v.  it  is  more  express.  Death,  saith  the  Apostle,  reigned  before 
Moses  ;  it  reigned  over  children,  saith  he.  And  there  was  that  instance  of 
it,  for  he  alludeth  especially  to  the  instance  of  the  flood,  and  it  was  a  great 
instance,  when  God  came  and  swept  away  all  the  world  of  the  ungodly^ 
with  aU  their  infants,  even  they  that  were  in  the  very  womb. 


136  A.N  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  IX. 

But  you  will  say,  Do  these  perish?  or,  Doth  God  let  those  perish  1 
Doth  his  wrath  seize  upon  them  ? 

Not  only  what  the  text  saith,  but  that  in  Rom.  v.  is  clear  for  it.  For 
having  instanced  in  children  in  the  13th  and  14th  verses,  he  goes  on,  and 
shews  that  the  death  he  intendeth  is  not  only  bodily  death,  but  eternal ; 
for,  saith  he,  ver.  16,  'the  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemnation.'  And 
as  he  had  said,  ver.  14,  that  death  reigned  over  aU  from  Adam  to  Moses, 
so  at  ver.  21  he  saith,  'As  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  so  might  grace 
reign  through  righteousness  unto  eternal  Ufe.'  Here  you  see  eternal  life  is 
opposed  to  that  death  that  is  said  to  have  reigned,  and  condemnation  is 
said  to  come  by  one  man's  disobedience ;  and  what  is  that  condemnation 
opposed  to  1  It  is  opposed  plainly  to  justification  ;  so  it  follows,  '  but  the 
free  gift  is  of  many  offences  to  justification.'  Therefore  those  that  have  a 
death  opposite  to  eternal  life,  and  have  a  condemnation  by  that  one  man's 
disobedience  opposite  to  justification,  must  needs  reach  to  eternal  death  as 
weU  as  to  temporal.  It  is  true,  election  knows  its  own  amongst  infants, 
but  it  must  be  free  grace,  it  must  be  by  grace  that  you  are  saved,  for 
clearly  by  nature  ye  are  all  children  of  wrath.  Therefore  the  Lord,  as  he 
will  have  instances  of  aU  sorts  that  are  in  heaven,  so  he  wHl  have  some  that 
are  in  hell  for  their  sin  brought  into  the  world. 

The  Papists,  suitable  to  their  doctrine,  as  they  hold  that  original  sin  hath 
nothing  positive  in  it, — they  say  it  is  but  a  mere  privation,  a  mere  empti- 
ness,—so  answerably  they  put  children  into  a  state,  not  of  positive  pain,  not 
of  wrath,  but  they  put  them  into  a  state  called  limbm  infantum,  where  they 
do  as  it  were  eternally  sleep ;  there  is  a  privation,  but  no  torment,  no  wrath. 
But  you  see  that  here  we  are  said  plainly  to  be  children  of  wrath,  and 
wrath  impKes  more  than  a  mere  privation  ;  it  implies  not  only  a  punishment 
of  loss,  but  a  punishment  of  sense,  and  of  the  sense  of  that  loss.  This  you 
shall  see  plainly  in  John  iii.  36,  '  He  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not 
see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him.'  '  Shall  not  see  hfe,'  there  is 
the  privation ;  '  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him,'  there  is  the  punish- 
ment of  sense  too ;  there  is  the  wrath  of  God,  as  the  text  here  hath  it. 

I  told  you  there  is  a  third  interj^retation  of  these  words, '  children  of  Avrath 
by  nature.'  It  implied  a  state, — their  whole  state  as  well  as  their  birth. 
Now  the  observation  from  thence  is  this.  That  the  great  thing  that  should 
affect  the  hearts  and  spirits  of  men,  is  their  being  in  a  sinful  state  till  such 
time  as  God  doth  engraft  them  into  Jesus  Christ  and  save  them.  It  is 
plainly  the  Apostle's  scope,  for  he  o]3poseth  here  '  by  nature  '  to  '  by  grace  ' 
in  the  5th  and  6th  verses  that  follow.  It  is  the  great  error  of  multitudes 
of  carnal  men  ;  they  say  we  are  all  born  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  never 
considering  that  till  such  time  as  they  are  turned  unto  God  and  engrafted 
into  Christ,  they  remain  in  that  state.  '  You  were,'  saith  he,  '  children  of 
wrath ; '  he  speaks  in  relation  to  the  whole  condition  from  the  very  first 
moment  of  their  conception  tiU  God  called  them  and  turned  them  to  him. 
This  is  it  which  the  Apostle  would  hold  forth  to  these  Ephesians,  and  the 
want  of  the  right  understanding  of  this  truth  undoes  thousands  of  souls  :  for 
they  put  off  the  state  of  nature;  they  say  it  is  but  the  condition  of  aU  men ; 
and  they  are  humbled  for  acts  of  sin,  but  never  consider  the  state  they  are 
in,  which  while  a  man  continues  in,  he  is  a  child  of  wrath ;  after  conversion, 
though  he  commit  acts  of  sin,  he  is  not  a  child  of  wrath. 

But  what  is  this  state  of  nature  ? 

A  child  of  wrath ;  it  is  as  if  a  man  should  be  condemned  to  die,  we  say 
then  he  is  a  child  of  death ;  though  he  doth  many  acts  of  life  and  lives  long 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  137 

afterwards,  yet  put  him  into  what  clothes  you  will,  let  him  eat  what  meat 
ye  will,  let  him  have  a  thousand  changes,  he  is  still  in  a  state  of  death.  So, 
have  what  changes  thou  wilt  in  this  condition  ;  if  thou  growest  rich,  or  noble, 
or  honourable,  thou  mayest  have  a  great  many  changes  in  thy  spirit,  even 
till  thou  growest  good,  yet  till  such  time  as  this  state  is  altered  thou  art  a 
child  of  wrath.  Therefore,  when  John  would  convince  a  carnal  professor, 
and  set  upon  him  the  consideration  thereof,  saith  he  in  1  John  ii.  9,  *  He 
that  saith  he  is  in  the  light,  and  hateth  his  brother,  is  in  darkness  even  until 
now;'  that  is,  he  is  not  only  to  take  upon  him  the  guilt  of  that  sin,  but 
even  from  the  very  first  time  of  his  birth  to  this  day,  he  hath  been  in  dark- 
ness, he  hath  been  in  his  first  condition.  And  as  men  should  lay  it  to  heart, 
that  they  have  been  first  in  the  state  of  nature  even  until  now,  so  it  is  a 
great  argument  that  there  is  no  falling  from  grace ;  for  it  is  but '  until  now,' 
saith  he.  But,  I  say,  it  is  the  Apostle's  scope  to  shew  them  the  state 
wherein  they  were,  the  more  to  affect  their  hearts  and  spirits. 

The  state  of  nature  is  the  state  in  which  all  your  sins  come  upon  you. 
Therefore  the  Scripture  puts  much  upon  it.  John  doth  the  like;  he  calls 
conversion,  therefore,  a  passing  from  death  to  life, — that  is,  from  a  state  of 
death  to  a  state  of  life.  And  in  John  iii.  36,  '  He  that  believeth  not  is  con- 
demned already,  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him ; '  though  the  sen- 
tence is  not  executed,  is  not  fallen  upon  him,  yet  it  is  Otte^,  it  is  above  him, 
as  the  word  is,  hangs  over  his  head.  And  the  word  abideth,  it  noteth,  as 
Austin  well  oh&Qxy Qth,  perpetuity.  It  hath  been  upon  him  from  his  birth,  and 
remains  to  this  day  upon  him ;  and  though  it  hath  not  seized  on  him,  yet  the 
wrath  of  God  cometh  upon  him  ;  it  sleepeth  not,  as  Peter  saith.  Now  there- 
fore, this  is  that  which  men  should  lay  to  heart,  not  only  qctual  sin,  but  a 
state  of  sin,  in  which  whilst  they  remain  unchanged,  unjustified,  unsanctified, 
and  not  united  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  till  they  enter  into  another  state, 
all  that  while  they  are  in  their  sins,  they  shall  answer  for  every  sin  them- 
selves, the  wrath  of  God  doth  all  that  while  abide  upon  them.  They  were 
children  of  wrath  by  nature  at  first;  but  they  are  ten  thousand  times  more 
the  children  of  hell  than  they  were  at  first.  Every  actual  sin  makes  them 
afresh  children  of  wrath  by  nature,  addeth  to  their  natural  defilement,  makes 
the  tincture  of  that  dye  deeper,  makes  them  worse  the  children  of  the  devil 
and  of  hell  than  before ;  as  the  expression  is,  Matt,  xxiii.  15.  Therefore  re- 
member this,  that  if  you  will  go  to  heaven,  your  state  must  be  altered ;  you 
must  not  only  seek  for  the  pardon  of  this  sin,  and  of  that  sin,  but  your  very 
state  must  be  changed.  It  must  not  be  a  physical  change ;  you  may  have 
a  hundred  such  changes,  and  yet  continue  in  the  state  of  nature  still.  No, 
it  must  be  a  moral  change  ;  a  change  from  being  a  child  of  wrath  to  a  child 
of  light ;  from  being  a  son  of  perdition  to  be  a  son  of  peace ;  a  change  that 
floweth,  and  argueth  union  with  Jesus  Christ. 

Again,  you  see,  when  he  expresseth  the  misery  of  man  by  nature,  in  respect 
of  the  punishment  which  he  must  undergo  for  ever,  he  calls  him  a  child  of 
wrath.     Whose  wrath  is  it  ?     It  is  the  wrath  of  God.     Hence  observe  this — 

Obs. — That  the  wrath  of  God  is  that  which  is  the  hottest  torment  and 
punishment  in  hell.  It  is  being  punished  from  his  power,  and  from  his  pre- 
sence ;  we  are  punished  out  of  his  presence,  and  from  his  power.  What 
power  1  The  power  of  his  wrath.  I  will  give  you  a  scripture  or  two,  that 
you  may  understand  it  rightly;  for  it  is  good  to  have  notions  of  heaven  and 
hell  in  a  right  manner :  Rom.  ii.  8,  9,  '  Indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation 
and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doth  evil.'  '  Tribulation  and 
anguish,'  they  are  the  effects ;  *  indignation  and  wrath,'  they  are  the  cause. 


138  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  IX. 

And  the  tribulation  and  anguisli  that  the  souls  have  in  hell,  it  is  the  indigna- 
tion and  wrath  of  God,  it  is  the  sparks  of  that  wrath  falling  upon  their  sins. 
Therefore  they  are  called, '  vessels  of  wrath,'  Rom.  ix.  22.  In  hell,  God  shews 
forth  the  power  of  his  wrath.  As  the  height  and  top  of  heaven  is  God  im- 
mediately enjoyed  in  mercy  and  in  love, — God  is  love,  and  in  heaven  all 
attributes  appear  in  love, — so  hell  is  nothing  else  but  all  attributes  appear- 
ing in  wrath  ;  it  is  dwelling  with  everlasting  burnings,  as  God  is  a  consuming 
fire.  There  is  not  fire  in  heU,  what  torment  soever  it  is ;  but  a  torment 
there  is ;  how  else  shall  the  devils  be  tormented  1  And  this  is  the  wrath  of 
God.  Nothing  can  Idll  the  soul  but  God.  The  devil  himself  can  but  loll 
the  body ;  if  he  could  kill  the  soul,  he  should  be  feared  too  ;  but,  you  know, 
we  are  bid  not  to  fear  the  devil.  But  it  is  no  creature,  no  elementary  fire, 
can  destroy  the  soul, — that  is,  bring  the  soul  to  a  state  of  not  being.  It  is 
only  the  wrath  of  God,  that  is  the  greatest  torment  and  punishment  in  hell. 
Take  a  man  that  hath  no  outward  pain,  or  misery,  or  affliction,  or  cross  in  his 
estate ;  let  but  a  drop  of  the  wrath  of  God  from  heaven  fall  into  that  man's 
conscience ;  why,  that  man  is  in  hgll.  You  may  clearly  see  what  is  heU.  by 
that.  Even  just  as  when  God  fills  the  heart  with  joy  unspeakable  and  glori- 
ous, it  is  the  immediate  participation  of  himself,  and  it  is  the  beginning  of 
heaven  ;  you  may  know  what  heaven  is  by  that,  it  is  the  enjoyment  of  that : 
for  I  have  more  joy  in  that  enjoyment  than  if  all  the  saints  and  angels  were 
about  me.  So,  on  the  other  side,  all  those  impressions  of  wrath  which  Judas 
and  others  had,  are  but  the  beginnings  of  hell ;  and  in  hell  men  are  but 
thrown  into  that  sea  of  wrath  everlastingly  whereof  they  feel  some  drops  here. 
Hence  those  that  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  sin  wilfully  after  they 
have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  it  is  said  of  them,  Heb.  x.  26, 
that  '  there  remaiueth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin,  but  a  certain  fearful  looking 
for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation,' — that  is,  the  wrath  of  God  working 
as  fire,  which  shall  devour  the  adversaries,  shall  swallow  them  up,  as  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's furnace  did,  or  as  the  fire  that  did  consume  Nadab  and  Abihu. 
It  is  an  allusion  unto  them,  for  they  sinned  against  Moses'  law,  which  the 
comparison  there  runs  upon.  It  is  not  an  elementary  fire,  but  fiery  indigna- 
tion, whereof  they  that  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  receive  an  earnest  in  this 
life ;  for  it  is  said,  '  there  remaineth  nothing  but  a  certain  fearful  looking  for 
of  judgment.'  Now  the  word  in  the  original  is  not  looking,  but  receiving  ; 
they  have  received  judgment :  for  whoever  sins  that  sia,  God  makes  an  im- 
pression of  wrath  upon  his  spirit ;  he  hath  received  the  earnest  of  hell,  which 
hath  set  his  soul  into  opposition  and  enmity  against  God,  as  being  already  cast 
oif  fi'om  him. 

And  so  much  now  for  that  point.  A  word  of  the  last  clause — 
Uven  as  others. — It  noteth  out  two  things,  as  I  said  at  first : — 
First,  That  it  is  the  common  condition  even  of  all  that  are  derived  from 
Adam.  They  are  all  thus  by  nature  children  of  wrath.  That  it  is  the  com- 
mon condition  of  all  men,  you  have  that  in  Horn.  iii.  It  is  the  very  scope 
of  that  chapter  to  shew  that  all  are  corrupted.  First,  that  all  in  man  was 
corrupted,  his  understanding,  will,  and  aflections.  And  then,  that  all  men 
were  corrupted ;  he  instanceth  first  in  the  Jew,  and  in  the  Gentile.  And 
then,  ver.  10,  he  quoteththe  14th  Psalm,  and  saith,  '  There  is  none  righteous, 
no,  not  one.'  And,  ver.  19,  '  We  know,'  saith  he,  'that  what  things  soever 
the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them  who  are  under  the  law.'  Now  all  men  are 
under  the  law  by  nature;  this  is  therefore  the  condition  of  all  men. 

And  the  reason  is  this,  because  we  all  come  from  that  first  man.     Had 
it  been  any  other,  this  had  not  fallen  out ;  but  we  all  depend  upon  genera- 


EpH.  II.  3.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  139 

tion  from  that  first  man,  hence  it  falleth  upon  all.  Therefore  it  is  said  that 
Adam,  when  he  begat  Cain,  begat  him  in  his  own  image,  and  in  that  image 
we  are  begotten  to  the  end  of  the  world.  It  is  well  for  us  that  Christ  was 
ordained  to  be,  and  that  he  was,  another  common  person,  and  was  not  by  the 
law  of  generation  found  in  the  first  Adam ;  no,  he  was  ordained  a  second 
Adam,  which  takes  that  off.  In  the  meantime,  you  see  the  difference  be- 
twixt Christ's  kingdom  and  the  devil's.  The  devil  hath  a  law  of  generation 
that  seizeth  upon  aU  mankind,  that  aU  that  are  bom  are  his  bond-slaves, 
and  that  by  nature.  But  Christ's  kingdom  is  made  up  of  those  that  election 
gets  out  of  the  devil's  kingdom,  of  those  upon  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  falleth, 
either  in  infancy,  by  virtue  of  election ;  or  when  they  grow  up,  and  are  called. 
Christ's  kingdom  is  but  taken  out  of  Satan's.  However,  it  is  the  common 
condition  of  all,  to  be  bom  in  the  devil's  kingdom. 

Secondly,  It  noteth,  also,  that  it  is  equally  the  condition  of  aU  men.  In 
Rom.  iii.  he  doth  not  only  say,  ver.  10,  that  *  none  are  righteous,  no,  not 
one,'  but  he  afterwards  tells  us,  ver.  22,  that  there  is  no  difference,  for  all 
have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  There  is  no  difference, 
clearly  and  plainly  none,  not  in  respect  of  what  we  have  from  Adam.  There- 
fore sometimes,  when  God  speaks  to  the  Jews,  he  saith,  '  Thy  father  was  an 
Amorite  and  a  Hittite ;'  that  is.  If  I  look  upon  you  simply,  in  respect  of 
that  original  constitution  and  law,  what  you  have  by  birth  from  Adam,  your 
father  Abraham  was  but  an  Amorite  and  a  Hittite ;  though  out  of  his  loins 
otherwise  I  have  a  holy  seed,  yet  take  your  natural  condition,  and  there  is 
no  difference  at  all.  Therefore  in  Prov.  xxvii.  19,  as  in  water  face  answereth 
to  face,  so  the  heart  of  man  to  man.  As  when  a  man  looks  in  the  water, 
he  sees  the  same  proportion,  limb  for  limb  ;  so  one  man's  heart  is  made  up 
of  the  same  sins  by  nature  that  another's  is  :  we  are  aU  begotten  in  the  same 
image,  and  the  whole  image,  which  consists  of  all  sins,  and  of  all  parts. 

And  the  reason  is  this,  it  is  founded  upon  what  I  said  before  :  because 
we  have  it  from  Adam  by  virtue  of  a  natural  covenant.  He  by  the  law  of 
nature,  I  said,  was  a  common  person.  Now  nature,  if  it  work  as  a  natural 
agent,  it  doth  always  work  ad  ultimam  potentiam,  to  the  uttermost  of  his 
power.  But  now  take  Jesus  Christ,  and  it  is  otherwise.  We  have  holiness 
and  righteousness  from  him,  not  by  a  natural  covenant,  it  is  not  founded 
upon  a  law  of  nature,  but  upon  a  covenant  of  grace,  upon  a  gift.  Hence 
therefore  the  Lord,  when  he  calls  a  man  and  first  works  upon  him,  can  give 
him  more  grace  than  another ;  though  both  born  of  the  same  second  Adam, 
yet  the  one  may  be  born  a  strong  man  the  first  day,  as  Paul  was ;  the  other 
a  poor  creature,  that  is  growing  up  many  years  to  that  degree  of  strength. 
Why  1  Because  that  Christ  works  freely ;  we  are  in  him  by  virtue  of  a 
covenant  of  grace;  and  therefore  the  proportion,  the  degrees,  how  much 
grace  he  will  bestow  upon  a  man,  and  how  little,  it  is  by  his  own  power  and 
ordination.  But  now  we  are  in  Adam  by  a  natural  covenant :  and  as  natural 
causes  work  ad  ultimam  potentiam,  as  the  sun  shines  to  the  uttermost ; 
hence  now  Adam  conveys  to  his  posterity  one  and  the  same  corruption, 
equally  to  all. 


140  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  X. 


SERMON  X 

But  God,  who  18  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  whereivith  he  loved  us,  even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  {hy 
grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  m5  sit 
together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus. — Vee.  4-6. 

We  have  already  sailed  over  one  sea,  that  of  man's  corruption,  a  dead  sea, 
as  I  may  so  caU  it :  and  we  are  now  entering  into  another,  a  far  vaster  and 
deeper,  of  God's  love  and  free  grace ;  '  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for 
his  great  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved  us,'  «fcc. 

In  opening  of  these  words,  I  shall  pursue  that  method  which  I  have  used 
from  the  beginning. 

1.  To  give  you  the  general  scope,  parts,  and  coherence  of  the  words. 

2.  To  give  you  an  exposition.     And — 

3.  Observations  upon  them. 

I.  For  the  main  general  scope  ;  it  is  to  set  out  the  greatness  of  that  love, 
mercy,  and  grace  that  is  in  God,  as  it  is  the  fountain  of  salvation  to  all  his 
elect,  and  this  in  the  chiefest  outward  fruits  and  benefits  of  it  ad  extra,  to- 
wards us,  in  three  several  degrees  thereof.  He  doth  take  aU  advantages  in 
setting  of  it  forth,  to  take  their  hearts  whom  he  wrote  to. 

He  had  first  presented  to  them  a  map  and  a  prospect  of  their  sin  and 
misery,  in  the  former  verses ;  how  they  were  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,' 
*  children  of  wrath,'  ic,  and  this  to  prepare  their  hearts.  Even  as,  suppose 
you  would  prepare  the  spirits  of  men  condemned  to  die  to  entertain  with 
the  highest  welcome  the  grace  and  mercy  of  a  prince  that  was  resolved  to 
pardon  them,  you  would  first  set  out  to  them  all  their  wretchedness  and 
demerits  to  the  full,  and  then  exaggerate  the  goodness  and  graciousness  of 
the  prince  in  his  resolutions  of  grace  and  favour  towards  them  :  so  doth  he 
here.  A  graciousness  shewn  not  only  simply  in  forgiving,  pardoning,  and 
puUing  them  out  of  that  depth  of  misery,  but  in  raising  and  advancing  them, 
and  setting  them  up  upon  the  highest  pinnacle  and  top  of  honour ;  raising 
them  .up  from  death,  and  a  death  in  sin,  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus,  or  with  Christ  Jesus.  Such  a  story  as  this,  were  it  told  but  to 
standers-by,  but  as  that  which  concerned  other  men  and  not  themselves,  it 
would  wonderfully  affect  them,  and  cause  them  to  faU  down  in  admiration 
of  that  superexcelling  grace  in  him  that  should  deal  so  with  miserable  and  un- 
worthy creatures  subjected  to  his  wrath.  But  when  the  men  the  story  is 
uttered  of  are  the  persons  themselves  that  hear  it,  and  the  objects  of  all  this 
grace,  how  must  this  needs  transport  them  ! 

Now  after  he  had  forelaid  and  inlaid  the  description  of  their  misery,  he 
sets  out  the  mercy  of  God  in  the  most  taking  way. 

He  first  brings  it  in  with  a  but  of  some  hidden  and  secret  design  to  remedy 
all  this,  that  that  God  whom  he  had  said  had  elected  and  predestinated,  con- 
trived our  salvation  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  wUl,  having  mercy  in 
him ;  a,hut  oi  an  admiration  and  astonishment  in  himself,  of  excess  and 


EpH.  II.  4-G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  141 

abundance  of  grace  in  God,  and  reservation  of  a  superabounding  liappinesa 
iiitended  to  them  :  '  But  God,'  saith  he. 

And  at  the  second  word,  he  names  him  that  is  the  subject  of  all  this 
goodness,  and  the  designer  and  author  of  all  this  happiness  to  them,  to  the 
end  they  might  have  him  in  their  eye,  even  from  the  first :  '  But  God.' 

My  brethren,  I  appeal  to  you  :  if  you  had  first  only  heard  the  story  of 
your  natural  condition  and  the  desert  of  it,  from  an  ambassador  sent  from 
heaven,  and  he  had  done  nothing  but  laid  open  to  you  the  woeful,  rueful, 
wretched  condition  that  you  are  in,  with  all  the  punishment  God  had  threat- 
ened to  inflict  and  you  had  deserved ;  and  his  last  words  had  been,  conclud- 
ing you  under  the  wrath  of  the  great  God,  '  children  of  wrath,'  as  here  ;  and 
then  should  have  gone,  and  further  said,  '  But  God,'  and  gone  no  further, 
and  paused  there  for  a  while,  your  thoughts  naturally  would  have  meditated 
nothing  but  terror,  and  have  thought  nothing  but  that  God,  that  is  so  dis- 
pleased with  sin,  that  is  so  great  a  God,  he  will  be  avenged,  he  will  destroy 
us,  he  will  do  unto  us  according  to  his  wrath,  and  our  desert.  But  what 
follows  ? 

'  But  God,  that  is  rich  in  mercy.^  Here  is  a  happy  turn,  a  beam  of  hope 
breaks  out  now  to  poor  prisoners  of  hope.  Here  is  a  mine  sprung,  that 
neither  Adam  nor  the  angels  knew  ;  it  is  a  mine  of  mercy,  a  rich  mine,  and 
an  intimation  of  an  engagement  of  all  that  riches  :  for  why  else  should  it 
come  in  here  for  the  pardon  ? 

And  this  mercy  in  God — having  laid  open  such  a  treasure  both  of  dis- 
obedience and  wrath  upon  this  occasion — he  loadeth  with  as  great  attri- 
butes and  epithets.  '  God,'  saith  he,  '  who  is  rich  in  mercy.'  And  yet  God 
might  have  been  merciful  in  his  nature,  and  we  never  the  better  for  it ;  he 
might  also  have  been  rich  in  mercy,  of  long-snffering  and  patience,  and  yet 
destroyed  us  at  last ;  as  in  Rom.  ii.  4,  you  read  of  the  riches  of  his  patience 
and  long-suffering,  to  them  that  treasure  up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath. 
No,  '  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  and  hath  '  loved  us,'  saith  he ;  special  mercy 
joined  with,  and  rooted  in  special  love.  And  that  love  is  not  a  new  love, 
newly  taken  up,  but  it  is  a  love  which  he  hath  borne  :  '  for  the  love  wherewith 
he  hath  loved  us,'  saith  he, — loved  us  that  were  thus  sinful  and  thus  wretched, 
and  loved  us  while  we  were  thus  sinful  and  thus  wretched,  yea,  from  ever- 
lasting ;  yea,  who  ordained  us,  thus  sinful,  to  shew  this  love  and  mercy,  ver. 
7.  And  he  contents  not  himself  barely  to  mention  this  love,  but  he  loads 
that  also  with  a  new  epithet,  '  great  love ;'  contents  not  himself  to  say, 
'  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  and  hath  loved  us ;'  but,  '  for  the  great  love 
wherewith  he  hath  loved  us.'  So  that  now,  as  in  respect  of  mercy  there  is 
an  expectation  of  being  freed  from  all  this  misery ;  so  in  respect  of  this  great 
love  there  is  an  expectation  raised  of  as  great  an  advancement,  that  shall 
answer  the  mention  of  the  love  of  so  great  a  God,  and  so  great  a  love  in  him. 

And  when  he  had  thus  laid  this  foundation,  both  of  what  riches  of  mercy 
is  in  God's  nature  and  heart,  and  what  great  love  hath  been  in  the  purposes 
of  his  heart,  in  this  4th  verse  he  goes  on  further  to  tell  them  what  this 
mercy  and  love  hath  intended  and  done  for  them.  And,  stUl  to  take  and 
affect  their  hearts  the  more,  whilst  he  is  in  the  midst  of  doing  of  it,  he 
winds  in  the  mention  of  what  they  were  and  had  been,  he  minds  them  of 
that.  '  God,'  saith  he,  '  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith 
he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins ; '  so  ver.  5.  He  repeats  no 
more,  but  he  would  have  them  take  in  all  that  he  had  said  in  the  1st,  2d, 
and  3d  verses  :  '  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  '  walked  accord- 
ing to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 


142  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  X. 

air  ; '  wlien  we  were  *  children  of  disobedience,'  slaves  to  the  devU,  '  children 
of  wrath  by  nature.'  He  intermingleth,  as  I  may  so  say,  the  sense  of  their 
sinfulness  and  wretchedness  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse  of  God's  gracious- 
ness  and  mercy,  that  they  might  be  sure  to  carry  that  along  in  their  eye, 
have  inlaid  thoughts  of  their  wretchedness  to  affect  their  hearts  with  his 
goodness.  And  then,  lest  they  should  not  take  in  and  think  soon  enough 
of  the  mercy  of  God  which  he  had  spoken  of  but  even  now,  he  darts  in 
another  beam  of  God's  love  into  their  hearts  under  a  new  name,  with  a 
new  memento  to  set  it  on.  *  By  grace  ye  are  saved ; '  and  grace  addeth 
yet  to  both  love  and  mercy.  It  is  not  only  great  love  for  quantity,  it  is 
not  only  rich  mercy,  but  it  is  grace  also,  for  the  freeness  of  it,  and  for  the 
peculiarness  of  it  unto  them,  and  not  to  others.  And  when  he  had  done 
all  this,  he  comes  to  shew  three  degrees  of  advancement  unto  these  men 
that  were  thus  miserable  and  wretched,  that  God  doth  and  hath  bestowed 
upon  them,  and  will  bestow  upon  them,  which  they  may  be  sure  of,  that 
they  shall  attain  to  and  arrive  at  in  the  end.  He  then  mentioneth,  I  say, 
three  degrees  of  benefits. 

He  tells  them,  first,  that  this  God,  thus  rich  in  mercy,  hath  quickened 
them,  quickened  them  when  they  were  dead,  and  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes,— for  if  you  would  restore  a  dead  man,  you  must  first  put  life  into 
him,  you  must  begin  there, — quickened  them  both  with  a  life  of  justifica- 
tion, they  being  dead  in  respect  of  the  guUt  of  sin,  pardoning  all  their  sins 
out  of  the  riches  of  his  mercy ;  and  quickening  them  with  a  new  spirit,  with 
a  new  soul,  with  the  Holy  Ghost  to  dwell  within  them  for  ever,  the  same 
Spirit  that  dwells  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  quickened  him,  to  quicken  them, 
who  was  himself  a  quickening  spirit.  And  quickening  them  also  with  a 
principle  of  life  in  holiness,  even  as  the  soul  dwelling  in  the  body  quicken- 
eth  it  with  a  hfe.  And,  saith  he,  all  this  he  hath  done  already  for  you, 
here  in  this  world.  But,  saith  he, — he  means  not  to  rest  there, — there  are 
two  other  benefits  in  the  life  to  come,  which  are  two  degrees  more.  He 
will  raise  you  up,  saith  he,  at  the  latter  day.  And  as  a  pawn  and  testi- 
mony of  that,  look  upon  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  he  in  rising  is  the 
first  fruits  of  them  that  rose,  and  ye  are  '  risen  in  him,'  saith  he  ;  in  Christ 
ye  are  risen,  when  he  rose.  And  he  speaks  of  it  as  done,  because  he  would 
shew  the  certainty  and  sureness  of  it.  As  God  raised  up  Jesus  Christ's 
body,  so  he  wili  raise  up  yours;  yea,  when  Jesus  Christ  rose,  ye  were 
reckoned  in  him  :  and  as  God  put  a  glory  upon  Christ's  body  when  it  was 
risen,  so  he  will  do  upon  yours  at  the  day  of  judgment.  And  that  is  the 
second  degree,  that  degree  of  glory  the  soul  shall  have  when  it  meets  its 
body,  and  is  raised  again  at  the  day  of  judgment.  But  then  there  is  a 
higher  degree  than  this;  for  when  the  day  of  judgment  is  over,  you  shall, 
saith  he,  be  placed  in  the  midst  of  a  sea  of  glory^  and  have  a  fuU  possession 
pf  it,  as  Jesus  Christ  himself  has.  He  hath  placed  us,  saith  he ;  stUl  to 
shew  the  sureness  of  it,  he  speaks  as  if  it  were  done.  AH  that  glory,  saith 
he,  which  Jesus  Christ  hath,  he  hath  it  as  representing  you ;  look  what 
place  he  is  in,  you  shall  be  in ;  yea,  you  are  now  reckoned  to  sit  there,  so 
as  you  cannot  be  frustrated  of  it ;  and  your  life  is  hid  with  God  in  Christ, 
and  when  Christ  shall  appear,  who  now  representeth  you  in  heaven,  you 
shall  be  possessed  of  it. 

And  so  now  you  have  the  general  scope  or  meaning  of  these  words 
opened  to  you. 

Now  then  for  the  coherence  and  the  parts  of  it. 

First;  For  the  coherence.   You  see,  they  come  in  next  to  that  of  our  sinful 


ErH.  II.  4-G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  143 

state,  to  that  end  and  purpose  to  exaggerate  and  to  heighten  the  riches  of 
the  glory  of  the  mercy  and  love  of  God  in  Christ,  and  also  of  that  glory 
which  in  Christ  God  hath  ordained  unto  us. 

Now  the  scope  being  an  exaggeration  of  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God 
every  way,  these  are  the  parts  of  it : — 

First,  He  sets  out  what  in  God  is  the  most  inward  and  original  cause  o^ 
all  this,  which  he  would  have  magnified,  by  three  names,  mercy,  love,  grace; 
to  which,  if  you  will,  may  be  added,  kindness,  out  of  ver.  7. 

Secondly,  He  ascribes  unto  all  these  the  most  heightening  epithets. 
To  mercy  he  addeth  '  riches  ; '  to  love  he  addeth  '  greatness; '  to  grace,  '  ex- 
ceeding riches,'  ver.  7.  *  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  where- 
with he  hath  loved  us.'     He  sets  all  these  out. 

Thirdly,  By  minding  us  of  the  condition  we  were  in,  when  God  thus  did 
Bhew  mercy  to  us.     '  Even,'  saith  he,  '  when  we  were  dead  in  sins.' 

Fourthly,  To  take  our  hearts  the  more,  he  sets  it  out  by  the  benefits  we 
are  advanced  to,  which  are  three.  We  are  quickened  with  Christ;  risen 
with  Christ ;  sit  together  with  Christ  in  heavenly  places.     And — 

Last  of  all.  That  Christ  may  be  magnified,  and  have  a  praise  in  it,  as  he 
is  God-man,  Mediator,  as  well  as  God,  he  saith  that  all  this  is  done  in 
Christ,  and  with  Christ,  as  the  instrumental  cause,  and  representative  head, 
and  meritorious  cause  of  all  this. 

And  so  now  you  have  the  parts  of  these  words. 

II.  I  shall  now  begin  the  exposition  of  them,  and  run  over  every  one  of 
them  severally  and  apart. 

But. — It  refers  to  that  God,  chap,  i.,  that  had  predestinated,  &c.  Jerome 
saith  that  this  same  but  is  superfluous,  and  he  would  have  it  blotted  out, 
and  thinks  it  crept  into  the  copy,  as  it  were,  unawares.  But  it  is  a  word 
which  ushereth  in  a  great  turn,  he  having  mentioned  the  state  of  nature 
before,  and  sets  an  emphasis  upon  all  that  follows.  And  you  shall  find 
that  upon  the  like  occasion  phrases  akin  to  this  come  in,  which  we  all 
translate  hut.  Paul  having  spoken  of  his  own  unregenerate  condition  and 
the  mercy  shewn  him  by  God  as  then,  comes  in  with  the  like  hut  when 
he  would  magnify  the  mercy  shewn  him,  in  1  Tim.  i.  13:  'I  was  a  blas- 
phemer, a  persecutor,  and  injurious;  hut  I  obtained  mercy.'  Likewise, 
Tit.  iii.  4,  you  shall  find  the  like  hut  comes  in,  and  upon  the  very  same 
occasion.  He  had  described  our  unregenerate  estate  at  the  3d  verse, 
'  We  were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and 
pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another.  But^ 
saith  he,  ver.  4,  '  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  to- 
wards man  appeared,  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,'  &c.  And  it  is 
so  far  from  being  superfluous  that,  like  John  Baptist,  it  foreruns  the  mani- 
festation of  the  richest  grace  in  God. 

It  is,  first,  when  it  comes  in  thus,  a  particle  of  admiration,  wondering  at 
God  in  it.  So  in  that  place  of  Timothy,  '  I  was  injurious,  and  a  blas- 
phemer; but  I  obtained  mercy.'  O  wonderful !  who  would  not  have  made 
a  hut  at  me  ?  '  But,'  saith  he,  '  I  obtained  mercy.'  He  ushers  it  in  as  with 
astonishment  and  admiration,  and  therefore  ends  his  speech  with  a  dox- 
ology,  ver.  17,  'Unto  the  King  eternal,  &c.,  be  glory  for  ever.  Amen.' 
So  here,  being  *  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  and  '  children  of  wrath  ; '  'hut 
God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  &c. 

Secondly,  It  is  also  a  hut  of  opposition  to  what  might  have  been  gene- 
rally in  all  men's  thoughts  and  apprehensions;  clear  contrary  to,  and  beyond 
what  we  could  think.     So  in  usual  speech  we  use  the  particle  but,  when 


144  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  X. 

we  turn  our  speech  a  clear  contrary  way.  It  is  therefore  a  door  of  hope, 
and  it  makes  to  me  the  greatest  in  the  Scripture.  Suppose  that,  after  the 
Apostle  in  speaking  this,  having  concluded  man's  sinful  condition,  as  here, 
with  this,  '  children  of  wrath,'  which  strikes  into  all  men's  souls  inconceiv- 
able horror,  he  had  mentioned  God  next,  without  this  but,  and  there  paused, 
and  made  a  suspense  of  speech,  and  left  the  rest  to  our  thoughts  ;  how  would 
we  have  wildered  ourselves  in  fears,  and  have  thought  thus  with  ourselves  ? 
— God,  that  is  by  nature  holy,  as  we  are  sinful,  can  behold  no  iniquity,  and  a 
God  so  just  as  in  punishing  and  destroying  the  sinner  he  shall  infinitely 
glorify  himself ;  a  God  so  powerful  in  wrath  that  he  is  able  to  revenge  to 
the  uttermost ;  and  so  absolute  in  sovereignty  that  we  are  the  clay,  he  is 
the  potter ;  if  therefore  for  our  filth  he  throw  us  to  destruction,  we  could  not 
reply.  Why  dost  thou  so  1  We  being  so  obnoxious,  he  could  destroy  us 
without  an  excuse.  A  God  withal  so  all-sufficient  and  rich  in.  blessedness 
in  himself,  when  he  had  destroyed  us  according  to  our  desert,  and  his  own 
provocation  in  himself  thereto,  could  never  find  any  loss  or  wimt  of  us,  or 
he  could  have  created  new  creatures.  How  would  all  our  souls,  like  Adam's, 
have  melted  within  us,  and  meditated  terror  !  But  none  of  all  this,  but  the 
quite  contrary.  '  But  God,  that  is  rich  in  mercy,'  &c.  There  is  a  mine 
sprung  neither  Adam  nor  angels  knew  of  at  the  first.  It  doth  tend  also  to 
usher  in  all  sorts  of  opposite  things  to  what  he  had  said  before ;  he  had 
shewn  how  man  is  sinful,  but  God  is  merciful.  Instead  of  sins  and  tres- 
passes, he  is  to  speak  of  mercy ;  instead  of  men  being  sinful,  he  is  to  describe 
God  merciful ;  man  by  nature  sinful,  but  God  by  nature  merciful.  There  is 
an  opposition  of  quickening  to  death.  When  we  were  under  the  power  of 
Satan,  and  the  devil  was  our  prince,  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  now 
to  come  under  Christ,  to  be  quickened  with  him,  and  to  '  sit  with  him  in 
heavenly  places,'  so  high,  even  when  children  of  wrath  by  nature  ;  but  '  by 
grace,'  as  opposed  to  nature,  '  we  be  saved.'  All  these  oppositions  of  aspect 
of  the  words  that  follow  to  what  went  before,  this  hut  ushers  in. 

It  also  comes  in,  when  what  follows  exceeds  what  went  before  in  a  way 
of  contrariety,  to  shew  that  where  sin  abounded  grace  superabounded  much 
more.  Man  had  done  thus  and  thus,  and  was  thus  and  thus ;  but  God  in 
his  work  hath  put  down  man  clean  in  his  work.  '  But  God,  who  is  rich  in 
mercy.'     And  so  much  now  for  that  particle,  hut. 

God. — It  refers  to  what  he  had  enlarged  of  God,  chap,  i.,  and  anew  ex- 
plicates the  sense  of  it.  In  the  second  place  here,  he  holds  up  God  to  be, 
as  weU  he  might  in  this  case,  the  sole  author  of  all  that  salvation  that  fol- 
lows. As  in  Rom.  xi.  35,  *  Who  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be 
recompensed  to  him  again  ?  for  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  aU 
things,'  especially  our  salvation.  In  2  Cor.  v.  18,  'All  things  are  of  God,  who 
hath  reconciled  us  to  himself 

He  comes  in  here  with  God — *  but  God' — as  the  subject  of  all  this  mercy 
and  love,  whom  therefore  we  should  carry  along  with  us  in  our  eye  to  magnify. 
And  '  but  God'  is  a  note  of  specialty.  So  David,  '  Let  me  fall  into  the  hands 
of  God,' — not  man,-— 'for  very  great  are  his  mercies,'  1  Chron.  xxi.  13. 
As  also,  the  prophet,  '  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,' — there  is  none  else 
would  have  done  it, — 'that  pardoneth  iniquity,  transgression,  and  sin?'  It 
is  only  he,  being  rich  in  mercy,  and  having  so  much  mercy  in  him,  and  being 
a  God  of  such  mercy,  that  hath  done  it.  '  I  am  God,  and  not  man;  therefore 
ye  are  not  consumed.'  But  God,  saith  he,  being  rich  in  mercy,  hence  it  is 
ye  are  saved.  And  by  God,  he  means  likewise  the  Father,  as  distinct  from 
Christ.     He  maketh  Jesus  Christ  the  instrumental  cause  :  we  are  quickened 


Ern.  II.  4-6.]  to  the  ephesians,  145 

in  Clirist :  but  who  quickened  us  1  Gotl,  saith  he  ;  it  was  his  contrivance 
and  doing.  He  would  have  us  attribute  the  first  and  chief  unto  God;  and 
liis  meaning  is  this,  as  if  he  had  said,  Now  tliat  I  have  shewn  you  that  man 
hath  done  his  part,  and  done  his  worst  in  that  sinful  condition  he  was  in, 
you  shall  see  what  part  God  will  act.  '  But  God,'  saith  he,  '  who  is  rich  in 
mercy,'  &c.  As  also  to  shew  that  it  is  God  alone  that  doth  all  in  the  mat- 
ter of  salvation,  which  is  his  scope  in  the  rest  that  follows,  to  reduce  the 
creature  to  nothing,  as  the  Apostle  hath  it,  '  It  is  not  of  him  that  runs,  or 
him  that  wills,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy.'  That  as  it  is  in  Jer.  iii.  5, 
thou  hast  sinned,  and  yet  called  me  Father,  and  '  thou  hast  spoken  and  done 
evil  things,  as  thou  couldest ;'  this  thou  hast  done ;  well,  now,  I  will  see 
what  I  can  do,  ver.  1 9,  '  Thou  shalt  call  me,  My  father,  and  shalt  not  turn 
away  from  me.'     So  the  Apostle  here  :  You  were  so  and  so,  '  but  God,'  &c. 

God,  ivho  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us. 

You  see  here,  he  speaks  of  the  causes  of  our  salvation,  mercy  and  love. 
In  opening  of  this,  I  shall  first  give  you  the  distinction  betiveeu  merci/  and 
love. 

I  begin  with  love;  his  shewing  mercy  is  resolved  into  it.  It  is  a  desire 
to  communicate  good,  the  chiefest  good,  unto  the  creature ;  but  mercy  is  to 
pull  the  creature  out  of  a  depth  of  misery.  The  object  of  God's  love  is  the 
creature  simply  considered;  the  object  of  mercy  is  the  creature  fallen  into 
misery.  So  that  mercy  superaddeth  this  to  love,  that  it  respects  the  creature 
in  misery.  Parents,  they  love  their  children  simply  as  they  are  their  chil- 
dren ;  but  if  they  be  fallen  into  misery,  then  love  works  in  a  way  of  pity ; 
love  is  turned  into  mercy.  So  that  now  yon  see,  I  say,  the  difference  in  a 
word  between  these  two,  that  mercy  respecteth  misery,  and  hath  properly 
misery  for  its  object.  You  have  that  notable  place  for  this,  in  Rom.  xi.  32, 
'  God  hath  shut  up  all  together  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have  mercy  upon 
all.'     Mercy  therefore  respecteth  those  that  are  thus  shut  up  under  unbelief. 

The  second  thing  that  I  would  hold  forth  for  the  opening  of  these  two  is 
this,  why  mercy  and  love  are  here  both  brought  in  ?  It  is  not  mercy  only,  and 
one  would  have  thought  that  had  been  enough,  when  he  would  speak  of  our 
salvation,  but  he  also  mcntioneth  love ;  and  why  1 

1.  Because  mercy  only  resjoecteth  misery,  as  I  said  before  ;  it  goes  no  further 
simply  as  mercy  than  the  relieving  those  that  are  in  misery  out  of  their 
misery.  And  because  that  we  had  a  treasury  and  a  depth  of  misery,  he 
therefore  mentions  a  treasury  and  riches  of  mercy.  There  was  a  treasury  of 
wrath,  which  we  being  children  of  wrath  had  heaped  up ;  therefore  he  men- 
tions a  treasury  of  mercy.  But,  I  say,  mercy  only  respecteth  pulling  out  of 
misery,  and  would  have  gone  no  further,  simply  as  mercy.  But  now  that,  as 
an  addition  thereto,  these  persons  delivered  out  of  this  depth  of  misery 
should  be  advanced  to  the  same  state  and  condition  that  Jesus  Christ  in 
heaven  hath,  that  they  should  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  with  him; 
mercy  alone  would  not  have  carried  us  thither,  if  mercy  had  not  been  winged 
with  love,  if  love  had  not  been  mingled  with  and  added  to  it ;  yea,  a  muni- 
ficence of  love,  yea,  a  greatness  of  love.  Mercy  causeth  a  king  to  j)ardon  a 
traitor ;  but  if  he  shall  take  this  traitor  and  advance  him  to  the  highest 
dignity,  place  him  with  him  in  the  throne,  as  it  were,  this  must  needs  be 
from  love  too ;  this  is  a  superadding  in  that  respect  unto  mercy. 

Obs. — Let  me  affect  your  hearts  with  this  consideration.  That  God  hath 
done  more  for  us  infinitely  than  for  the  angels  :  he  shews  love  to  them; 
they  are  vessels  of  honour,  whom  he  hath  loved  and  taken  up  unto  glory; 
but  they  are  not  vessels  of  mercy  :  but  now  in  saving  of  men  he  brings  in 

VOL.  IL  K 


146  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  X. 

both,  mercy  and  love  too ;  '  God,  being  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love 
wherewith  he  loved  us.' 

2.  Love  is  added  to  mercy  here,  to  shew  the  extent  and  the  greatness  of  his 
shelving  mercy;  for  that  dependeth  much  upon  love.  If  one  be  merciful  only 
out  of  a  virtue  that  is  in  him,  or  out  of  a  duty,  then  so  far  as  that  virtue 
will  carry  him,  he  will  shew  mercy.  As  now,  take  a  merciful  man  that  is 
rich  in  mercy, — if  we  may  so  express  it  of  men,  as  the  Apostle  doth,  '  rich  in 
faith,' — that  hath  a  gi'eat  deal  of  tenderness  of  bowels  in  him  ;  let  him  meet 
with  a  man  in  misery,  it  will  draw  out  his  bowels  to  shew  that  man  mercy, 
so  far  as  mere  mercy,  as  it  is  a  virtue,  will  carry  him.  Mark,  for  this  is 
a  distinct  thing  to  the  former ;  but  if  it  light  upon  a  person  whom  he 
loveth,  then,  besides  the  virtue  or  grace  of  mercy  in  him,  mercy  is  infinitely 
more  intended,  comparatively,  to  him,  than  when  he  shews  mercy  to  him 
merely  out  of  that  grace  and  virtue ;  love  then  boils  up  mercy.  As  for 
example  :  if  a  pihysician  that  is  a  merciful  man,  and  heals  out  of  mercy,  and 
takes  a  great  deal  of  pains  with  a  sick  person  even  out  of  that  grace  and 
virtue,  yet  if  his  wife  should  be  sick,  or  his  child  whom  he  loveth,  here  now 
mercy  would  be  intended,  here  mercy  would  be  heightened.  Now,  saith  the 
Apostle,  this  is  the  case  of  God ;  he  is  not  simply  merciful  out  of  mercy,  but 
he  is  merciful  out  of  love,  loving  the  persons  he  shews  mercy  unto.  And 
therefore  in  the  Scripture  he  is  said  to  be  merciful  as  a  father, — Ps.  ciii.  13, 
'  Like  as  a  father  pjitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear 
him,' — yea,  as  a  mother.  He  is  merciful,  not  singly  out  of  a  principle  of 
mercy  only,  but  out  of  love  also,  which  therefore  intendeth,  heighteneth 
mercy,  draws  it  out  so  much  the  more,  makes  it  the  more  active.  If  God 
hath  riches  of  mercy,  and  love  hath  the  command  of  that  treasury,  how 
profuse  will  love  be  to  those  that  are  in  misery !  Now,  saith  he,  '  God,  who 
is  rich  in  mercy,'  and  besides  that,  he  hath  '  loved  us  with  a  great  love.'  Yea — 

3.  For  explication,  what  is  the  reason,  let  me  add  this  as  a  reason  why 
both  these  are  thus  joined  together  here  :  That  the  foundation  of  God's  shew- 
ing mercy  is  his  love*  So,  if  you  mark  it,  the  Apostle  lays  it :  '  God,'  saith 
he,  'who  is  rich  in  mercy j'  but  that  alone  would  not  have  done  it,  there- 
fore he  adds,  '  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.'  And  you  shall 
find  the  like  in  many  other  places,  as  in  that  Tit.  iii.  4,  5,  which  I  quoted 
before,  where  having  laid  open  our  natural  condition,  he  comes  in  with  the 
same  hid  that  he  doth  here.  '  But  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour 
appeared  ;  according  to  his  mercy  he  hath  saved  us.'  For  love,  I  say,  is  the 
foundation  in  God  of  his  shewing  mercy.  That  I  may  open  and  explain  thia 
to  you,  for  it  is  a  thing  of  much  consideration  and  help  to  us  : — 

Mercy  in  God  and  man  differs  thus  :  that  mercy  in  man,  go  take  the  in- 
ward compassion  of  it,  the  inward  affection  in  the  heart,  it  always  worketh, 
whether  one  love  the  party,  or  not  love  him,  so  that  if  he  be  in  misery,  and 
it  be  in  a  man's  power  to  help  him,  and  it  be  lawful  to  help  him,  there  is  a 
pity  within  a  man  stirs  him,  and  doth  as  it  were  command  him  to  help  that 
man,  draws  it  forth  to  do  it.  Homo  misericors,  semper  misericors.  And 
mercy  in  man,  if  he  shews  mercy  merely  out  of  mercy,  and  out  of  no  other 
affection  joined  with  it,  it  works  equally,  is  equally  compassionate  to  men  in 
like  condition.  But  mercy  in  God,  you  must  know,  is  drawn  out,  though  it 
be  his  nature,  by  his  wiU ;  he  pardoneth  whom  he  will :  '  I  will  have  mercy 
on  whom  I  will  have  mercy.'  Therefore  he  pardoneth  great  sinners,  when 
he  lets  others  that  are  smaller  perish.  Nay,  the  compassion  itself  doth  not 
necessarily  work  in  God,  but  it  depends  upon  an  act  of  his  will,  though 

*  Vide  Sermon  IL 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  147 

mercy  be  his  nature.  If  God  liad  been  merciful  to  no  sinner,  but  bad  damned 
all  men  and  angels  that  had  sinned,  and  had  done  it  with  wrath  and  revenge, 
yet  he  had  been  as  merciful  as  now  he  is,  take  his  nature.  So  that  our  sal- 
vation must  be  resolved  into  some  other  principle  than  simply  his  being 
merciful.  And  therefore,  by  the  way,  when  we  say  that  mercy  is  nature  in 
God,  the  meaning  of  it  is  this,  that  it  is  suited  to  him,  it  is  that  which  he 
doth  Avith  the  greatest  delight, — as  men  do  actions  of  nature, — wherein  he  hath 
no  reluctancy.  The  meaning  is  not  that  this  mercy  works  naturally  and 
necessarily,  for  had  not  he  set  his  heart  to  love,  had  not  his  will  been  set 
upon  it,  not  an  angel  or  a  man  that  sinned  had  ever  had  a  drop  of  mercy 
from  him,  though  he  is  thus  full  and  thus  rich  in  mercy.  So  that  though 
God  is  rich  in  mercy,  yet  there  must  be  love  also  as  the  foundation.  That 
which  moved  him  to  be  merciful  to  any  was  his  love  pitched  upon  them ; 
and  having  first  pitched  his  love  upon  them,  then,  he  seeing  them  in  misery, 
love  stirs  up  mercy.  In  that  he  did  resolve  to  be  merciful  to  any  creature,  it 
is  not  simply  an  act  of  his  nature,  but  it  doth  depend  upon  his  will :  though 
he  had  in  his  nature  this  riches  of  mercy,  yet  we  had  not  been  saved  if  it 
had  not  been  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  and  that  love  had  been  added  to 
all  that  mercy ;  all  the  mercy  that  is  in  him  would  never  else  have  flown 
forth  from  him.     But — 

^  They  both  here  come  in,  not  only  to  shew  that  his  love  was  the  cause 
why  he  resolved  to  shew  mercy  ;  but  that  those  to  whom  he  meant  to  shew 
mercy,  his  love  guides  and  directs  Mm  to  it.  His  love  had  first  singled  out 
certain  persons  whom  he  meant  to  shew  mercy  to ;  and  love  did  guide 
the  channel  which  way  mercy  should  run.  And  therefore  you  shall  find  in 
Scripture  that  election  obtains  it.  '  Jacob  have  I  loved,'  saith  he.  And  that 
is  the  reason  why  he  shews  mercy  to  any,  '  that  the  purpose  of  God,  accord- 
ing to  election,  might  stand,'  Rom.  ix.  11.  So  as  indeed  divines  do  make 
mercy  but  the  remote  cause  of  salvation,  but  love  to  be  the  fundamental. 
And  this  is  true,  whether  we  hold  that  he  loved  men  when  they  were  con- 
sidered in  the  pure  mass  of  creatures,  or  in  the  corrupt  mass,  as  they  are 
considered  since ;  still,  I  say,  love  is  that  that  did  guide  mercy ;  why  mercy 
should  be  conveyed  to  these  souls,  and  not  nnto  others,  it  w^as  because  he 
loved  them,  it  was  from  his  love  first  pitched  upon  them. 

I  shall  now  come  to  some  observations,  for  I  see  I  must  reserve  that  of 
the  riches  of  this  mercy,  and  the  greatness  of  this  love,  to  which  something 
must  be  spoken,  to  another  discourse. 

First,  you  see  there  is  a  love  which  he  hath  shewn  us,  which,  I  say,  is  the 
ground  of  all  his  mercy  to  us,  though  he  is  merciful  in  his  nature.  The  first 
observation  then  that  I  make  of  it  is  this  : — 

Obs.  1. — Let  the  love  of  God  be  the  greatest  thing  in  your  hearts,  the 
nearest  thing  to  your  souls  of  all  else,  the  greatest  thing  which  in  your  eye  you 
do  pursue.  It  is  the  first  thing  in  God  laid  the  foundation  of  good,  and  it  is 
the  highest  thing  to  be  attained  to,  and  to  be  pursued  after  by  us.  Of  all  things 
in  God,  value  his  love,  and  seek  after  that;  let,  I  say,  the  desires  of  your 
souls  be  pointed  unto  it,  God's  love  is  the  greatest  thing  of  all  the  rest,  it 
is  more  than  all  his  benefits.  The  love  of  Christ  was  more  than  his  suffer- 
ings, and  his  sufferings  were  more  than  his  benefits ;  and  the  love  of  God 
is  more  than  all  his  gifts,  and  yet  he  hath  given  great  things  to  us,  and 
done  great  things  for  us.  Amor  est  privium  donum;  his  love  is  the  first 
gift,  as  one  well  saith,  in  the  gift  of  which  all  things  else  are  yours.  The 
gift  of  his  Son  was  a  great  gift,  but  it  was  founded  in  his  love.  '  He  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son.*     Though  we,  being 


148  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SePvMON  X. 

sinners,  need  mercy,  that  is  the  next  thing  we  want,  and  therefore  we  look  to 
it — Oh,  mercy,  mercy! — because  we  apprehend  ourselves  in  misery.  But  do 
you  look  beyond  mercy,  and  look  to  love,  wliich  is  a  greater  thing  to  you 
than  mere}',  raiseth  and  enlargeth  mercy,  and  when  mercy  hath  done  with 
you,  will  do  more,  or  as  much  for  you  as  mercy  hath  done,  and  guideth 
mercy.  The  reason  why  mercy  ran  into  your  hearts,  and  washed  you  with 
the  blood  of  Christ,  is  because  that  love  guided  the  channel.  To  seek  after 
mercy,  this  self-love  and  the  misery  thou  art  in  will  make  thee  do.  Oh,  but 
there  is  somewhat  else,  saith  a  good  soul ;  it  is  the  love  of  God,  and  the 
favour  of  God,  that  I  would  see  ;  and  it  is  not  self-love  that  ever  will  carry 
a  man  on  to  seek  that.  And  what  is  the  reason  that  this  chiefly  is  the  pur- 
suit of  a  soul  spiritualised?  One  reason  among  others  is  this  :  because  grace 
is  always  the  image  of  God's  heart ;  now  this  being  the  chief  thing  in  God's 
heart,  and  the  first  thing,  and  the  highest  thing,  hence  therefore  the  soul 
seeks  that  ultimately  and  chiefly. 

Ohs.  2. — Secondly,  if  you  ask  me  what  love  it  is  that  I  would  have  you  prize 
and  value,  and  what  love  it  is  that  is  here  meant ;  it  is  everlasting  love. 
*  For  the  great  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved  .us,'  saith  the  Apostle,  not 
wherewith  he  doth  love  us.  It  is  everlasting  love  that  is  the  cause  of  all  the 
mercies  we  have.  Jer.  xxxi.  3,  '  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love,' 
— there  you  have  the  phrase  too  ;  so  the  Apostle  here,  '  wherewith  he  hath 
loved  us ;'  this  hath  reaches  as  high  as  to  eternity, — '  therefore,'  saith  he, 
'  with  loving-kindness  have  I  drawn  thee.'  Will  you  know  the  reason  why 
God  callcth  you,  Avhy  he  saveth  you  ?  It  is  this,  I  have  loved  you  with  an 
everlasting  love.  It  is  not  a  love  that  God  doth  begin  to  set  upon  you  then 
when  you  are  first  called;  no,  it  is  a  love  taken  up  from  everlasting.  He 
had  a  love  in  him  to  you  before  he  g'ave  Jesus  Christ, — that  is,  before  the 
consideration  of  giving  Jesus  Christ  as  to  die  for  us  :  '  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son.'  And  Jesus  Christ  had  a  love  in 
him  too  ;  he  loved  us  before  he  gave  himself  for  us  :  Gal.  ii.  20,  '  Who  loved 
me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.'  And  so,  before  he  calleth  us,  and  converteth 
us,  love,  you  see,  this  eternal  love  of  God,  is  the  foundation  of  all ;  and  so 
the  Apostle  resolves  it  here:  'for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.' 

Obs.  3. — Thirdly,  give  me  leave  but  in  a  word  to  vent  that  which  I  think 
is  a  truth, — it  is  a  controversy  amongst  divines,  and  some  take  one  part,  and 
some  another,  and  what  is  here  said  is  to  me  an  evidence  of  it  amongst  others, 
■ — that  in  the  order  of  God's  decrees,  for  he  speaks  here  of  everlasting  love  in 
God,  he  doth  set  his  love  upon  the  creature ;  that  is  first,  and  in  that  respect 
chooseth  the  creatures  whom  he  meant  to  make  and  whom  he  would  set  him- 
self to  love,  not  under  the  consideration  of  fallen,  but  in  that  pure  mass  as 
yet  not  fallen.  And  his  shewing  mercy  comes  in  but  to  shew  how  much  love 
he  meant  to  shew  to  such  creatures  as  he  had  chosen  and  singled  out;  and 
therefore  he  lets  them  fall  into  sin,  that  so  he  might  be  merciful.  He 
resolved  to  shew  so  much  love  t-o  those  he  had  chosen  and  set  liimself  to 
love,  with  so  great  a  love  he  loved  them,  that  look  what  way  soever  would 
be  best  to  set  forth  that  love,  those  ways  he  would  take  to  choose. 

Now,  thinks  he,  if  I  should  simply  love  them,  and  take  them  up  to  heaven, 
and  there  give  them  such  and  such  a  glory,  this  indeed  would  shew  love, 
and  infinite  love.  But  is  there  any  way  else  how  love  may  be  shewn  ?  Yes, 
if  I  permit  and  sufi"er  these  creatures  to  fiiU  into  miser}^,  I  shall  shew  love 
in  a  way  of  mercy  to  them.  So  that  noAV  our  falh'ng  into  sin,  and  his  giving 
Christ  to  die  for  us,  and  all  these  things,  they  are  but  to  commend  that  love 
which  he  first  pitched  upon  us  as  we  are  creatures  whom  he  meant  to  make 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  149 

SO  glorious,  and  whom  he  meant  so  to  love.  Indeed,  in  Eom.  v.  8,  it  is  true, 
the  Apostle  saith  that  God  comniendeth  his  love  towards  us,  that  whilst  we 
were  yet  enemies  Christ  died  for  us.  But,  if  you  mark  it,  he  doth  not  say 
that  he  set  his  love  ujjon  us  in  the  consideration  of  our  being  enemies  ;  but 
whilst  we  were  enemies  he  commended  his  love  towards  us ;  so  he  did  in 
his  decrees  order  it  that  he  would  commend  his  love  towards  us  by  this. 
But  now  that  consideration  which  he  had  of  us,  or  that  act  pitched  first,  was 
an  act  of  love.  Only  let  me  give  you  this  with  it,  that  at  the  first  he  resolved 
to  shew  love  in  a  way  of  mercy.  As  he  resolved  to  shew  his  justice  upon 
wicked  men  in  a  way  of  wrath,  so  he  resolved  to  shew  his  love  in  a  way  of 
mercy.  And  therefore,  as  in  the  counsels  of  God  all  things  are  at  once,  so 
we  must  conceive  it  he  resolved,  at  the  same  time  when  he  thus  set  his  love 
upon  us,  to  permit  our  falling  into  sin,  and  so  mercy  be  shewn. 

But  still,  if  you  ask  what  act  it  was — whether  our  election  was  an  act  of 
mercy  or  an  act  of  love ;  I  answer  clearly,  as  a  great  divine  dutli  who  hath 
spent  much  to  the  clearing  of  it,  it  was  an  act  of  love.  It  was  his  decree  to 
shew  mercy ;  but  this  act  was  not  out  of  mercy,  it  was  out  of  love,  and  out 
of  good-will  j  to  manifest  which  love  he  was  resolved  to  shew  mercy,  there- 
fore he  lets  man  fall.  Election,  I  say,  is  an  act  of  love  rather  than  of  mercy. 
Mark  the  coherence  here, '  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  where- 
with he  hath  loved  us.'  God  being  merciful  in  his  nature,  having  pitched 
an  act  of  love  upon  us,  when  he  saw  us  fall  into  misery  his  bowels  turned; 
but  he  loved  us  first.  That  mercy  is  mentioned  first  is  because  it  suited  our 
condition ;  it  is  not  because  it  was  that  attribute  out  of  which  the  act  of 
election  proceeded,  though  in  election  thert  was  a  purpose  to  shew  love  in  a 
way  of  mercy. 

The  observation  of  a  great  divine  is  this  :  Saith  he,  '  Run  over  the  whole 
Scripture,  and  you  shall  find  indeed  the  calling  of  a  saint  is  attributed  unto 
mercy.  Why?  Because  God  calls  him  that  is  fallen  into  sin,  and  therefore 
there  is  mercy  in  it :  as  in  1  Tim.  i.  13,  "  But  I  obtained  mercy ;"  1  Pet.  ii.  10 ; 
Rom.  xi.  31,  32.  You  shall  find  likewise,'  saith  he, '  remission  of  sins  is  attri- 
buted unto  mercy, — I  mean  the  act  of  remission,  and  the  exercise  of  it, — in 
Luke  i.  78,  79,  Matt,  xviii.  33.  So  likewise  regeneration,  as  here,  and  in  1 
Pet.  i.  3,  and  in  Tit.  iii.  5.  So  the  actual  bestowing  of  glory,  Jude,  ver.  21,  &c. 
There  is  only  one  place,'  saith  he,  'and that  is  Piom.  ix.  16,  which  seemeth  to 
make  election  an  act  of  mercy.  "  It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him 
that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy."  But  the  truth  is,  election  is 
not  in  the  text  there;  he  doth  not  say,  election  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor 
of  him  that  runneth  ;  but  his  business  is  salvation.  "  It  is  not  of  him  that 
willeth," — that  is,  salvation  is  not, — "  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy.'"  And 
if  it  be  said,  '  He  hath  mercy  upon  whom  he  will  have  mercy,'  his  answer  is 
this  :  saith  he,  that  is  in  election.  He  grants  God  decrees  to  shew  love  in  a 
way  of  mercy ;  and  because  that  is  the  issue,  because  that  they  are  saved  bj'' 
a  way  of  mercy,  therefore  they  are  called  also  vessels  of  mercy.  But  still 
that  out  of  which  election  proceedeth  is  not  simply  the  attribute  of  mercy. 
And  he  gives  this  exceeding  clear  and  good  instance : — '  God,'  saith  he,  '  is 
omnipotent,  yet  that  God  decreed  to  shew  his  power  is  not  an  act  of  omni- 
potency  :  so  God  is  wise,  but  to  decree  to  shew  forth  his  viisdom  is  not 
simply  to  be  resolved  as  an  act  of  wisdom.  So  likewise  here,  God  is  merci- 
ful, &c. ;  but  the  purpose  to  shew  all  these  attributes  forth  is  resolved  into 
his  love.'  This  must  needs  be  said,  which  I  beseech  you  to  take  along  with 
you,  that  to  shew  forth  riches  of  mercy  was  the  final  cause  of  his  decree,  he 
had  that  in  his  aim  and  in  his  eye ;  but  it  was  his  will,  and  it  was  his  love^ 


150  AN  FXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  X. 

out  of  "whicli  this  proceeded  and  which  he  first  pitched  upon  us,  that  moved 
him  thereunto. 

And  so  much  now  for  that  point,  which  I  have  spoken  to  but  briefly,  and 
perhaps  more  obscurely.  It  is,  I  say,  a  point  of  controversy,  which  I  will 
not  enter  into,  to  handle  all  the  particulars  of  it. 

A  fourth  observation  which  I  would  make  upon  these  words,  which  also  is 
of  great  use  to  us,  is  this  : — 

Ohs.  4. — That  there  is  a  love  in  God  to  us  even  when  we  are  sinners,  when 
we  are  in  our  natural  estate,  out  of  which  love  he  calls  us,  and  pulls  us  out 
of  that  condition.  It  is  a  strange  thing  that  men  should  stumble  at  this. 
Say  they,  How  can  any  be  children  of  wrath,  children  of  the  curse,  and  yet 
be  at  the  same  time  loved  by  God  ?  Is  there  any  such  thing  in  all  the  Scrip- 
ture ?  Why,  it  is  here  in  my  very  text  clearly  and  plainly :  saith  the  Apostle, 
'  When  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  children  of  wrath,  God,  who  is 
rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,'  namely,  when  we 
were  thus.  The  want  of  reconciling  these  two  hath  been  the  cause  of  I  know 
not  how  many  errors  in  the  world,  and  is  to  this  day.  What  say  the  Armi- 
nians  ?  This  is  their  great  argument,  you  shall  find  it  in  that  Anti-Synod  of 
Dort :  If  that  God  loved  men  from  everlasting,  and  if  God  be  reconciled  to 
them,  what  need  Christ  have  died  1  And  the  Socinians  argue  just  the  same. 
To  give  them  an  answer,  if  you  will,  in  a  word;  and  then,  secondly,  to  shew 
how  both  these  may  stand  together,  that  we  may  be  chikhen  of  wrath,  and 
that  yet  God  love  us — 

I  answer  to  them,  first,  thus  :  Christ  died  to  manifest  his  love.  Tit.  iii.  4  . 
We  were  thus  and  thus  '  hateful,  and  hating  one  another.  But  after  that  the 
kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  towards  man  appeared,'  then  he  saved 
us, '  according  to  his  mercy,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration.'  So  that  now,  for 
the  appearing  and  manifestation  of  that  love  it  was  that  he  gave  Jesus  Christ 
to  die ;  for  the  appearance  and  manifestation  of  that  love  to  the  soul  it  is  that 
he  calleth  him.  And  therefore  you  have  that  in  Rom.  v.  8,  '  God  hereby  com- 
mended his  love  towards  us,  that  whilst  we  were  sinners  Christ  died.'  It  is 
an  express  scripture  for  this.  It  was  not  that  he  did  then  begin  to  love  us, 
or  doth  begin  to  love  us  when  we  are  called,  but  that  love  which  he  had 
taken  up  in  his  heart  to  us  was  so  great,  that  giraig  Christ,  and  all  else,  is 
but  to  commend  it,  to  set  it  out.  So  that  if  you  ask.  Why  did  Christ  die, 
and  why  did  God  all  this,  if  he  loved  us  already  1  I  answer.  He  doth  it  that 
his  love  may  appear,  he  doth  it  to  commend  his  love.  I  have  often  said  it, 
that  Christ  died  but  to  remove  obstacles ;  but  the  radical  love,  out  of  which 
God  did  give  Christ,  was  pitched  before. 

Now,  is  it  not  an  ordinary  thing  for  a  father  that  Ids  child  shall  be  a  child 
of  wrath  to  him,  whilst  he  goes  on  in  such  a  course, — that  is,  consider  him 
as  he  is  in  that  course,  according  to  his  fatherly  wisdom  he  can  proceed  no 
otherwise  with  him  but  in  wrath, — yet  all  that  while  so  to  love  him  as  to  set 
all  ways  on  work  to  bring  him  in  1  Did  not  David  deal  so  with  Absalom  ? 
In  2  Sam.  xiii.,  when  Absalom  was  run  from  him,  and  entered  into  a  rebel- 
lion against  him,  he,  as  he  was  a  wise  king,  could  do  no  otherwise  in  that 
condition  but  proceed  against  him  as  a  rebel,  unless  he  came  in  and  submitted 
himself.  But  what  doth  David  do  1  He  subonieth  a  woman,  at  least  Joab 
doth,  and  David  was  well  pleased  with  it,  for  Joab  saw  the  king's  heart  was 
towards  him ;  but  suppose  David  himself  suborned  Joab  to  do  what  he  did, 
that  he  might  have  a  fair  come-oflF,  and  manifest  his  love  to  his  son.  If 
David  had  done  so — why,  God  himself  did  so.  We  were  fallen  into  that 
condition  that  we  were  children  of  wrath,  but  yet  there  was  a  love  to  us  that 


Eph.  II.  4-G.]  to  the  ephesians.  151 

lay  bid  in  his  heart  all  the  while,  and  he  goes  and  snborneth  Josiis  Christ,  if 
I  may  so  sjieak  ;  and  Christ  comes  but  to  remove  all  the  obstacles  that  lay 
in  the  way  of  justice,  that  he  might  be  just  and  the  justificr  of  them  that 
believe  in  Jesus.  If  we  will  have  another  answer,  How  can  we  be  children 
of  wrath,  and  yet  God  love  us  1  I  ask  again.  How  was  Jesus  Christ  a  curse 
when  he  hung  upon  the  cross,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  to  be  loved  with 
the  greatest  love  1  According  to  such  rules  as  God  will  proceed  by  at  the 
latter  day,  if  men  remain  in  their  natural  condition,  they  are  children  of 
wrath  ;  but  according  to  what  his  everlasting  purposes  are,  even  these  chil- 
dren of  wrath  he  loves,  and  hath  loved. 

I  will  give  you  a  distinction  which  will  salve  all,  and  it  is  a  good  one. 
There  is  amor  henevolentice  and  amor  amicitice.  While  men  remain  in  their 
natural  estate,  and  are  children  of  wrath,  he  may  bear  towards  them  amor 
henevolentice — a  love  of  good- will ;  but  whilst  they  remain  in  their  natural  con- 
dition, he  hath  not  a7nor  amicitice  to  them — a  love  of  friendship,  in  which  he 
doth  comnnmicate  himself  to  them.  But,  I  say,  he  may  have  a  love  of  good- 
will, which  yet  is  the  foundation  of  the  other,  and  will  in  time  cause  the  other 
to  break  forth.  And  what  is  the  reason  that  he  hath  not  a  love  of  complacency, 
nor  a  love  of  mutual  friendship,  and  that  we  are  not  said  to  be  reconciled  to 
God  till  we  do  believe  1  Because  it  is  not  fit  for  God  upon  those  terms  to 
communicate  himself  to  us,  to  open  his  heart,  and  to  unbosom  himself;  but 
when  the  time  comes,  that  love  of  good- will  which  he  beareth  to  us  will  break 
forth  into  a  love  of  friendship,  and  he  will  take  us  into  covenant  with  himself, 
and  then  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  towards  man  appeareth,  as  the  text 
saith,  Tit.  iii.  4. 

Obs.  5. — Fifthly,  I  make  this  observation  from  hence  likewise  :  That  God 
in  his  love  jntcheth  upon  persons.  '  For  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved 
its,'  saith  he.  God  doth  not  pitch  upon  propositions  only;  as  to  say,  I 
will  love  him  who  believeth,  and  save  him,  as  those  of  the  Arminian  opinion 
hold ;  no,  he  pitcheth  upon  persons.  And  Christ  died  not  for  propositions 
only,  but  for  persons ;  he  knows  his  sheep  by  their  names  :  Jer.  xxxi.  3, 
'  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love  ;'  and,  Piom.  xi.  7,  '  The  elec- 
tion hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  hardened.'  My  brethren,  God  loved 
us  distinctly,  and  he  loved  us  nakedly ;  let  me  express  it  so  in  a  word : — 

He  loved  our  persons  distinctly ;  that  is,  singling  out  and  designing  whom. 
Not  only  so  many, — I  will  love  so  many  of  mankind  as  shall  fill  up  the  places 
of  the  angels  that  fell,  as  some  have  imagined, — but  he  sees  who  they  are 
distinctly.  The  Lord  knows  who  are  his  ;  the  text  is  express  :  '  Jacob  have  I 
loved,' — he  names  him, — '  and  Esau  have  I  hated.'  '  Ptejoice  not,'  saith  Christ, 
'that  the  spirits  are  made  subject  unto  you,  but  that  your  names  are  written 
in  heaven.'  In  Exod.  xxxiii.  19,  where  God  saith,  'I  will  have  mercy  on 
whom  I  will  have  mercy,'  he  speaks  it  upon  occasion  of  having  peculiar 
mercy  to  Moses  ;  and  therefore  the  Apostle  pertinently  quotes  it  in  Rom.  ix. 
15,  for  election  of  persons. 

And,  secondly,  he  loved  us  nakedly;  he  loved  us,  not  ours.  It  was  not 
for  our  faith,  nor  for  anything  in  us  ;  '  not  of  works,'  saith  the  Apostle  ;  no, 
nor  of  faith  neither.  No,  he  pitcheth  upon  naked  persons ;  he  loves  you, 
not  yours.  Therefore  here  is  the  reason  that  his  love  never  fails,  because  it 
is  pitched  upon  the  person,  simply  as  such.  I  will  love  such  a  one,  let  his 
condition  be  what  it  will  be;  if  he  fall  into  sin,  I  will  fetch  sin  out  of  him 
again,  that  I  may  delight  in  him.  The  covenant  of  grace  is  a  covenant  of 
persons,  and  God  gives  the  person  of  Christ  to  us,  and  the  person  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  us;  he  chooseth  our  persons  nakedly  and  simply  as  such. 


152  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  X. 

Ohs.  6. — Lastly,  All  the  attributes  in  God  are  subjected  to  his  love,  and 
that  is  the  great  prevailing  attribute  that  sways  all.  You  see  in  the  text  that 
it  sways  mercy;  for  the  reason  that  God  is  merciful  to  one  man  and  not  to 
another  is,  because  he  first  loved  this  man  and  not  the  other.  It  is  love,  I 
say,  that  is  the  prevailing  attribute;  and  what  way  love  goes,  all  attributes 
else  go,  mercy  and  power,  &:c.  And  therefore  it  is  observable  that  when  in 
the  first  chapter,  ver.  19,  he  had  begun  to  speak  of  that  power  that  wrought 
in  Christ  in  raising  him  from  the  dead,  and  said  that  the  same  power  work- 
eth  in  us ;  in  this  chapter,  where  he  comes  to  make  up  the  reddition  of  his 
speech,  he  should  according  to  the  common  course  have  said,  God,  being  great 
in  power,  hath  quickened  us,  and  raised  us  up  together  with  Christ.  No,  he 
mentioneth  mercy  and  love,  rather  than  power.  Why?  Because  power  is  at 
love's  beck  in  this.  So  that  here  our  salvation  lies,  that  God  pitcheth  an 
everlasting  love  upon  men ;  and  when  he  hath  thus  loved  them,  if  they  fall 
into  misery,  he  is  merciful,  and  love  sets  that  on  work ;  if  there  be  a  difficulty, 
then  love  seta  power  on  work  :  and  so,  look  which  way  love  goes,  all  attributes 
else  go ;  and  if  you  have  love,  you  have  all  things  else  in  God,  they  are  all 
swallowed  up  in  love.  And  therefore  it  is  observable,  that  God  in  a  peculiar 
manner  is  said  to  be  love,  1  John  iv,  8.  I  know  not  that  the  like  is  said  of 
any  other  attribute  ;  and  the  reason  is  this :  because  that  to  one  that  he  doth 
love,  he  is  nothing  else  but  love  ;  for  mercy,  and  power,  and  justice,  and  Avis- 
dom,  and  all,  they  all  work  together  in  a  way  of  subordination  to  love,  that 
when  a  man  looks  u\)0\i  all  these  attributes,  they  all  appear  in  love,  that  God 
is  nothing  but  love  to  that  man.  If  I  look  upon  his  wisdom,  it  appears  to 
me  set  ou  work  by  love,  to  exalt  and  magnify  his  love.  If  I  look  upon  his 
power,  it  is  all  swallowed  up  in  love,  in  respect  of  his  manifestation  of  it  to 
me  ;  for  I  take  it,  when  he  saith  in  that  place  of  John  that  God  is  love,  he 
speaks  not  essentially  of  that  attribute,  but  of  the  manifestation  of  it. 

And  so  much  now  for  the  opening  of  this,  why  mercy  and  love  are  here 
joined,  and  why  that  love  is  made  the  foundation  of  his  shewing  mercy,  with 
such  observations  as  arise  out  of  it.  There  are  two  things  yet  behind,  which 
are  the  glory  of  all  the  rest  in  this  text,  and  that  is,  that  this  mercy  that  is  in 
God,  set  on  work  by  love,  it  is  a  rich  mercy;  and  that  this  love  wherewith 
he  did  from  everlasting  love  us,  and  that  is  the  foundation  of  all,  it  is  a  great 
love.  *  God,  that  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved 
ua.'     But  I  must  refer  that  to  the  next  discourse; 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  153 


SERMON  XL 

But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  whereivith  he  loved  us,  even 
ivhen  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  its  together  with  Christ,  (Jyy 
grace  ye  are  saved;)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  to- 
gether in  heavenly  'places  in  Christ  Jesus. — Ver.  4—6. 

The  Apostle  in  the  former  verses  having  given  a  fall  and  exact  description 
of  man's  misery  by  nature  and  in  the  state  of  nature,  both  by  reason  of  sin 
and  the  wrath  of  God  that  is  due  thereunto,  begins  here  to  set  out  the 
greatness  of  that  love  and  that  mercy  in  God  which  is  the  cause  and  the 
fountain  of  our  salvation.  And  he  sets  it  out,  as  I  shewed  you  the  last  dis- 
course, when  I  ran  over  the  series  of  all  these  three  verses,  in  the  most  taking 
and  most  advantageous  way,  and  in  the  greatest  truth.  I  shall  not  repeat 
what  I  then  delivered. 

I  came  to  the  exposition  of  the  words,  and  what  I  shall  now  say  will  be 
some  little  addition,  as  I  go  along,  to  what  then  was  said. 

But  God. — Besides  what  I  said  of  this  particle  but  in  the  last  discourse,  I 
only  add  this,  indeed  as  the  main  thing,  that  it  serveth  to  nsher  in,  not  only 
a  great  turn,  the  greatest  turn  that  ever  was, — it  doth  not  only  usher  in  tlie 
notice  of  a  remedy  to  misery,  that  there  is  balm  in  Gilead  that  may  be  had, 
because  that  God  is  merciful,  and  that  is  his  nature,  and  that  therefore  he 
maybe  merciful  to  us,  and  so  that  there  is  hope  concerning  this  thing, — but 
it  ushers  in  and  gives  the  intimation  of  a  forelaid  intention  in  God,  of  a 
contrivement  and  design  beforehand  taken  up  and  set  upon,  whereby  God 
had  beforehand  prevented  all  the  mischief  and  all  the  danger  that  was  like 
to  arise  from  the  misery  and  sin  which  the  elect  were  fallen  into.  He  had 
laid  such  a  design  as  all  this  misery  and  sinfulness  that  the  elect  ones  had 
fallen  into  should  be  so  far  from  undoing  them,  that  it  shall  but  serve  to  set 
out  that  love  the  more ;  and  so  the  words  that  follow  do  evidently  shew. 
'  But  God,  for  the  love  wherewith  he  loved  us  ; '  he  hath  loved  us  and  chosen 
us  out  of  love  from  everlasting,  and  hath  shewed  it  in  this,  by  triumphing 
over  all  that  misery,  that  even  '  Avhile  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses, 
he  hath  quickened  us,'  &c.  And  it  is  a  love  not  only  which  mercy  and  pity 
stirs  up,  after  he  had  seen  us  thus  miserable ;  but  it  is  a  love  that  having 
been  so  great,  and  so  long  borne  to  us,  and  first  pitched  on  us,  that  it  stirred 
up  mercy  and  bowels  to  us  in  this  misery ;  for  so,  if  you  mark  it,  the  words 
run  :  '  God,'  saith  he,  '  who  is  rich  in  mercy,' — there  is  his  nature, — '  for  his 
great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.'  And  not  only  so,  but  this  love  being 
seated  in  a  nature  infinitely  rich  in  grace  and  mercy,  had  conspired  with 
mercy,  and  contrived  the  depth  of  misery,  to  extend  that  riches.  On  them 
so  great  a  love  had  set  itself,  even  to  this  end,  as  in  the  7  th  verse,  '  that  in 
ages  to  come  he  might  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  kind- 
ness and  love  to  us.'  And  thus  also  in  Titus  iii.,  that  hut  even  now  men- 
tioned ushers  in,  upon  the  like  occasion,  the  like  reserve  or  design  beforehand 
laid,  to  glorify  love  and  goodness.     But  when  the  kindness  of  God  and  love 


154  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XL 

to  man  appeared ;  namely,  when  tliat  love,  taken  up  by  liim  long  before 
this  sinfulness  he  spake  of  in  the  verses  before,  hath  lain  hid  as  it  were  in 
ambushment,  letting  you  march  on  in  sinfid  ways  under  Satan's  banners ; 
that  in  the  end  appears  and  prevents  all  that  misery,  and  rescues  you  out 
of  it.  There  is,  I  say,  a  kind  of  ambushment,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  a  way- 
laying of  all  that  sin  and  misery  the  elect  fell  into. 

And  how  many  such  buts  of  mercy,  lying  in  wait  to  deliver  and  save  us 
out  of  great  and  strong  evils,  did  we  meet  with  in  our  lives  1  And  this  but 
here,  of  this  great  salvation,  is  the  great  seal  and  ratification,  or  Ante  signa- 
mus,  of  all  the  rest.  To  this  purpose  you  may  observe  that  oftentimes  in 
the  New  Testament,  when  mention  is  made  of  God's  ordaining  us  unto 
salvation,  this  phrase  is  used,  he  did  it  '  from  the  beginning.'  So  it  is 
in  2  Thess.  ii.  13  :  'God,'  saith  he,  'hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you 
to  salvation ; '  that  is,  he  had  beforehand,  even  from  the  beginning,  set 
his  love  upon  you,  so  that  all  that  sinful  estate  you  have  since  run  into 
should  be  no  prejudice  nor  damage  to  you.  And  it  comes  in  here,  as  if  that 
a  company  of  men,  whom  a  king  or  a  prince  loveth,  or  children  Avhom  a 
father's  heart  is  set  upon,  are  permitted  and  let  alone  to  run  into  the  highest 
rebellion,  to  do  as  evil  as  they  could,  as  the  phrase  is,  Jer.  iii.  5,  so  that  by 
the  law  they  are  dead  men,  men  undone,  men  of  death  and  condemnation, 
there  is  no  hope  for  them  :  hut — but  that  the  king,  as  he  is  merciful  in  his 
nature,  and  so  apt  to  pardon  any,  so  besides  he  hath  had  his  heart  set  upon 
it,  and  it  is  but  his  design,  to  shew  his  princely  grace  the  more  in  pardoning 
them  and  advancing  them  to  higher  dignities  upon  it. 

But  God. — And  God  cometh  in  also  here,  besides  what  I  mentioned  in  the 
last  discourse,  to  shew  that  all  salvation  is  from  him,  he  is  the  sole  author 
and  founder  of  it;  as  in  Rom.  ix.  16,  'It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of 
him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy  : '  so  here,  '  But  God,  that 
is  rich  in  mercy.' 

I  came  in  the  next  place,  for  the  opening  of  the  words,  to  shew  you  th( 
difference  between  mercy,  and  love,  and  grace ;  for  you  have  all  those  three 
in  these  three  first  verses.  Love  is  a  desire  to  communicate  good  unto  us, 
simply  considered  as  we  are  creatures ;  but  mercy  respecteth  us  as  we  are 
fallen  into  sin  and  misery,  as  we  are  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.  And  then 
that  of  grace,  as  I  shall  open  in  its  due  place,  adds  but  this,  a  freeness  unto 
both.     Love  and  mercy  freely  bestowed,  that  is  called  grace  in  either. 

Also,  for  explication's  sake,  I  shewed  you  why  the  Apostle  doth  not  con- 
tent himself  to  name  mercy  only,  or  love  only,  as  the  cause  of  our  salvation, 
but  that  he  addeth  love  to  mercy.  I  gave  you  two  reasons  for  it,  in  a  word. 
If  he  had  named  mercy  only,  that  respecting  misery,  it  might  be  thought 
that  that  would  but  relieve  us  out  of  misery.  But  because  he  mentioneth  not 
only  a  deliverance  out  of  the  misery  we  lay  in  by  nature,  which  mercy  doth, 
but  the  highest  advancement  besides,  to  sit  together  with  Christ  in  heavenly 
places ;  therefore  he  mentioneth  love.  It  comes  in  likewise,  in  the  second 
place,  to  intend  and  make  mercy  the  greater;  for  when  mercy  cometh  out  of 
love,  and  not  simply  out  of  a  virtue  of  mercy,  if  a  father  be  of  a  merciful 
disposition,  he  will  pity  any  one  out  of  a  vktue  of  mercy  in  him,  but  he  will 
pity  his  son  out  of  love. 

Then  again,  for  the  further  explication  and  imderstanding  of  this,  I  told 
you,  that  of  the  two,  the  main  and  the  primitive  cause  is  love  ;  for  so,  if  you 
observe  it,  the  text  implies.  '  God,  being  rich  in  mercy,*  saith  he,  '  for  his 
great  love  : '  it  is  resolved  into  love.     To  explain  this — 

In  the  first  place,  you  may  observe  here,  that  God's  being  merciful  is  men- 


EpH.  II.  4-C.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  155 

tioned  but  as  his  nature  and  disposition,  which  may  be  wrought  upon  ;  but 
love  comes  in,  as  having  passed  an  act  of  his  will,  set  upon  us.  For,  my 
brethren,  had  God  had  never  so  much  mercy  in  his  nature,  never  so  much 
goodness  and  h)vingness  as  he  hath,  yet  if  it  had  not  been  a  full  act  of  love, 
through  his  will  pitched  upon  us,  we  had  never  been  the  better.  Our  salva- 
tion doth  not  only  depend  upon  mercy,  but  upon  love  ;  and  not  only  upon 
the  love  of  his  nature,  but  upon  an  act  of  love,  a  love  set  upon  us  with  his 
will  and  heart.  It  is  not  an  indefinite  disposition  of  mercy  in  him,  as  it  is 
said  of  the  kings  of  Israel  that  they  were  merciful  kings  ;  but  that  which 
our  salvation  depends  upon — though  upon  that  also — is  this,  that  an  act  of 
love  hath  determined  this  mercy,  engaged  this  mercy. 

I  shewed  you  likewise  that  it  is  rather  an  act  of  love  than  of  mercy. 
That  first  act  of  election  is  indeed  to  shew  mercy,  but  not  so  properly  out  of 
mercy. 

Then,  thirdly,  love  is  said  to  be  the  cause  for  this  reason  also,  because  that 
love  is  it  which  directs  mercy  to  the  persons;  love  singles  out  the  persons, 
and  so  they  become  vessels  of  mercy. 

The  next  thing  I  explained  and  observed  in  the  last  discourse  was,  the 
circumstance  of  time  here.  Pie  doth  not  say,  God  that  doth  love  us,  as  he 
that  began  to  love  us  when  he  first  called  us,  or  loveth  us  now  he  hath  called 
us;  but,  God  that  hath  loved  us.  I  gave  you  a  like  scripture  for  it,  in 
Jer.  xxxi.  3,  'I  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love;'  which,  I  told  you,  hath 
two  things  principally  in  it,  and  both  are  intended  here  in  this  '  hath  loved 
us,'  Avhich  is  a  love  before  conversion,  and  causeth  conversion.  1.  For  the 
time,  for  the  beginning  of  it,  it  is  a  Jove  from  everlasting  ;  and,  2.  it  is  a 
love  continued  all  the  while,  from  everlasting,  even  till  the  time  of  one's 
calling. 

The  last  thing  I  came  to  in  the  last  discourse  is  this,  us;  'hath  loved  us.' 
He  hath  not  only  put  forth  an  act  or  purpose  of  love  at  random,  indefinitely, 
that  he  would  love  some  of  us,  or  that  he  would  love  mankind,  but  us  deter- 
minatively.  As  it  was  not  merely  the  natural  disposition  of  love  and 
mercy  in  God  that  was  the  cause  of  our  salvation,  but  an  act  of  his  will  put 
forth;  so  is  it  not  an  act  of  mere  velleity,  or  an  indefinite  act,  that  he  would 
save  some,  but  it  is  us  ;  he  resol.ed  upon  the  persons  whom  he  would  save, 
he  resolved  upon  them  distinctly  and  nakedly  :  loved  them  distinctly,  by 
name ;  and  nakedly,  that  is,  loved  their  persons,  without  the  consideration 
of  any  qualification  whatsoever. 

And  so  now  I  have  done  the  explanation  of  these  words  in  a  plain  and 
brief  manner.  I  reserved  two  things  to  be  handled,  which  I  shall  now  des- 
patch. The  one  is,  the  greatness  of  this  love;  and  the  other  is,  the  riches  of 
this  mercy. 

I  made  observations  from  the  words  thus  explained  in  the  last  discourse. 
There  is  only  one  observation  which  I  shall  at  this  time  handle,  and  that  is 
this: — 

Ohs. — That  the  foundation  of  our  salvation  is  an  act  of  love,  it  is  out  of 
love  ;  '  for  the  love,'  saith  he,  '  wherewith  he  loved  us.'  I  shewed  it  in  the 
last  discourse,  in  distinction  from  mercy;  that  it  was  rather  an  act  of  love 
(the  primitive  act)  than  of  mercy,  which  I  will  not  now  prosecute.  My 
brethren,  election  is  an  act  of  love.  I  mention  this  because  it  is  fundamental 
to  what  shall  afterwards  follow.  The  Apostle  in  the  former  chapter  had 
expressed  election  to  be  an  act  of  God's  will ;  '  being  predestinated  accord- 
ing to  the  counsel  of  his  will,'  saith  he,  ver.  11.  And  he  calls  it  also  an  act 
of  God's  good  pleasure ;  *  according  to  his  good  pleasure  that  he  purposed 


166  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  '    [SeRMON  XI. 

in  himself;'  so  ver.  5,  9.  But  to  take  their  hearts  the  more,  when  he 
comes  to  make  application  to  them  of  the  misery  they  lay  in,  he  terms  it  now 
an  act  of  love.  To  make  it  an  act  of  his  will  and  good  pleasure  was  but  a 
more  general  thing;  for  by  his  will  he  worketh  all  things,  his  will  is  pitched 
upon  everything ;  and  that  it  is  an  act  of  his  good  pleasure,  imports  rather 
the  sovereignty  and  majesty  of  God,  out  of  which  he  did  it,  and  aiming  at 
himself  therein:  but  love  is  a  condescending  virtue.  When  a  king  wdl 
speak  as  a  king,  he  saith  it  is  his  pleasure,  and  he  makes  it  an  act  of  his 
will;  but  when  he  calls  it  love,  his  majesty  comes  down  then.  Love  doth 
import  not  so  much  the  sovereignty  of  God  in  it,  though  it  was  joined  with 
an  act  of  sovereignty,  aiming  at  his  own  glory;  but  it  imports  especially  a 
respecting  us  in  it;  for  amare  is  to  communicate  good  things  for  the  sake  of 
him  we  love  rather  than  our  own.  Now  I  find  that  election  is  especially 
expressed  unto  us  by  love,  indeed  the  one  is  put  for  the  other  usually  in  the 
Scripture,  both  in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New. 

Take  the  Old  Testament.  When  he  would  say  he  had  chosen  Jacob 
and  refused  Esau,  how  doth  he  express  it  ?  *  Jacob  have  I  loved,'  saith  he. 
So  in  Rom.  ix.  13;  it  is  quoted  out  of  MaL  i.  2.  And  afterwards,  when 
he  Cometh  to  speak  of  the  choice  of  the  people  of  Israel  and  of  their 
fathers,  both  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  Deut.  x.  14,  15,  how  doth  he  ex- 
press it  ?  '  Behold,'  saith  he,  '  the  heaven  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  is  the 
Lord's;  the  earth  also,  with  aU  that  therein  is.'  He  had  choice  enough  : 
'  Only,'  saith  he,  '  the  Lord  had  a  delight  in  thy  fathers,  to  love  them ;  and 
he  chose  their  seed  after  them.'  That  is,  as  the  Septuagint  there  hath  it, '  He 
chose  to  love  them.'  Mark  it,  he  expresseth  his  choice,  and  sets  it  out  by 
those  sweet  words,  love,  yea,  and  a  delight  to  love  them ;  a  love  unto  their 
persons,  and  a  delight  in  that  love.  So  you  shall  find  that  love  and  choice 
go  together ;  as  Ps.  xhii.  4,  and  Ps.  Ixxviii.  68  :  He  chose  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
the  inhabitants  of  Mount  Sion,  which  he  loved.  And  thus  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament also,  when  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ,  who  was  elected  by  his 
Father  as  he  was  Mediator,  as  we  are,  as  you  have  it  in  1  Peter  i.  20,  where 
it  is  said  that  he  was  'foreordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  ;'  how 
doth  Christ  himself  express  it  ?  In  John  xvii.  24,  speaking  of  the  glory 
given  him,  (therefore  he  speaks  of  predestination.)  he  saith,  '  Thou  lovedst 
me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;'  that  is,  thou  gavest  me  this  glory 
by  a  choice,  by  an  election;  and  you  see  he  expresseth  it  by  love.  And, 
Rom.  xi.  28,  they  are  beloved  according  to  election.  You  shall  therefore 
not  only  find  election  called  the  counsel  of  God,  and  the  purpose  of  God,  and 
the  will  of  God;  but  grace  joined  to  it,  purpose  and  grace  both  jDut  toge- 
ther. So  in  2  Tim.  i.  9,  '  He  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us,  according  to 
his  own  purpose  and  grace,  before  the  world  began.'  And  you  have  a  more 
express  place  for  it  in  Rom.  xi.  5,  where  it  is  called  the  '  election  of  grace,' 
or  love,  for  grace  there  is  taken  for  free  love;  the  soul,  the  spirit  of  election 
lies  in  that  act ;  and  therefore  we  are  said  to  be  chosen  in  Christ,  which  is  aU 
one  and  to  say  we  are  loved  in  Christ ;  for  to  love  is  to  choose. 

And  so  now  I  have  despatched  that  observation,  which  is  previous  to  what 
I  am  to  deliver  afterwards. 

Now  I  come  to  those  two  things  which  I  said  I  reserved  in  the  last  dis- 
course to  be  now  handled  ;  for  there  is  nothing  remaining  to  be  spoken  to  in 
this  ver.  4,  but,  first,  to  shew  you  tlce  greatness  of  this  love;  and,  secondly,  the 
riches  of  this  mercij :  two  of  the  greatest  subjects,  if  one  would  handle 
them  as  subjects, — that  is,  in  the  whole  compass  of  all  that  might  be  said  of 
them, — that  the  whole  book  of  God  affords.     Now  where  is  it  that  I  must 


Ern.  II.  4-6.]  to  the  ephesians.  157 

begin?  The  truth  is,  riches  of  mercy  offers  itself  first  in  the  words;  but 
we  must  give  the  prerogative  to  the  greatness  of  love,  because,  as  you  heard 
before,  it  is  the  foundation  of  mercy.  '  Itiches  of  mercy '  are  brought  in 
here  as  subserving  his  love,  commanded  and  disposed  of  by  his  love ;  for 
the  reason  why  God  lays  forth  riches  of  mercy  to  these  and  these  persons, 
is  because  he  loveth  them.  So  then  that  stock,  or  that  treasury  of  love, 
which  the  will  of  God  was  pleased  to  set  apart  first  for  his  elect  and 
children,  and  lay  up  in  his  own  heart,  this  is  that  which  I  am  first  to  speak 
unto ;  you  see  it  is  in  the  text.  And  let  me  say  this  of  it :  we  can  never 
search  enough  into  this ;  Ave  may  pry  too  much  into  the  wisdom  and  coun- 
sels of  God,  to  seek  a  reason  of  his  doings,  but  we  can  never  pry  enough 
into  the  love  of  God.  It  is  a  sea  of  honey,  as  one  calls  it,  and  if  in  wad- 
ing into  it,  we  be  swallowed  up  of  it  and  drowned  therein,  it  is  no  matter. 
And  let  me  likcAvise  profess  this  about  it,  that  of  all  subjects  else,  it  is  of 
that  nature  as  cannot  be  set  out  by  discourse  or  in  a  rational  way.  It  is 
part  of  the  meaning,  I  thhik,  of  that  of  the  Apostle  in  Eph.  iii.  19,  where 
he  calleth  it  a  love  that  passeth  knowledge;  that  is,  the  human  way  of 
knowledge  by  way  of  reason  and  discourse,  whereby  we  infer  and  gather  one 
thing  out  of  another  in  a  rational  way,  and  so  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
them.  But  it  is  more  fully  the  meaning  of  that  in  Eom.  v.  5,  '  The  love 
of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given 
unto  us.'  He  doth  not  say,  the  love  of  God  which  he  hath  told  us  of, 
and  spoken  so  gi-eat  things  of  in  the  Scriptures, — and  indeed  you  shall  upon 
search  find  the  Scripture  to  speak  little  of  it, — but  he  saith,  '  the  love  of 
God  which  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts.'  So  as  he  doth  not  speak  of  a 
love  which  a  man's  understanding,  by  collecting  one  thing  out  of  another, 
or  by  laying  one  thing  to  another, — as  reason,  yea,  spiritual  reason,  in  other 
things  useth  to  proceed, — and  so  may  argue  to  be  great :  but  the  way  to 
apprehend  it  is,  by  its  being  shed  abroad,  and  the  report  and  taste  of  it  the 
Holy  Ghost  makes.  As  the  seat  of  God's  love  is  his  own  heart,  his  will, 
so  the  receptacle  thereof  is  not  so  much  the  understanding  as  the  heart  of 
a  Chi-istian.  The  conscience  of  a  man  is  the  proper  receptacle  of  Christ's 
blood,  Avhen  it  sprinkleth  it  from  evil  works ;  but  the  heart  of  a  man  is  the 
seat  of  God's  love,  to  be  shed  abroad  there.  And  to  this  purpose  he  addeth, 
*  by  the  Holy  Ghost,'  as  being  solely  and  immediately  his  work  ;  for  he  in 
one  moment  can  speak  more  to  the  poorest  man,  of  the  lowest  and  meanest 
understanding,  of  the  greatness  of  God's  love  than  all  that  the  Scripture 
says  of  it,  or  than  all  that  all  the  divines  in  the  world  out  of  Scripture  can 
say  of  it.  The  truth  is,  all  discourses  of  God's  love  are  in  themselves  dull 
and  flat,  compared  with  what  representations  and  impressions  thereof  the 
Holy  Ghost  makes.  As,  take  an  excellent  song,  when  it  is  set  in  prick- 
song,  what  a  dull  thing  is  it  to  what  the  music  itself  is  1  My  brethren,  so 
is  it  here.  Therefore  still  you  shall  meet  with  such  expressions  as  these  in 
the  Scripture  :  Come,  see,  and  taste  how  good  the  Lord  is  :  and,  if  ye  have 
tasted  how  good  the  Lord  is,  &c.  ;  for  the  greatness  of  God's  love  is  only 
known  that  way. 

Now  to  shape  out  a  little  the  subject  I  am  to  speak  unto  ;  for  it  is  a 
great  point,  and  would  swell  into  many  sermons  if  I  should  speak  all  that 
which  in  a  discoursive  way  may  be  said  of  it.  Neither  do  I  purpose  now 
to  say  all  that  may  affect  your  hearts  and  take  you  with  this  love.  No,  the 
thing  that  I  must  keep  to  is  this,  to  speak  of  that  love  borne  to  us  before 
calling,  before  quickening,  as  it  is  the  cause  of  our  salvation  ;  I  say,  of  the 
greatness  of  it  in  that  respect,  which  is  proper  to  what  the  text  here  saith, 


lo8  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLK  [SeRMON  XI. 

and  confine  myself  merely  to  sucli  things  as  are  held  forth  within  the  com- 
pass of  these  three  verses. 

The  first  whereof  is  this  :  It  is  great  in  respect  of  the  subject  and  rise  oj 
it.  It  is  God  that  loveth  us,  and  it  is  called  '  his  love.'  For  if  you  mark 
it,  there  is  that  little  particle  in  the  text,  '  but  God,'  saith  he ;  he  puts  an 
emphasis  upon  that ;  and  likewise,  '  his  love,'  saith  he,  '  wherewith  he  loved 
us.' 

Secondly,  The  greatness  of  it  may  be  set  forth  by  what  may  be  taken 
from  the  persons  mentioned  here  upon  whom  this  love  is  pitched — us  ;  and 
that  either  simply  considered  in  our  persons  nakedly ;  or  else,  secondly,  in 
the  condition  that  we  were  in,  that  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses : 
'  even,'  saith  he,  '  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses  ; '  that  though 
he  did  not  make  choice  first  of  us  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes, yet  he  ordered  in  his  decrees  that  that  should  be  our  condition,  to 
shew  forth  the  more  love.  The  Apostle  puts  an  emphasis  upon  it,  both 
upon  us,  not  others,  and  upon  us  in  that  condition,  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes. 

Thirdly,  From  what  those  words  Avill  afford,  '  the  love  wherewith  he  loved 
us,'  which  to  me  holds  forth  these  three  things  :  Here  is  first  an  act  of  love; 
'  loved  us.'  Here  is  the  time,  and  that  is  the  time  past ;  '  hath  loved  us.' 
And  here  is,  thirdly,  an  intimation  of  a  special  kind  of  love ;  'his  love  where- 
with he  loved  us."  He  contents  not  himself  to  say,  '  for  his  love,'  or,  '  for 
that  he  loved  us ; '  but  you  see  he  doubles  it,  '  for  his  love  wherewith  he 
loved  us.' 

Fourthly,  and  the  greatest  of  all  shewn  before  calling,  is  in  giving  Christ. 
The  Scripture  runs  most  upon  that,  and  indeed  instanceth  in  almost  nothing 
else,  for  that  is  enough.  But  you  will  say,  this  is  not  in  the  text.  Yes,  it 
runs  all  along,  through  every  verse  mentioned.  For  he  saith,  we  are  quick- 
ened with  Christ,  and  in  Christ,  who  therefore  out  of  that  love  was  given 
unto  death  for  us,  as  chap.  i.  19.  And  we  are  raised  up  together  with  him, 
and  we  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  him. 

Lastly,  Here  are  the  fruits  of  this  love,  which,  you  see,  are  quickening, 
raising  up  with  Christ,  sitting  together  in  heavenly  places  in  him. 

And  these,  I  say,  are  the  particulars  which  I  shall  confine  myself  unto, 
as  those  which  the  text  suggesteth. 

Let  us  begin  fist  with  the  subject,  and  rise,  and  original  of  this  love. 
He  loved.  '  But  God,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.'  My 
brethren,  all  that  I  say  of  this  is  but  this,  that  if  God  will  fall  in  love,  and 
is  pleased  and  delighted  to  set  his  love  on  creatures,  how  great  must  that 
love  be  !  And  whomsoever's  lot  it  falls  to,  they  shall  have  enough  of  it. 
God  that  is  infinite  hath  an  infinite  love  in  his  heart  to  bestow,  and  whoever 
it  be  that  his  will  is  pleased  to  cast  that  love  upon,  of  whom  it  will  be  said, 
*  he  hath  loved  us,'  it  must  be  a  great,  yea,  an  infinite  love.  The  fountain 
of  love  in  God  being,  as  was  said,  his  goodness  ;  for  it  is  in  all  rational 
creatures,  that  which  makes  them  love  is  a  goodness  of  dispcsition  in  them ; 
the  fountain  of  love,  as  was  said,  is  goodness,  and  so  far  as  any  are  good,  so 
far  are  they  apt  and  prone  to  love  others  ;  and  according  to  the  proportion 
of  the  goodness,  so  will  the  love  be  also,  and  accordingly  the  greatness  of 
love  in  an)'.  Now  God,  he  is  so  good,  as  he  is  said  only  to  be  good.  '  There 
is  none  good  but  God,'  Matt.  xix.  1 7 ;  that  is,  with  such  a  transcendency  of 
goodness  ;  and  therefore  answerably  thereunto,  God  is  said  to  be  love,  so 
1  John  iv.  8.  As  none  is  good,  so  there  is  none  that  loves  but  he — 
that  is,  in  comparison  of  him.     The  goodness  and  kindness  in  God,  yea, 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  159 

and  all  the  goodness  that  is  in  liim,  (as  vcr.  7,)  moved  him  to  love 
somebody  besides  himself,  that  he  might  coinnmnicate  his  goodness  to  them. 
And  so  his  will  resolved  to  love  such  and  such  persons,  for  he  -would  not 
communicate  his  goodness  to  those  Avhom  he  did  not  love  ;  rational,  wise 
men  will  bo  sure  to  love  those  whom  they  do  communicate  much  to,  and  so 
did  God.  He  also  resolving  to  communicate  ail  his  goodness  to  some, 
resolves  also  to  love  them  first,  and  his  love  shall  be  proportionable  to  his 
intent  of  the  communication  of  his  goodness,  and  that  to  the  greatness  of 
that  goodness  in  him.  He  meant  to  communicate  his  goodness  to  the  crea- 
ture to  the  utmost ;  for  if  he  will  do  it,  he  will  do  it  as  God,  or  he  will  not 
do  it  at  all,  he  will  shew  himself  to  be  the  chiefest  good ;  why  then  he  will 
love  them  to  the  utmost,  and  love  them  like  the  great  God  too. 

There  is  this  difference  between  God's  lo\ing  and  ours  :  we  must  see  a 
goodness  in  the  creature  that  we  love,  to  draw  out  love  from  us ;  but  all  the 
love  that  is  in  him,  he  had  it  in  his  own  power  to  set  it  where  he  would, 
Exod.  xxxiii.  19,  '  I  will  be  gracious  unto  whom  I  will  be  gracious.'  We 
can  but  love  so  far  as  our  love  is  drawn  out ;  our  will  doth  not  intend  love 
to  the  height,  unless  it  runs  out  in  some  natural  way ;  but  so  can  God  say, 
I  wHl  have  such  and  such,  and  I  will  bear  such  and  so  great  an  affection  to 
them.  And  when  be  doth,  so,  his  will  shall  not  only  cause  him  to  com- 
municate all  his  goodness  to  them,  but  cause  him  also  to  do  it  with  the 
highest  love,  with  rejoicing  over  them,  with  delighting  to  love.  So  you 
have  the  phrase  in  that  place  of  Deut.  x.  15.  Men  may,  and  do,  do  good  to 
others,  beyond  the  extent  of  their  love,  for  other  ends ;  a  man's  will  may 
cause  him  to  communicate  good  to  others  beyond  what  the  proportion  of 
love  is  in  his  heart.  But  it  is  not  so  in  God  :  as  is  his  goodness,  so  is  his 
love  ;  therefore  God  is  good  to  Israel,  and  he  loveth  Israel ;  it  is  all  one,  as 
in  Ps.  Ixxiii.  1. 

In  one  w6rd,  then,  will  you  go  and  take  the  rise  and  the  original  of  love 
in  God,  the  genealogy  of  it,  and  so  by  that  the  proportion  of  it  1 

first.  His  goodness  putteth  him  upon  communicating  himself,  and  then 
he  loveth  those  proportionably  unto  whom  he  communicateth  himself;  and 
so  he  sets  himself  to  love,  singles  out  the  persons.  This  you  have  in  ver.  7, 
'  In  his  kindness  towards  us.'  Tit.  iii.  4,  5,  when  he  shews  the  causes  of 
our  salvation,  as  he  doth  here,  he  begins  first  with  the  same  word  used  in 
ver.  7,  a  goodness,  a  sweetness,  a  pleasantness  of  nature  in  God,  an  heroical 
disposition  of  being  good  unto  others,  from  whence  ariseth  a  philanthropeia, 
a  love  to  mankind;  which,  though  there  it  be  expressed  indefinitely,  yet 
as  here  and  elsewhere,  he  pitcheth  upon  particular  persons.  Or,  to  give 
perhaps  a  more  clear  place  for  it,  Exod.  xxxiii.  19  ;  when  God  there  would 
express  his  heart  to  Moses,  and  intimate  to  him  that  he  loved  him,  and  how 
dearly  he  valued  him, — and  therefore  this  Moses  his  choice  is  mentioned  as 
an  instance  of  the  grace  of  election,  in  Rom.  ix., — what  saith  God  to  him  ] 
'  I  will  make  all  my  goodness  pass  before  thee.'  So  he  begins  to  him  ;  his 
scope  was  to  shew  what  love  he  did  bear  unto  Moses,  by  the  effect  of  it,  and 
that  proportioned  to  its  original  in  God,  and  he  would  have  his  heart  taken 
with  it ;  how  doth  he  begin  1  I  have,  saith  he,  all  goodness  in  me,  and  I 
mean  to  communicate  it  unto  thee.  And  what  follows  1  '  I  will  be  gracious 
unto  whom  I  will  be  gracious ;'  he  pitcheth  upon  persons,  as  in  Moses'  in- 
stance appears,  and  love  upon  those  persons.  And  those,  saith  he,  whom 
thus  I  resolve  to  be  gracious  unto,  they  shall  have  all  this  goodness ;  I  have 
cast  out  of  my  goodness,  my  love  and  grace  on  thee,  and  therefore  '  I  will 
cause  all  my  goodness  to  pass  before  thee.'     He  that  hath  my  love,  he  hath 


160  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XI. 

all  my  goodness ;  and  the  rise  of  all  is  that  his  goodness,  and  the  manifesta- 
tion of  it.  Now  as  love  thus  ariseth  from  goodness,  and  the  desire  of  com- 
mmiicating  of  it ;  so  mercy  ariseth  from  love  ;  for  what  follows  1  '  I  will 
be  merciful  unto  whom  I  will  be  merciful.'  First  he  says,  '  I  will  be  gracious 
to  whom  I  will  be  gracious ;'  there  it  is  taken  for  favour  and  acceptation 
freely ;  and  if  they  be  fallen  into  misery,  '  I  will  be  merciful,'  my  mercy 
shall  do  as  great  wonders  as  my  love.  In  Eph.  iii.  18,  he  prays  that  they 
*  may  be  able  to  comprehend  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth, 
and  height;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge.' 
And  what  foUows  ?  *  And  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God.'  Why  ? 
For  whoever  God  hath  pitched  this  love  upon,  all  the  fulness  that  is  in  God 
is  coming  upon  that  soul ;  for  it  is  the  love  of  the  great  God,  it  is  a  love 
proportionable  to  his  goodness ;  they  have  and  shall  have  all  his  goodness, 
all  his  fulness. 

To  cause  us  therefore  to  set  a  value  on  this  :  of  all  dispositions,  good  nature, 
as  we  call  it,  and  love,  in  wliomsoever  it  is,  is  the  best,  and  God  himself  values 
it  most  as  in  himself;  he  takes  more  unkindly  the  despising  of  his  love  than 
he  doth  the  slighting  of  his  wisdom.  And  love,  in  whomsoever  it  is,  is  the 
most  predominant  of  all  dispositions;  whatsoever  is  good  and  whatsoever 
is  excellent  in  any,  love  hath  the  command  of  it ;  and  so  it  hath  in  God, 
All  his  goodness,  the  whole  train  of  it  must  pnss  before  Moses,  because  God 
had  loved  him,  and  resolved  to  be  gracious  to  him.  So  that  now,  look  how 
great  the  great  God  is,  so  great  his  love  must  needs  be ;  for,  as  I  may  so 
speak  with  reverence,  it  commandeth  all  in  this  great  God.  In  John  x.  29, 
saith  Christ,  My  sheej),  no  man  shall  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand  ;  for,  saith 
he,  it  is  the  will  of  my  Father  that  gave  them  me  that  they  shall  be  saved ; 
and  he  is  greater  than  all.  He  hath  set  such  a  love  upon  them  that  ail  the 
greatness  in  this  great  God  is  interested  in  it.  It  hath  commanded  and  set 
on  work  all  in  God ;  it  hath  set  on  work  all  the  persons.  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  to  bear  several  offices  in  our  salvation.  It  hath  set  on  work  all 
attributes,  mercy,  justice,  jjower,  wisdom,  wrath  itself  to  fall  upon  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Christ,  his  only  Son.  Why  ?  Because  love  is  the  most  j)re- 
dominant,  wherever  it  is  it  commandeth  all ;  and  that  which  commandeth 
all  that  is  in  God,  must  needs  be  great.  In  other  dispositions,  he  shews 
forth  but  one  or  two  attributes  :  if  he  throw  men  into  hell,  he  shews  his 
justice  and  the  power  of  his  wrath ;  but  where  he  loveth,  he  draweth  forth 
all.  The  poets  themselves  said,  that  amoj'  Deuvi  guhernat,  that  love  governed 
God.  And,  as  Nazianzen  well  speaks,  this  love  of  God,  this  dulcis  tyrannus, 
— this  sweet  tyrant, — did  overcome  him  when  he  was  upon  the  cross.  There 
were  no  cords  could  have  held  him  to  the  whijiping-post  but  those  of  love; 
no  nails  have  fastened  him  to  the  cross  but  those  of  love.  And  hence — to 
confirm  this  notion  more  to  you,  that  love  is  the  predominant  thing  that 
commandeth  all — you  shall  find  that  God  is  every  attribute  of  his ;  he  is 
his  own  wisdom,  his  own  justice,  his  own  power,  &c.  Yet  you  have  him 
peculiarly  called  love.  It  is  not  said  anywhere  of  God,  that  I  know  of,  that 
he  is  wisdom,  or  justice,  or  power,  &c.  Christ  indeed  is  called  the  wisdom 
and  power  of  God,  that  is,  manifestatively,  as  he  is  Mediator.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  all  God's  attributes  are  himself;  but  yet  love  in  a  more  peculiar 
manner  carries  the  title  of  him.  '  God  is  love/  saith  he,  in  1  John  iv.  8 ; 
and  he  saith  it  again,  ver.  16. 

Let  us  expound  the  words  a  little,  because  we  are  now  upon  them.  '  Be- 
loved,' saith  he,  ver.  7,  '  love  is  of  God.'     He  is  the  fountain  of  it,  and  if  the 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  161 

fountain  will  love,  if  he  that  is  love  itself  will  love,  how  great  will  that  love 
be  !  We  use  to  argue  thus,  that  God  is  therefore  the  highest  good  because 
whatsoever  is  good  in  any  creature  is  eminently  found  in  him.  Truly  thus 
doth  the  Apostle  argue.  Love,  saith  he,  is  of  God.  All  the  love  that  is  in 
all  creatures,  in  all  angels  and  men,  that  is  in  the  heart  of  Christ  himself,  it 
is  aU  of  God,  he  is  the  fountain  of  it ;  therefore  whosoever  hath  his  love,  his 
love  from  whom  all  love  is,  it  must  needs  be  a  great  and  an  infinite  love. 
As  the  Apostle  saith,  ye  need  not  be  written  to,  to  love  one  another,  ye  are 
taught  of  God  so  to  do.  It  is  nature  in  you,  so  it  is  nature  in  God.  Now 
what  follows  in  the  next  words  1  '  Love  is  of  God,  and  every  one  that  loveth 
is  bom  of  Grod,  and  knoweth  God ;  he  that  loveth  not,  knoweth  not  God.' 
It  is  such  a  phrase  as  this  :  if  you  be  ignorant  of  what  is  the  greatest 
excellency  of  any  one,  you  do  not  know  him ;  the  man  is  thus  and  thus, 
this  is  his  character,  and  his  chiefest  character,  if  you  do  not  know  that, 
you  do  not  know  the  man.  So  saith  he  of  God,  '  God  is  love,'  and  there  is 
no  man  that  doth  know  him,  but  he  finds  so  much  love  in  him  towards  him, 
that  he  must  needs  love  others ;  and  he  that  doth  not  love,  knows  him  not, 
for  love  is  his  genius.  And  as  to  love  one  another  is  the  great  command- 
ment that  Jesus  Christ  gave  us ;  so  for  God  to  love  us  is  the  greatest  and 
most  eminent  disposition  in  the  great  God.  Will  you  have  a  definition  of 
God  ?  Why,  saith  the  Apostle,  '  God  is  love ;'  and  he  contents  not  himself 
to  have  said  it  once,  but  he  saith  it  again,  ver.  16.  Now  then,  great  must 
needs  that  love  be  which  is  his  love.  Mark  that  emphasis  :  *  for  his  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us.' 

It  is  great  also  in  this  respect,  as  in  God, — for  stUl  I  am  arguing  from  its 
being  in  him  as  he  is  the  subject  of  it, — because  there  is  no  other  rise  of  his 
love,  besides  that  of  his  goodness  mentioned,  but  his  love ;  his  own  love  and 
goodness  is  a  rise  to  itself.  All  love  in  us  is  of  God,  but  aU  love  in  himself 
must  needs  be  much  more  of  himself;  this  argues  it  great,  wherever  he 
pitcheth  it.  For  if  he  loved  us  for  anything  ia  us,  it  is  too  narrow  :  for  the 
truth  is,  so  he  loves  aU  creatures ;  so  far  as  there  is  any  goodness  in  them,  so 
far  he  loves  them ;  but  that  he  should  love  his  saints  thus,  it  would  be  too 
narrow,  too  scanty  a  love.  He  loved  Adam  but  thus,  plainly ;  it  was  but 
a  providential  love  wherewith  he  loved  Adam,  take  him  in  that  first  estate. 
God  saw  aU  that  was  in  the  creatures  to  be  good,  and  he  loved  them ;  so  he 
saw  that  which  was  in  Adam  to  be  good,  and  that  was  the  cause  he  loved 
him.  But  when  love  in  the  great  God  is  the  predominant  thing,  that  which 
commandeth  all  in  God,  when  this  shall  be  a  fountain  to  itself,  then  it  wiU 
overflow,  it  knoweth  no  bounds,  nothing  is  so  diffusive.  It  is  a  saying  of 
Bernard,  and  it  is  an  exceeding  good  one  :  *  That  God,'  saith  he,  '  loveth  his 
children,  he  hath  it  not  elsewhere,  from  anything  out  of  himself;  but  it  is 
himself  from  whence  that  love  riseth,  his  own  love  is  the  spring  of  his  own 
love,  and  so  is  the  measure  of  the  extent  of  it,  and  that  knows  no  measure. 
And  therefore  he  must  needs  love  strongly,  saith  he,  when  he  is  not  said  so 
much  to  have  love,  as  that  he  is  love.  And  therefore  this  love,  which  is  the 
fountain  of  love  itself,  how  great  must  it  be  !' 

Again,  the  end  of  his  love  is  but  to  shew  love ;  it  is  the  great  end  of  it,  and 
so  large  as  his  end  is,  so  large  must  his  love  be,  and  his  desire  to  love.  Appe- 
titus  finis  est  infinitus  ; — What  a  man  loveth  for  an  end,  he  loveth  infinitely. 
'  That  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,' 
saith  ver.  7,  that  is,  of  his  free  love ;  there  is  his  end.  As  he  hath  no  reason 
why  he  loveth  but  because  he  wiUeth,  so  he  hath  no  higher  end  to  love 
VOL.  II.  L 


162  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XL 

but  because  be  will  love,  and  because  be  ddth  love,  and  because  be  will 
shew  love.  If  so  great  a  love  will  make  itself  its  end,  bow  unsatisfied  will 
tbat  love  be  !     And  so  mucb  for  tbe  subject  of  it. 

I  will  only  add  tbis.  Do  but  only  take  a  scantling  of  it  by  tbe  love  that 
is  in  tbe  Mediator,  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  God-man.  '  That  ye  may  know,' 
saith  the  Apostle,  '  tbe  breadth  and  length,  the  depth  and  height  of  the  love 
of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge.'  What  need  I  stand  to  set  out  tbat 
love  to  you  ?  It  drew  him  from  heaven  to  the  womb,  and  from  the  womb 
to  the  cross ;  and  it  kept  him  upon  the  cross  when  any  great  spirit  in  the 
world  would  have  been  provoked  to  have  come  down ;  it  was  his  love  that 
held  him  there.  But  now  that  love  that  was  in  the  heart  of  the  man  Christ 
Jesus,  and  as  he  was  Media!  r,  is  less  than  God's  love.  '  My  Father,'  saith 
be — and  he  speaks  as  Mediator — 'is  greater  than  I;'  and  so  also  is  bis 
Father's  love  greater  than  his.  And  yet  if  there  were  infinite  worlds  made 
of  creatures  loving,  they  would  not  have  so  mucb  love  in  them  as  was  in  the 
heart  of  that  man  Christ  Jesus.  '  All  love  is  of  God,'  so  John  saith  ;  and 
the  truth  is,  all  the  love  that  Christ  had  was  of  God ;  he  spake  to  his  heart 
to  love  us.  '  Thine  they  were,'  saith  he,  '  and  thou  gavest  them  me ;'  and 
therefore  he  loved  them.  Great  therefore  must  tbis  love  be,  because  it  is 
the  love  of  God  ;  it  is  '  his  love.' 

I  should  also  add  under  this  head,  tbat  as  it  is  great  in  itself,  because  it  is 
the  love  of  the  great  God,  so  therefore  it  is  greatly  endeared  to  us.  For  love, 
be  it  never  so  small,  is  always  heightened  by  the  greatness  of  the  person  that 
loves  us.  The  greatness  of  tbe  person  doth  not  heighten  mercy,  it  shews  a 
nobleness  in  him  indeed,  as  for  a  king  to  be  merciful ;  but  for  a  king  to  love, 
this  is  a  heightening,  and  endearing  of  it  to  us,  for  majestas  and  amor  do 
seldom  convenire, — majesty  and  love  seldom  meet, — because  it  is  a  coming 
down,  a  debasing  of  majesty.  But  I  shall  not  speak  much  to  this  head,  because 
I  am  not  to  speak  things  that  may  endear  the  love  of  God  to  you,  but  as  it  is 
the  cause  of  salvation.  Only  I  will  give  you  that  scripture  in  a  word  :  Ps. 
cxiii.  G,  '  He  humbleth  himself,  to  behold  the  things  that  are  in  heaven  and 
in  earth.'  Why  is  God  said  to  humble  himself  in  thisi  Is  it  a  stooping 
and  condescending  in  God  to  take  all  things  into  his  omniscient  knowledge, 
and  to  guide  and  govern  the  world  1  Traly  he  were  not  God,  if  be  should 
not  do  it ;  if  any  creature  should  escape,  any  motion  of  a  fly  should  escape 
the  knowledge  of  the  great  God,  he  were  not  God ;  yet  he  calls  it  a  humb- 
ling, a  condescending.  0  my  brethren,  what  is  it  then  for  him  to  condescend 
to  love  ! 

The  second  thing  in  the  text  here  by  which  the  greatness  of  this  love  is 
set  out  to  us,  is  the  2yersons  whom  he  loveth  ;  '  us,'  saith  he.  And  this  set- 
teth  out  the  greatness  of  his  love  to  us,  by  way  of  endearment,  which  there- 
fore I  shall  more  briefly  pass  over.  He  loveth  us,  not  others ;  that  is  clearly 
tbe  Apostle's  scope.  '  We  were  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  as  well  as 
others ;  but  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  loved  us,"  not  others ;  and  out  of 
that  love  he  '  hath  quickened  us.'  Others  are  not  quickened ;  the  whole 
world  lies  in  wickedness,  but  w^e  know  we  are  of  God ;  and  a  few  are 
quickened,  it  was  because  be  loved  us ;  a  special  love,  that  argues  great- 
ness too. 

To  set  out  tbe  greatness  of  it  in  this  respect,  and  to  endear  it  to  you : — 

In  tbe  first  place,  the  great  God,  when  he  meant  to  love,  he  did  not  go 
and  say,  I  will  love  somebody,  or  I  will  love  indefinitelp  ;  no,  but  he  pitched 
upon  the  persons.  That  way  of  the  Arminians  doth  exceedingly  detract 
from  the  love  of  God,  viz.,  to  make  him  a  lover  of  mankind,  and  tbat  that  is 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  163 

the  thing  out  of  the  consideration  whereof  he  gave  his  Son ;  and  that  he 
loves  them  in  common,  and  loves  them  indefinitely ;  and  if  they  believe  so, 
God  will  then  shew  love  to  them.  God  might  delight  himself  in  heaven, 
though  men  had  never  been  saved ;  he  might  there  have  upbraided  them  with 
their  unthankfulness.  No,  God  goes  another  way,  he  directly  sets  up  the 
very  persons  whom  he  meant  to  love,  and  he  lays  forth  all  the  contrivances 
of  his  love,  having  them  distinctly  in  his  eye ;  as  a  father  that  lays  out  por- 
tions for  every  one  of  his  children  by  name,  legally  and  distinctly,  hath  them 
in  his  eye ;  so  doth  God.  '  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy.' 
That  same  on  ivhom  implies  that  it  is  not  indefinite.  I  will  only  give  you 
that  observation,  upon  comparing  two  places  that  are  both  known,  and  I  will 
bring  them  both  together  by  paralleling  of  them.  Saith  Christ,  in  John 
Yiii.  1 8,  '  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen.'  The  parallel  place  directly  to  it  is 
in  2  Tim.  ii.  19,  'God  knoweth  who  are  his;'  that  is,  distinctly  knoweth 
them,  he  had  them  in  his  eye,  viewed  them,  and  under  the  viewing  of  the 
persons,  on  them  he  would  bestow  all,  did  lay  the  whole  plot,  all  the  con- 
trivements  of  that  salvation  he  intended.  Which  he  did  to  endear  his  love 
the  more,  having  the  persons  to  whom  in  his  eye ;  he  did  not  do  it  inde- 
finitely, that  he  would  love  mankind,  and  love  some  in  an  indefinite  way. 
Dare  any  man  say,  that  he  did  not  know  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  and  pitch 
particularly  upon  that  man  that  was  in  the  womb  of  the  virgin  1  Did  he 
only  say,  I  wUl  have  a  mediator  somewhere  out  of  mankind,  fall  as  it  will  1 
No,  he  did  ordain  that  man ;  so  Acts  xvii.  31.  And  he  was  foreordained, 
saith  1  Peter  i.  20 ;  that  very  man  that  is  now  in  heaven,  that  individual 
nature,  and  no  other.  And  so  he  did  do  with  the  members  likewise :  for 
there  is  the  same  reason  of  both. 

But  then,  secondly,  as  his  love  is  thus  set  out  to  us,  that  it  was  not  inde- 
finitely pitched,  but  as  having  all  the  persons  in  his  eye  and  having  them  all 
in  view;  so  by  this  also,  that  he  hath  not  pitched  it  upon  everybody.  This 
is  distinct  from  the  former ;  for  an  indefinite  is  not  knowing  whom  he  pitched 
it  upon.  Now  as  he  knew  whom  he  pitched  upon,  so  he  hath  pitched  but 
upon  some,  not  on  every  one.  He  might  have  pitched  upon  all,  but  the  text 
saith  otherwise ;  lis,  not  others.  So  then  here  is  another  thing  that  sets 
forth  this  love,  it  is  a  special  love,  and  that  greateneth  it  also.  My  brethren, 
if  God  would  love,  it  was  fit  he  should  be  free.  It  is  a  strange  thing  that 
you  wiU  not  allow  God  that  which  kings  and  princes  have  the  prerogative  of, 
and  you  will  allow  it  them.  They  will  have  favourites  whom  they  wiU  love, 
and  wUl  not  love  others ;  and  yet  men  will  not  aUow  God  that  liberty,  but 
he  must  either  love  all  mankind,  or  he  must  be  cruel  and  tmjust. 

The  specialness  of  his  love  greateneth  it,  endeareth  it  to  us.  You  shall 
find  almost  all  along  the  Bible,  that  when  God  would  express  his  love,  he 
doth  it  with  a  specialty  to  his  own  elect,  which  he  illustrates  by  the  con- 
trary done  to  others.  In  1  Thess.  v.  9,  he  is  not  content  to  say,  he  hath 
'appointed  us  to  obtain  salvation,'  but  he  Ulustrateth  it  by  its  contrary;  he 
'  hath  not  appointed  us  unto  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation,'  Not  to  wrath, 
for  it  might  have  been  our  lot,  for  he  hath  appointed  others  to  it.  In  Isa. 
xli,  9,  '  Thou  art  my  servant,  I  have  chosen  thee.'  And  he  doth  not  con- 
tent himself  to  say  so  only,  for  if  he  had  said  no  more,  it  implies  only  that 
he  had  taken  them  out  of  the  heap  of  others  that  lay  before  him ;  but  he 
adds,  '  I  have  chosen  thee,  and  not  cast  thee  away;'  that  is,  I  have  not  dealt 
with  thee  as  I  have  done  with  others.  And  you  shall  find  frequently  in  the 
Scripture,  when  he  mentioneth  his  choice  of  some  persons,  he  holdeth  up 
likewise  on  purpose  his  refusing  of  others.     When  he  speaks  of  Jacob,  and 


164  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XI. 

would  express  his  love  and  set  it  out  to  himward,  he  saith,  '  Jacob  have  1 
loved ; '  that  might  have  been  enough  for  Jacob,  but  he  sets  it  out  with  a 
foil,  '  Esau  have  I  hated.'  And  in  Ps.  Lxxviii.  67,  when  he  speaks  of  an 
election  out  of  the  tribes,  he  contents  not  himself  to  say  he  chose  Judah, 
but  he  puts  in  the  rejection,  the  preterition  at  least,  of  Joseph.  '  He  refused 
the  tabernacle  of  Joseph,  and  chose  not  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  ;  but  chose  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  the  mount  Sion  which  he  loved.'  So  among  the  disciples ; 
how  doth  Christ  set  out  his  love  to  them  ?  John  vi.  70,  *  Have  not  I  chosen 
you  twelve,  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil?'  and,  chap.  xiii.  18,  'I  speak  not 
of  you  aU ;  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen  ;'  and,  chap.  xv.  19,  'I  have  chosen 
you  out  of  the  world ; '  and,  chap.  xvii.  9,  '  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but 
for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me,'  &c. 

I  will  give  you  but  one  eminent  place,  which  indeed  concerns  us  in  these 
times.  In  2  Thess.  ii.  11,  speaking  of  the  times  of  Popery,  and  the  apostasy 
thereunto,  he  saith,  '  God  shall  send  among  them  strong  delusion,  that  they 
should  believe  that  lie,'  that  great  lie  of  Popery ;  and  among  other  things  why 
he  mentions  this,  what  use  doth  he  improve  this  to,  his  hardening  the  Popish 
and  apostate  world  that  would  not  receive  the  truth  in  the  love  thereof? 
'  That  they  all  might  be  damned,'  ver.  12.  But  that,  in  ver.  13,  to  set  out 
his  love  to  his  elect :  '  But  we  are  bound  always  to  give  thanks  to  God  for 
you,  brethren  beloved  of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath  from  the  beginning 
chosen  you  to  salvation,'  though  he  hath  done,  and  will  do  thus  with  others. 
The  thing  I  quote  it  for  is  this,  that  he  setteth  off,  enhanceth  the  greatness 
of  God's  love  to  them,  in  regard  of  the  specialness  of  it,  that  he  hath  not 
dealt  with  them  as  with  others :  thanks  be  given  to  God  always  for  you. 
Now  this  concerns  us,  for  we  live  in  the  times  of  Popery;  the  Christian 
world  began  to  warp  towards  it  then,  and  we  and  our  forefathers  have  lived 
in  the  height  and  ruff  of  it.  Now  what  saith  Rev.  xiii.  8  1 — it  is  a  jjarallel 
place, — '  All  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  worship  the  beast,  whose  names 
are  not  written  in  the  book  of  hfe  of  the  Lamb.'  You  see  the  reason  why 
many  men  now  are  set  against  Popery,  and  embrace  the  truth  in  the  love 
thereof,  and  are  savingly  kept;  from  believing  that  great  lie  ;  and  that  these 
parts  of  Europe  fell  off  from  Antichrist.  It  is  because  God  hath  here  multi- 
tudes of  men  '  whose  names  are  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb,' 

Now  that  God  doth  thus  set  his  love  upon  some  and  not  on  others,  of  pur- 
pose to  set  off  his  love  and  make  it  greater,  I  will  give  you  a  place  for  it : 
Deut.  X.  14,  'Behold,  the  heaven  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  is  the  Lord's 
thy  God,  the  earth  also,  with  all  that  is  therein.  Only  the  Lord  had  a 
delight  in  thy  fathers,  to  love  them,  and  he  chose  their  seed  after  them, 
even  you  above  all  people,  as  it  is  this  day.'  If  I  would  choose,  saith  God, 
I  have  choice  enough,  I  have  the  heaven  of  heavens,  I  could  have  fiUed  all 
those  with  creatures ;  and  there  were  angels  that  fell,  I  might  have  chosen 
those,  and  fixed  them  as  stars,  never  to  have  fallen ;  but  I  let  multitudes  of 
them  tumble  down  to  heU.  And  I  had  aU  the  earth  also,  and  all  the  nations 
thereof,  before  me ;  but,  to  shew  my  love  in  a  special  manner,  I  have  chosen 
you  above  all  the  people  of  the  world.  So  that,  I  say,  the  greatness  of  his 
love  is  set  off  by  the  specialness  of  it.  Therefore  he  doth  call  the  people  of 
God  upon  all  such  occasions  to  consider,  the  one  with  the  other,  that  their 
love  of  God  may  be  greatened  also.  Rom.  xi.  22,  '  Behold,  to  them  severity, 
to  thee  goodness.'  He  would  have  them  to  eye  both  at  once  ;  why  hath  he 
shewn  severity  to  others  ?  That  his  goodness  to  thee  might  the  more  appear. 
He  calls  them  to  behold  it ;  behold,  saith  he,  to  them  severity,  and  to  thee 
goodness ;  the  one  setteth  off  the  other. 


EpH.  II.  4-6]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  165 

And  I  might  shew  you  that  God  hath  shewn  his  special  love,  not  only  in 
choosing  you  out  of  all  the  rest  of  mankind,  and  angels,  and  the  like,  whom 
he  refused  and  threw  down  to  hell,  but  out  of  aU  creatures  possible,  or  which 
he  could  have  made.  Believe  it,  brethren,  there  came  up  before  him,  in 
his  idea,  infinite  millions  of  worlds ;  all  that  his  power  could  make  were  as 
makeable  as  we  were,  and  he  chose  us  out  of  all  that  he  could  make,  and  not 
only  out  of  all  that  he  did  make,  or  did  decree  to  make. 

And  let  me  say  this :  the  greatness  of  his  love,  in  respect  of  the  specialty 
of  it,  is  mightily  enhanced  to  us,  the  elect,  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  world,  in 
this  respect,  that  God  had  all  the  great  heroes  of  all  ages  that  are  past  be- 
fore him,  the  great  worthies  of  the  world,  aU  the  wise,  gallant,  brave  men  in 
Rome  and  Greece,  and  in  all  nations,  in  all  the  ages  before, — he  might  have 
fiUed  up  thy  room  in  heaven  with  some  of  those ;  there  were  men  enough 
amongst  them  that  might  have  had  places  in  heaven,  and  thou  mightest  have 
been  let  alone.  No,  all  these  could  not  win  away  his  love  from  thee  that 
livest  in  this  age ;  he  passed  over  aU  them,  suffered  them  to  walk  in  their 
own  ways ;  they  are  perished,  they  are  gone ;  and,  as  the  phrase  is  in  1  Pet. 
i.  5,  he  hath  reserved  heaven  for  thee.  The  love  of  God  to  thee,  I  say,  is 
not  only  magnified  by  those  out  of  whom  he  hath  chosen  thee  in  this  age, 
but  in  all  ages  past ;  and  when  aU  mankind  shall  meet  together,  it  wiU  in- 
finitely greaten  the  love  of  God  to  that  remnant  whom  he  hath  chosen  out 
of  all  the  rest  of  the  world.     It  is  special  love  that  makes  his  love  great  love. 

Obs. — I  wiU  give  you  this  observation,  which  I  find  in  the  Scripture.  He 
caUs  his  church  his  love ;  so  Cant.  v.  2.  And  he  himself  terms  himself  by 
the  name  of  the  lover ;  so  Rom.  viiL  37,  and  Rev.  i.  5.  It  is  his  title,  and 
became  his  style.  The  church  is  his  love,  so  as  he  hath  no  love  but  the 
church,  it  is  not  scattered  to  other  objects;  therefore,  Rom.  xL,  they  are 
said  to  be  '  beloved  according  to  election,'  even  as  they  are  said  to  be  *  called 
according  to  his  purpose.'  It  is  by  way  of  distinction,  noting  out  a  specialty 
of  love  that  accompanies  election. 

And  then,  if  you  add  to  this,  in  the  third  place,  the  fewness  of  those  upon 
whom  this  love  is  pitched,  it  doth  exceedingly  greaten  it ;  for  the  fewer  that 
all  the  love  of  the  great  God  is  pitched  upon,  the  greater  the  love  is.  And 
this,  in  the  coherence,  though  not  in  express  words,  we  find  in  the  text ;  for 
the  rest,  whom  these  '  us '  were  called  out  of,  were  the  world,  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness  :  '  among  whom  we  had  our  conversation,  according  to  the 
course  of  this  world.'  When  God  hath  betaken  himself  to  a  few,  to  love 
them,  oh,  how  will  he  love  them  !  He  wiU  be  sure  to  lose  none  of  those,  be- 
cause they  are  so  few.  When  a  great  rich  man  shall  have  but  one  heir,  or  a 
few  in  his  will,  to  divide  his  goods  amongst ;  so  when  God,  that  is  rich  in 
mercy,  and  hath  great  love,  shall  have  but  a  few  to  enjoy  it,  how  will  his 
heart  be  intended  more  in  love  !  Isa.  x.  22,  '  Though  Israel  be  as  the  sand 
of  the  sea,' — he  speaks  of  election, — '  yet  but  a  remnant  shall  be  saved.' 

And  yet  let  me  add  this,  in  the  fourth  place,  that  he  loveth  every  one 
whom  he  hath  chosen  as  if  he  loved  none  else ;  lest  any  of  his  children  should 
be  jealous  of  it,  he  doth  so  dexterously  manage  his  love  that  every  one  may 
say.  None  is  loved  as  I  am.  As  he  said,  I  am  the  greatest  of  sinners  ;  so  may 
every  one  of  his  children  say,  I  am  the  greatest  of  beloved  ones.  So  loving 
is  God  to  those  he  chooseth,  that  aU  sort  of  natures  speak  this  of  him,  be 
they  of  what  condition  soever. 

There  is  also  this  to  be  added  to  this  head,  the  condition  wherein  we  were 
when  we  were  called,  even  when  we  were  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.'  But 
I  will  reserve  that  till  it  comes  in  order  in  the  text. 


166  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XI. 

And  so  mucli  now  for  that  second  head  here  in  the  text,  which  doth  illus- 
trate the  greatness  of  the  love  of  God, — us,  and  not  others. 

I  come  now  to  the  third,  which  contains  divers  particulars  in  these  words, 
for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.     There  is — 

1.  ^c^s  o/Zove  mentioned.     There  is — 

2.  The  time  when  he  loved  us,  viz.,  before  calling.     And  then — 

3.  There  is  a  special  hind  of  love  ;  '  his  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.' 
To  begin  with  the  first — 

There  are  two  great  acts  of  love  which  God  hath  shewn  to  us.  The  one 
was  that  from  everlasting ;  the  other,  when  he  gave  Jesus  Christ.  I  will  not 
speak  of  the  latter  now,  because  it  comes  in  afterwards  at  ver.  5.  But  let  us 
take  in  that  act  of  love  in  God  which  here  certainly  the  Apostle  hath  a  more 
special  recourse  to, — that  is,  his  electing  love,  which  is  eminently  the  love 
which  this  same  hath  loved  us  referreth  to,  and  which  is  the  foundation  of  all 
the  rest,  and  let  me  in  a  word  or  two  shew  you  the  greatness  of  this. 

First,  Let  me  say  this  of  it,  that  take  it  as  it  was  an  act  in  God,  it  can 
never  be  expressed  what  it  was,  nor  how  great  it  was.  And  therefore  God 
himself,  as  I  may  so  speak  with  reverence,  is  fain  to  manifest  that  love  which 
he  took  up  in  his  own  heart,  by  degrees  and  by  effects.  The  Scripture  itself 
doth  not  know  how  to  give  you  the  greatness  of  that  love  which  God  did 
pitch  upon  us  from  everlasting,  but  it  is  stUl  fain  to  do  it  by  the  effects. 
In  1  John  iv.  9,  when  he  had  said  before  that  God  is  love,  and  therefore  he 
hath  thus  greatly  loved  us,  he  is  fain  to  fall  upon  speaking  of  the  effects  of 
this  love  :  '  In  this  was  manifested,'  saith  he,  '  the  love  of  God  towards  us, 
because  that  God  sent  his  only-begotten  Son  into  the  world,  that  we  might 
live  through  him.'  And,  ver.  10,  '  Herein  is  love,' — it  is  manifested  in  this, 
— '  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  pro- 
pitiation for  our  sins.'  And  after  he  had  spoken  of  his  love,  what  saith  he  ? 
Ver.  1 2,  '  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ; '  the  meaning  whereof,  I  think, 
is  clearly  this,  as  if  he  had  said,  I  am  fain  to  tell  you  this  love  of  God  which 
I  am  discoursing  of,  merely  as  it  is  manifested  in  the  effects ;  for  if  you  would 
have  me  speak  of  it  as  it  is  in  the  fountain,  it  is  not  to  be  expressed,  for  no 
man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ;  he  is  not  able  to  know  what  love  is  in  the 
heart  of  God  but  at  the  second-hand.  It  may  be  illustrated  by  the  gift  of 
his  Son,  by  making  of  us  happy  and  glorious  in  heaven,  by  his  communica- 
tion of  himself  to  us  there ;  but  what,  and  how  great  it  is,  can  never  be  ex- 
pressed. And  I  will  give  you  the  reason  why  I  interpret  it  thus,  because  in 
Exod.  xxxiii.  19,  &c.,  when  God  hath  spoken  of  his  love  to  Moses,  and  said, 
'  I  wiU  be  gracious  to  those  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious ; '  he  adds,  '  No  man 
can  see  God,  and  live  ; '  for  you  cannot  see  into  this  love,  as  it  is  in  him. 

And  let  me  likewise  say  this  second  thing  of  it :  That  that  love  which 
God  did  first  take  up,  in  the  first  act  of  it,  it  was  as  great  as  aU  acts  transient 
for  ever  can  express  or  vent  to  eternity ;  it  is  great  love  therefore.  I  say, 
all  the  ways  and  acts  that  God  doth  to  eternity  are  but  mere  expressions  of 
that  love  which  he  at  first  took  up.  Christ,  and  heaven,  and  whatever  else 
God  shews  you  of  love  and  mercy  in  this  world,  or  in  the  world  to  come,  they 
all  lay  in  the  womb  of  that  first  act,  of  that  love  he  took  up,  '  wherewith  he 
loved  us.'  God  was  not  drawn  on  to  love  us,  as  a  man  is,  who  first  begins 
to  love  one,  and  to  set  his  heart  upon  him,  and  then  his  heart  being  engaged, 
he  is  drawn  on  beyond  what  he  thought,  and  is  enticed  to  do  thus  and  thus 
beyond  what  he  first  intended.  No,  God  is  not  as  man  herein,  but  as  '  known 
unto  God  are  all  his  works,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,'  so  is  all  his 
love  that  he  meant  to  bestow.     And  he  took  up  love  enough  at  first,  as  he 


EpH.  II.  4-G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  167 

should  be  venting  of  all  sort  of  ways  that  he  hath  taken  to  do  it,  unto  eter- 
nity. For  there  is  no  new  thing  to  God  ;  if  there  should  be  any  one  thought 
or  degree  of  love  rise  up  in  his  heart  afterwards,  which  was  not  there  at  first, 
there  should  be  some  new  thing  in  God.  And  the  reason  is  clear  by  this 
too,  that  he  doth  love  out  of  his  own  love,  therefore  his  love  at  the  very 
first  dash,  when  lie  first  began  to  love  us,  was  as  perfect  as  it  will  be  when 
we  are  in  heaven.  When  Adam  fell,  God  was  not  then  drawn  out  to  give 
his  Son ;  no,  we  are  not  so  to  conceive  it,  God  had  all  before  him  from  ever- 
lasting. 

And  this,  I  say,  is  easily  manifested ;  for  the  ilrst  act  of  his  love  was  the 
womb  of  his  giving  Christ ;  '  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  Son. 
Therefore  the  Scripture  makes  all  the  grace  that  ever  we  shall  have  to  be 
given  us  at  the  very  first,  when  God  first  loved  us,  2  Tim.  i.  9,  '  According 
to  the  grace  of  God,  which  was  given  us  before  the  world  began.'  And  in 
Eom.  xi.  29,  speaking  of  election,  as  he  had  done  all  along  the  chapter  be- 
fore, he  saith,  *  the  gifts  of  God  are  without  repentance.'  He  gave  all  in  the 
first  act,  when  he  first  chose  us,  and  never  repenteth  of  it.  Election,  I  say, 
is  expressed  to  us  by  all  that  God  means  to  bestow  upon  us  actually  to 
eternity,  for  ever  and  ever,  which  he  'hath  prei)ared  for  them  that  love  him;' 
so  the  phrase  is,  1  Cor.  ii.  9.  And,  ver.  12,  'We  have  received  the  Spirit  of 
God,  that  we  may  know  the  things  which  are  freely  given  us  of  God;'  that 
is,  given  us  when  he  first  set  his  heart  upon  us.  My  brethren,  when  God 
first  began  to  love  you,  he  gave  you  all  that  he  ever  meant  to  give  you  in  the 
lump,  and  eternity  of  time  is  that  in  which  he  is  retailing  of  it  out.  '  I  will 
be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious.'  And  then  all  the  goodness  that 
he  means  to  communicate  to  them  unto  whom  he  is  thus  gracious,  is  a 
passing  before  them  even  unto  eternity.  First,  the  giving  of  his  Son,  he 
came  first  in  the  train ;  and  then  the  giving  of  his  Spirit ;  and  then  grace 
and  glory :  and  whatever  variation  of  glory  there  is  that  is  to  come,  it  is  aU 
but  the  passing  on  of  the  train,  it  is  aU  but  the  communicating  of  that  goodness 
of  his  which  he  did  ordain  the  first  time  he  thought  on  thee  to  love  thee. 

There  is  an  emphatical  word  in  the  text,  this  word  -TroKXriv  dyd'^rriv,  great 
love, — as  your  great  critics  observe,  and  so  the  Septuagint  constantly  useth  it, 
— which  doth  not  signify  that  God  loves  us  often,  or  that  his  love  is  reiterated, 
but  that  he  loves  us  with  one  entire  love.  The  Arminians  would  make  the 
love  of  God  incomplete,  and  never  complete  till  one  comes  to  die ;  but  it  is 
not  a  matter  of  that  nature,  it  is  not  as  sanctification,  that  admits  degrees 
in  us,  but  it  is  of  the  nature  of  those  things  that  consist  in  indivisihili.  I 
will  give  you  that  place  for  it,  Ps.  cxxxviii.  8,  '  The  Lord,'  saith  he,  '  will 
perfect*  that  which  concerneth  me.'  What  God  did  intend  to  David  from 
everlasting  at  once,  he  is  perfecting  of  it  in  him.  There  is,  saith  he,  a  great 
deal  of  mercy  yet  to  come,  God  hath  not  half  done  with  me,  he  will  perfect 
that  which  concerns  me,  and  he  is  perfecting  of  it  to  everlasting;  for  so  it 
foUows :  '  Thy  mercy,  O  Lord,  endureth  for  ever.'  God  hath  set  up,  as  I  may 
so  speak,  an  idea  in  his  own  heart,  what  a  brave  creature  he  will  make  thee, 
and  how  he  will  love  thee,  and  all  that  ever  he  doth  or  will  do,  it  is  but  a 
perfecting  of  that  idea,  and  of  that  love  wherewith  he  loved  thee  from  ever- 
lasting. The  mercies  of  God  are  said  to  be  many,  yc  u  read  often  of  them  in 
the  plural;  but  his  love  is  said  to  be  but  one,  because  he  loved  us  with  one 
entire  act,  even  from  eternity. 

Yea,  he  took  up  so  much  love  at  the  first,  that  his  wisdom  and  all  in  him 
is  set  on  work  to  study  and  contrive  ways  how  to  commend  that  love.    And 
*  In  2  Thess.  i.  11,  it  is  '  fulfil,'  nXrjpwa-r]. 


168  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XL 

therefore  tliat  word  in  Tit.  iii.  4,  whicli  we  translate  '  kindness,'  as  it  signifies 
henignitatem,  so  it  signifies  an  heroical  study,  as  it  were,  in  God,  all  sort  of 
ways  to  deserve  well  of  mankind.  It  was  so  great  that  he  knew  not  how 
to  express  it  enough;  for  do  but  consider  a  little  with  yourselves.  He 
began  to  love  Adam  upon  the  terms  of  a  providential  love,  but  that  was  not 
good  enough,  he  must  have  those  of  mankind  he  loves  to  heaven.  He  was 
not  content  with  direct  ways  of  loving, — that  is,  to  love  them  in  their  head 
Jesus  Christ,  as  he  loveth  the  angels,  and  so  no  more  ado, — but  to  shew  the 
more  love,  lets  them  fall  into  sin,  become  enemies  to  him,  and  then  sends 
his  Son.  And,  my  brethren,  the  truth  is,  this  cost  Jesus  Christ  dear,  merely 
that  God  might  shew  forth  the  more  love ;  for  we  might  not  have  been 
sinners ;  and  though  sinners,  yet  we  might  have  been  saved  without  any 
satisfaction.  But  it  was  a  digression  of  love,  as  I  may  truly  call  it,  it  was  an 
excursion  of  love,  that  as  man  being  sinful  sought  out  many  inventions,  so 
God  being  loving,  he  sought  out  a  world  of  inventions  for  to  shew  his  love. 
Now,  do  but  think  with  yourselves,  that  the  very  first  thought  of  love  that 
God  had  towards  you,  the  very  first  glance  of  love  he  took  up,  should  be  so 
much,  as  that  aU  sorts  of  ways  that  his  wisdom  can  invent,  and  that  in  an 
eternity  of  time  too,  should  be  little  enough  to  vent  and  retail  that  love 
which  thus  in  the  lump  he  took  uj^.  My  brethren,  this  must  certainly  be  a 
great  love. 

And  I  wiU  add  but  this  to  it :  that  his  love  was  so  greedy, — mark  what  I 
say  unto  thee — when  he  first  began  to  love  thee,  that  the  next  and  main  thing 
that  he  thought  of,  that  he  had  in  his  eye,  as  I  may  speak,  in  order  and 
degree,  though  all  was  but  one  act,  was  that  happiness  he  meant  to  give  thee  in 
heaven.  He  doth  as  it  were  overleap,  so  greedy  was  his  love,  all  the  means 
between;  they  come  in,  as  I  may  say,  in  a  second  thought.  If,  I  say,  they 
do  allow  an  intention  of  the  end  before  the  means,  if  God  intended  the  end 
before  the  means,  he  intended  that  happiness  which  thou  shalt  have  first. 
Therefore  observe  what  the  Scripture  speaks;  though  it  saith  that  God 
ordained  us  to  believe,  and  ordained  us  unto  sanctification,  yet  ordinarily 
it  expresseth  it  thus — he  hath  ordamed  us  unto  Hfe.  And  the  place  is  em- 
phatical,  2  Thess.  ii.  13,  '  God  hath  from  the  beginning  ordained  you  to 
salvation;'  mark,  he  joins  you  and  salvation  together,  and  then  comes  in  the 
means,  '  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth.'  But,  I 
say,  his  eye  was  so  intent  upon  thy  good,  that  look  what  is  thy  chiefest 
good,  what  he  means  to  make  thee  in  heaven,  that  he  pitcheth  first  upon. — 
And  so  nmch  now  for  that  act. 

Let  us  next  consider  the  time.  '  He  loved  us ;' — this  carries  us  to  the 
time  past.  So  that  if  you  ask  me  when  this  love  did  begin,  the  truth  is,  if 
I  may  so  speak  with  reverence,  he  loved  thee  ever  since  he  hath  been  God. 
Jer.  xxxi.  3,  'I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love ;'  and  unto  everlasting 
there  can  be  nothing  added.  God  is  from  everlasting,  and  his  love  is  from 
everlasting.  He  may  be  said  to  have  loved  thee  ever  since  he  loved  himself, 
or  ever  since  he  loved  his  Son  in  whom  he  chose  thee.  As  he  was  God 
from  the  beginning,  and  as  Christ  was  the  Word  of  life  from  the  beginning, 
John  LI;  so  he  hath  ordained  thee  unto  salvation  from  the  beginning,  2 
Thess.  ii.  13.  And  the  school-men  do  rightly  say  in  this,  that  the  liberty  of 
God's  wUl  doth  not  lie  as  man's  doth,  that  it  was  a  while  suspended,  no,  not 
for  a  moment.  There  was  never  an  actual  suspension,  for  then  there  were 
an  imperfection;  only  there  was  libertas  potentialis,  he  might  have  cast  it 
otherwise ;  but  there  never  was  any  time  in  which  there  was  in  his  heart  a 
vacuity  of  love  to  thee,  or  unto  any  one  whom  he  loveth.     How  infinitely 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  169 

doth  tMs  endear  the  love  of  God  to  thee,  and  make  it  great !  If  one  have 
loved  you  from  his  infancy,  that  no  sooner  he  began  to  have  a  thought  of 
love,  or  to  love  himself,  but  he  loved  you,  and  pitched  his  heart  upon  you, 
how  great  will  you  account  his  love  !  John  makes  a  great  matter  of  it,  1 
John  iv.  10  :  Herein  is  love,  speaking  of  the  love  of  God,  that  we  loved  not 
God,  but  he  loved  us  first.  We  did  not  begin,  but  he  began ;  and  when 
did  he  begin  1  Even  from  eternity,  when  he  loved  himself,  and  loved  his 
Son. 

And  as  he  hath  loved  you  from  eternity,  that  is  the  first  thing  consider- 
able in  it,  so  let  me  add,  in  the  second  place,  which  this  hath  loved  doth  also 
evidently  import, — comparing  it  with  ver.  7,  '  that  in  ages  to  come,'  and  here 
*  hath,'  that  is,  from  everlasting  to  everlasting, — he  hath  continued  to  love 
his  children  with  a  reiterated  love.  That  act  of  love  which  he  hath  first 
pitched,  he  hath  every  moment  renewed  actually  in  his  own  mind.  He 
doth  but  think  over  and  over  again  thoughts  of  love  to  thee,  amongst  the 
rest  of  his  elect,  unto  eternity.  Saith  the  Psalmist,  and  it  is  Christ  that 
speaks  that  psalm,  who  knew  the  love  of  his  Father,  and  knew  his  heart, 
Ps.  xl.  5,  'How  many  are  thy  thoughts  towards  us,  O  God!'  Many  in- 
deed, for  they  have  been  from  everlasting,  therefore  they  cannot  be  numbered. 
And  not  only  that  first  act,  that  first  thought  he  had,  but  the  whole  lump  of 
that  love  is  stUl  renewed  every  moment,  and  shall  be  unto  eternity.  I  could 
give  you  a  multitude  of  places.  He  is  therefore  said  to  have  us  in  his  eye, 
and  to  write  us  upon  the  palms  of  his  hands,  &c. 

And,  lastly,  it  is  to  everlasting,  which  though  it  be  not  in  this  verse,  yet 
we  meet  with  it  in  ver.  7,  '  that  in  ages  to  come.'  As  he  loved  us  from 
everlasting,  from  the  beginning,  as  it  is  in  that  2  Thess.  ii.  13,  so  he  loveth 
us  unto  the  end,  John  xiii.  1. 


170  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLB  [SeRMON  XIL 


SERMON  Xll. 

But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  toe/ether  with  Christ,  (by 
grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit 
together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus. — ^Ver.  4—6. 

The  scope  of  the  Apostle  in  these  words,  as  I  have  told  you,  is  to  magnify 
these  three  attributes  in  God — his  love,  mercy,  grace,  towards  us  ;  and  these 
as  they  are  the  causes  of  our  salvation. 
In  opening  of  these  words,  I  have — 

1.  Shewn  you  the  difference  between  love  and  mercy. 

2.  Shewn  you  why  that  the  Apostle,  when  he  would  speak  of  the  causes 
of  our  salvation,  contented  not  himself  to  have  said  that  God  is  rich  in  mercy, 
but  that  he  addeth  '  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.' 

3.  Shewn  you  Likewise  that  a  great  love,  and  an  act  of  love,  or  a  purpose 
of  love,  taken  up  towards  us,  is  the  foundation  of  his  shewing  mercy  to  us ; 
and  that  act  of  love  is  especially  that  taken  up  from  everlasting,  which  he 
took  up  to  us  before  we  were,  and  therefore  prevented  the  misery  we  were 
fallen  into ;  for  he  had  engaged  himself  to  us  by  so  great  a  love,  which 
stirred  up  his  mercy. 

The  next  thing  I  came  to  was  this,  the  greatness  of  this  love.  I  did  pro- 
fess not  to  handle  this  argument  in  the  vastness  of  it, — which  by  the  grace 
of  God  might  arise  to  a  volume,  if  it  should  be  so  handled, — but  so  far  forth 
as  the  text  doth  give  bottom  to  anything  about  it,  so  far  I  professed  to  handle 
'  it,  because  I  would  explain  the  text. 

First,  therefore,  we  considered  the  subject  of  this  love,  who  it  is  that  loved 
us.  It  is  God,  whose  love  therefore  is  as  great  as  himself;  and  if  God  will 
be  in  love,  how  deep,  how  great  will  that  love  be  !  What  a  love  will  they 
possess  with  whom  God  professeth  himself  to  be  in  love  !  Love,  it  is  of  all 
attributes  the  most  commanding ;  it  commandeth  all  in  a  man,  and  it  com- 
mandeth  all  in  God. 

Secondly,  we  considered  that  this  God,  though  of  a  loving  nature  and 
disposition,  yet  he  took  up  an  act  of  love.     '  He  loved,'  saith  the  text. 

There  are  two  sorts  of  acts  of  love  which  God  hath  put  forth  towards  us  : — 

1.  That  immanent  act,  as  it  is  called ;  that  is,  which  is  in  God  himself 
only,  abideth  in  himself,  in  his  own  heart,  that  first  act  from  eternity,  which 
is  the  foundation  of  all ;  and  this  the  Apostle  here  mainly  intended  in  this 
4th  verse.     But — 

2.  There  are  transient  acts  of  love,  which  are  the  fruits  of  that  first,  which 
in  the  text  here,  as  afterwards  I  shall  shew  you,  are  mainly  these  three  : — 

(1.)  Giving  Jesus  Christ  to  be  a  head  for  us,  and  to  die  for  us ;  that  is 
couched  in  these  words,  '  He  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  and 
raised  us  up  together  with  him;'  which  importeth  both  him  to  be  a  head 
for  us  and  him  to  have  died  for  us,  as  a  fruit  of  this  love. 


EpU.  11.  -i-G.J  TO  THE  EPHKSIAN8.  171 

(2.)  The  act  of  calling  us  to  himself,  which  is  expressed  in  these  words : 
'  Even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  hath  he  quickened  us.' 

(3.)  The  glorifying  of  us  hereafter,  we  being  already  '  set  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ,'  as  an  engagement  of  all  that  glory  we  shall  have  hereafter. 

These  three  transient  acts  I  must  handle  in  their  order,  as  I  open  the  fifth 
and  sixth  verses ;  therefore  now,  in  this  fourth  verse,  I  shall  only  speak  of 
that  immanent  act  in  God,  *  the  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.'  And  concern- 
ing that,  two  things — 

1.  The  greatness  of  that  love  in  itself.     And — 

2.  In  respect  of  the  time  when  this  love  began  ;  for  he  speaks  in  the  time 
past,  '  he  loved  us.' 

First,  For  the  greatness  of  this  act  of  love  taken  up  towards  us.  It  is  so 
great,  as  aU  the  acts  of  love,  all  the  manifestations  of  love,  the  transient  acts 
of  love,  the  fruits  of  love,  that  God  shews  and  manifesteth  to  eternity,  they 
are  not  all  enough  to  express  that  love  which  he  took  up  in  the  first  act, 
when  he  began  to  love  us,  and  all  serve  but  to  commend  and  manifest  that 
love.     And  then — 

Secondly,  For  the  time.  If  you  ask  when  he  first  began  to  love, — which 
also  sets  out  the  greatness  of  it, — it  was  from  everlasting.  This  word  in  the 
text,  '  hath  loved  us,'  or,  '  he  loved  us,'  reacheth  to  eternity ;  so  in  Jer.  xsxi.  3. 

And  then  for  the  continuance  of  it  ever  since ;  he  hath  continued  it  every 
moment.  Though  we  were  children  of  wrath,  and  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses, 
yet  he  all  that  while,  since  the  first  time  he  began  to  love  us,  hath  con- 
tinued to  love  us  with  the  same  love ;  he  hath  reiterated  the  same  thoughts 
again  and  again.  And  for  this  great  love,  wherewith  he  loved  us  from  ever- 
lasting, and  wherewith  he  hath  continued  to  love  us  ever  since,  from  ever- 
lasting, as  we  may  so  speak ;  '  for  this  great  love,'  saith  he,  '  he  hath  quick- 
ened us.' 

I  also  opened  in  the  last  discourse  the  greatness  of  this  love  from  the  per- 
sons, 'us.'  Us,  saith  he,  not  others.  We  were  children  of  wrath  as  well 
as  others,  but  '  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,'  and  not  others, — 
for  he  hath  not  quickened  all,  but  he  quickeneth  all  that  he  loveth, — he 
hath  'quickened  us  together  with  Christ.'  He  loved  us,  not  ours,  nor  for 
anything  in  us.  He  loved  us,  not  indefinitely, — that  is,  '  I  wUl  love  some  of 
mankind,' — but  he  hath  loved  us  distinctly,  pitching  upon  those  persons  he 
pitched  his  love  upon,  and  laying  forth  all  the  mercies  and  all  the  fruits  of 
love  upon  them,  eyeing  their  persons. 

There  was  likewise,  I  told  you,  another  thing  which  sets  out  the  greatness 
of  this  love,  and  that  is  the  condition  of  our  persons,  '  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes,' and  that  follows  in  the  fifth  verse.  But  as  I  said  then,  I  going  over 
these  words  in  a  way  of  exposition,  and  not  handling  them  as  a  subject,  will 
not  insist  on  everything  in  that  artificial  method,  as  if  I  were  to  write  a  tract 
upon  it. 

There  is  but  one  thing  more,  and  it  is  a  great  thing,  and  I  confess  I  did 
not  observe  it  a  long  while  in  the  text,  but  stUl  took  the  words  to  have  run 
thus,  '  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us ;'  but  I  find  it  is,  '  for  his 
great  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved  us.'  There  is  a  great  emphasis  in  that 
word  his.  He  saith  not  simply,  as  he  might  have  done,  because  that  God 
greatly  loved  us,  or,  because  of  a  great  love  he  bore  us ;  but  he  doubles 
it,  '  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us ; '  and  not  only  so,  but,  '  for  his 
great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.'.  My  brethren,  there  is  a  love  proper  to 
God,  which  is  a  diS'ering  kind  of  love  from  that  in  all  the  creatures  ;  his  love, 
as  the  text  hath  it  here.     As  his  goodness  is  another  kind  of  goodness  than 


172  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIL 

what  is  in  the  creatures,  so  is  his  love.  There  is  none  that  hath  tasted  of 
this  love  of  his  but  say  that  it  is  a  diflfering  love  from  the  love  of  all  the  crea- 
tures ;  and  the  difference  is  found  more  by  tasting  and  by  feeling  of  it  than  it 
is  by  setting  of  it  forth;  as  it  is  in  wines,  '  Thy  love  is  better  than  wine,  and 
thy  loving-kindness  is  better  than  life  : '  iDoth  of  which  are  better  discerned 
by  taste  and  feeling  than  set  out  by  any  expression.  Indeed,  God  doth  com- 
pare his  love  to  what  is  in  the  creature,  to  set  it  out  to  us,  because  we  appre- 
hend it  by  such  comparisons ;  as  when  he  saith,  '  Like  as  a  father  pitieth,' 
or  loveth,  '  his  children,  so  the  Lord  loveth  them  that  fear  him.'  And,  ''  If 
a  mother  forget  her  child,'  &c.  But  yet,  notwithstanding,  '  the  love  where- 
with he  loved  us'  is  of  another  kind  from  aU  these.  In  1  John  iii.  1,  '  Be- 
hold,' saith  the  Apostle,  'what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
upon  us  ! ' — he  speaks  in  respect  of  one  fruit  of  it, — such  a  love,  for  the  kind 
of  it,  as  no  man,  no  creature,  could  bestow  upon  us.  In  Hos.  xi.  9,  where, 
giving  the  reason  why  that  he  loving  his  people  they  are  not  destroyed,  he 
saith,  '  I  am  God,  and  not  man.'  It  is  spoken  in  respect  of  his  love  clearly, 
for  it  comes  in  there  upon  a  conflict  vdth  himself;  when  he  had  been  pro- 
voked beyond  the  bounds  and  measure  of  pardon,  yet  when  he  comes  to 
pimish,  he  finds  his  love  not  to  be  as  the  love  of  a  man.  '  My  heart  is 
turned  within  me,'  saith  he,  ver.  8,  '  my  repentings  are  rolled  together :  I 
will  not  return  to  destroy ;  for  I  am  God,  and  not  man.'  My  love  is  of 
another  extent,  of  another  kind,  than  the  love  of  man.  And  so  when  he 
speaks  of  mercy,  in  Isa.  Iv.  8,  9,  '  My  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  nei- 
ther are  your  ways  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord  :  for  as  the  heavens  are  higher 
than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts 
than  your  thoughts.'     It  is  his  love,  so  saith  the  text  here. 

Now  to  speak  a  little  of  this,  for  it  lies  in  the  way  in  the  text : — 
First,  His  love ;  it  is  a  love  for  nothing  in  us.  The  love  that  one  crea- 
ture bears  to  another  is  still  for  something  in  them ;  but  the  love  of  God,  if 
it  be  his  love,  a  love  that  is  proper  unto  him,  must  needs  be  free  :  and  that 
not  only  for  this  reason,  which  is  usually  given,  and  is  a  true  one  too,  be- 
cause that  his  love  is  from  everlasting,  and  nothing  in  the  creature  in  time 
can  be  the  cause  of  what  is  in  God  from  everlasting ;  but  for  this  reason 
likewise,  because  that  only  God  can  be  moved  by  what  is  in  himself,  he  can 
love  no  otherwise  but  from  himself.  The  creatures  love  because  things  are 
lovely,  and  there  must  be  motives  to  draw  out  that  love  that  is  in  them ; 
but  when  God  loves,  he  loves  as  from  his  own  heart.  There  is  nothing  in 
us,  no,  not  in  Christ,  that  should  move  God  to  love  us ;  though  indeed  to 
bestow  those  things  that  God  bestows  upon  us,  so  Christ  is  the  moving  cause. 
'  Jacob  have  I  loved,'  saith  he,  and  that  before  he  had  done  any  good  or  eviL 
So  that,  as  no  evil  in  him  did  put  God  off  from  loving  him,  so  no  good  did 
move  God  to  love  him.  In  2  Tim.  i.  9,  there  is  one  little  particle  that  I 
found  this  upon,  '  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling,  not 
according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  oivn  purpose  and  grace,  which 
was  given  us  ia  Christ  before  the  world  began.'  Mark,  '  according  to  his 
own  purpose,'  which  is  the  thing  I  pitch  upon  in  that  place ;  that  is,  as  the 
Apostle  explains  it,  Eph.  L  9,  '  which  he  purposed  in  himself,'  or  '  from  him- 
self'— 'a  purpose  merely  taken  up  in  or  from  himself.  And  therefore  you 
shall  find  the  phrase  in  Scripture  to  run,  that  as  he  loves  us  out  of  his  own 
purpose,  so  for  his  own  sake.  '  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  but  for  my 
own  name's  sake.'  My  brethren,  there  was  a  love  which  God  did  bear  to  man 
in  innocency,  the  terms  of  which  were  such  as,  in  a  way  of  justice  between 
the  Creator  and  the  creature,  it  became  God,  if  he  made  him  holy  as  he  did 


EpH.  II.  4-G.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  173 

in  innocency,  to  bestow  upon  him.  But  because  that  this  was  a  love  that 
seemed  to  have  a  kind  of  justice  in  it,  and  something  in  the  creature  which 
it  was  founded  upon,  therefore  he  destroys  that  condition,  that  he  might 
make  way  to  manifest  the  love  that  was  according  to  his  own  purpose  and 
grace,  and  merely  from  himself.  And  that  now  is  his  love ;  for  if  God  do 
love  like  God,  this  is  the  love  that  is  his,  that  is  proper  unto  him.  And  saith 
he,  *  not  according  to  our  works' — that  is,  it  is  founded  upon  nothing  at  all 
in  the  creature.  For  by  '  works'  there,  he  understands  all  habitual  disposi- 
tions of  goodness,  of  what  kind  soever,  as  the  Scripture  usually  doth ;  as 
when  it  saith,  *  he  wiU  judge  every  man  according  to  his  works,'  it  is  not 
only  meant  of  the  outward  acts,  but  of  the  inward  frame  of  heart.  He  looks 
to  nothing  in  the  creature,  but  to  his  own  purpose.  It  is  his  love,  therefore 
it  is  free. — That  is  the  first. 

Secondly,  His  love;  it  is  a  love  that  is  firm  and  peremptory,  unchangeable 
and  invincible;  and  such  a  love  it  became  God  to  bear  us,  if  he  would  love 
us,  for  that  properly  is  his  love.  *  Put  not  your  trust  in  princes,'  saith  the 
Psalmist ;  they  will  all  fail ;  the  taen  perish,  and  their  thoughts  perish  ;  yea, 
sometimes  their  thoughts  and  affections  die  to  their  greatest  favourites,  be- 
fore they  die  themselves.  But  his  love  is  firm  and  peremptory,  it  is  un- 
changeable and  invincible,  and  this  because  it  is  his  love.  Mai.  iii.  6,  'I 
am  the  Lord,  I  change  not ; ' — that  is,  If  I  be  God,  and  whilst  I  am  God,  I 
will  not  cease  to  love  you,  I  will  not  change  ; — '  therefore  it  is  that  ye  sons  of 
Jacob  are  not  consumed.'  His  love  is  as  immutable  as  his  being.  I  will 
not  be  God,  if  I  be  not  your  God,  and  love  you ;  he  pawns  all  his  God- 
head upon  it.  '  I  am  the  Lord,'  saith  he,  '  I  change  not ;  therefore  ye  are 
not  consumed.'  In  Eom.  ix.  11,  speaking  of  the  election  of  Jacob,  he  saith, 
'  that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might  stand  : '  it  is  a  great 
word  that ;  he  fixed  it  upon  such  a  basis  as  might  stand  for  ever.  It  is  a 
true  thing  that  all  God's  counsels  do  stand  fixed  and  firm ;  look  how  he  pur- 
poseth  them,  be  they  of  what  kind  soever.  That  Adam  should  be  holy,  that 
counsel  did  stand  firm  ;  but  how  1  It  stood  firm  for  so  long  as  he  purposed  it, 
which  was  tUl  such  time  as  he  fell ;  it  was  but  for  a  moment  in  comparison. 
And  so,  that  Saul  should  be  king,  he  purposed  it,  and  it  stood  firm  so  far ; 
but  he  repented  that  he  made  Saul  king.  But  when  he  cometh  to  speak  of 
election,  he  speaks  of  that  as  of  such  a  counsel  that  not  only  standeth  as  all 
other  his  counsels  do,  but  as  that  which  is  perpetuated  to  eternity.  His 
purpose  to  love  Adam  was  a  firm  purpose,  for  so  he  did  ;  but  how  1  Whilst 
he  was  in  that  state  of  innocency,  and  had  the  image  of  God  upon  him.  But 
his  purpose  according  to  election,  as  the  distinction  is  there,  that  stands,  and 
it  stands  for  ever.  Therefore  it  is  not  of  works,  but,  as  was  said  before,  of 
his  own  purpose,  that  it  might  stand,  that  it  might  have  a  rock  of  eternity, 
for  the  basis  of  it  to  stand  upon.  It  is  therefore,  as  by  way  of  distinction 
from  aU  purposes  else  as  it  were,  called  the  '  purpose  according  to  election.' 
If  you  will  have  this  further  confirmed,  take  that  place  also,  which  loadeth 
it  with  more  epithets  for  the  firmness  of  it,  in  2  Tim.  ii.  1 9,  '  The  foundation 
of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal.  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.' 
He  speaks  of  God's  purpose  in  election,  and  of  the  persons  elected ;  for  he 
saith  it  is  that  which  hath  this  seal,  '  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.' 
You  have  here  aU  sorts  of  words  to  make  it  firm — 

1.  It  is  called  a  foimdation ;  *  The  foundation  of  God,'  saith  he, '  standeth 
sure.'  There  are  two  great  foundations,  and  of  the  two,  if  we  may  make 
comparisons,  this  is  the  greater.  Jesus  Christ  is  a  foundation,  but  the  eter- 
nal love  of  God,  that  is  the  first  foundation;  it  was  the  womb  of  Christ  Jiim- 


174  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XII. 

self:  1  Cor.  iii.  11,  'Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ.'  There  you  see  Christ  is  a  foundation,  but  here  is  a 
higher  foundation, — '  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his,'  loved  them  and 
chose  them,  and  so  he  did  Christ  himself. 

2.  It  is  not  only  called  a  foundation,  but  a  sure  foundation. 

3.  It  is  called  the  foundation  of  God,  it  is  founded  in  him,  it  is  founded 
upon  him,  it  is  as  firm  as  himself ;  as  he  is  God,  he  will  stand  to  it,  and  there- 
fore it  must  needs  stand. 

4.  It  is  a  foundation  that  remaineth,  it  standeth,  it  is  steady. 

5.  It  is  sealed :  '  having  this  seal,'  saith  he  ;  so  that  it  is  never  to  be  broken 
and  altered.  If  the  decrees  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  when  they  had  set 
their  seals  to  them,  were  such  as  were  not  to  be  altered ;  much  more  God's. 
His  seal  is  in  this  respect  more  than  his  oath.  '  Him  hath  the  Father  sealed,' 
saith  he,  speaking  of  Christ.  Now  you  have  both  his  oath  and  his  seal  to 
this ;  that  is,  to  the  invincibleness  and  unchangeableness  of  his  love.  You 
have  his  seal  in  this  place,  '  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his ; '  and  his 
oath  you  have  in  Heb.  \i.  17.  And  what  doth  this  oath  serve  for?  To 
shew  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel ;  and  the 
immutability  of  his  counsel  respecting  persons,  and  not  things  only,  for  it  is 
an  oath  that  God  made  to  Abraham,  when  he  swore  concerning  Isaac.  And 
therefore  the  text  hath  it  in  Timothy ;  it  '  hath  this  seal.  The  Lord  knoweth 
them  that  are  his.'  IS  you  will  know  whence  the  words  are  taken,  that  I  may 
open  them  a  little,  you  must  observe  this,  that  the  Apostle  handleth  the 
doctrine  of  election  and  reprobation  in  the  New  Testament  out  of  the  speeches 
and  types  of  the  Old  ;  as,  '  Esau  have  I  hated,  Jacob  have  I  loved,'  in  Rom. 
ix.  And  so,  '  I  will  be  merciful  to  whom  I  wiU  be  merciful ; '  it  was  spoken 
of  Moses,  in  Exod.  xxxiii.  19.  And  so  likewise  those  words  in  Timothy, 
'  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his,'  are  spoken  of  Aaron  and  Moses  in 
Num.  xvi.  3,  when  Korah  and  his  company  gathered  themselves  together 
against  Moses  and  Aaron,  saying,  '  You  take  too  much  upon  you,  seeing  all 
the  congregation  are  holy,'  and  they  may  be  aU  priests.  No,  saith  he  ;  God 
hath  chosen  Aaron  and  Moses  to  go  before  his  people,  and  to-morrow  the 
Lord  wUl  shew  who  are  his.  So  we  translate  it,  and  the  Septuagint  reads  it, 
and  it  comes  all  to  one  ;  '  The  Lord  knoweth  who  are  his.' 

Now  this  that  was  said  in  this  respect  of  Moses  and  Aaron  in  a  typical 
way,  and  indeed  in  a  decree  of  election  too, — for  that  God  singled  out  Moses 
and  Aaron,  it  was  his  everlasting  love, — I  say,  these  very  words  doth  the 
Apostle  here  apply,  and  jiertinently  too,  to  the  same  occasion;  for,  speaking 
of  divers  that  seemed  to  be  holy,  and  yet  fell  away,  however,  saith  he,  '  the 
foundation  of  the  Lord  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal.  The  Lord  knoweth 
who  are  his.'  And  the  word  '  knoweth  who  are  his,'  it  is,  whom  he  hath 
pitched  upon  to  love;  it  is  a  knowledge  of  approbation.  Exod.  xxxiii.  12, 
'  Thee  have  I  known  by  name,'  saith  God  unto  the  same  Moses,  which  is  all 
one  and  to  say,  'Thee  have  I  chosen;'  for,  ver.  19,  speaking  of  Moses  also, 
he  saith, '  I  ^vill  shew  mercy  on  whom  I  wUl  shew  mercy,'  which  the  Apostle 
quoteth  in  Rom.  ix.  as  spoken  of  election.  Now  in  respect  of  his  love  that 
is  thus  firm,  and  firm  in  respect  that  it  is  his  love  who  is  God  and  not  man, 
and  therefore  changeth  not;  it  is  therefore  said  of  the  elect  that  it  is  im- 
possible that  they  should  be  deceived.  As  I  told  you  there  are  two  founda- 
tions, so  there  are  two  impossibles  made  in  Scripture ;  I  know  there  are 
more,  as  it  is  impossible  that  God  should  lie,  &c.,  but  I  speak  of  impossibles 
that  relate  to  God's  decrees.  The  one  is.  Matt,  xxvi  39,  'If  it  be  possible, 
let  this  cup  pass  from  me.'     It  was  not  possible     Why?     Because  God's 


EpH,  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPUESIANS.  175 

eternal  love  to  his  saints  had  decreed  it  otherwise,  and  God  stuck  firm  to  it. 
The  other  impossible  is  in  Matt.  xxiv.  24,  '  Insomuch  that,  if  it  were  possible, 
they  should  deceive  the  very  elect ;'  that  is  impossible  too.  And  the  truth 
is,  the  reason  of  this  firmness  is  because  it  is  the  love  of  God,  and  because  it 
is  so  great  a  love ;  that  is  the  foundation  of  it.  And,  my  brethren,  it  is  well 
that  love  made  God's  decrees  for  us;  no  attribute  else  would  have  fixed  them 
so  unalterably  upon  the  same  persons,  in  themselves  so  changeable.  Would 
■wisdom  alone  have  gone  and  obliged  God  to  so  fickle  a  creature  as  we  are  ] 
No.  But  love  knew  what  it  did,  for  it  meant  to  manifest  itself  to  the  utter- 
most ;  therefore  it  pitched  upon  no  conditions  why  God  loved  us ;  and  if  he 
requires  conditions  before  he  saveth  us,  love  shall  work  those  conditions  in 
us.  Therefore  out  of  his  infinite  love  and  wisdom,  he  was  able  to  make  ab- 
solute promises  to  love,  and  to  love  firmly.  It  is  love  that  commandeth  all 
in  God,  and  if  love  will  do  it,  it  shall  be  done ;  for  if  all  that  is  in  God  can 
keep  us  and  preserve  us,  and  work  in  us  what  God  requires  to  make  him 
love  us,  and  continue  to  love  us,  it  shall  be  done.     It  is  firm  love. 

And  let  me  add  this  to  it,  which  may  illustrate  it  more,  it  is  invincible 
love.  You  will  say,  this  is  the  same  thing  with  being  unchangeable.  I  con- 
fess it,  but  only  with  this  difference,  that  to  shew  his  love  is  unchangeable, 
he  would  have  a  world  of  difiiculties  to  run  through,  which  yet  his  love 
should  overcome.  Saith  he  in  Cant.  viii.  6,  7, — and  he  speaks  of  his  love, 
having  set  us  as  a  seal  upon  his  arm,  having  this  seal,  '  The  Lord  knows  who 
are  his,' — '  Love  is  as  strong  as  death.  Many  waters  cannot  quench  love, 
neither  can  the  floods  drown  it.'  They  are  therefore  called  the  sure  mercies 
of  David.  And  you  know  how  David  put  them  to  the  trial,  and  how  he  put 
God  to  it.  What  difficulties  doth  the  love  of  God  overcome  1  Do  but  con- 
sider. The  purposes  of  his  secret  will  toward  us  do  overcome  all  the  difficulties 
of  his  revealed  will,  and  those  were  enough.  He  had  given  a  laAV  of  his  re- 
vealed will,  and  he  had  said  that  heaven  and  earth  should  pass  away  before 
one  tittle  of  that  should  perish ;  and  that  the  soul  that  sinned  should  die  ; 
and  all  had  sinned  and  transgressed  this  law.  But  now  though  all  were  fast 
locked  up  under  this,  yet  love  breaks  open  all,  for  it  is  an  invincible  love. 
That  secret  purpose  of  his,  I  say,  overcomes  that  revealed  expression  of  his, 
which  had  so  many  bolts  and  bars  to  it, — all  the  threatenings  and  curses  of 
the  law, — and  finds  out  a  way  to  reconcile  aU. 

And  the  way  whereby  he  did  it,  it  was  an  infinite  difficulty.  For  God  to 
overcome  his  own  heart !  Do  you  think  it  was  nothing  for  him  to  put  his 
Son  to  death  1  When  Christ  came  to  die,  what  a  difficulty  did  he  overcome ! 
Do  you  think  it  was  nothing  for  him  to  give  up  himself  and  his  soul  to  the 
wrath  of  his  Father  ?  '  Father,'  saith  he, '  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass ; ' 
save  them,  if  it  be  possible,  some  other  way.  Why,  God's  love  overcame 
it,  and  Christ's  love  overcame  it ;  his  love  would  not  permit  him  to  think  of 
any  other  course ;  it  was  an  invincible  love.  When  he  comes  to  call  us, 
hath  he  no  difficulties  which  love  overcometh  1  A  man  hath  lived  twenty 
thirty,  forty  years  in  sin ;  love  overcomes  it.  We  were  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes ;  yet  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  he  quickened  us.  When 
we  have  been  dead,  and  dead  forty  years  in  the  grave,  that  '  lo,  he  stinketh,' 
then  doth  God  come  and  conquer  us;  it  is  an  invincible  love.  After  our 
calling,  how  do  we  provoke  God !  What  a  world  of  difficulties  do  we  run 
through  !  Such  temptations  that,  if  it  were  possible,  the  elect  should  be 
deceived  !  It  is  so  with  all  Christians.  No  righteous  man  but  he  is  '  scarcely 
saved;'  and  yet  saved  he  is,  because  the  love  of  God  is  invincible,  it  over- 
comes all  difficulties.     Still,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  in  Rom.  viii.  35,  37,  'Who 


176  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XII. 

shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  1  shaU  life  or  death  ? '  &c.  In  all  these, 
saith  he,  '  we  are  more  than  conquerors.'  There  is  an  invincibleness ;  but  how? 
'  Through  him  that  loveth  us,'  so  it  foUows ;  and  mark  that  particle,  it  is  be- 
cause his  love  is  an  invincible  love  that  doth  thus  make  us  to  be  conquerors : 
because  that  love  is  as  strong  as  death,  therefore  neither  death  nor  life, — it  is 
as  strong  as  heU,  therefore  neither  hell  nor  devil,  shall  be  able  to  separate. 

Nay,  where  there  is  but  a  mention  made  by  way  of  supposition,  or  by  way 
of  query,  whether  God  will  part  with  or  cast  off  any  of  his  people  or  no ; 
you  shall  find  that  he  throws  it  away  with  the  highest  indignation,  his  love 
is  so  great.  Paul  doth  but  put  the  question  because  he  knew  men  would  put 
it,  in  Rom.  xi.  1,  'Hath  God  cast  away  his  people?'  How  doth  the  Holy 
Ghost  answer  it  ?  '  God  forbid,'  saith  he.  He  speaks  with  the  highest  de- 
testation that  there  should  be  any  such  thought  in  God.  Even  as  in  another 
place  in  the  same  epistle,  chap.  vi.  1,  '  Shall  we  continue  in  sin  that  grace 
may  abound  ?'  Oh,  God  forbid  !  He  throws  it  away  with  all  the  indignation 
that  can  be  ;  and  God  may  allow  the  one  as  soon  as  do  the  other.  He  throws 
it  away,  I  say,  with  the  highest  indignation  that  ever  such  supposition  could 
be  made,  that  God  should  have  such  a  thought.  He  is  so  possessed  with  love 
to  his  people  that  he  will  hear  nothing  to  the  contrary.  '  Who  shall  lay 
anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?'  saith  the  Apostle;  'it  is  God  that 
justifieth,'  and  it  is  their  being  elect  that  carries  it.  Yea,  his  love  is  so 
strong  that  if  there  be  any  accusation, — the  Apostle  makes  the  supposition, 
'  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  their  charge  V  sin  or  devil  ? — that  if  at  any  time 
sin  or  devil  come  to  accuse,  it  moves  God  to  bless.  His  love  is  so  violent, 
it  is  so  set,  that  he  takes  occasion  to  bless  so  much  the  more.  In  Deut. 
xxiii.  5,  when  Balaam  would  lay  something  to  the  charge  of  the  elect  people 
of  God  there,  and  accuse  them  and  curse  them,  what  saith  the  text  ?  '  Never- 
theless the  Lord  thy  God  would  not  hearken  unto  Balaam,'  he  would  not  hear 
of  it ;  and,  not  only  so, '  but  the  Lord  thy  God  turned  the  curse  into  a  blessing 
unto  thee.'  And  why  ?  '  Because  the  Lord  thy  God  loved  thee.'  His  love 
was  so  strong  as  it  overruled  all  the  accusations  Balaam  could  make,  and  all 
his  curses.  Even  as  a  king  that  loveth  his  favourite,  if  any  one  comes  to 
accuse  him,  it  provokes  him — his  love  doth — so  much  the  more  not  only  to 
pardon  him,  but  to  shew  his  love  to  him.  My  brethren,  if  that  God  be 
angry  with  us  for  our  sins,  it  is  for  our  good ;  and  in  the  end  they  do  pro- 
voke him  to  bless  us  so  much  the  more.  This  must  needs  be  invincible  love. 
'  Who  shaU  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  ?  who  shall  lay  anything  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect  ?  In  aU  this  we  are  more  than  conquerors.'  And  so 
much  now  for  the  second  thing  which  is  proper  to  this  love  in  God,  which 
the  Apostle  calls  his  love,  and  to  no  creatures  else  in  the  world  as  it  is  in 
God,  namely,  to  love  thus  invincibly  and  unchangeably  as  he  doth. 

Thirdly,  His  love  is  the  same  love  wherewith  he  loveth  his  Son;  yea,  where- 
with he  loveth  himself. 

It  is  the  same  love  ivherewith  he  loveth  his  Son.  For  that  you  have  a  known 
place  in  John  xvii.  23,  26.  At  the  24th  verse,  saith  Christ,  Thou  hast  loved 
me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  hast  therefore  given  me  a  glory, 
and  thou  hast  united  me  unto  thyself.  Thou  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  so 
ver.  21 ;  and  thou  hast  united  a  company  of  thine — so  he  calls  them,  ver.  6 — 
unto  me,  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  so  saith  the  23d  verse ;  and  then  what 
follows  1  '  That  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast 
loved  me.'  As  he  is  united  to  God,  and  we  to  him,  so  God  loveth  us  with 
the  same  love  wherewith  he  loved  him. 

And  then  again  you  have  the  like  expression,  ver.  26,  '  That  the  love  where- 


EpH.  II.  4-G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIA^S.  177 

with  thou  lovest  me  may  be  in  them,' — that  is,  towards  them,  set  upon  them, 
derived  to  them.  Ic  is  a  phrase  of  kin  to  that  in  the  text ;  '  the  love  where- 
with he  loved  us,'  saith  the  Apostle ;  *  the  love  wherewith  thou  lovest  me,' 
saith  Christ,  to  note  a  special  love  :  but  that  which  I  quote  it  for  is  this, 

*  that  the  love  wherewith  thou  lovest  me  may  be  in  them,'  or  '  on  them,'  also. 
God  loved  all  his  creatures.  He  loved  Adam,  but  not  with  that  kind  of  love 
wherewith  he  loved  Christ ;  but  he  loveth  his  elect  with  the  same  kind  of 
love  wherewith  he  loved  him,  the  same  love  is  set  and  pitched  on  them. 
He  loveth  him  as  his  Son,  and  them  as  daughters  married  to  him :  as  a 
father  loveth  his  son,  and  a  daughter  married  unto  him,  with  the  same 
kind  of  love,  and  ditfering  from  his  love  to  the  servants,  or  to  any  else  that 
are  about  him.  And  therefore  you  shall  find  that  still  this  love  comes  in 
with  a  distinction  :  Rom.  viii.  39,  '  Nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other 
creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus.'  !Mark  it,  he  distinguisheth ;  there  is  a  love  indeed  which  men  have 
been  and  are  separated  from,  even  Adam  in  innocency ;  but,  saith  he,  if  it 
be  a  love  in  Christ  Jesus,  if  God  loveth  us  with  that  kind  of  love  where-«?ith 
he  loveth  Christ,  nothing  shall  separate  from  that.  For  as  we  are  said  to 
be  chosen  in  Christ,  so  we  are  said  to  be  loved  in  him ;  for  election,  or  the 
act  of  choosing,  is  expressed  to  us  still  by  an  act  of  love, — it  is  all  one,  they 
are  convertible.  Now,  he  is  said  to  choose  in  Christ,  so  to  love  in  Christ ; 
and  saith  the  Apostle,  nothing  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  in 
Christ.  He  speaks  it  by  way  of  distinction  from  other  love  which  men  may 
be  separated  from  ;  but  from  this,  saith  he,  there  is  no  separation. 

Yea,  let  me  go  higher.  God  loving  us  in  Christ,  his  love  is  in  a  manner 
ilie  same  wherewith  he  loveth  himself.  There  is  a  union  betwixt  Jesus  Christ 
and  us,  and  there  is  also  a  union  between  God  and  us :  John  xvii.  23,  '  I  in 
them,  and  thou  in  me.'  As  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ  loved  his  people  so 
as  that  if  his  people  be  hurt,  he  takes  it  as  if  it  were  done  to  himself, — '  Saul, 
Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  V — so  you  shall  find  that  God  himself  speaks 
as  if  his  people  and  he  were  all  one.  It  is  not  only,  as  in  John,  '  thine  they 
were,'  and,  *  God  knoweth  them  that  are  his,' — and  these  are  great  words, 
they  are  deep  words,  and  deep  expressions, — but  you  shall  find  that  God  in 
the  Old  Testament  speaks  in  the  person  of  his  people,  as  well  as  Christ  doth 
in  the  New.  Ps.  Ixxxi.  5,  '  This  he  ordained  in  Joseph,  for  a  testimony,' 
speaking  of  God,  '  when  he  went  out  of  Egypt,'  meaning  his  people.  And 
therefore,  in  Exod.  xi,  8,  saith  he  to  Pharaoh,  '  About  midnight  I  wdll  go 
out  into  the  midst  of  Egypt,  and  all  the  first-born  shall  die,'  &c.  '  And  after 
that  I  will  go  out,' — that  is,  my  people  shall  go  out.  So  that  now,  as  the 
union  between  Christ  and  his  people  is  such,  and  his  love  such,  as  that  what 
was  done  to  them,  he  reckons  done  to  himself ;  so  between  God  and  us  also. 

*  Thine  they  were,'  saith  Christ,  '  and  thou  gavest  them  me.'  They  are  more 
God's  therefore  than  Christ's,  or  first  God's,  and  then  given  unto  Christ. 
Therefore,  in  Isa.  Ixiii.  9,  in  all  their  afiliction  he  is  said  to  be  afflicted. 
Yea,  the  salvation  of  his  people  God  accounts  his  salvation,  Isa.  xlix.  6  : 

*  Thou  shalt  be,'  speaking  of  Christ,  '  my  salvation  unto  the  end  of  the  earth.' 

And  though  God  loveth  himself  with  a  natural  love,  yet  this  his  love  to 
us  is  now  in  a  manner  naturalised,  because  he  is  become  a  father  to  us.  He 
was  happy  in  himself,  and  might  be  so  without  us  for  ever;  yet  now  he 
speaks  as  if  that  the  want  of  us  would  make  him  imperfect :  '  Who  shall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  1 '  The  word  implies  a  separation,  like  the 
rending  of  the  soul  from  the  body ;  and  as  the  soul  would  be  imperfect  with- 
out the  body,  so  the  love  that  God  bears  us  would  make  him  so  too,  if  there 

VOL.  IL  M 


178  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XII. 

could  be  a  separation.  Therefore  in  Zeph.  iii.  17,  he  is  said  to  'rest  in  his 
love;'  if  he  enjoyed  us  not,  he  would  never  be  at  rest  else.  To  these  kind 
of  expressions,  my  brethren,  doth  the  Scripture  rise. 

And  so  much  now  for  having  opened  this,  '  his  great  love  wherewith  he 
loved  us.'  His  love,  a  love  that  is  proper  unto  God,  which  therefore  must 
needs  be  thus  great,  as  you  have  heard  it  opened  to  you.  The  greatness  of 
this  love,  in  respect  of  his  giving  Christ  to  be  our  head,  and  carrying  us  to, 
and  giving  of  us  heaven,  and  the  like ;  that  follows  alter,  and  I  shall  speak 
to  them  in  their  season  and  order.  I  have  done,  you  see,  with  that  which 
is  the  main  foundation,  viz.,  '  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us.'  I 
should  have  first  handled  the  first  clause  in  the  verse,  vi^.,  *'  But  God,  who  is 
rich  in  mercy ; '  but  you  may  remember,  I  told  you  that  love  was  in  this  to 
have  the  pre-eminence,  because  it  was  an  act  of  love  first  taken  up,  and  this 
great  love  is  that  which  guides  and  stirs  up,  manageth,  and  spends,  and 
draws  out  all  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God  towards  us,  when  we  were 
'dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.'  Now  then  there  must  be  something  said  to 
that,  that  he  is  rich  in  mercy. 

But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy. — These  words,  for  the  opening  of  them, 
may  be  considered  two  ways : — 

1.  In  their  relation  or  reference,  in  the  Apostle's  scope  here. 

2.  Simply  as  they  are  in  themselves. 

1.  In  their  relation  or  refer enoe,  they  do,  first,  hold  forth,  that  to  save  us 
all  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God  were  necessary.  Had  not  God  been 
thus  rich  in  mercy,  and  borne  so  great  a  love  to  us,  we  had  not  been  quickened, 
such  was  our  misery,  and  such  was  our  condition.  They  do  imply,  secondly, 
that  all  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God,  and  all  in  God,  did  move  him 
thus  to  be  merciful  and  to  be  gracious  to  us.  And  then,  thirdly,  that  where 
God  doth  love,  there  he  wUl  shew  forth  to  the  uttermost  all  those  riches  of 
mercy  that  are  in  him,  he  wUl  spend  them  all  to  save  us,  he  hath  engaged 
them  all.  '  God,'  saith  he,  '  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  where- 
with he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  hath  quick- 
ened us,  and  saved  us.' 

2.  If  you  take  the  words  simply  in  themselves,  they  import  two  things  : — 
(1.)  That  God  is  of  a  merciful  nature  and  disposition. 

(2.)  That  there  are  riches  of  mercy  in  that  nature  of  his. 

The  words  imply  both. 

First,  I  say,  that  he  is  merciful  in  his  nature  and  disposition ;  which  I 
argue  from  two  things  in  the  text  and  in  the  context. 

First,  if  you  observe  it,  when  he  sjjeaks  of  his  love,  he  speaks  of  it  as  an 
act  taken  up  by  God,  though  he  is  of  a  loving  nature,  which  is  the  founda- 
tion of  that  act.  '  The  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,'  saith  he.  But  when  he 
speaks  of  mercy,  he  speaks  of  it  as  of  a  disposition  which  love  stirred  up, 
which  love  expendeth  and  commandeth,  guideth  and  directeth.  God,  saith 
he,  being  in  himself  rich  in  mercy,  and  in  his  own  nature,  and  having  pitched 
an  act  of  love  upon  us,  for  that  great  love  wherewth  he  loved  us,  setting 
aside  that  nature  of  mercy  that  is  in  him,  hath  saved  us,  and  quickened  us. 
Secondly,  though  I  do  not  much  urge  the  participle,  cSv,  God  being  rich, 
which  being  in  God  is  his  essence;  for  though  that  word  u)v  is  not  always 
taken  for parita'piwTO  essencZi,  yet  notwithstanding,  look  upon  the  words  just 
before,  he  speaks  of  what  we  were  by  nature :  we  were  by  nature,  saith  he, 
and  by  our  natural  disposition,  children  of  wrath ;  and  so  on  the  contrary, 
speaking  of  God  :  God,  saith  he,  rrXovatog  wv,  who  is  in  his  nature,  in  his  dis- 
position, merciful  and  '  rich  in  mercy,  even  when  we  were  dead,'  &c. 


EpH.  II.  4-6. J  TO  THE  EPHESIAN>5.  179 

So  that,  I  say,  the  words  simply  considered  in  themselves  import,  first, 
that  God  is  in  his  nature  and  disposition  merciful,  which  is  the  foundation 
of  our  salvation.  And  then,  that  the  mercy  that  is  in  him  is  a  rich  mercy ; 
there  are  riches  of  mercy  in  him. 

I  shall  speak  a  word  or  two  to  the  first.  It  is  his  disposition  thus  to  he 
mercijid.  You  have  an  expression  in  2  Cor.  i  3,  where  God  is  said  to  be 
the  '  Father  of  mercies ; '  which  imports  that  as  he  is  the  spring  of  all  mercy, 
so  it  is  natural  to  him,  as  it  is  to  a  father  to  beget  children.  He  is  not  only 
said  to  be  a  father  unto  us,  and  like  a  father  to  be  merciful  to  us ;  but  he  is 
said  to  be  the  Father  of  all  the  mercies  which  he  doth  bestow  upon  us,  more 
the  Father  of  mercies  than  Satan  is  said  to  be  the  father  of  sin ;  yet  he  is 
said  to  be  the  father  of  sin,  and  when  he  sinncth,  he  sinneth  of  his  own, 
John  viii.  44.  I  say,  it  is  his  nature,  it  is  his  disposition.  '  God,'  saith  he, 
'  who  is  rich  in  mercy ; '  it  is  his  being.  We  are  by  nature  children  of  wrath, 
he  is  by  nature  merciful. 

Mercy  is  his  delight,  and  therefore  natural  to  him,  as  in  all  acts  of  nature 
you  know  there  is  a  delight.  Micahvii.  18,  *  He  retaineth  not  his  anger  for 
ever,  because,'  saith  he,  '  he  delighteth  in  mercy.' 

The  mercies  of  God  are  called  in  Scripture  his  boweU ;  now  there  is  no- 
thing so  intimate  or  so  natural  to  a  man  as  his  bowels  are.  And  they  are 
called  his  bowels  because  they  are  his  inwards  j  and  all  that  is  within  him, 
his  whole  being  and  nature  inclines  him  to  it.  Luke  i.  78,  '  Through  the 
tender  mercy  of  our  God ; '  so  we  translate  it,  look  in  your  margins,  it  is 
the  'bowels  of  God.'  So  in  James  v.  11,  he  is  called  TOAuc-^vayj^no;,  fuU  of 
bowels.  You  know  the  bowels  are  the  most  inward  and  the  most  natural, 
more  than  outward  members.  A  man  may  lose  an  outward  member  and  be 
a  man  stUl ;  but  he  cannot  lose  his  inwards,  his  bowels.  They  are  said  t<j 
be  his  bowels,  because  all  the  mercy  he  sheweth,  he  doth  it  from  within. 
Hosea  ii.  19,  'I  •will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  loving-kindness  and  in  mer- 
cies ; '  in  the  original  it  is,  '  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  mercy  and  in 
bowels  ; '  yea,  in  the  womb  of  mercy,  as  the  word  signifies.  Now,  as  Sanc- 
tius  well  observes,  he  doth  not  only  make  a  covenant  to  be  a  husband  to  us 
and  to  betroth  us  to  himself  in  mercy ;  but,  saith  he,  thou  shalt  have  my 
bowels,  thou  shalt  have  the  womb  itself  that  conceives  them,  thou  shalt  have 
the  mother  of  mercies,  as  he  himself  is  siiid  to  be  the  Father  of  mercies,  be- 
cause that  mercy  is  his  inwards,  and  he  begets  it,  he  conceives  it ;  he  is  both 
the  womb  of  mercies  and  the  Father  of  mercies.  All  these  expressions  the 
Scripture  hath,  to  shew  how  natural  tliey  are  to  him  as  himself.  '  God,  who 
is  rich  in  mercy,'  saith  he. 

And  then  again ;  it  is  his  nature  and  disposition,  because  when  he  doth 
shew  mercy,  he  doth  it  with  his  whole  heart.  1  Chron.  xviL  19,  'According 
to  thine  own  heart,  hast  thou  done  all  this  greatness,'  saith  David,  when  he 
speaks  of  God's  shewing  mercy ;  that  is,  thou  hast  shewn  mercy  like  thyself, 
like  the  great  God,  '  according  to  thine  own  heart.' 

My  brethren,  though  God  is  just,  yet  his  mercy  may  be  in  some  respect 
said  to  be  more  natural  to  him  than  all  acts  of  justice  itself  that  God  doth 
shew,  I  mean  vindicative  justice;  in  them  there  is  a  satisfaction  to  an  attri- 
bute, in  that  he  meets  and  is  even  with  sinners;  yet  notwithstanding  there 
is  a  kind  of  violence  done  to  himself  in  it,  the  Scripture  so  expresseth  it; 
there  is  something  in  it  that  is  contrary  to  him.  And  so  many  interpret 
that  place,  '  I  will  not  the  death  of  a  sinner ; '  that  is,  I  delight  not  simply 
in  it,  I  will  not  do  it  animi  causa,  for  pleasure's  sake,  because  I  delight  in 
the  thing,  as  those  that  are  of  the  Remonstrants'  opinion  slander  the  other 


180  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIL 

party,  that  they  make  God  to  delight  in  the  death  of  a  sinner.  No ;  when 
he  exerciseth  acts  of  justice,  it  is  for  a  higher  end,  it  is  not  simply  for 
the  thing  itself;  there  is  always  something  in  his  heart  against  it.  But 
when  he  comes  to  shew  mercy,  to  manifest  that  it  is  his  nature  and  disposi- 
tion, it  is  said  that  he  doth  it  with  his  whole  heart ;  there  is  nothing  at  all 
in  him  that  is  against  it,  the  act  itself  pleaseth  him  for  itself,  there  is  no 
reluctancy  in  him.  Therefore,  in  Lam.  iii.  33,  when  he  speaks  of  punish- 
ing, he  saith,  '  He  doth  not  afflict  willingly,  ncJr  grieve  the  children  of  men.' 
But  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  shewing  mercy,  he  saith  he  doth  do  it  '  with 
his  whole  heart,  and  with  his  whole  soul;'  so  the  expression  is,  Jer.  xxxii 
41.  And  therefore  acts  of  justice,  you  know,  are  called  opus  alienum,  his 
'  strange  work,'  and  his  '  strange  act,'  in  Isa.  xxviii.  21.  But  when  he  comes 
to  shew  mercy,  he  rejoices  over  them,  to  do  them  good,  with  his  whole  heart, 
and  with  his  whole  soul ;  as  it  is  in  that  Jer.  xxxii.  41. 


EpU.  11.  1-6.]  TO  THE  EPUESIANS.  181 


SERMON  Xin. 

Bvt  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherexvith  he  loved  us,  even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  {by 
grace  ye  are  saved;)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  to- 
gether in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus. — Vee.  4-6. 

The  Apostle  had  handled  in  the  verses  before,  and  given  the  most  exact  de- 
scription of  that  wretched  and  deplorable  estate  which  by  nature  we  lie  in; 
dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  and  children  of  wrath.  And  he  ushereth  in  our 
salvation,  both  in  the  thing  and  in  the  causes  of  it,  with  this  '  but '  here  : 
'  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  &c.  Which  is  the  greatest  turn  that  ever 
was,  that  men  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  guilty  of  death  over  and  over,  and 
children  of  wrath  by  nature,  he  that  is  the  just  God  should  not  have  de- 
stroyed them.  Xo,  but,  saith  he, '  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  or,  '  God,  being 
rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were 
dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us.'  There  was  an  ambushment  of  everlasting 
love  and  riches  of  mercy  laid  up  in  him,  which  that  love  hath  disposed  of 
for  the  salvation  of  them  he  hath  chosen ;  and  out  of  that  mercy,  and  out 
of  that  love,  when  we  were  thus  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  he  hath  quick- 
ened us  together  with  Christ.  Take  notice  of  it ;  saith  he,  '  by  grace  ye  are 
saved.' 

His  scope  is  to  hold  forth,  and  withal  to  magnify,  those  two  great  causes 
of  our  salvation  that  are  in  God  himself.  The  one  is,  that  act  of  love  where- 
with he  loved  us  and  continued  to  love  us,  which,  he  saith,  is  a  great  love ; 
and,  secondly,  those  riches  of  mercy  which  are  in  him. 

The  greatness  of  this  love  I  have  endeavoured,  so  far  as  this  text  sets  it 
forth,  to  lay  open  to  you.  I  shall  only  give  you  in  brief  the  heads  of  what 
I  have  said  concerning  it,  and  so  proceed  to  speak  of  the  riches  of  that  mercy 
which  are  in  God.  I  told  you,  the  reason  why  I  spake  of  love  first  was  this : 
because,  as  here  you  see,  it  is  his  love,  that  though  it  is  not  the  cause  of  the 
mercy  that  is  in  him,  yet  it  is  that  which  disposeth  of  all  the  treasury  of 
mercy  unto  sinners,  because  he  had  first  set  his  love  upon  them,  and  so  great 
a  love  as  he  had  done. 

Great,  first,  in  respect  of  the  subject  of  it,  which  is  God  j  and  if  God  will 
fall  in  love,  how  great  will  that  love  be  ! 

It  is  great,  secondly,  in  respect  of  the  kind  of  it ;  his  love.  The  Apostle 
doth  not  only  say,  '  for  the  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,'  but,  '  for  his  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us,'  such  a  love  as  the  creatures  bear  not ;  and  the 
love  '  wherewith  he  hath  loved  us,'  not  the  love  '  wherewith  he  did  love  us ' 
when  he  did  convert  us,  but  loved  us  from  everlasting.  '  "With  an  everlast- 
ing love  have  I  drawn  thee,'  or  rather,  '  have  I  extended  towards  thee.' 

Lastly,  the  consideration  of  the  persons  upon  whom  this  love  is  pitched 
argues  the  greatness  of  it, — us,  us  distinct,  us  by  name,  and  us,  not  others, 
though  others  were  children  of  wrath  as  well  as  we.  '  We  were,'  saith  he, 
*  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others  :  but  God,  for  the  great  love,'  &c. 


182  AN  EXPOSIT.ON  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIIL 

These  things  I  insisted  largely  upon  in  the  last  discourse. 

I  am  now  to  come  to  speak  of  the  riches  of  mercy  which  are  in  God,  so 
far  forth  as  shall  serve  to  open  this  text,  and  shall  be  proper  to  that  which 
we  have  in  hand. 

But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  &c. — These  are,  my  brethren,  very  great 
expressions ;  therefore  if  I  shall  a  little  insist  upon  them,  more  than  I  have 
done  upon  former  things,  or  than  I  shall  do  for  time  to  come,  you  may 
pardon  me.  Yet  what  belongs  to  this  head  of  riches  of  mercy,  so  far  as  this 
text  holds  it  forth,  I  purpose  to  despatch  in  this  discourse. 

The  Apostle  useth  this  high  epithet,  '  riches,'  when  he  speaks  of  mercy 
and  of  grace,  five  times  in  this  epistle.  In  the  1st  chapter,  ver.  7,  you 
have  it  :  'In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness 
of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace.'  Then  you  have  it  here,  in  this 
4th  verse  of  the  2d  chapter,  '  God,  who  is  rich  in.  mercy.'  Then,  thirdly, 
you  have  it  in  the  7  th  verse  of  this  chapter  agaia,  and  there  you  have  it 
Avith  an  addition,  '  exceedmg  riches  of  his  grace.'  And  then,  fourthly,  you 
have  it  in  the  3d  chapter,  ver.  8,  *  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.'  And 
then  again,  lastly,  you  have  it  in  the  16th  verse  of  the  3d  chapter,  'that  he 
would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory.'  I  shall  not  so  speak 
to  it  therefore  now  but  that  I  shall  reserve  matter  that  shall  be  proper  unto 
those  texts  when  I  come  to  speak  to  them. 

I  need  not  then  stand  to  give  you  any  parallel  scriptures  to  shew  that 
God  is  called  '  rich  in  mercy,'  or  that  mercy  in  God  is  called  'rich  mercy;' 
it  being  four  or  five  times  iu  this  epistle  attributed  unto  mercy.  I  shall 
only  name  that  in  Rom.  x.  12,'  The  same  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that 
call  upon  him.'  The  Apostle  indeed  doth  not  there  say  that  he  is  rich  in 
mercy,  but  he  means  it ;  for  he  would  have  said  else,  God  is  good  unto  all. 
But  he  thought  that  expression  too  little,  and  therefore  he  comes  out  with 
this,  he  is  rich  unto  all ;  that  is,  he  is  infinite,  overflowing  in  goodness,  he 
is  good  to  a  profuseness,  he  is  good  to  the  pouring  forth  of  riches,  he  is  good 
to  an  abundance.  He  speaks  of  mercy,  for  he  speaks  of  salvation  ;  and  he 
had  said  just  before,  ver.  11,  but  only  this,  and  it  was  but  a  slender  expres- 
sion, '  Whosoever  believeth  on  htm  shall  not  be  ashamed ; '  but  when  he  comes 
to  prove  it,  then  saith  he,  '  The  same  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call 
upon  him  ;  for  whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  Lord  shall  be  saved.* 
For  the  proof  of  it,  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  that,  he  speaks  of  the  most; 
though  when  he  speaks  of  the  thing,  he  speaks  of  the  least. 

Now,  '  riches  of  mercy '  in  God,  is  a  metaphor  borrowed  from  other  riches 
amongst  men,  and  he  speaks  of  God  here  after  the  manner  of  men.  Or,  if 
you  will,  rather  other  things  are  called  riches,  by  way  of  similitude  from 
God ;  for  as  God  only  is  good,  as  Christ  saith,  so  only  he  is  rich  :  1 
Chron.  xxix.  1 2,  '  Both  riches  and  honour  come  of  thee.'  He  only  is  good, 
because  he  is  the  fountain  of  all  goodness  ;  and  he  only  is  rich,  because  he 
is  the  fountain  of  all  riches.  So  as  indeed  other  things  are  called  riches 
because  of  a  similitude  to  what  is  in  him.  But  if  we  take  it,  as  most  do,  to 
be  spoken  by  a  borrowed  similitude  from  outward  riches,  alas  !  still  it  doth 
not  reach  it.  Why  1  Because  that  outward  riches  amongst  men,  they  are 
all  outward  thingS;  therefore  they  are  said  to  have  wings  and  to  fly  away, 
leave  the  man  still,  for  they  are  but  accidental  to  him.  You  have  the  inven- 
tory of  the  riches  of  Tyre  in  Ezek.  xxvii.,  and  they  are  all  of  things  without. 
Now  the  truth  is,  that  thus  God  is  said  to  be  rich  too,  in  respect  of  out- 
ward things,  that  are  outward  to  himself.  '  The  earth,'  saith  the  Psalmist, 
'is  full  of  his  riches,'  Ps.  civ.  24.     Yet  these  are  all  outward  things  unto 


EPil.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  183 

God,  even  as  thoy  are  unto  us,  though  they  arc  his  riches  properly,  because 
they  all  come  of  hun.  And,  Deut.  xxviii.  12,  *  The  Lord  shall  open  to  thee 
his  good  treasure  ;'  speaking  of  Cod's  blessing  his  people,  which  is  but  the 
blessings  of  the  earth,  and  the  dews  of  heaven.  But,  alas  !  these  are  not  the 
riches  he  valucth ;  but,  my  brethren,  the  riches  that  he  valueth  are  the 
riches  that  are  in  his  OAvn  nature.  '  Let  not  the  rich  man  glory  in  his  riches,' 
Jcr.  ix.  23.  God  himself  glories  not  in  these  riches,  though  the  whole  earth 
is  his,  but  that  he  exerciseth  loving-kindness,  judgment,  and  righteousness 
in  the  earth  (ver.  24),  that  he  is  merciful  and  gracious.  In  these  respects 
he  is  said  to  be  rich,  and  rich  in  mercy. 

Inward  worth,  or  inward  excellency  of  any  kind,  is  called  riches ;  as  in 
James  ii.  5,  men  are  said  to  be  '  rich  in  faith ; '  and  in  1  Cor.  i,  5,  '  enriched 
in  all  utterance,  and  in  all  knowledge.'  It  is  there  a  metaphor  borrowed 
from  what  is  outward,  yet  applied  to  what  is  inward ;  and  so  here  in  the  text 
riches  are  applied  to  mercy  in  God.  Now  then  to  open  both  the  thing  and 
the  phrase  to  you  : — 

I  shall  chalk  out  to  you  how  I  mean  to  handle  this  thing,  in  such  a 
way  as  is  most  proper  to  the  scope  of  the  Apostle  here,  and  I  will  not  go 
out  of  it.  There  is  a  double  way  of  handling  the  riches  of  this  mercy  that 
is  in  God  : — 

The  first  is,  to  shew  forth  the  eminent  properties  and  excellencies  that  are 
in  the  mercies  of  God,  which  may  be  called  the  riches  of  this  mercy,  and 
the  richness  of  that  grace  that  is  in  him. 

Or,  secondly,  by  shewing  that  there  is  abundance  of  these  riches  in  God. 

These  are  two  distinct  things  j  and  the  one  will  serve  and  fit  the  7th 
verse,  for  which  I  will  reserve  it,  but  the  other  fitteth  this  verse :  therefore 
I  shall  speak  properly  and  punctually  to  what  the  Apostle  here  expresseth. 

Riches  is  attributed  both  to  things  and  to  persons,  and  in  a  differing  respect. 

Richness,  or  riches,  is  attributed  to  things,  and  then  it  importeth  the 
excellency  of  them.  As,  rich  apparel,  Ezek.  xxvii  24 ;  or  whatsoever  else 
you  will  apply  it  unto.  Yea,  it  is  applied  to  the  excellency  in  creatures 
that  do  not  make  men  rich ;  as  wine  is  called  rich  wine,  that  is,  that  which 
is  full  of  strength  and  pleasantness.  It  notes  out,  I  say,  the  excellency  of 
the  thing. 

But  then  there  are  riches  ascribed  to  the  persons  that  possess  them,  in 
respect  of  having  an  abundance  of  what  is  most  excellent. 

Now,  mark  it,  riches  attributed  to  the  thing ;  that  is,  unto  mercy  itself ; 
that  you  have  in  the  7th  verse, — though  the  other  will  come  in  there  too,  yet 
more  properly  that, — '  that  he  might  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
grace.'  There  is  the  riches  of  the  thing,  the  riches  of  the  grace  itself  And 
so  also  all  those  excellent  properties  that  are  in  grace,  in  mercy :  the  freeness, 
the  worth,  the  value,  the  price,  the  tenderness,  the  sweetness,  or  what  you 
will, — for  the  inward  worth  or  excellency  of  anything  is  called,  in  use  of 
speech,  the  richness  of  it,  as  a  rich  wine,  a  rich  cordial,  whatsoever  is  pleasant 
or  excellent, — riches  are  attributed  to  all  the  properties  of  it.  Now  I  shall 
not  here  handle  the  rich  properties  that  are  in  mercy,  which  God  shews 
forth  in  saving  us ;  I  shall  cut  off  all  those,  and  reserve  them  for  the  7th 
verse.  I  shall  now  only  speak  to  the  second,  namely,  riches  attributed  to 
the  person  or  subject  that  hath  this  mercy;  for  you  see  the  phrase  here  is, 
that  '  Cod  is  rich  in  mercy;'  and  so  I  shall  speak  of  that  treasury  that  is  in 
him,  and  is  an  abundance  to  flowing  over.  A  man  may  have  wine  that  is 
rich,  and  yet  not  be  rich  himself;  but  God  is  rich  in  mercy,  and  hath  riches 
of  mercy  in  him. 


184  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XIII. 

Now  in  handling  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God,  it  may  be  done  two 
ways  : — 

First,  To  handle  them  as  they  are  the  cause  and  original  in  God  of  our 
salvation,  as  they  do  move  him  thereunto,  and  as  they  are  the  spring  or 
mine  of  all  the  mercies  we  receive.     Or — 

Secondly,  To  handle  them  by  way  of  outward  demonstration,  in  the  effects, 
which  may  argue  and  evidence  the  greatness  of  these  riches. 

ISTow  ver.  4  and  ver.  7  share  these  two  between  them.  The  7th  verse  runs 
most  upon  the  demonstration,  or  holding  forth  a  manifestation  of  all  the 
mercies  that  God  had  vouchsafed.  For  so  he  endeth  in  the  close  of  that 
verse ;  '  that  in  the  ages  to  come,'  saith  he,  '  he  might  shew  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus.'  But 
these  words  in  ver.  4  ct)me  in  casually,  they  come  in  as  they  are  the  motive 
in  God  which  moved  him  to  quicken  us.  And  therefore  that  of  the  demon- 
stration of  the  riches  of  mercy  in  the  effects,  that  shall  come  in  at  ver.  7,  for 
there  it  is  most  proper. 

Here  are  three  things  which  I  shall  handle  in  these  words  for  the  opening 
of  them  : — 

1.  That  mercy  is  a  peculiar  excellency  in  God,  and  he  is  therefore  said  to 
be  *  rich  in  mercy.'  This  I  shall  speak  to  in  general,  and  you  shall  see  it 
will  naturally  arise  from  the  phrase  in  the  text. 

2.  I  shall  open  the  abundance  of  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God  sub- 
jectively. 

3.  I  shall  shew  you  what  riches  of  mercy,  as  the  cause  of  our  salvation,  are 
in  God,  and  do  lie  by  him.  '  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  saith  he,  '  for  his 
great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us,'  &c.  And  to  handle  them  thus  it  is  proper;  all  this  is  natural, 
it  is  not  to  go  out  of  the  text,  it  is  but  to  open  it ;  for  we  must  not  fetch  in 
all  that  can  be  said  of  mercy  when  we  come  to  expound  scriptures,  which  is 
the  work  we  have  now  in  hand. 

First,  I  say,  mercy  is  a  ])eculiar  excellency  in  God.  He  reckons  this  of  all 
other  excellencies  the  highest  and  greatest.  You  shall  find  this  amongst  men, 
though  thej'  possess  many  excellencies,  yet  they  are  said  to  be  rich  only  in 
what  is  eminently  excellent;  they  are  said  to  be  rich  only  in  respect  of  some- 
thing they  possess  in  a  more  peculiar  manner,  whether  riches  be  applied  to  in- 
ward excellencies  of  the  mind  or  to  outward.  If  to  inward  excellencies,  let 
a  man  have  never  so  much  wisdom,  yet  his  riches  lie  in  faith;  '  rich  in  faith,' 
saith  the  Apostle.  It  doth  not  he  in  his  human  prudence  or  wisdom,  but  in 
his  faith,  for  faith  is  the  superior  and  supreme  excellency  in  him,  in  respect  of 
which  he  is  said  to  be  rich,  and  which  makes  a  man  differ  from  other  men, 
even  as  reason  makes  a  man  differ  from  a  beast.  If  you  attribute  riches  to 
outward  things,  a  man  is  said  to  be  rich  only  in  that  which  is  most  eminently 
excellent ;  as  Abraham,  Gen.  xiii.  2,  is  said  to  be  rich  in  silver  and  in  gold. 
Therefore  you  know  gold  and  silver  and  precious  stones  are  in  an  eminent 
manner  counted  riches,  or  that  which  will  procure  them.  Money,  saith  Solo- 
mon, answereth  all  things,  Eccles.  x.  19.  And  in  Eccles.  ii.  8,  speaking  of 
himself  as  bemg  a  king,  saith  he,  '  I  gathered  me  silver  and  gold,  and  the 
pecuhar  treasure  of  kings.'  It  was  the  manner  of  kings  then,  and  so  is  now; 
and  if  you  travel  into  foreign  parts  you  shall  see  it  used  more  than  with  us  ; 
they  have  all  the  rarities  of  what  kind  soever,  which  they  reserve  in  a  trea- 
sury, in  a  closet  or  study,  great  pearls  and  precious  stones,  and  other  rarities 
— these  are  the  peculiar  treasure  of  kings.  So  it  is  here.  God,  though  he 
hath  other  excellencies  in  him,  and  all  excellencies  and  perfections,  yet,  not- 


EpH.  II.  4-G.J  TO  THE  EPHE3IAN3.  185 

■withstanding,  he  is  pleased  to  style  himself  rich  in  a  pccnliar  manner  in 
respect  of  mercy;  this  is  the  peculiar  treasure  of  the  King  of  kings.  As 
Solomon  gathered  him  silver  and  gold  and  the  peculiar  treasure  of  kings,  so, 
though  God  hath  justice  and  power,  and  all  these  things  in  him,  yet  that 
which  he  peculiarly  accounteth  the  treasure  of  God  himself  is  his  mercy ; 
'  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  saith  the  text. 

You  shall  not  read  in  all  the  Scripture,  that  I  know  of,  that  God  is  said 
to  be  rich  in  wrath,  or  rich  in  justice,  or  rich  in  power,  though  all  these  are 
inward  perfections  in  him.  Indeed  you  shall  find  this,  that  what  is  the  ob- 
ject of  his  wrath  he  reckons  a  treasury  for  him  too,  but  it  is  not  ascribed  to 
the  attribute  itself:  Deut.  xxxii.  33,  34,  *  Is  not  this  laid  up  in  store  with 
me,  and  sealed  up  among  my  treasures?'  But  what  speaks  he  of?  He 
speaks  of  men's  sins,  as  in  the  verses  before :  '  Their  vine  is  the  vine  of  Sodom, 
and  of  the  fields  of  Gomorrah  :  their  grapes  are  grapes  of  gall,  their  clusters 
are  bitter:  their  wine  is  the  poison  of  dragons,  and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps. 
Is  not  this,'  saith  he,  '  laid  up  in  store  with  me  V  &c.  He  speaks  of  these 
but  as  of  outward  riches  to  him,  which  will  indeed  one  day  bring  in  a  revenue 
of  glory  to  his  justice.  Therefore  you  see  he  useth  those  phrases  that  belong 
to  external  things  ;  '  laid  up  in  store  with  me,'  saith  he, '  and  sealed  up  among 
my  treasures.'  So  that  indeed  the  sinner  is  rather  said  to  treasure  up  wrath 
than  God :  Eom.  ii.  5,  *  After  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart  thou  trea- 
surest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,' — that  is,  the  treasury 
of  wrath  in  him,  though  God  reckons  it  also  his,  because  it  is  a  prey  for  his 
justice  to  feed  upon,  and  to  fetch  a  world  of  glory  out  of  it.  But  now  you  shall 
find  still  that  riches  is  applied  unto  mercy,  and  if  it  be  not  only,  yet  this  I 
am  sure  of,  that  it  is  most  frequently,  and  I  think  indeed  it  may  be  said  only. 
The  Scripture  speaks  of  riches  of  glory,  Eph.  iii.  1 6,  '  That  he  would  grant 
you,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory.'  Yet  eminently  mercy  is  there  in- 
tended ;  for  it  is  that  which  God  bestows,  and  which  the  Apostle  there  prayeth 
for.  And  he  calls  his  mercy  there  his  glory,  as  elsewhere  he  doth,  as  being 
the  most  eminent  excellency  in  God.  Saith  he,  in  Jer.  ix.  24,  *  Let  him  that 
glorieth  glory  in  this,  that  he  understandeth  and  knoweth  me,  that  I  am  the 
Lord  which  exercise  loving-kindness,  judgment,  and  righteousness  in  the 
earth.' 

Now,  to  what  doth  the  Apostle  apply  this  in  1  Cor.  i.  30,  311  Unto 
God's  giving  of  Jesus  Christ,  out  of  his  abundant  mercy,  to  be  righteousness 
and  redemption  and  all  things  for  us.  So  that  indeed  here  lies  that  which 
God  would  have  us  to  glory  in,  and  which  he  himself  glories  in,  that  we 
know  him  which  exerciseth  loving-kindness,  and  makes  Christ  our  right- 
eousness. You  know  Solomon  saith,  Prov,  xix.  11,  that  it  is  the  glory  of  a 
man  to  pass  over  a  transgression ;  herein  lies  the  glory  of  God.  That  in 
Rom.  ix.  22,  23,  compared,  is  observable.  In  ver.  22,  where  he  speaks  of 
God's  making  known  the  power  of  his  wrath,  saith  he,  '  God,  willing  to  shew 
his  wrath,  and  make  his  power  known.'  But  in  ver.  23,  when  he  comes  to 
speak  of  mercy,  he  saith,  '  that  he  might  make  knovra  the  riches  of  his 
glory;'  there  riches  come  in.  And  what  glory  doth  he  mean  ?  Certainly  he 
means  the  glory  of  his  grace  in  a  more  eminent  manner,  as  appeareth  by  the 
denomination  of  the  subject;  '  upon  the  vessels  of  mercy,'  saith  he.  And  so 
in  Rom.  x.  12,  where  he  is  said  to  be  '  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.' 
By  riches  there  the  meaning  is,  he  is  rich  in  goodness;  he  is,  as  I  said,  good 
to  a  richness,  good  to  a  profuseness,  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.  So  that 
indeed,  my  brethren,  it  is  that  peculiar  attribute  of  mercy  that  riches  is 
ascribed  unto.     There  is  one  place,  and  it  is  in  Rom.  xi.  33,  where  riches  is 


186  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIII. 

applied  to  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God.  But  believe  it,  the  Apostle 
speaks  there  of  electing  knowledge  and  wisdom,  that  contriveth  mercy  for 
us,  as  the  very  words  before  shew,  and  as  the  conclusion  of  all  his  discourse 
in  the  next  chapter,  ver.  1,  makes  apparent,  where,  having  ended  his  dis- 
course concerning  God's  having  mercy  upon  Jew  and  Gentile,  he  saith,  '  I 
beseech  you  by  the  mercies  of  God.'  So  that  indeed  mercy  carries  away  the 
name  of  these  riches,  at  leastwise  most  frequently  in  the  New  Testament. 

Now,  do  but  think  with  yourselves,  that  I  may  quicken  your  hearts  a 
little.  There  is  nothing  could  be  more  comfortable  to  us  than  this,  that  God 
should  account  mercy,  of  all  things  else,  to  be  his  riches,  and  himself  to  be 
rich  in  a  more  special  manner  in  mercy.  You  may  see  the  difference  be- 
tween God  and  men  in  their  riches.  Whilst  kings  and  great  men  account 
their  riches  in  other  things,  God  accounts  his  riches  in  being  merciful.  My 
brethren,  mercy,  if  you  consider  it,  what  is  it  ?  Why,  it  is  that  which  God 
himself  hath  no  need  of ;  and  therefore,  when  we  say  he  is  merciful,  it  wholly 
respects  the  creature  and  the  good  of  the  creature,  and  to  deliver  the  creature 
out  of  misery.  If  he  had  said,  '  God  is  rich  in  love,'  that  is  unto  himself, 
for  he  loves  himself ;  but  merciful  he  is  not  to  himself,  neither  is  he  capable 
of  mercy  from  himself  Therefore,  when  he  saith  he  is  rich  in  mercy,  what 
can  be  more  comfortable  unto  us  than  that  that  which  God  accounteth  his 
only,  or  at  least  his  chiefest  riches,  is  that  which  tendeth  to  our  good  and  sal- 
vation 1  He  himself,  indeed,  hath  a  glory  out  of  it ;  therefore  it  is  called 
riches  of  glory,  chap.  LIS.  But  yet  take  it  as  mercy,  and  it  is  that  which 
peculiarly  concerns  us  and  our  good. 

K  his  riches  lay  in  anything  else,  we  might  not  have  so  much  hope  and 
comfort,  for  he  would  employ  those  riches  for  the  good  of  himself,  as  we  see 
rich  men  in  the  world  do.  Kich  men,  though  they  give  away  crumbs  from 
their  table,  as  the  expression  is  in  tlie  parable,  yet  the  chief  of  their  riches 
is  all  employed  for  themselves  and  their  children.  But  if  any  one's  riches 
should  lie  only  in  mercy  and  in  gi-ace,  and  himself  were  in  himself  perfectly 
happy,  so  that  he  himself  hath  no  need  of  all  those  riches,  surely  this  must  be 
all  for  poor  creatures  who  are  capable  of  mercy,  and  are  the  objects  of  mercy, 
and  sinners ;  they  have  the  chiefest  share  in  it.  It  is  an  observable  thing 
that  in  Rom.  x.  1 2,  where  God  is  said  to  be  '  rich  unto  all,'  not  rich  in  him- 
self, but  rich  unto  us  ;  so  the  phrase  runs.  If  there  were  a  man  that  were 
rich  in  all  things  that  the  world  accounts  riches,  and  that  man  should  account 
it  his  chiefest  riches  to  give  aU  this  away,  how  would  all  the  world  come  to 
him  !  ISIy  brethren,  thus  it  is  with  God.  He  is  rich  in  that  attribute  that 
gives  all  away,  for  he  is  said  to  be  rich  iu  mercy.  I  shall  speak  a  little  more 
to  tliis  in  the  close  of  all,  by  way  of  use  ;  therefore  I  urge  it  now  no  more. 

I  come  to  the  second  thing,  viz..  To  open  to  you  the  abundance  of  these 
riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God. 

This  phrase  in  the  text,  *  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  take  it  simply,  and  it 
imports — 

First,  A  fiilness  and  an  abundance  of  mercy  in  God,  even  to  superfluity 
and  to  flowing  over.  Any  one  that  is  said  to  be  rich  in  anything  hath  an 
abundance  of  it,  or  else  he  cannot  be  said  to  be  ricL  '  Now  ye  are  full,* 
saith  the  Apostle,  and  '  ye  are  rich,'  in  1  Cor.  iv.  8.  If  there  be  not  a  ful- 
ness, there  is  not  riches.  *  0  thou  that  art  abundant  in  treasures,'  saith  he 
to  Babylon,  in  Jer.  li.  13.  A  man  is  then  said  to  be  rich  when  he  is  abun- 
dant in  treasures  to  an  overplus.  '  Whose  belly  thou  fiUest  with  thy  hid 
treasure,'  saith  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  xvii.  14,  for  he  calls  all  these  outward  things 
in  the  world  God's  treasure;  '  and  they  leave  the  rest  of  their  substance ' — so 


Epu.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  ephesians.  187 

we  translate  it — '  to  their  babes  ; '  they  have  an  overplus,  so  Ainsworth  and 
others  read  it.  Now  God  hath  mercy  in  him  to  an  abundance,  to  an  over- 
plus :  1  Peter  i.  3,  '  V/ho  according  to  his  abundant  mercy  hath  begotten  us 
again.'  There  is  an  abundance  of  mercy  in  him,  even  to  a  flowing  over: 
1  Tim.  L  14,  '  The  grace  of  our  Lord  was  exceeding  abundant ; '  it  was  over- 
full, it  was  to  a  flowing  over.  In  Rom.  v.  1 7,  it  is  said  that  those  that  are  par- 
doned receive  abundance  of  grace  and  mercy.  And  for  our  comfort,  it  is  good 
to  compare  the  expressions  of  the  Scripture  one  with  another.  In  that  Rom. 
V.  20,  it  is  said  that  sin  doth  abound.  When  sin  abounded,  saith  he,  the  mear 
sure  of  man's  iniquity  was  brimful ;  but  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  gi-ace, 
he  puts  an  v'zeo  upon  it;  {)'riPi-:r-oisa-va£v,  saith  he,  'grace  did  much  more 
abound.'  There  was  a  flowing,  and  a  flowing  over  of  grace,  as  the  word  there 
signifies.  Grace  did  not  only  overflow,  but  infinitely  overflow,  it  was  over- 
superfluous,  there  was  more  than  enough  of  it  for  the  salvation  of  sinners. 
Now  it  is  said  to  be  abundant — 

1.  In  respect  of  the  multitude  of  the  mercies  that  are  in  God. 

2.  In  respect  of  the  variety  of  them. 

3.  In  respect  of  the  greatness  of  them,  the  height,  the  depth,  the  length, 
the  breadth  of  them. 

1.  I  say,  in  respect  of  the  multitude  of  mercies  in  God.  You  shall  there- 
fore find  that  the  Scripture  speaks  of  mercies  under  multitudes :  Ps.  IL  1, 
'  Accordmg  to  the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies,  blot  out  my  transgres- 
sions ; '  Ps.  Ixix.  1 3,  '  O  God,  in  the  multitude  of  thy  mercy  hear  me  ; '  Isa. 
Iv.  7,  '  Our  God,  he  will  multiply  to  pardon,'  as  the  word  there  is,  which  we 
translate,  '  he  mil  abundantly  pardon.' 

2.  In  respect  of  their  variety,  they  are  manifold  mercies.  Riches  lie  in 
a  variety.  In  Ezek.  xxvii.  12,  Tyre  is  said  to  have  a  multitude  of  all  kinds 
of  riches.  Now  as  God  hath  a  multitude  of  mercies,  so  he  hath  a  multitude 
of  all  kinds  of  mercies.  Therefore  you  shall  find  in  the  Scripture  that 
mercy  still  runs  in  the  plural,  not  only  to  note  out  that  they  are  many,  but 
that  they  are  manifold,  there  is  variety  of  them.  Rom.  xii.  1,  '  I  beseech  you 
by  the  mercies  of  God'  In  Neh.  ix.  19,  27,  a  chapter  wherein  God  and 
man  striveth,  as  it  were,  whether  God's  mercies  or  man's  sin  should  outvie 

'one  another,  there  is  mention  made  of  the  manifoldness  of  his  mercies.  And 
in  Isa.  Ixiii.  7,  there  is  '  the  multitude  of  his  loving-kindnesses,'  which  are 
there  called  the  '  praises  of  the  Lord,'  because  they  are  his  glory.  As  our 
hearts  and  the  de^dl  are  the  father  of  variety  of  sins,  so  God  is  the  father  of 
variety  of  mercies,  and  they  are  as  so  many  children  to  him  which  he  begets. 
And  there  is  no  sin  or  misery  but  God  hath  a  mercy  for  it,  and  he  hath  a 
multitude  of  mercies  of  every  kind  too ;  even  hke  an  apothecary  that  hath 
an  abimdance  of  drugs  of  all  sorts  for  all  kind  of  diseases.  As  there  is  no 
disease  but  God  hath  made  a  remedy  for  it,  so  there  is  no  misery  but  God 
hath  mercy  for  it.  He  hath  found  out  a  remedy  for  sin,  the  hardest  thing 
to  cure  of  all  things  else,  and  therefore  he  hath  provided  a  remedy  for  all 
other  misery.  And  as  there  are  variety  of  miseries  which  the  creature  is 
subject  unto,  so  he  hath  in  himself  a  shop,  a  treasury  of  all  sorts  of  mercies, 
divided  into  several  promises  in  the  Scripture,  which  are  but  as  so  many 
boxes  of  this  treasure,  the  caskets  of  variety  of  mercies.  If  thy  heart  be 
hard,  his  mercies  are  tender.  If  thy  heart  be  dead,  he  hath  mercy  to  quicken 
it,  as  Ps.  cxix.  hath  it  again  and  again.  If  thou  be  sick,  he  hath  mercy  to 
heal  thee.  If  thou  be  sinful,  he  hath  mercies  to  sanctify  and  cleanse  thee. 
As  large  and  as  various  as  are  our  wants,  so  large  and  various  are  his  mercies. 
So  as  we  may  come  boldly  to  find  grace  and  mercy  to  help  us  in  time  of  need, 


188  AN  EXPOSITION  or  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIII. 

a  mercy  for  every  need,  as  the  Apostle  speaks.  AU  the  mercies  that  are  in 
his  own  heart  he  hath  transplanted  them  into  several  beds,  as  I  may  so  ex- 
press it,  in  the  garden  of  the  promises,  where  they  grow,  and  he  hath  abund- 
ance of  variety  of  them,  suited  to  aU  the  variety  of  the  diseases  of  the  soul. 

Secondly,  As  riches  are  attributed  unto  mercy  in  respect  of  abundance,  so 
in  respect  of  hiddenness  and  unJcnownness.  We  use  to  say  of  a  rich  man  that 
he  is  of  an  unknown  wealth  and  estate  ;  so  the  Scripture  calls  it  hidden  trea- 
sure. In  Isa.  xlv.  3,  '  I  will  give  thee,'  saith  he,  speaking  of  C3aTis,  '  the 
treasures  of  darkness,  and  hidden  riches  of  secret  places.'  Now,  the  mercies 
of  God,  they  are  hidden,  they  are  unsearchable.  As  there  are  curses,  written 
and  not  written, — as  in  Deut.  xxviu.  61,  after  the  mention  of  several  curses 
for  disobedience,  he  saith,  *  Also  I  wiU  bring  upon  thee  every  plague  which 
is  not  written  in  this  book,' — so  there  are  also  blessings  which  are  not  written. 
He  had  told  them  of  blessings  that  he  would  bestow  upon  them  for  their 
obedience  in  the  former  part  of  that  chapter,  but  he  tells  them,  ver.  12,  as 
the  conclusion  of  all  the  blessings  enumerated  before,  that  he  had  a  treasury 
to  open  :  '  The  Lord,'  saith  he,  '  shall  open  upon  thee  his  good  treasure ;'  as 
if  he  had  not  mentioned  half  before,  and  that  those  he  had  mentioned  were 
but  a  few  instances  of  that  treasure  of  mercy  he  had  by  him.  And  in  that 
respect,  because  of  hiddenness,  the  riches  of  mercy  in  God  are  called  a  depth 
of  riches,  Rom.  xi.  33,  '  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and 
knoAvledge  of  God  !  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways 
past  finding  out ! '  If  he  had  said,  0  the  depth !  it  had  been  enough  ;  but 
he  saith,  O  the  depth  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  how  unsearch- 
able are  his  judgments  !  For  it  is  a  treasury  that  hath  no  bottom,  it  is  past 
finding  out.  He  speaks  of  mercy,  because  he  speaks  of  foreknowledge,  which 
contriveth  ways  of  shewing  mercy,  as  the  beginning  of  chap.  xi.  shews.  Now, 
my  brethren,  if  his  judgments  be  a  great  depth,  as  you  have  it,  Ps.  xxxvi. 
6,  '  Thy  judgments  are  a  great  deep  ;'  his  mercies  then  are  much  more.  For 
if  you  compare  ver.  5-1  of  that  psalm,  you  shall  find  that  by  judgments 
he  doth  not  mean  outward  judgments  of  wrath  and  vengeance ;  but  he 
speaks  of  mercy,  and  but  of  common  mercy  there,  the  works  of  his  provi- 
dence,— for  so  'judgments'  is  often  taken  in  the  Scripture  Hkewise, — for  when 
he  saith,  '  Thy  judgments  are  a  great  deep,  O  Lord,'  it  follows,  '  Thou  pre- 
servest  man  and  beast,'  meaning  the  mercies  he  sheweth  to  man  and  beast 
in  common  :  these,  he  saith,  are  a  great  deep.  And  the  Apostle,  in  that 
Eom.  xi. — which  place  this  of  the  psalms  openeth — saith  they  are  unsearch- 
able, and  past  finding  out. 

Now,  I  say,  if  these  judgments  of  God  are  a  great  deep,  these  common 
mercies  that  are  exercised  to  man  and  beast,  how  excellent  is  his  loving- 
kindness — for  so  it  follows  in  that  psalm — or  his  grace  unto  those  that  trust 
in  him  ?  '  They  shall  be  abundantly  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  thy  house ; 
and  thou  shalt  make  them  drink  of  the  river  of  thy  pleasures.  For  with 
thee  is  the  fountain  of  life  :  in  thy  light  shaU  we  see  light.  Oh,  continue  thy 
loving-kindness  unto  them  that  know  thee !'  &c.  Clearly  this  is  the  meaning 
of  it.  If,  saith  he,  thou  shewest  so  much  mercy  and  goodness  and  faithful- 
ness here  in  the  earth,  that  thy  mercy  is  in  the  heavens,  and  thy  faithful- 
ness reacheth  unto  the  clouds,  and  thy  righteousness  is  Hke  the  great  moun- 
tains, and  thy  judgments  and  common  ways  of  mercy,  whereby  thou  preserv- 
est  man  and  beast,  are  a  great  deep  ;  what  is  that  mercy  thou  hast  laid  up  for 
those  that  fear  thes  !  The  psalmist  breaks  out.  How  excellent  is  thy  loving- 
kindness,  0  Lord,  to  the  sons  of  men  that  trust  in  thee !  If  the  earth  be  so 
full  of  thy  mercy,  as  indeed  it  is,  for  riches  of  patience  and  long-suffering 


EpU.  II.  4-G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  189 

are  the  common  mercies  which  all  the  world  live  upon ;  if  these  mercies 
reach  to  the  clouds,  and  are  over  all  his  works,  what  hatli  he  reserved  and 
laid  up  for  those  that  are  vessels  of  mercy,  whom  he  hath  prepared  for  mercy, 
whom  he  hath  widened  and  extended  for  mercy !  The  Scripture  itself  can- 
not hold  them.  There  are  mercies  written  and  unwritten  ;  there  is  a  treasury 
laid  up  in  heaven,  to  be  broke  up  at  the  latter  day,  which  we  know  not  of. 
And  what  is  the  reason  1  Because  God  sheweth  mercy  '  according  to  his 
own  heart,'  1  Chron.  xvii.  19,  Now  if  a  king  give,  he  will  give  as  a  king, 
according  to  his  riches;  so  doth  God.  In  1  Kings  x.  13,  it  is  said  that  King 
Solomon  *  gave  the  queen  of  Sheba  all  her  desire,  whatsoever  she  asked.' 
So  will  God  do  ;  open  thy  mouth  as  wide  as  thou  canst,  ask  of  God  what 
riches  of  mercy  thou  wilt,  he  will  give  thee  all  thy  desire.  '  Besides,'  saith 
the  text,  '  that  which  Solomon  gave  her  of  his  royal  bounty.'  So  here,  God 
hath  mercy  to  give  whatsoever  thou  canst  ask,  besides  those  hidden  trea- 
sures of  mercy  which  he  hath  lying  by  him,  to  bestow  according  to  his  own 
greatness. 

Thirdly,  Riches  imply,  as  abundance  and  hiddenness,  so  inexhaustedness. 
You  shall  find,  in  Isa.  ii.  7,  mention  made  of  treasures  that  have  no  end ; 
for  that  is  riches  indeed  that  seems  to  have  no  bottom.  Such  is  the  mercy 
of  God,  it  is  riches  of  mercy,  mercy  that  hath  no  end,  no  bottom.  He  can 
forgive  great  sins,  and  continue  to  do  it :  '  Forgiving  iniquity,  transgression, 
and  sin,'  saith  the  text,  Exod,  xxxiv. ;  and  so  in  Micah  vii,  1 8,  '  Who  is  a 
God  like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  transgression 
of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage?'  In  Matt,  xviii,  24,  27,  speaking  there  in 
the  parable  of  forgiveness,  he  saith,  he  forgave  ten  thousand  talents  which 
one  that  was  brought  unto  him  owed  him  ;  and  he  speaks  of  that  common 
forgiveness  of  a  temporary  behever  too.  Ten  thousand  talents  is  a  mighty 
sum.  Do  but  think  what  they  are.  Amaziah,  in  2  Chron.  xxv.  6,  hired  a 
hundred  thousand  mighty  men  of  valour  for  an  hundred  talents.  What  would 
a  thousand  talents  do  then  1  What  would  ten  thousand  talents  do  then  ? 
All  this  is  to  express  the  great  riches  of  his  mercy  in  forgiving.  When  thou 
wast  first  turned  unto  God,  wliat  a  world  of  sin  didst  thou  bring  with  thee  ! 
ten  thousand  talents  !  He  forgave  them  all,  when  he  first  quickened  thee, 
when  he  first  converted  thee,  and  he  doth  continue,  and  will  continue,  to  do 
so  too,  '  How  oft,'  saith  Peter,  in  that  Matt,  xviii.  21,  '  shall  my  brother 
sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ?  TiU  seven  times  V  Thou  art  a  niggard, 
saith  Christ ;  forgive  not  until  seven  times,  but  until  seventy  times  seven. 
And  Christ  there  alludeth  to  that  phrase  of  the  Jews,  when  they  would  ex- 
press an  unlimited  number,  they  would  say,  till  seven  times :  Gen,  iv.  24, 
*  Cain  shall  be  avenged  sevenfold ; '  they  went  no  further  than  to  seven  to 
express  an  unknown  number.  But,  saith  Christ,  I  say,  forgive  until  seventy 
times  seven.  And  mark,  as  I  may  say,  the  gracious  wit  of  the  allusion, 
'  Until  seven  times,'  is  spoken  of  vengeance ;  but  when  he  speaks  of  forgive- 
ness, he  saith,  '  until  seventy  times  seven  ; '  that  is,  to  an  infinity.  So  that 
though  his  vengeance  be  to  seven  times,  his  mercy  is  to  seventy  times  seven. 
His  compassions  are  said  to  '  fail  not,'  in  Lam,  iii,  22,  and  that  because 
they  are  '  renewed  every  morning.'  But  I  will  not  insist  upon  opening  that 
neither,  for  I  think  I  spoke  more  largely  to  it  heretofore,  and  I  would  speak 
those  things  now  which  I  did  not  speak  then.  My  brethren,  they  are  mercies 
from  everlasting,  and  they  wiU  continue  unto  everlasting ;  it  is  a  treasure 
that  can  never  be  spent,  never  be  exhausted,  unto  eternity.  In  Isa.  Ixiv,  5, 
*In  thy  mercy  is  continuance,'  K  God  will  but  continue  to  be  merciful  to 
me,  will  a  poor  soul  say,  I  have  enough.     Why,  saith  he,  *  in  his  mercies  is 


190  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIII. 

continuance,  and  we  shall  be  saved.'  Hath  God,  or  can  God  pardon  thee 
hitherto,  but  now  thou  hast  sinned  again  1  Oh,  do  but  stretch  them  out  a 
little  further.  Why,  he  will  stretch  them  out  unto  eternity,  unto  everlast- 
ing; and  if  one  everlasting  be  not  enough,  there  are  twenty- six  everlast- 
ings m  one  psalm,  Ps.  cxxxvi.  In  Isa.  liv.  8,  '  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my 
face  from  thee,  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on  thee.' 

And  then  again,  God  is  said  to  be  rich  in  mercy  because  he  is  rich  unto  all, 
unto  multitudes;  not  unto  one,  or  unto  some  only,  but  unto  all  that  do  come 
in,  that  do  call  upon  him,  Rom.  x.  12;  unto  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  the 
Jews,  as  here  it  is.  And  indeed,  my  brethren,  when  is  it  that  that  attri- 
bute '  riches'  began  to  be  given  unto  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God,  but  when 
the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  began  to  be  spoken  of,  because  it  is  an  exten- 
sive riches,  a  riches  that  serves  all  the  world  1  I  have  a  treasure  of  riches  by 
me,  saith  God,  and  do  you  think  I  will  coop  myself  up  to  the  Jews  only  ? 
No,  he  is  Lord  over  all,  and  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.  And  this  i? 
proper  unto  the  scope  here, — it  is  the  observation  of  Cajetan  upon  the  place, 
— for  you  shall  observe  that  the  Apostle  all  along,  both  in  the  first  chapter 
and  in  this,  had  carried  it  both  to  Jew  and  to  Gentile,  that  God  predes- 
tinated the  Jews,  and  predestinated  the  Gentiles  also,  &c.  He  sheweth  forth 
his  mercy  unto  all,  he  doth  not  do  it  to  a  few,  but  to  aU  sorts  of  multitudes 
of  men. 

And  so  much  now  for  the  second  head,  namely,  the  abundance  of  the 
riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God. 

I  come  now  to  the  third,  viz..  To  shew  you  what  riches  of  mercy,  as 
the  cause  of  our  salvation,  are  in  God.  This  phrase,  *  rich  in  mercy,'  I  told 
you,  comes  in  here  as  the  cause  of  our  salvation.  Now  God  is  rich  in  mercy 
three  ways;  he  hath  three  treasuries,  as  I  may  so  speak,  of  mercies,  that  do 
lie  by  him  : — 

1.  He  hath  the  riches  of  his  own  nature,  of  the  mercies  that  are  natural  to 
him,  as  I  shewed  in  the  last  discourse  that  mercy  was  natural  to  him.  We 
were  by  nature,  saith  he,  '  children  of  wrath,'  but  God  is  by  nature  *  rich  in 
mercy.' 

2.  He  hath  not  only  riches  of  mercy  in  his  nature, — for  so  he  might  have 
had,  and  never  a  sinner  the  better, — but  he  hath  laid  up  riches  of  mercy  in  his 
everlasting  purposes  and  decrees,  as  much  as  the  elect  can  spend,  or  shall 
spend. 

3.  He  hath  acquired  riches,  purchased  riches ;  he  hath  all  the  merits  of 
Christ  lying  by  him,  that  purchased  all  the  mercies  that  ever  he  meant  to 
bestow. 

And  all  these  three  he  had  as  the  causes  that  moved  him  to  shew  mercy 
to  us.  '  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  saith  he ;  rich  in  his  own  nature,  rich 
in  his  everlasting  purposes  of  mercy,  rich  in  respect  of  that  purchase  of 
mercy  which  Christ  brought  in  to  him. 

He  is,  first,  rich  in  respect  of  a  mine  of  mercies  which  are  in  his  own 
heart,  which  are  in  his  own  nature.  My  brethren,  this  is  the  difference  be- 
twixt God's  riches  and  man's.  Man's  riches  are  gotten  by  receiving,  because 
they  consist  in  outward  things,  they  are  added  to  a  man ;  and  indeed  they 
are,  if  great,  usually  gotten  by  despoiling  of  others,  and  others  are  the  poorei 
for  it ;  but  God's  riches  are  aU  in  himself,  himself  is  the  mine  of  them.  I 
shewed  you  once,  of  which  I  wiU  not  speak  one  whit  now,  the  West  Indies 
of  all  these  mercies,  and  the  proceed  was  this, — and  I  know  nothing  more  to 
set  forth  the  mercy  of  God, — that  all  the  attributes  that  are  in  God,  all  his 
wisdom,  aU  his  truth,  all  his  very  justice  itself,  all  that  is  in  God,  moves 


EpH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  101 

hiin  to  be  merciful.  To  make  good  this  is  a  great  undertaking ;  but  the 
Scripture  is  so  clear  in  it,  as  in  nothing  more.  Now  if  there  were  an  elixir,  a 
philosopher's  stone,  as  they  call  it,  that  would  turn  all  that  a  man  hath  into 
gold,  how  rich  would  that  man  be  !  Why,  mercy  in  God  turns  all  his  attri- 
butes to  itself,  to  those  that  God  loves.  And  therefore,  in  Exod.  xxxiv.  it  is 
made  his  whole  name.  '  The  Lord,'  saith  he,  ver.  5,  '  descended  in  a  cloud, 
and  proclaimed  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  and  the  Lord  passed  by,  and  pro- 
claimed, The  Lord,  the  Lord,  merciful  and  gracious,'  &c. 

I  come  now  to  the  second,  how  there  is  a  mine  of  mercy  laid  up  in  his 
purposes  and  decrees.  A  man  is  said  to  be  rich  that  hath  a  stock  and  trea- 
sure laid  up  by  him.  '  Thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years,'  saith 
the  rich  man  in  the  parable.  Now  God  hath  so.  He  is  not  only  infinitely 
merciful  in  his  nature, — that  is  the  mine, — but  in  his  purposes  and  decrees. 
He  hath  laid  by  as  many  mercies  for  his  children  as  they  shall  for  ever  spend, 
or  stand  in  need  of.  ISIercies  might  have  been  in  his  nature,  and  reserved 
to  himself.  He  might  have  had  that  treasure,  and  have  hid  it.  No,  but  he 
took  what  was  in  his  nature,  in  his  own  gracious  disposition.  He  found 
himself  to  be  so  and  so  compassionate  to  sinners,  and  he  decrees  so  to  be  in 
the  manifestation  of  it  to  them.  If  you  compare  that  place  in  Exod.  xx.  5,  6, 
with  Exod.  xxxiv.  7,  you  shall  find  that  the  text  saith  that  he  reserveth  or 
keepeth  mercy,  lays  it  up  by  him  as  a  stock  and  as  a  treasure.  And  for  how 
long  doth  he  lay  it  up  1  What,  for  one  or  two  generations  1  So  indeed  he 
saith  in  respect  of  punishing.  'Visiting,'  saith  he,  '  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate 
me  ;'  but  'he  keepeth  mercy  for  thousands  of  generations  of  them  that  love 
him.'  So  that,  look  what  proportion  three  or  four  have  to  millions,  that 
proportion  hath  the  treasury  of  mercy  to  that  of  justice  and  vengeance. 
God  stretcheth  the  supposition  beyond  what  will  ever  fall  out ;  for  in  the 
succession  of  men  there  will  not  be  a  thousand  generations,  there  hath  not 
been  a  hundred  since  the  world  stood.  But  to  shew  the  great  stock  of 
mercy  which  he  hath  reserved  by  him,  he  saith,  if  there  were  thousands  of 
generations,  and  ten  thousands  of  generations,  if  this  world  should  last  so 
long,  he  hath  reserved  mercy  enough  for  them  all,  and  all  this  mercy  he  will 
empty  into  the  vessels  of  mercy.  Therefore  mercy  is  said  to  be  from  ever- 
lasting to  everlasting.  How  long  hath  this  stock  and  treasury  of  mercy  been 
lying  up  too  1  It  hath  been  lying  up  even  from  everlasting.  And  therefore 
David,  in  Ps.  xxv.  6,  hath  recourse  to  the  mercies  of  God,  which,  he  saith, 
'  have  been  for  ever  of  old.' 

And,  my  brethren,  if  God  have  been  thinking  thoughts  of  mercy  from 
everlasting  to  those  that  are  his,  what  a  stock  and  treasury  do  these  thoughts 
arise  to,  besides  those  that  are  in  his  nature  and  disposition  !  This  is  in  his 
actual  purposes  and  intentions,  which  he  hath  thought,  and  doth  think  over, 
again  and  again,  every  moment.  Ps.  xl.  5,  '  Many,  O  Lord,  are  thy  wonder- 
ful works,  and  thy  thoughts  which  are  to  us- ward,'  saith  Jesus  Christ ;  for 
it  is  a  psalm  of  Christ,  and  quoted  by  the  Apostle,  and  applied  unto  Christ 
in  Heb.  x.,  '  How  many  are  thy  thoughts  to  us-ward  !' — he  speaks  it  in  the 
name  of  the  human  nature, — that  is,  to  me  and  mine.  *  If  I  would  declare 
and  speak  of  them,  they  are  more  than  can  be  numbered.'  And  what  is  the 
reason  1  Because  God  hath  studied  mercies  for  his  children,  even  from  ever- 
lasting. And  then,  '  He  reneweth  his  mercies  every  morning ;'  not  that  any 
mercies  are  new,  but  he  actually  thinketh  over  mercies  again  and  again,  and  so 
he  brings  out  of  his  treasury  mercies  both  new  and  old,  and  the  old  are  always 
new.     What  a  stock,  my  brethren,  must  this  needs  amount  unto  !     Mercies 


192  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIIL 

from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  so  you  have  it  in  Ps.  ciii.  17.  And  these 
mercies  always  new,  fresh  every  morning.  Look  therefore  for  mercy  when  you 
come  to  heaven.  You  have  the  phrase  of  '  finding  mercy  at  that  day'  in  2 
Tim.  i.  18.  There  is  indeed  a  stock  of  mercies  laid  up  in  heaven.  'Thy 
mercy,  0  Lord,  is  in  the  heavens,'  saith  Ps.  xxxvi.  5.  And  the  mercies  that 
are  in  heaven  are  higher  and  greater,  infinitely  greater  mercies,  that  we  shall 
have  when  we  come  thither,  than  what  we  have  here.  It  is  a  treasury  which 
God  hath  laid  up  there  in  his  own  everlasting  purposes,  Col.  i.  5. 

And,  my  brethren,  let  me  tell  you  this,  that  God,  when  he  laid  up  mercies 
for  his  children,  he  did  not  say,  I  will  lay  up  such  a  stock,  or  so  much  mercy. 
This  he  doth  indeed  to  wicked  men.     He  lays  by  a  pittance,  an  allowance 
of  mercy  for  them,  gives  them  such  a  portion  of  the  riches  of  his  long-suffer- 
ing and  patience,  which  is  called  riches  too,  because  it  is  the  glory  of  God, 
and  an  eminent  excellency  in  him.     Carnal  men,  I  say,  whom  God  means  to 
throw  away,  he  saith  of  them,  I  wiU  lay  by  so  much,  and  when  you  have 
spent  this,  you  shall  have  a  treasure  of  wrath  for  it ;  and  the  truth  is,  when 
that  portion  of  mercy  is  spent,  they  are  undone.     But  God  hath  laid  by 
mercies  for  his  saints,  -without  teUing  of  it  what  his  children  shall  spend. 
They  are  called  the  '  sure  mercies  of  David.'     And  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.,  where  the 
covenant  with  David  is  mentioned,  '  If  his  children  forsake  my  law,  and 
walk  not  in  my  judgments;  if  they  break  my  statutes,  and  keep  not  my  com- 
mandments ; '  and  suppose  they  do  it,  if  it  may  be  supposed,  never  so  much, 
'nevertheless  my  loving- kindness  wiU  I  not  utterly  take  from  them,  nor 
suffer  my  faithfulness  to  fail :  my  covenant  wlU  I  not  break,'  &c.     So  that 
they  are  the  sure  mercies  of  David,  for  God  hath  laid  mercies  by  him  un- 
limited.   Suppose  they  do  thus  and  thus,  and  never  so  much, — and  his  mercy 
shall  be  sure  to  keep  them  from  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, — let  them 
do  thus  and  thus,  nevertheless  I  will  be  thus  and  thus  merciful  to  them. 
He  hath  laid  by  in  his  own  purposes  an  indefinite  mercy  for  them.     There- 
fore now,  my  brethren,  if  you  could  suppose  that  those  whom  God  loves 
should  live  in  this  world  in  that  mixture  of  sin  and  grace  we  now  are  in 
unto  eternity,  God  hath  laid  by  mercies  enough  to  pardon  you  and  to  pity 
you  notwithstanding,  and  to  keep  communion  and  fellowship  with  you.     He 
that  pardoned  the  sin  of  nine  hundred  years  to  Adam,  he  would  have  par- 
doned nine  thousand,  and  nine  thousand  after  that,  even  unto  eternity,  if  he 
had  continued;  such  a  stock  and  treasure  of  mercy  hath  God  lying  by  him. 
The  third  and  last  stock  which  God  may  be  said  to  be  rich  in,  is  in  the 
mercies  purchased,  and  that  is  by  the  merits  of  Christ.     For,  know  this,  that 
all  the  merits  of  Christ  are  called  the  mercies  of  God.     And  why  1    Because 
all  the  mercies  that  he  hath  laid  by,  and  meaneth  actually  to  bestow,  Christ 
was  to  purchase  every  whit  of  them.     In  Isa.  Iv.  3,  they  are  called  the  sure 
mercies  of  David ;  but  look  in  Acts  xiii.  34,  where  that  place  in  Isaiah  is 
quoted,  and  they  are  called  the  holy  things  of  David,  so  you  shall  find  it  in 
your  margins,  as  holding  forth  the  merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus.     That  right- 
eousness of  his,  all  the  holy  things  of  Christ,  they  are  called  the  mercies  of 
David,  because  Christ  purchased  those  mercies  for  the  elect ;  God  therefore 
may  well  afford  to  shew  mercy.     How  rich  must  he  be  in  mercy,  think  you, 
that  besides  the  mercies  of  his  own  nature,  and  the  mercies  of  his  decrees 
and  purposes,  hath  the  mercies  purchased  by  Christ  1     "What  a  stock  did 
Christ  bring  into  this  treasury  when  he  hung  upon  the  cross  !     How  did  he 
fill  it,  even  to  an  overflowing  !     That  is  one  reason  why  God  ordaineth  that 
this  treasury  of  the  riches  of  mercy  should  be  broken  open  after  Christ's 
ascension,  when  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  were  to  be  called  iia.     He  is  now 


EVH.  II.  4-6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  193 

rich  unto  all,  because  he  Ivitli  now  a  stock  conic  in  by  the  purchase  of  Christ. 
He  may  well  now  keep  a  great  house,  for  Jesus  Christ  hath  laid  in  provision 
enough.  They  are  calleA  therefore  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ;  and 
all  those  riches  are  mercies,  because  they  purchase  mercy.  He  hath  pm-- 
chased  mercy  to  pardon  all  sin,  to  bestow  all  good.  Nay,  let  me  tell  you 
this,  though  the  merit?  of  Christ  are  not  of  that  extent  that  the  mercies  in 
God's  nature  are,  yet  they  are  adequate  to  all  the  mercies  that  God  means 
to  bestow.  God  doth  not  bestow  one  mercy  out  of  Christ,  therefore  we 
have  peace  and  mercy  wished  from  Jesus  Christ ;  and  you  have  them  both 
in  Ps.  cxxx.  7,  '  Mercy  and  plenteous  redemption.'  God  is  not  more  mer- 
ciful in  his  nature  by  virtue  of  Christ's  death ;  but  look  what  mercies  God 
meant  to  bestow,  Jesus  Christ,  that  was  so  rich,  became  poor  to  purchase 
them  all.  And  if  we  could  suppose — as  to  illustrate  it  we  may — that  God 
were  poor  in  his  own  nature,  yet  he  hath  such  a  mine  brought  in  by  Christ, 
that  he  may  well  shew  mercy ;  yea,  it  were  injustice  for  God  now  not  to 
shew  mercy,  for  Christ  hath  purchased  at  his  hands  that  he  should  do  it. 

I  shall  give  you  but  an  observation  or  two,  which  I  think  are  natural  to 
the  text,  and  so  I  shall  conclude. 

Ohs.  1. — The  first  observation  is  this  :  That  God  so  loveth  those  that  he 
means  to  save,  that,  if  they  need  it,  all  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  him 
shall  be  laid  out  for  it.  God,  saith  he,  being  rich  in  mercy,  he  hath  quick- 
ened us,  and  saved  us,  and  done  all  things  for  us.  He  hath  engaged,  in  his 
own  everlasting  purposes,  all  the  mercies  in  him  to  save  sinners ;  he  hath 
laid  them  all  to  pawn  he  will  do  it. 

And  the  reason  why  God  will  lay  out,  if  need  were,  all  the  riches  of 
mercy  in  him  for  those  he  loveth,  is  this  :  because  that  mercy  no  way 
tendeth  to  profit  him,  not  as  mercy.  He  hath  a  glory  indeed  out  of  it,  but 
the  object  of  mercy  is  not  himself ;  but  the  object  of  mercy,  and  of  all  the 
riches  of  it,  is  poor  creatures,  poor  sinners,  whom  he  hath  set  himself  thus 
to  love.  God  is  not  said  to  be  rich  to  himself,  but  unto  usj  he  is  rich  unto 
all,  saith  the  text,  Rom.  x.  12.  Nay,  let  me  tell  you  this  further,  as  Gcd 
needs  no  mercy,  so  Jesus  Christ  himself  needs  no  mercy.  This  goodness 
extendeth  not  unto  God,  nor  doth  it  extend  to  Jesus  Christ.  We  must  not 
say  that  he  was  dealt  withal  in  a  way  of  mercy,  for  he  could  merit  nothing 
to  himself,  as  our  divines  say,  much  less  that  there  should  be  need  of  mercy 
for  him,  having  right  to  all  that  glory  Avhich  is  in  heaven,  at  the  very  first 
moment,  which  he  was  enriched  withal  as  his  due.  Therefore  all  this  ex- 
tendeth not  unto  him,  but  to  the  saints  that  are  in  the  earth,  and  to  the 
excellent,  in  whom  is  all  his  delight ;  therefore  mercy,  and  all  the  whole 
riches  of  it,  is  wholly  for  them  if  they  stand  in  need  of  it. 

And  then  again,  as  mercy  is  the  riches  of  God,  so  he  accounts  his  saints 
and  elect  children  his  treasure.  They  are  a  peculiar  treasure  to  himself,  and 
he  laid  up  this  treasure  for  that  other  treasure.  Deut.  xxviii.  12,  if  they 
will  do  thus  and  thus,  then,  saith  God,  I  will  open  my  good  treasure.  He 
f.peaks  in  the  language  of  the  eld  law,  but  he  types  out  all  the  heavenly 
Dlessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ.  Those  that  are  his  children,  he  will 
open  all  his  treasury  for  them  if  they  stand  in  need  of  it.  In  heaven  what 
a  treasuiy  is  there  to  be  opened,  and  we  are  heirs  of  all  that  treasury !  Jesus 
Christ  is  an  heir,  but  he  inheriteth  not  mercy  ;  we  only  are  heirs  of  mercy. 
Abraham  was  troubled  because  he  had  not  an  heir  to  inherit  his  riches. 
Why,  God  hath  riches,  and  riches  of  mercy  that  lie  by  him,  and  he  hath  heirs 
to  inherit  them.  He  will  not  heap  up  riches  and  have  none  to  inherit  them, 
as  those  in  Ps.  xxxix.  %  but  he  hath  those  that  shall  inherit  all  these  riches 

VOL.  II.  K 


194  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIII. 

of  mercy  that  lie  by  him.  His  Son  needs  not  mercy,  and  himself  needs  not 
mercy,  as  mercy ;  therefore  he  hath  heirs,  and  all  these  riches  of  mercy  are 
theirs. 

Obs.  2. — Again,  another  observation  from  hence  is  this  :  That  the  saints 
do  in  a  manner  need  aU  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God.  For  so  the 
words  likewise  come  in,  in  such  a  coherence,  after  he  had  so  set  out  our  sin- 
fulness. God,  saith  he,  being  rich  in  mercy.  Had  he  not  been  God  and 
had  all  these  riches  of  mercy  in  him,  we  had  never  been  saved;  but  he  being 
rich  in  mercy,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  he  hath  quickened  us  and 
saved  us.  He  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him,  Rom.  x.  12.  It  is  spoken 
in  respect  of  salvation,  for  it  is  written,  saith  he,  '  Whosoever  calleth  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved.'  So  that  to  salvation  the  riches  of 
mercy  that  are  in  God  are  necessary.  Less  would  not  serve  the  turn ;  if 
there  were  but  one  sinner,  and  one  sin,  let  me  say  that,  that  sinner  for  that 
one  sin  needed  in  some  respect  the  riches  of  the  mercy  of  a  great  God  to 
save  him.  '  I  am  God,  and  not  man,'  saith  he  ;  '  therefore  ye  are  not  con- 
sumed.' And,  '  My  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts ; '  for  if  my  thoughts 
were  as  yours,  were  they  not  the  thoughts  of  a  God,  and  were  not  that  God 
rich  in  mercy,  no  one  sinner  for  one  sm  could  be  saved.  My  brethren,  we 
need  a  treasury  of  mercy  to  save  us.  There  are  two  treasuries  that  man 
hath,  which  must  be  taken  off  and  bought  out  by  two  answerable  treasures 
in  God.  There  is  first  a  treasure  of  sin.  I  told  you  before  of  ten  thousand 
talents.  How  many  thousand  talents,  if  they  were  summed  up,  doth  every 
man  of  us  bring  unto  God  1  And  then  there  is  a  treasury  of  wrath.  Every 
one  is  a  child  of  wrath  by  nature  ;  but  he  goeth  on  treasuring  up  wrath  by 
every  sin,  if  God  did  not  put  him  into  a  state  of  mercy.  Now,  to  take  off 
both  these  treasures,  to  outvie  them,  we  need  the  riches  of  mercy  that  are  in 
an  infinite  God.  To  forbear  a  wicked  man  here  till  he  go  to  hell,  it  is  riches 
of  mercy  ;  but  to  forbear  such  a  man  to  eternity,  what  riches  will  it  cost  1 
But  not  only  to  forbear  him,  but  to  forgive  that  man,  and  to  forgive  him  so 
as  to  remember  his  sins  no  more,  what  a  world  of  mercy  is  there  in  this  ? 
My  brethren,  there  is  a  world  of  mercy  in  every  mercy  you  receive  from 
God.  If  thou  comest  to  the  ordinances,  it  is  mercy ;  thou  mightest  have 
been  in  hell :  'I  vnll  come  to  thy  sanctuary  in  the  multitude  of  thy  mercies.' 
If  a  sin  be  to  be  pardoned  by  G'>d,  'Pardon  me,  according  to  the  multitude 
of  thy  mercies,'  Ps.  li.  1.  Wast  thou  dead  in  sins  ajid  trespasses  1  It  is 
the  infinite  riches  of  mercy  of  the  great  God  that  quickened  thee.  It  is  true 
indeed  the  Scripture  speaks  both  ways.  It  tells  us  there  is  more  mercy  in 
God  than  we  need.  Why  1  Because  it  is  the  mercy  of  an  infinite  God, 
and  no  less  would  serve  to  save  us.  They  are  not  crumbs,  as  the  woman  in 
the  Gospel  said,  that  serve  our  turn.  If  there  had  not  been  an  overflowing 
of  mercy,  if  it  were  not  the  mercy  of  an  infinite  God,  we  had  never  been 
saved. 

I  shall  end  only  with  a  use,  to  quicken  our  hearts  at  last.  Are  there  all 
these  riches  of  mercy  in  God,  and  are  we  the  heirs  of  it  ?  Never  forsake 
your  own  mercies,  it  is  a  speech  that  Jonah  hath,  chap.  ii.  8.  And  are  there 
these  riches  of  mercy  in  God  ?  Let  us  come  unto  him.  Tyre  was  a  rich 
place,  had  a  multitude  of  all  kind  of  riches,  and  by  reason  thereof  she  had  a 
world  of  customers,  she  was  the  mart  for  all  nations  ;  one  nation  came  and 
traded  in  her  fairs  for  iron,  another  for  lead,  and  another  for  tin,  and  another 
for  rich  apparel.  O  my  brethren,  is  God  Lord  over  all,  and  rich  unto  all 
that  call  upon  him?  How  should  this  invite  us  all  to  come  unto  him !  And 
how  should  we  trust  perfectly  upon  these  riches  !     If  a  man  be  rich,  he 


EpII.  II,  4-G.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IAN8.  195 

is  apt  to  set  his  heart  upon  them,  to  trust  in  them ;  do  you  trust  in  these 
riches  of  mercy  that  are  in  God,  whicli  are  all  yours  that  do  come  unto  him. 
Iliches  in  other  things  make  men  harsh  and  rough  :  Pro  v.  xviii.  23,  '  The 
rich  answcreth  roughly.'  Eiches  strengthen  men's  spirits  to  be  proud,  and 
to  carry  it  scornfully.  The  rich  oj^press  you,  saith  James  :  but  if  they  were 
rich  in  mercy  they  would  not  be  so.  Now  God  is  rich  in  mercy,  and  there- 
fore the  more  riches  of  mercy  he  hath,  the  more  easy  he  is  to  be  entreated. 
Men  that  are  rich  must  be  charged  to  do  good,  and  to  be  rich  in  good  works, 
so  the  Apostle  saith,  1  Tim.  vi.  17,  18,  for  they  will  not  do  it  naturally. 
But  God  is  rich,  and  his  riches  lie  in  mercy.  If  men's  riches  lay  in  mercy, 
as  it  is  a  grace,  they  needed  not  to  be  charged  to  be  rich  in  good  works ; 
but  God's  riches  lie  in  mercy,  therefore  come  to  him,  he  is  easy  to  be  en- 
treated, he  giveth  richly  all  things  to  enjoy,  giveth  freely,  giveth  bountifully 
like  himself. 

And  so  much  now  for  the  opening  this  head,  which  I  have  not  done 
commonplace-wise,  as  heretofore  I  handled  it,  but  so  far  forth  as  might  open 
the  text,  and  quicken  our  hearts. 


19G  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XIV. 


SERMON  XIV. 

Even  token  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  ivith  Christ,  (hy 
grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  to- 
gether in  heavenly  2^laces  in  Christ  Jesus. — Ver,  5,  6. 

You  may  remember  how  in  the  general  coherence,  which  was  premised  to 
the  whole  first  eleven  verses  of  this  second  chapter,  at  the  entrance  thereinto, 
which  the  reader  may  please  to  review,  I  shewed  that  the  Apostle  intended 
a  parallel,  or  comparison,  between  what  was  done  to  Christ  in  bringing  him 
to  glory,  as  our  head,  and  as  a  pattern  too ;  and  what  answerably  God  was 
doing  in  us,  and  for  us,  in  perfecting  our  salvation.  And  after  a  long  and 
enlarged  stream  of  discourse,  he  falls  suddenly  into  a  short  winding  up  of  it. 
And  as  in  Christ's  raising  to  his  glory,  to  shew  forth  the  greatness  of  this 
power  therein,  there  was,  1.  The  terminus  d,  quo,  the  state  from  whence, — 
'  raised  from  the  dead ; '  2.  The  terminus  ad  quern,  the  state  whereto  he  was 
raised, — that  glory  described,  ver.  21,  22,  &c. :  so  answerably  in  us,  and  our 
salvation,  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  God's  grace,  which  was  the  principal 
attribute  in  our  salvation  to  be  illustrated,  he  sets,  1.  The  termimis  cb  quo, 
the  state  from  which,  a  state  of  death  and  wrath,  in  and  for  sin,  ver.  1-3  ; 
And,  2.  After  magnifying  the  riches  of  love  and  mercy  of  the  raiser  of  us 
out  of  this  estate,  he  comes  here  to  set  out  the  terminus  ad  quem,  the  state 
to  which  we  are  by  degrees  to  be  advanced,  in  these  words.  Which  is  the 
third  general  head  of  this  first  part  of  this  chapter,  shewing  how  all  this  is 
and  shall  be  perfected,  according  to  a  correspondence  and  proportion  with 
that  he  wrought  in  Christ.  Now  this  perfecting  of  our  salvation,  or  the 
whole  work  of  God  upon  us,  in  a  correspondency  to  that  in  Christ,  he  sums 
ap  in  two  heads,  which  contain  in  them  three  parts  or  degrees  thereof : — 
First,  To  two  heads.     As — 

1.  WJiat  is  already  in  this  life  begun,  and  to  be  done  in  us  here  personally; 
we  are  '  quickened  with  Christ.' 

2.  What  remains  yet  personally  to  he  perfected  in  us  in  the  world  to  come, 
yet  at  present  is  representatively  done  in  our  head  ;  '  raised  up,'  and  '  sitting 
in  heavenly  places.' 

Secondly,  These  two,  comprehending  three  eminent  parts  or  degrees  of  our 
salvation : — 

1.  QuicJcening,  which  is  put  to  express  aU  the  whole  work  of  God  upon 
our  souls  here,  until  death,  in  a  conformity  to  Christ. 

2.  liaising  up  our  bodies,  and  our  whole  man,  as  he  did  Christ's. 

3.  Glorifying  us  with  him,  in  the  same  place,  and  with  the  same  glory, 
for  the  substance  of  it. 

Thirdly,  You  may  observe,  that  all  these  three  are  said  to  be  done  with 
Christ,  and  in  Christ;  so  completely  making  up  the  reddition,  or  other  part 
of  that  comparison  between  us  and  Christ,  namely,  how  the  work  in  us  is 
conformable  to  that  on  Christ.  'Raised,'  as  he,  ver.  19  j  '  set  in  heavenly 
places,'  as  he,  ver.  20. 


EpH.  II.  5,  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  197 

Tliis  ill  general  of  both  tlicsc  verses,   I  come  particularly  to  the  fifth  verse : — 

Ver.  5.  Even  tvhen  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with 
Christ,  {by  grace  ye  are  saved.) 

These  words  are  a  reddition  to  the  19th  verse  of  the  first  chapter,  and  do 
refer  thither.  He  had  shewn  what  a  power  and  glory  was  exercised  in  rais- 
ing lip  Christ  when  he  was  dead,  and  setting  him  up  in  heavenly  places,  and 
had  said  the  same  power  works  towards  us.  Now,  saith  he,  ye  are  dead, 
and  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  and  he  hath  '  quickened  you,'  and  he  hath 
'set  you  together  with  Christ  in  heavenly  places.'  And  whereas  in  the  19th 
verse  of  the  first  chapter  he  had  attributed  it  to  the  power  of  God,  he  altej's 
the  case  here.  He  attributes  it  unto  mercy,  and  he  attributes  it  unto  love, 
and  he  attributes  it  unto  grace,  because,  as  I  shewed  you  in  the  observations 
upon  the  4th  verse,  that  all  attributes  do  but  subserve  love  and  mercy  in 
whatsoever  they  do  for  us  ;  and  therefore  he  names  them.  If  he  would  have 
made  it  up  according  to  the  course  and  way  of  speech,  he  should  have  said, 
Look,  what  great  power  wrought  in.  Christ,  in  raising  him  up  from  the  dead, 
wrought  in  you,  in  quickening  you  when  ye  were  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes. But  he  mentions  not  power,  but, '  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the 
great  love  wherewith  he  hath  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us.' 

There  are  three  things  in  this  verse  : — 

I.  A  short  repetition  of,  and  minding  them  again  of  that  condition  God 
found  them  in,  by  intimation  of  the  main  thereof,  so  to  remember  the  whale ; 
*  Even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins.' 

II.  The  first  benefit  bestowed,  the  first  degree  and  foundation  of  salvation 
laid  in  this  life ;  '  quickened.' 

III.  A  quick  and  most  piercing  note  of  observation  of  the  Apostle  by  the 
way,  as  an  inference  from  both,  being  put  at  once  together,  ('  by  grace  ye  are 
saved  : ')  which,  like  the  top  and  point  of  a  burning  pyramis,  or  great  flame 
of  fire,  hath  all  the  strength  of  heat  that  ariseth  out  of  the  whole  centred  in 
it.  And  to  set  the  more  remark  upon  it,  it  is  brought  in  by  a  parenthesis, 
and  comes  not  in  by  continued  coherence,  to  aflfect  the  more,  like  a  hand  in 
the  margin.  He  would  have  them,  above  aU  else  in  his  discourse,  have  this 
in  their  eye. 

I.  The  repetition  ;  '  Even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins.' 
There  are  three  things  in  those  words  : — 

1.  The  consideration  of  the  emphasis  put  upon  this  repetition ;  for  it  is 
not  a  bare  sentence  of  repetition,  but  with  an  emphatical  note  and  particle  j 
even  when,  as  the  word  xa/  implies. 

2.  The  condition  itself  repeated,  '  dead  in  sins ;'  and  that  singled  out,  as 
more  properly  referring  to  '  quickening,'  so  more  pertinently  to  illustrate  that 
first  benefit. 

3.  The  persons  it  is  bestowed  upon ;  ye  and  we. 

1.  Even. — This  word  xa/  here  some  would  have  to  be  redundant ;  others 
would  have  it  to  be  but,  as  in  ver.  4.  And  so  Grotius,  whose  opinions  en- 
gaged him  to  lessen  the  greatness  of  this  death  in  sin,  that  the  more  might 
be  given  to  man's  will  in  his  quickening.  But  it  has  a  double  force  in  it,  as 
it  comes  in  in  this  coherence  : — 

First,  As  it  serves  fitly  for  a  particle  of  repetition,  to  superadd  an  emphasis, 
to  set  out  the  depth  of  our  misery,  and  inability  to  help  ourselves  out  of 
it,  and  is  all  one  with  inquam,  as  Estius  well,  or  as  our  translators,  '  even 
when  dead,'  thereby  to  set  out  the  love  and  mercy  of  God,  as  ver.  4 ;  and 
'exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  working  in  us,' as  chap.  i.  19,  shewn 


198  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIV- 

in  quickening  us  here.  In  tlie  first  verse,  that  particle  xa;  is  rightly  ren- 
dered and,  for  there  it  comes  in  as  a  particle  of  transition  to  a  new  matter, 
from  that  which  he  had  said  of  Christ,  to  that  other  part  of  the  comparison, 
what  concerned  us.     But  here — 

Secondly,  It  is  a  particle  of  brief  repetition,  referring  to  all  that  which  was 
largely  said  before  in  ver.  1—3,  such  as  the  long  sentences  there  used  are, 
to  usher  in  the  dependency  of  new  matter ;  but  it  is  not  a  bare  repetition, 
but  with  an  advantage,  to  illustrate  the  mercy  of  being  quickened. 

Even  when  we  ivere  dead. — "Ovrac,  'being  dead,'  or,  'when  we  were  dead.' 
It  implies  the  very  condition  God  then  took  us  in,  when  we  were  in  the 
depth  of  it.  And  though  the  Apostle  repeats  but  a  part  of  that  condition 
we  lay  in,  he  doth  not  go  over  all  which  was  said  thereof  in  the  three  first 
verses,  yet  his  meaning  surely  was,  that  in  their  thoughts  thereof  they  should 
take  in  afresh  all  that  he  had  said  thereof  before.  Yea,  he  cuts  short  even 
what  he  repeats ;  for  whereas  he  had  there  said,  '  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes,' here  only  *  dead  in  sins,'  that  hint  being  enough  to  bring  on  the 
other ;  but  there  he  had  further  added,  '  wherein  we  walked  according  to  the 
course  of  this  world,'  &c. ;  whereas  here  he  leaves  out  all  that,  and  mentions 
this  of  '  dead  in  sins,'  for  all  the  rest,  as  it  were  with  an  et  ccetera. 

Thus  often  in  our  prayers  or  meditations,  after  set  and  particular  confes- 
sion of  sin,  we  find  it  useful  in  the  other  part  of  prayer,  as  in  craving  mercies 
or  assurances  of  God's  love  and  forgiveness,  and  gi'V'ing  thanks  for  bene- 
fits, even  in  the  midst  thereof,  to  have  some  short  recollection  of  our  sin- 
fulness, which  yet,  by  the  help  of  the  Spirit,  doth  give  us  a  renewed  prospect 
of  the  whole  thereof ;  which  was  also  Paul's  scope  here.  And  so  we  often 
find,  that  in  a  more  brief  revise  of  larger  thoughts,  by  a  strange  miraculous 
beam,  which  carries  in  it  the  species  and  strength  of  all,  the  Spirit  of  God 
presents  in  a  glance  all  together  at  once  to  us,  and  gives  us  a  comprehensive 
light,  that  works  more  on  the  heart  than  all  the  more  set  and  enlarged 
thoughts  we  had. 

This  repetition  argues  likewise,  that  of  all  the  characters  of  sin  and  misery 
which  in  the  foregoing  verses  he  had  given  of  an  unregenerate  estate,  he 
esteemed  this  of  all  other  the  deepest,  that  they  were  dead  in  sins,  which 
some  would  so  much  diminish  and  bring  low,  of  all  other  points  concerning 
that  estate. 

Thus  much  for  the  first  branch,  the  repetition  of  their  being  dead  in  sins. 

2.  The  persons  he  applies  it  unto  are  next  to  be  considered. 

We. — In  this  word  he  sums  up  both  Jew  and  Gentiles,  to  have  lain  in  this 
their  natural  condition  before  conversion.  I  take  notice  of  this,  because 
some  interpreters  make  a  misinterpretation  of  the  Apostle's  sense,  for  they 
restrain  this  only  to  the  Jews,  and  the  reason  is  this :  he  had  said  in  the 
first  verse,  '  ye  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses ; '  now,  sj)eaking  of  the  Jews, 
himself  being  a  Jew,  he  saith,  'when  we  were  dead.'  So  they  make  the 
particle  xa/  only  a  particle  of  comparison ;  we  Jews,  as  well  as  ye  Gentiles. 
But,  brethren,  it  is  true,  in  all  the  foregoing  chapter,  by  ive,  he  means  the 
Jews,  himself  being  a  Jew,  and  by  i/e,  the  Gentiles ;  but  when  he  comes  to 
wind  it  up,  upon  the  close  of  all,  here  by  ive  he  means  we  all,  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  we  are  all  alike  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses ;  and  when  we  were  so, 
he  quickened  us. 

How  shall  we  prove  that  he  intends  to  involve  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the 
Jews  when  he  saith,  '  when  we  were  dead  V 

It  is  clear,  because  in  the  next  words  he  applies  it  to  the  Gentiles,  '  by 
grace  ye  are  saved.'     His  meaning  is  this :  ye  being  quickened  together  with 


EpII.   II.  5,  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  199 

US  Jews,  and  we  all  remember  this,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  ye  and  we  all : 
'  when  we  w'ere  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  he  quickened.' 

Another  reason  shews  it,  in  the  transposing  the  word  in  the  Greek ;  it  is 
this  :  it  is  not  xa)  rif/.ac  ovrac,  but  it  is  -/.a,!  ovrag  ^,aaj. 

So  now  I  have  done  with  that ;  and  the  only  observation  that  I  will  make 
from  thence  is  this  : — 

That  now  when  it  comes  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  privileges  of  the  gospel, 
conversion,  and  heaven,  and  Christ,  and  the  like,  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  all 
one.  When  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  he  quickened  us,  and  set  us, 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  all  together  in  Christ,  in  heavenly  places.  I  shall  not 
need  to  stand  on  it. 

The  observations  from  both  these  two  put  together  are  these  : — 
Obs.  1. — First,  that  God  in  his  wise  dispensation  is  pleased  to  permit  many, 
if  not  most,  of  those  he  loves  and  shews  mercy  unto,  that  live  up  to  years,  to 
continue  in  an  estate  of  unregeneracy.  That  de  facto  it  was  so  in  the  days 
of  the  Apostle,  in  the  Gentiles'  condition,  is  clear  out  of  the  examples  of  the 
Romans,  Rom.  vi.  17:  that  doxology  the  Apostle  there  useth,  '  God  be 
thanked  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,'  «kc.  I  might  give  as  many  in- 
stances of  it  well-nigh  as  there  have  been  converts,  whose  story  is  recorded 
in  the  New  Testament,  from  John  the  Baptist's  time  downwards,  throughout 
all  the  Epistles.  '  Such  were  some  of  you/  saith  the  Apostle  to  the  Corin- 
thians, 1  Cor.  vi.  11,  when  just  before  he  had  named  aU  sorts  of  sins  and 
sinners.  'You  were  sometime  enemies,'  &c.,  says  he  to  the  Colossians,  Col. 
i.  21.  And  to  the  Ephesians  he  saith,  'You  were  dead  in  sins  and  tres- 
passes ; '  and  '  when  we  all  were  dead  ; '  and  so  here.  And  that  de  facto  it 
was  true  of  the  Jews,  is  also  evident  in  that  the  ministry  of  John  the  Bap- 
tist, as  Christ's  much  more,  was  to  turn  the  disobedient  Jews  to  the  wisdom 
of  the  just,  Luke  i.  17.  And  yet  they  were  circumcised,  as  we  all  are  bap- 
tized ;  and  their  circumcision  was  the  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  even 
as  our  baptism  is ;  and  yet  those  needed  a  bemg  born  again,  as  Christ  told 
Nicodemus  for  all  the  rest,  John  iii.  I  mention  this  thus  briefly,  to  make 
way  for  a  second  observation,  which  holds  forth  the  glorious  ends  which  God 
hath  in  this  dispensation  towards  his  beloved  ones. 

The  second  observation  from  this  emphatical  repetition  of  the  misery  of 
our  natural  condition,  and  that  in  this  order  and  placing,  is  evidently  this  : — 
Obs.  2. — That  the  deplorable  misery  of  our  condition  by  nature  doth  infi- 
nitely serve  to  set  out  and  illustrate  both  the  glory  of  that  condition  and 
salvation  God  hath  ordained  us  unto,  and  also  to  magnify  the  greatness  of  that 
love,  riches  of  mercy,  &c.,  that  are  in  God,  manifested  therein  towards  us. 
This  reiterated  mention  thereof,  you  see,  is  placed  in  the  midst,  between  an  ex- 
tolling of  his  great  love,  &c.,  ver.  4,  and  an  accurate  enumeration  of  the  degrees 
of  our  exaltation  in  the  salvation  bestowed  upon  us,  the  fruits  of  that  great 
love;  and  this  on  purpose  to  add  a  lustre  unto  both.  This  observation,  in 
both  the  branches  of  it  put  together,  is  another  rivulet  that  contributes  its 
stream  to  that  main  ocean  into  which  all  the  whole  current  of  the  Apostle's 
discourse  doth  flow,  namely,  the  demonstration  of  the  greatness  of  God's  love. 
I  told  you,  when  I  opened  the  greatness  of  God's  love,  ver.  4,  that  besides 
that  it  was  set  out,  as  there,  by  this,  that  he  had  singled  out  some  persons 
he  had  set  himself  to  love,  as  simply  so  considered, — us,  not  others, — it  was 
yet  further  to  be  illustrated  by  the  condition  those  persons  were  in,  the  sin 
and  misery  they  lay  in,  when  God  came  to  shew  them  mercy.  I  could  not 
speak  to  it  then,  because  it  comes  in  more  properly  and  in  a  more  set  and  ex- 
plicit intendment  here.     And  in  this  way  of  interpreting  this  scripture,  xara 


200  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLF,  [SeRMON  XIV. 

mLhac,  I  must  take  tilings  in  that  order  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  pleased  to  scatter 
them.  The  reminding  us  of  this  our  natural  cor  dition  comes  in  again  at 
ver.  11,  'Wherefore  remember,  ye  are  Gentiles  in  the  flesh,'  &c.  Yet  there, 
to  provoke  us  to  duties  answerably,  it  comes  upon  good  works ;  of  which 
in  that  place,  as  the  coronis  of  this  first  part  of  my  expositions.  But  here, 
as  it  serves  to  magnify  God's  love  and  the  glory  of  that  condition  God  hath 
raised  us  to,  it  seems  to  set  out  the  glory  of  that  estate  and  salvation  we  are 
brought  into.  God  hath,  in  bringing  any  of  the  sons  of  men  to  any  eminent 
height,  laid  the  foundation  of  it  in  a  lowness  and  misery ;  and  these  propor- 
tionable to  that  height  and  happiness  he  meant  to  raise  them  up  too  ut  of 
it.  And  accordingly,  when  the  Scripture  would  set  out  the  grace  of  that 
advancement,  it  withal  mentions  the  low  condition  Trom  whence  it  had  its 
rise,  as  emphatically  as  the  glory  after. 

Take  two  instances,  the  one  in  an  (Earthly,  the  other  by  an  advancement 
heavenly ;  and  both  the  highest,  and  one  the  type  of  the  other.  Speaking 
of  David's  exaltation  to  a  kingdom,  see  how  gi-eat  things  are  spoken  of  it, 
Psalm  Ixxxix.,  '  I  have  exalted  one  chosen  out  of  the  people  ;  I  have  found 
David  my  servant,'  ver.  19,  20  ;  'I  will  make  him  my  first-born,  higher  than 
the  kings  of  the  earth,'  ver.  27.  All  which  was  first  true  of  David  in  the 
type.  Of  all  the  kingdoms  set  up  in  those  ages  of  the  world,  before  Shiloh 
came  to  take  up  the  sceptre,  the  throne  of  David  was,  for  true  excellency  and 
glory,  the  most  transcendent.  It  was  a  dominion  over  God's  own  people, 
his  only  people  in  the  world  ;  but  aU  other  kingdoms  over  mountains  of 
prey,  as  the  Psalmist  speaks,  in  comparison  of  it,  over  wUd  beasts  ;  this  over 
saints,  Hos.  xi.  12.  You  have  seen  his  exaltation.  Now  see,  how  in  an- 
other psalm  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  grcaten  this,  gives  us  exact  notice  of  the 
lowness  of  his  condition  he  was  taken  out  of,  and  that  holding  a  like  pro- 
portion of  lowness  and  meanness  before,  to  this  height  after,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  70, 
71,  'He  chose  David  his  servant,  and  took  him  from  the  sheepfolds  :  from 
following  the  ewes  great  with  young,  he  brought  him  to  feed  Jacob  his 
people,  and  Israel  his  inheritance.'  As  in  the  former  psalm  he  took  his 
elevation,  so  here  he  fathoms,  as  with  a  line  and  measure,  his  depression, 
and  proportions  them.  He  was  before  but  a  shepherd  over  silly  sheep ;  yea, 
lower  yet,  he  was  but  the  shepherd's  boy ;  the  Holy  Ghost  intimates  it.  He 
took  him  '  from  after  the  ewes  ;'  so  you  have  it  in  your  margins.  The  shep- 
herds themselves  in  Judea  did  use  to  go  before  the  sheep.  So  Christ,  speak- 
ing according  to  the  custom  of  that  country,  John  x.  4,  '  The  good  shepherd 
goes  before  his  sheep,  and  leads  them  out.'  See  also  Ps.  Ixxx.  1.  He  Avas 
the  younger  brother,  that  as  the  servant  followed  the  sheep  ;  his  elder 
brethren  were  the  shepherds.  But  instead  of  following  sheep,  God  made 
him  a  shepherd  over  his  own  inheritance,  Tuiijyiva  XaZv,  as  Homer  calls  kings. 
And  the  Psalmist's  allusion  is  suitable,  '  to  feed  Israel  his  inheritance,  and 
to  go  in  and  out  before  them.'  You  have  the  very  same,  in  the  same  ex- 
pressions, 2  Sam.  vii.  8. 

From  David,  the  shadow,  let  us  come  to  Christ,  the  true  king  indeed, 
who  is  made  as  the  pattern  of  ours  here,  and  therefore  is  the  most  punctual 
instance  can  be  given  ;  how  high  he  is  ascended,  you  have  heard  from 
thence,  '  to  sit  at  God's  right  hand,'  &c.,  ver.  20,  21.  Now,  to  make  this 
the  more  glorious,  see  his  descension  also,  ere  ever  he  ascended,  as  it  is 
fathomed  by  this  our  Apostle  in  this  epistle,  chap.  iv.  9,  10,  and  foreseen 
by  David  in  his  prophecy,  which  he  expounds :  '  Now  that  he  ascended,  what 
is  it  but  that  he  descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ?  He  that 
descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  far  above  all  heavens.'     The  terms 


EpH.  II.  5,  C]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  201 

from  and  unto  which  are,  the  one  the  lowest,  the  other  the  highest :  the 
lower  parts  of  the  earth,  the  one ;  and  far  above  all  heavens,  the  other  :  the 
one  as  deep  in  lowness,  as  the  other  in  height.  It  imports,  lower  he  could 
not  go,  and  higher  he  could  not  ascend  ;  and  that  his  descension  might 
illustrate  the  height  of  his  ascent,  he  says  he  first  descended.  If  you 
would  consider,  then,  his  height,  go  down  in  your  thoughts  first  into  the 
womb,  imto  the  cross,  into  the  grave,  yea,  to  hell,  the  wrath  of  God  coming 
over  his  soul  when  on  the  cross ;  think  what  a  poor,  low,  sorry  man  God 
first  made  him  ;  and  then  read,  and  think  over  again  his  super-exaltation,  in 
the  first  chapter,  and  then  make  up  the  parallel,  as  our  head.  So  we  that 
were  dead  in  sins,  children  of  wrath,  and  so  in  our  desert  laid  as  low  as  hell, 
are  quickened,  raised,  and  made  to  sit  in  heavenly  places  and  glories  in  and 
with  Christ.  Place  one  part  of  the  compass  of  your  thoughts  in  the  nether- 
most hell  below,  from  thence  stretch  the  other  part  to  the  highest  heavens 
above,  and  then  you  have  the  true  distance  of  the  height  and  depth  of  your 
salvation,  and  of  God's  goodness  in  it.  And  unto  that  emphasis  the  Apostle 
gives  there  concerning  Christ  the  head,  '  He  that  descended  is  the  same 
also  that  ascended,' — that  is,  the  very  same  person,  the  subject  of  both, — lay 
to  it  the  like  emphasis  the  apostle  j)uts  here,  '  Even  when  we  were  dead,  he 
quickened  us,'  and  you  have  the  full  of  the  Apostle's  scope,  and  the  parallel 
made  complete. 

To  add  that  strange  thanksgiving,  that  of  the  Apostle,  Rom.  vi.  17,  '  God 
be  thanked  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin ;'  had  the  Apostle  ended  there, 
it  had  seemed  half  blasphemy. 

The  only  corollary  or  inference  I  shall  make  from  all  this  is — 
How  much  do  they  injure,  yea,  and  frustrate  this  great  design  of  God  to 
magnify  his  love  and  grace,  that  do  climb  up  presently  so  high,  and  imme- 
diately into  God  himself,  simply  in  himself  considered,  that  they  will  not 
condescend  to  look  down,  as  yet  God  doth,  upon  these  things  here  below, 
namely,  to  what  they  are  or  were  in  respect  of  sin  ;  but  have  forgotten  their 
old  sins,  yea,  and  their  need  of  Christ,  as  an  advocate  to  God  for  them. 
Surely  God  having  loved  us  with  a  love  of  so  long  continuance  as  from 
everlasting,  and  there  having  not  been  a  moment  of  aU  that  vast  space  of 
time  wherein  he  hath  not  loved  us  with  so  great  a  love,  had  it  not  been  that 
he  had  a  mighty  design  upon  them  in  permitting  this,  which  in  the  end,  by 
the  discovery  of  it,  should  take  up  and  fiU  their  hearts,  whilst  in  the  flesh 
at  least,  with  the  contemplation  of  his  love,  set  oflf  by  the  deep  and  con- 
tinued sense  of  their  own  sinfulness,  so  long  before  continued  ;  surely  he 
that  loved  them  so  would  never  have  suffered  such  multitudes  of  those  he 
loves  to  continue  so  many  years  in  this  state  of  death  and  rebellion  against 
him,  and  therein  to  wrong  him  so  all  the  while  ;  and  that  himself,  who  de- 
lights to  manifest  his  love  infinitely  more  than  we  do  where  we  love,  should 
suifer  himself  to  be  bound  up  from  discovering  in  the  least.  His  love  would 
never  have  endured  him  to  conceal  itself  so  long,  had  it  been  that  the  glory 
of  all  this  love,  so  designed  this  Avay  to  be  set  out,  must  instantly  be  for- 
gotten by  them  that  are  the  subjects  of  that  love  ;  much  less  would  he  have 
ordered  our  salvation  to  be  accomplished  by  putting  his  own  natural  Son  to 
death,  and  to  offer  up  his  soul  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  if  this  his  great  love,  and 
this  sore  travail  of  his  soul,  should  be  so  soon  forgotten  and  swallowed  up 
through  the  joy  of  our  enjoying  God  immediately  without  him  ;  and  this 
even  whilst  the  remainders  of  that  sin  cleaves  to  them,  to  mind  them  of  him 
that  redeemed  them  from  all  iniquity  by  his  so  precious  blood.  God 
might,  according  to  this  religion,  have  spared  his  Son  of  that  sore  pain  and 


202  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIV. 

grief  himself  put  him  unto,  and  Mmself  the  many  provocations  from  us  he 
loved  so,  besides  the  trouble  of  his  own  concealing  and  keeping  in  his  love 
so  long  before  our  conversion,  as  afterwards,  and  have  at  first  immediately 
brought  them  at  a  cheap  rate,  even  as  creatures  that  never  sinned,  into  that 
immediate  communion  with  himself,  without  any  need  of  his  Son's  media- 
tion at  all ;  yea,  Paul  might  have  spared  this  Epistle  to  these  Ephesians,  as 
patterns  of  grace  herein  to  all  succeeding  ages,  ver.  7,  in  the  privileges  of 
which  he  so  glories,  chap.  iii.  4.  And  surely  God  would  have  taken  that 
course  and  way  much  rather,-  had  it  not  been  that  to  commend  his  love 
hereby  was  the  great  delight  of  his  soul ;  the  glory  of  his  grace  being  his 
chiefest  glory. 

3.  I  come  now,  in  the  third  place,  to  speak  a  little  to  the  condition  of 
them  here,  as  it  hath  relation  to  quickening. 

When  ive  luere  dead,  he  quiclcened  us. 

There  is  a  peculiar  relation  ;  though  he  intend  to  take  in  our  natural 
condition,  yet  there  is  a  peculiar  reference  why  he  singles  out  beijig  dead, 
when  he  speaks  of  quickening.  I  will  not  stand  to  insist  largely  to  shew 
how  we  are  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses ;  I  did  it  when  I  handled  the  first 
verse,  only  I  reserved  one  thing  till  now. 

When  he  saith  we  are  dead  in  sins,  and  thereby  would  set  out  the  power 
of  God  in  quickening  us,  he  means  this  :  we  were  as  utterly  unable  to  help 
ourselves,  to  do  anything  of  spiritual  life,  as  a  dead  man  is  for  to  quicken 
himself,  or  to  stir  a  finger,  or  to  roll  about  an  eye,  or  to  perform  any  action 
that  is  truly  good. 

That  that  is  his  scope  is  plain  and  clear ;  for  afterwards  he  saith,  '  Even 
by  faith  we  are  saved,  not  of  ourselves ;'  the  very  faith  Ave  believe  withal, '  it 
is  the  gift  of  God.'  Why  ?  Because  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses ; 
and,  saith  he,  we  need  as  true  new  life  and  soul  to  be  put  into  us,  before  we 
can  stir  to  any  actions  of  life,  as  a  dead  man.  And  it  is  clear  that  it  is  aimed 
at  peculiarly  by  the  Apostle,  because  he  refers  us  in  these  words  to  chap.  i. 
19,  where  he  speaks  of  the  power  of  God  upon  us  in  working  grace;  he 
saith  it  is  the  same  that  raised  Jesus  Christ ;  therefore  he  speaks  in  respect 
of  such  a  deadness,  in  respect  of  the  power  of  sin  and  our  inability  tb  believe, 
as  Christ's  body  had  to  be  quickened  to  that  glorious  life. 

Brethren,  these  phrases,  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  we  urge  against  the 
Kemonstrants,  that  therefore  man  hath  not  spiritual  ability  till  God  quicken 
him ;  and  they  distinguish,  and  would  shew  some  dissimilitude  between 
natural  death  and  spiritual;  and  indeed  and  in  truth  they  would,  as  it  were, 
make  man  half  dead,  and  that  there  are  certain  kinds  of  sparks  of  life  in 
every  man.  There  is  a  natuial  knowledge  of  God,  and  a  natural  sorrow  for 
sin,  and  a  natural  desire  of  happiness ;  and  all  these  the  Holy  Ghost  hatcheth 
up  to  make  a  new  creature,  as  they  would  seem  to  make  it.  But,  brethren, 
the  Apostle,  who  certainly  spake  appositely,  and  when  he  would  set  out  our 
misery,  and  yet  the  love  of  God  to  the  full,  doth  not  talk  of  being  half  dead  ; 
— that  had  derogated  from  the  love,  and  grace,  and  exceeding  greatness  of 
power  that,  he  saith,  wrought  in  Christ  when  he  was  raised  ; — I  say,  it  makes 
the  Apostle  not  to  speak  appositely,  if  that  were  the  meaning.  No,  we  were 
dead.  And  whereas  they  make  a  dissimilitude  between  bodily  and  sj^iritual 
death,  yet  the  truth  is,  to  raise  a  man  from  spiritual  death  is  made  the 
greater  work,  for  it  is  paralleled  here  with  the  raising  of  Christ  from  the 
dead;  and  you  shall  find,  John  xi.  25,  that  when  Martha  doubted  of  the 
resurrection  of  Lazarus, — merely  of  the  resurrection  of  his  body, — how  doth 
Christ  raise  her  faith  1     Saith  he,  AVhy  dost  thou  stick  at  my  raising  of  hi? 


EpH.  II.  5,  G.]  TO  TUK  EPUESIANS.  203 

body?  I  will  do  more,  I  shall  raise  men's  souls;  for  so  he  saith,  vcr.  25, 
'  Jesus  saith,  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life :  he  that  believcth  in  me, 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  livetli  and  believeth 
in  me  shall  never  die.  Believest  thou  this  V  Dost  thou  stick  at  my  raising 
this  man's  body  1  '  Behold,'  as  he  saith,  John  v.  25,  '  the  time  is  coming, 
that  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  live.'  I  quicken 
men's  souls.  If  it  be  a  greater  work,  certainly  it  is  a  greater  death ;  there- 
fore we  must  needs  be  as  utterly  void  of  life,  in  respect  of  spiritual  life,  as  a 
man's  body  when  he  is  dead,  till  he  be  raised  again,  is  void  of  natural  life. 

And  then  again,  it  is  paralleled  with  the  raising  of  Christ  out  of  the  grave ; 
and  our  death  is  compared  and  paralleled  with  that  natural  death  of  Jesus 
Christ's  body.  It  is  true  God  did  not  suffer  his  body  to  see  corruption ;  but 
there  was  not  one  jot  of  life,  it  was  cold  and  stiff  certainly  as  others,  though 
no  way  corrupted.  What  saith  the  Apostle,  Kom.  vi.  9,  speaking  of  the  body 
of  Christ  1  He  saith  death  had  dominion  over  him :  '  In  that  he  died,  he 
died  to  sin  once ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him ;'  therefore  it  had 
dominion  over  him  whilst  he  was  dead.  If  he  would  have  us  liken  ourselves 
to  be  transplanted  into  Christ's  resurrection;  if  there  had  been  any  spark  of 
life,  it  might  have  been  blown  up,  as  they  would  make  men  believe.  No, 
there  is  no  spiritual  life  in  us. 

Now,  as  I  said,  it  is  objected  by  some,  that  there  is  this  difference  between 
the  natural  and  the  spiritual  death,  that  the  understanding  and  the  will 
remains;  a  man  is  stUl  a  free  creature,  a  living  creature. 

For  answer :  he  is  so,  he  is  a  living  creature  to  sin,  he  is  dead  and  living, 
both  in  respect  of  sin.  But  the  question  is,  in  what  respect  of  spiritual  life, 
in  respect  of  spiritual  life,  there  is  nothing  at  all  of  the  Spirit,  in  that  respect 
a  man  is  wholly  dead  till  he  be  called.  Brethren,  it  is  not  a  physical  death 
of  the  soul,  whereby  the  faculties  of  the  soul  perish ;  but  I  say  it  is  a  moral 
death.  Whereas  now,  when  the  body  is  dead,  all  the  parts  of  the  body 
remain  when  the  man  is  dead,  yet  he  is  wholly  dead  in  respect  of  the  life 
he  had  before;  so,  though  there  be  a  natural  vivacity  and  livelihood  that 
is  natural  to  the  soul,  in  the  will  and  understanding,  yet  spiritually  there 
is  none. 

Again  likewise,  whereas  they  object.  Why,  then,  doth  God  use  exhortations 
to  men  ?  Since  they  are  dead,  and  have  no  power  to  stir,  why  doth  he  bid 
them  arise  1  '  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  stand  up  from  the  dead,  and  Christ 
shall  give  thee  light.' 

That  place  certainly  is  meant  of  regenerated  men,  that  kept  company  with 
wicked  men,  and  were  asleep.     I  let  that  pass. 

But  I  answer.  Why  did  Christ  say  to  Lazarus,  Arise  1  Why  did  he  speak 
to  a  dead  man '?  If  any  man  else  had  spoken  it,  he  had  spoken  foolishly ; 
but  if  Christ  say  it,  and  give  power  with  the  word  that  goes  forth,  dead  men 
shall  Uve.  So  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  Uve, 
John  V.  25. 

But  they  say.  There  is  a  desire  of  happiness  left  in  man,  and  a  knowledge 
of  God,  and  preparations  for  the  work  of  the  Spirit  upon  man's  heart;  and 
is  this  man  wholly  dead  1 

Brethren,  I  answer,  Let  a  man  have  never  so  much  activity,  and  that  to- 
wards things  that  are  sj)iritual, — I  mean  in  this  sense,  out  of  ends  of  self- 
love,  and  the  like  that  they  are  wrought  upon, — yet,  notwithstanding,  still 
say  I,  that  man  is  dead  in  respect  of  that  wherein  life  lies.  For  when  we 
say  a  man  is  dead  in  sins,  you  must  not  understand  it  in  respect  of  the  life 
of  his  own  kind.    How  then  1    In  respect  of  spiritual  life ;  in  respect  of  such 


204  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIV. 

a  life  as  knits  Mm  to  God  and  Christ;  in  respect  of  such  a  life  as  raiseth  up 
the  least  affection  of  love  to  God  above  the  love  to  a  man's  self;  in  respect 
of  any  knowledge  that  is  spiritual  of  God  and  of  Christ  in  a  spiritual  way, — ■ 
in  respect  of  this  light  and  life  he  is  utterly  dead,  though  he  may  acknow- 
ledge a  God,  and  have  a  desire  after  happiness  and  the  like.  So  let  the 
comparison  run  in  the  same  respect  and  kind,  and  then  a  man,  though  he 
have  never  so  much  moral  good  in  him,  this  is  no  part  of  a  man's  life ;  though 
self-love  never  so  much  stir,  if  it  be  only  self-love,  though  to  spiritual  tilings, 
all  riseth  not  to  spiritual  life ;  there  is  no  degree  of  spiritual  life  all  the  while. 

Brethren,  to  illustrate  my  meaning, — or  else  the  comparison  will  not  hold, 
it  is  but  a  supposition,  it  is  that  that  wUl  never  be  done, — a  man  hath  a 
reasonable  soul  as  he  is  a  man  :  suppose  the  reasonable  soul  itself  should  be 
taken  out  of  a  man,  and  yet  man  still  retain  the  sense  of  hearing  and  seeing, 
and  the  quickness  of  his  fancy, — such  as  apes  and  beasts  and  such  creatures 
have, — certainly  this  man  would  be  said  to  be  dead  as  a  man,  if  the  reason- 
able soul  were  gone,  in  respect  of  that  life  that  a  man  hath,  as  a  man  hath 
a  reasonable  life,  though  the  brutish  life  were  left;  yet  take  him  as  a  man, 
he  hath  no  life  at  all  left  in  him,  if  the  reasonable  be  departed  and  gone,  and 
the  sensitive  only  left. 

So,  brethren,  it  is  here  :  take  a  spiritual  man  that  hath  union  with  God 
and  Christ,  and  life  flowing  thence,  and  raising  his  heart  to  God  out  of  love, 
— if  all  this  were  gone,  though  a  man  should  have  left  such  a  principle  as 
may  be  wound  exceeding  high  otherwise,  yet  in  respect  of  spiritual  life  he 
were  utterly  dead. 

I  might  enlarge  much  this  way  in  opening  and  clearing  this.  It  is  evident 
that  all  that  is  left  in  nature,  though  it  be  wrought  on  never  so  much,  it 
cannot  unite  us  to  Christ  nor  to  God;  and  then,  certainly,  there  is  no  part 
of  life.  Why  1  Because  all  the  parts  of  the  spiritual  life  Lie  in  our  union 
with  God  and  Christ.  Now,  let  a  man  have  never  so  many  preparatives,  all 
unite  him  not  to  Christ,  till  faith  come,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  quicken  his 
soul  in  order  to  eternal  life.  Therefore  all  preparatives  to  grace  are  not  a 
less  degree  to  the  same  kind.  '  We  hope  better  things  of  you,  and  such  as 
accompany  salvation,'  saith  the  Apostle,  having  spoken  of  glorious  enlighten- 
ings.  So  the  least  dram  of  grace  and  quickening  is  a  thing  of  another  kind 
from  all  preparatory  works  and  enlightenings;  and  in  respect  of  a  holy  life, 
man  is  dead. 

II.  /  come  now  to  the  benefit. 

Even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  he  hath  quickened  us  to- 
gether with  Christ. 

Here  are  three  things  to  be  spoken  to  : — 

1.  The  benefit  itself. 

2.  The  author,  the  principal  author  of  it,  God  the  Father ;  that  is  fetched 
in  in  the  coherence  from  the  verse  before,  '  God  hath  quickened  us.'  Then — 

3.  The  person  with,  and  by  whom,  and  by  fellowship  with  whom,  he  hath 
quickened  us  ;  '  he  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ.' 

These  three  things  I  will  speak  to  as  briefly  as  I  can. 

First,  For  the  benefit  itself. 

I  will  speak  a  little  in  general,  and  then  particularly  describe  it  to  you. 

First,  In  general,  by  quirjcening  here  is  meant  quickening  out  of  death ; 
that  is  clear,  for  '  when  we  were  dead,  he  quickened  us.'  The  word  is  so 
taken,  Rom.  iv.  17,  Rom.  viii.  11,  "'He  shall  quicken  your  mortal  bodies.' 
Now  indeed  the  word  is  used  sometimes  for  things  that  are  not  raised  from 
the  dead,  and  yet  it  is  called  quickening,  a  giving  life,  so  the  word  signifies 


Ei>Il.  II.  5,  C]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  205 

making  to  live  ;  that  is  the  proper  signification  of  the  word.  It  is  applied 
to  all  things  living,  1  Tim,  v.  13,  'God  that  quickeneth  all  things,'  all  things 
that  live  God  quickens.  And  Adam  might  be  said  to  be  quickened  when 
he  had  the  breath  of  life, — that  is,  God  made  him  to  live ;  so  the  word  signi- 
fies.    Now  I  will  not  stand  upon  it. 

Now  the  next  thing  in  general  that  I  am  to  open  is  this.  By  quickening, 
I  take  it,  is  meant  the  whole  work  of  God  on  us ;  the  whole  work  of  God 
is  called  qxuchening.  My  reason  is,  because  though  he  principally  aim  at 
conversion, — '  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  he  begins  to  do  it, 
— yet  he  names  this  as  the  first  degree  which  ends  in  glory,  as  it  is  ver.  6. 
So  he  familiarly  includes  and  comprehends  all  that  whole  state  of  grace  and 
the  works  of  it.  It  is  called  quickening,  though  principally  and  eminently 
the  first  putting  in  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  a  principle  of  life  into  a  man. 

You  shall  find  in  Scripture  that  the  whole  state  of  grace  is  called  life ;  as 
glory  also  sometimes  is  nothing  but  life.  Life  is  usually  jjut  for  glory,  and 
it  is  usually  put  for  grace  ;  therefore  when  he  would  express  the  difference 
between  the  one  state  and  the  other,  he  saith  we  are  passed  from  death  to 
life  :  '  By  this  we  know  that  we  are  passed  from  death  to  life.'  And  when 
Christ  would  express  a  man  that  hath  no  grace,  that  is  not  in  the  state  of 
grace,  he  expresseth  it  by  the  contrary,  he  hath  no  life  in  him  :  '  And  he 
that  eateth  not  my  flesh  hath  no  life  in  him,'  John  vi. ;  that  is,  he  hath  no 
grace,  nothing  that  belongs  or  pertains  to  the  state  of  grace. 

Brethren,  you  shall  find  this,  that  grace  is  so  properly  compared  to  life, 
and  the  working  of  grace  on  us,  that  when  the  Scripture  compares  the 
people  of  God  to  dead  things  for  other  respects,  yet  he  brings  the  word 
*  living '  too  :  as,  for  example,  they  are  stones,  and  precious  stones,  1  Peter 
ii.  5,  but  he  adds,  '  living  stones.'  When  he  calls  them  sacrifices,  that  used 
always  to  be  dead  things,  he  calls  them  'living  sacrifices,'  Eom.  xii.  1.  They 
pre  trees,  but  trees  of  life;  and  their  graces  are  compared  to  waters,  but 
living  waters,  and  waters  of  life.  Still  he  runs  upon  the  notion  of  life. 
For,  brethren,  all  in  Christians,  as  they  are  constituted  Christians,  is  Hfe,  life 
clearly;  it  quickeneth,  he  hath  made  us  aUve,  aU  is  life. 

But  you  will  say,  Is  not  the  work  of  grace  called  mortification,  a  dying 
to  sin  1 

It  is  true  ;  but  let  me  tell  you  this,  mortification  itself,  dying  to  sin,  that 
that  is  true  mortification,  ariseth  from  a  spirit  of  life  ;  it  is  a  consequent  of 
spiritual  life.  The  meankig  is  not,  that  first  God  kiUs  a  man's  sin,  and  then 
puts  a  principle  of  life  in  him  ;  but  by  a  principle  of  life  he  kills  sin.  A 
man  may  have  a  great  deal  of  deading  to  the  world,  as  much  as  another 
man,  from  terror  of  conscience  or  the  like.  But  here  is  no  life ;  the  whole 
of  grace  is  Hfe,  take  it  in  itself,  and  deadness  to  sin  is  but  the  consequent. 
Therefore  at  their  first  conversion,  when  men's  lusts  have  a  blow,  they  are 
more  dead  to  the  world  and  to  sin;  they  find  more  of  mortification  than  of 
quickening  and  life,  they  think  Why?  Because  there  is  an  additional  kind 
of  deading  men's  hearts  to  the  world  from  terror  of  conscience,  that  yet 
hath  an  impression  upon  men's  spirits  ;  but  saith  the  Apostle,  '  Walk  in  the 
Spirit,  &c.,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,'  Gal.  v.  1 6.  So  the 
not  fulfilling  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  is  a  fruit  of  living  and  walking  in  the 
Spirit ;  it  is  the  fruit  of  this  Hfe. 

Therefore,  when  he  speaks  of  all  the  grace  a  man  hath,  how  doth  he  ex- 
press it  1  2  Peter  i.  3,  '  He  hath  given  us  all  things  belonging  to  life  and 
godliness.'  So  that  all  the  life  a  man  hath  is  godliness,  and  godliness  is 
life ;  the  one  is  put  for  the  other. 


206  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XIV. 

Aud,  brethren,  hence  now  what  should  you  learn  1  Put  not  your  grace 
to  lie  in  humiliation,  in  those  works ;  grace  doth  not  lie  in  that,  your  grace 
lies  in  life  and  quickening  ;  therefore  you  see,  '  He  quickened  us,  when  we 
were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  together  v.-ith  Christ.'  Humiliation  goes 
not  to  the  mortifpng  of  lusts,  no,  but  you  may  be  joined  to  a  principle  of 
life  that  mortifies  lusts  ;  therefore  look,  how  much  grace  you  have,  so  much 
life ;  so  much  grace,  so  much  quickening.  When  you  come  to  the  ordi- 
nances, so  much  grace  and  good  you  get  as  your  hearts  are  quickened,  not 
as  you  perform  duties  ;  and  value  quickening  more  than  ordinances.  Luke 
xil  23,  Christ  saith  life  is  better  than  meat.  So  quickening  is  better 
than  sermons  and  than  all  things  in  the  world.  I  speak  it,  that  you  may 
know  what  to  put  religion  and  grace  in.  Food  is  the  means  of  life,  yet  life 
is  better  than  meat.  So  this  life  is  better  than  all  ordinances  and  duties ; 
as  far  as  you  are  quickened  you  have  spiritual  life,  and  your  aifections  are 
stirring,  and  all  the  sacrifices  you  offer  to  God  are  acceptable  as  far  as  they 
are  living.  Therefore,  '  Quicken  me  in  thy  way,'  saith  David,  Ps.  cxix.  37. 
If  he  went  in  the  way  of  God  and  was  not  quickened,  his  spirit  was  troubled, 
Ps.  Lxxx.  19,  but  he  prays  that  he  might  be  quickened.  I  speak  it  for 
this,  that  you  are  to  look  upon  that  to  be  grace  in  you ;  so  much  grace,  so 
much  life  ;  spiritual  life  lies  in  quickening. 

Notwithstanding,  on  the  other  side,  consider  it  is  quickening.  The  truth 
is,  he  useth  the  lowest  expression  that  can  be,  if  there  be  but  a  spirit  of  life. 
Suppose  thou  hast  not  attained  strength,  yet  if  thou  hast  life,  he  caLs  all 
that  we  receive  in  this  life  but  quickening,  if  you  take  it  in  the  ordinary 
way  of  phrase.  We  are  but  as  children  in  the  womb  quickened  ;  all  the 
stirrings  of  grace  are  but  such  as  of  an  infant  at  best.  Saith  he.  Col.  iii.  3, 
'  Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God  ; '  where,  as  it  were,  he  compares  God 
and  Jesus  Christ  to  the  root  in  which  the  sap  is  ;  and  it  is  winter  with  us, 
as  it  were,  in  comparison  of  what  it  shall  be  when  we  shall  be  raised 
together  with  Christ,  and  sit  in  heavenly  places  personally  with  Christ. 
Now  we  are  in  Christ ;  when  we  shall  sit  together  with  Christ,  what  shall 
this  life  be  1  But  in  the  meantime,  if  we  be  but  quickened,  if  there  be  but 
the  least  degree  of .  spiritual  life,  that  thy  heart  is  raised  to  God,  and  spiri- 
tually suited, — for  a  spiritual  mind  is  life, — if  there  be  the  least  spiritual  life, 
though  there  be  not  that  strength,  nay,  though  it  cannot  be  called  a  birth, 
though  thou  canst  not  say  thou  hast  all  the  parts  of  the  new  birth,  yet  if 
there  be  quick enmg,  there  is  a  new  life.  The  Apostle  descends  low  ;  this  is 
a  seed  that  -will  rise  to  eternity. 

So  much  in  general  for  the  explaining  this  quickening. 

But  now,  if  )'ou  would  know  what  kind  of  life  this  is,  brethren,  you  may 
take  much  helj)  from  what  death  is.  When  I  opened  the  first  verse,  our 
being  dead  in  sins,  I  told  you  the  fountain  of  all  spiritual  life  was  God ;  so 
he  was  to  Adam  ;  therefore  carnal  men  are  '  strangers  to  the  life  of  God.' 
We  are  said  to  be  dead  in  sins.  Why  1  Because  sin  cuts  us  off  from  God ; 
so  all  spiritual  life  lies  in  God. 

Now  consider  what  it  is  to  be  dead,  and  what  it  is  to  be  living.  I  will 
only  give  you  summarily  aU  the  ways  of  quickening  that  God  begins  in  this 
life  :  summarily  all  the  work  of  grace,  from  the  first  to  the  last,  till  it  come 
to  glory,  is  here  to  be  understood ;  *  he  hath  quickened  us.' 

Now,  first,  how  is  man  dead  1 

First,  In  respect  of  sin.  He  is  cast  out  of  the  fivour  of  God,  which  is 
his  life.  To  be  in  the  favour  of  God  is  to  live.  '  Oh  that  he  might  live  in 
thy  sight ! '  it  is  the  Scripture  phrase.     'In  his  favour  is  life,'  Ps.  xxx.  5. 


EPIi.   11.   5,   G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  207 

Now,  for  a  man  to  be  cast  out  of  the  favour  of  God  is  to  have  the  sentence 
jf  death  upon  him  ;  it  is  to  be  dead  in  the  guilt.  On  the  other  side,  for  a 
man  to  be  in  the  favour  of  God,  and  to  have  an  absohition  from  God,  and 
to  have  all  his  sins  pardoned,  this  is  to  be  quickened,  this  is  one  part  of  it. 

I  shall  give  you  Scripture  for  it  by  and  by.  John  v.  24,  .saith  he,  '  He 
that  hearcth  my  word,  and  belicveth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting 
life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  to 
life.'  His  passing  from  death  to  life  is  expressed  negatively,  by  not  enter- 
ing into  condemnation  ;  the  sentence  of  condemnation  is  taken  off  from  him. 
Now  compare  it  with  John  iii.  36,  '  He  that  belie veth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath 
eternal  life  ;  he  that  believeth  not  in  the  Son  of  God  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him.'  Here  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on  a  man  is  opposed  to 
having  life.  Now  therefore,  in  Eom.  v.  18,  our  being  justified  from  all  our 
sins  is  called  the  'justification  of  life; '  a  man  is  made,  of  a  dead  man,  of 
a  condemned  man,  a  living  man  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Now  to  come  home  to  the  point.  Col.  ii.  13,  where  the  Apostle  useth  the 
same  expression,  '  He  hath  quickened  us  with  Christ,'  what  doth  he  under- 
stand by  '  quickenmg '  there  1  Namely,  having  forgiven  you  all  your  tres- 
passes ;  there  lies  the  greatest  of  our  life  and  quickening,  it  is  the  life  of 
justification,  that  by  faith  God  giveth  us. 

Again,  in  the  second  place,  there  is  all  the  joy,  and  all  the  evidences  that  God 
gives  us  of  his  favour,  and  the  assurance  of  his  love  in  quickening  also.  I 
told  you  I  cannot  stand  upon  the  order.  Now  you  shall  find  in  Scripture 
that  freedom  from  trouble,  by  contrary  joy  infused  by  God,  is  called  quick- 
ening. You  have  an  express  place,  Ps.  cxliii.  11,  'Quicken  me,  bring  my 
soul  out  of  trouble;'  Ps.  cxix.  25,  'My  soul  cleaveth  to  the  dust,  quicken 
me.'  When  his  soid  did  cleave  to  the  dust,  under  the  sense  of  death  and 
the  wrath  of  God,  he  calls  for  quickening.  '  Quicken  me.'  With  what  ? 
With  his  loving-kindness,  as  it  is  in  another  verse ;  and  '  according  to  thy 
loving-kindness.'  And  Ps.  Ixiii.,  '  Thy  favour  is  better  than  life.'  So  you 
have  it  in  Eom.  viii.  6,  for  I  can  but  quote  scriptures,  '  To  be  spiritually 
minded  is  life  and  peace;'  having  said  before,  'the  carnal  man  cannot  please 
God.' 

In  the  third  place,  all  the  fellowship  the  Holy  Ghost  vouchsafes  us  in 
this  life  with  God  and  Christ,  and  the  enjoyment  of  them  in  themselves, 
and  their  own  excellency,  which  besides  are  distinct  from  the  assurance  of 
his  love  and  favour.  Many  times  these  are  called  life.  Ps.  xxii.,  '  Your 
hearts  shall  live,  and  ye  shall  eat  of  the  fat,  and  abundantly  enjoy  God.  He 
shall  shew  me  the  path  of  life;'  Ps.  xvi.,  ' Fulness  of  joy  is  at  thy  right 
hand.'  I  'uill  give  you  but  a  scripture  or  two.  John  xiv.  1,  Christ's  dis- 
ciples were  troubled;  saith  he,  I  will  give  you  the  Comforter;  and  'because 
I  live,  ye  shall  live.'  And  what  follows?  In  that  day  ye  shall  know;  for 
I  will  be  but  a  little  while  away,  and  I  will  send  you  the  Comforter  :  '  And 
at  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  you  in  me,  and  I  in 
you.  And  I  will  love  him,  and  manifest  myself  to  him;'  as  it  is  in  ver.  21. 
Another  place  is  1  John  i.  2.  There  he  calls  Jesus  Christ,  '  our  life.'  '  And 
that  life  was  manifested,  and  we  have  seen,  and  bear  witness,  and  shew  that 
eternal  life  was  in  the  Father,  and  is  manifest  unto  us.'  Here  Jesus  Christ 
is  called  eternal  life;  and  the  incarnation  is  called  the  manifestation  of  that 
life ;  and  the  evidence,  the  communion  and  fellowship  that  the  apostles  had 
with  him,  that  is  called  a  being  manifested  to  us  :  and  what  follows  ?  '  That 
which  we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unlo  you,  that  you  may  have 
fellowship  with  us;  and  truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with 


208  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIV. 

his  Son  Jesus  Clirist.'  So  all  fellowsliip  with  God  the  Father,  and  with  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  manifestation  of  this  life  as  it  was  manifested  to  the 
apostles  themselves. 

So  now,  in  the  fourth  place,  the  image  of  God  wrought  in  us  is  also  a 
principle  of  life.  We  are  quickened  in  that  image  of  God,  in  holiness  and 
righteousness,  by  wliich  we  live  to  God.  The  want  of  it  is  called  death. 
On  the  other  side,  inherent  holiness  is  called  life :  Kom.  viii.  6,  '  The  spiritual 
mind  is  life;'  Rom.  viii  2,  speaking  of  the  inherent  holiness  in  Christ's  heart, 
he  calls  it,  '  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.'  It  is  evi- 
dent it  was  so,  for  he  opposeth  it  to  the  law  of  sin  and  death  that  was  in 
our  hearts;  he  should  be  free  by  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  that  was  in 
Jesus  Christ.  Now  then,  to  have  therefore  a  vital  principle  of  the  image  of 
God,  whereby  a  man  is  made  fit  and  capable  of  communion  with  God,  suit- 
able to  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  all  holy  things,  that  causeth  him  to  draw 
near  to  God,  and  to  have  such  an  inward  quickening  principle  in  his  soul, 
that  enables  a  man  thus  to  converse  with  God,  as  the  reasonable  vital  prin- 
ciple enables  him  to  commerce  with  men ;  this  also  is  life,  and  a  great  part 
of  life. 

In  Rev.  XL,  when  the  witnesses  are  raised,  how  is  their  resm-rection  set 
forth  ?  A  spirit  of  life  came  into  them, — it  is  an  allusion  to  the  resurrection 
of  men, — a  new  life  was  shot,  a  vital  principle,  through  all  the  man ;  so  here 
is  a  principle  suitable  to  all  spiritual  objects.  It  is  not  as  if  an  angel  should 
take  a  dead  man,  and  act  him,  without  putting  in  a  principle  of  life;  but 
when  the  Holy  Ghost  is  given,  it  comes  and  quickens  a  man :  he  not  only 
acts  the  soul  positively,  but  he  puts  in  a  living  principle  by  which  the  soul 
joins  with  the  Holy  Ghost  in  activeness.  Therefore  all  his  performances  are 
caUed  '  living  sacrifices.'  Why  1  Because  aU  his  actions  do  not  proceed  from 
the  Holy  Ghost  only,  simply,  but  from  the  image  of  God  wliich  the  Holy 
Ghost  works  in  him,  and  acts  and  operates  in  him ;  so  his  sacrifice :  as  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  a  living  principle  for  his  part,  so  it  is  a  principle  to  make  a 
man  alive  to  God. 

It  is  an  excellent  expression  of  Jesus  Christ,  Rom.  vi.  10.  How  is  Jesus 
Christ's  life  expressed  there  1  '  In  that  he  Hveth,  he  liveth  to  God.'  What 
doth  Jesus  Christ  in  heaven,  to  mind  the  things  of  God,  to  govern  the  world  so 
as  God  may  have  glory,  and  to  difi"use  grace  into  the  hearts  of  the  saints  in 
heaven  and  earth,  that  God  may  have  glory  1  He  lives  to  God,  that  is  all 
his  work  :  it  is  an  active  life  that  carries  all  in  the  soul  to  God ;  as  living  in 
God,  so  living  to  God. 

There  is  the  like  phrase.  Gal.  ii.  20,  to  live  in  God  as  a  man's  element, 
and  to  God  as  his  end  ;  he  savours  the  word  of  bfe,  he  lives  in  the  promises ; 
by  these  things  men  live.  The  promises  of  the  word  are  the  savour  of 
life ;  to  a  man  that  hath  a  principle  in  him,  they  are  the  savour  of  life ; 
the  promises  of  heaven,  and  grace,  and  happiness,  and  salvation,  are  relished 
in  a  spiritual  way ;  that  he  pursues  it,  it  is  from  a  spiritual  hfe. — So  that 
is  the  fourth  thing  that  I  mention  of  what  is  meant  by  Hfe. 

A  fifth  thing,  that  is  the  root  of  all,  is  this  :  that  the  Holy  Ghost  dwells 
in  the  heart,  as  the  soul  in  the  body,  and  becomes  a  man's  life.  He  that 
is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit,  being  made  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  for  the  Spirit  is  the  foundation  of  all  spiritual  life.  The  Spirit 
quickeneth,  the  Godhead  of  Christ  quickeneth,  and  is  united  to  us,  dwelling 
in  us  ;  it  quickeneth  the  soul,  and  is  the  great  quickener,  and  the  foundation 
of  all  life.  Rom.  viii,  when  he  had  described  the  spiritually-minded  man, 
and  said  that  he  was  life, — *  The  spiritual  mind  is  life,' — whence  doth  this 


EpH.  II.  5,  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  209 

spiritual  man  come  to  have  this  life  1  Ver.  9,  11,  saith  he,  'Ye  are  not  in 
the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  hi  you.  And  if  any 
man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.  And  if  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  raise  your 
mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.'  What  will  be  the  life 
of  our  bodies  at  the  last  day  1  The  Holy  Ghost ;  not  only  our  own  souls, 
but  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  possess  us  more  than  our  own  souls  ;  he  that  shall 
be  the  life  of  our  bodies  then  is  the  root  of  our  spiritual  life  now.  The 
spiritual  mind  is  life,  because  the  Spirit  dwelleth  in  you. 

Let  me  add  this  :  all  actings  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  stirrings  of  the  affec- 
tions, the  enlightening  of  the  mind,  spiritually  to  know  God  and  Christ  and 
a  man's  self,  all  growings  up,  all  are  quickenings  ;  in  all  the  ordinances,  all 
the  life  you  receive  not  only  at  the  first,  all  are  quickenings  with  Christ. 
You  come  to  sermons,  and  your  hearts  are  quickened,  spiritual  affections 
are  stirred,  and  you  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  flesh,  and  aim  at  God  ;  all  this 
is  quickening,  it  is  being  quickened  with  Jesus  Christ ;  all  the  spiritual  life 
that  you  have,  and  is  increased  in  you,  it  is  called  '  the  light  of  life,'  John 
viii.  1 2.  All  your  walking  in  the  Spirit,  and  your  acting  that  proceeds  from 
the  Spirit,  in  Gal.  iii.,  '  If  ye  live  in  the  Spuit,  walk  in  the  Spirit ;'  all  those 
walkings  come  from  the  habitual  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

So  much  for  the  opening  of  that  life  ;  '  we  are  quickened.' 

The  next  thing  I  am  to  shew  to  you  is  this,  which  I  will  make  an  end  of. 
We  are  quickened — 

Together  with  Christ. 

There  axe  some  interpreters  that  would  extenuate  and  enervate  that  which 
is  our  infinite  great  comfort ;  for  they  refer  the  word  together,  that  is,  we 
Jews  and  Gentiles  ;  whereas  in  truth  the  scope  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  we 
are  quickened  together  with  Christ.  In  all  our  quickening  he  quickens  us 
together  with  Christ ;  so  our  translation  rightly  reads  it. 

Besides,  it  is  all  reason,  that  Christ  being  made  our  head,  chap.  L,  God 
hath  quickened  him,  and  raised  him  first,  and  so  us  ;  and  that  he  saith 
after,  we  are  '  set  in  heavenly  places  with  Christ,'  and  are  now  in  Christ. 
Besides  those  arguments,  this  makes  it  clear  and  plain,  in  the  Colossians  ; — 
these  two  Epistles  are  as  two  Evangelists,  the  one  explains  the  other  ; — Col, 
ii.  13,  he  saith,  '  He  hath  quickened  us  together  with  him,'  namely,  with 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  not  only  as  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  quick' 
ened,  but  we  are  quickened  with  Christ. 

This  being  laid  for  the  scope  of  the  words,  I  wiU  in  a  word  open  how  we 
are  said  to  be  quickened  with  him. 

You  must  know,  brethren,  God  the  Father,  who  is  the  great  quickener, 
he  is  the  author,  the  great  fountain  of  life ;  and  Jesus  Christ,  as  God-man, 
hath  life  given  from  the  Father  to  him  that  he  might  raise  us.  You  have 
two  places  :  John  v.  26,  '  As  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  he  hath 
given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself.'  The  Father  hath  life  in  him- 
self, he  is  the  original  of  life  only;  though  the  Son  have  life  in  himself, 
yet  he  hath  not  this  life  of  himself,  but  from  the  Father  ;  the  Father  is 
the  fountain  of  life.  And  in  John  vi.  57,  *  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent 
me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father :  so,'  saith  he,  '  he  that  eats  my  flesh  shall 
live  by  me.' 

So  that  now  it  is  plain  that  God  having  infinite  happiness  and  life, — for 
what  is  the  life  of  God  but  his  own  holiness  and  happiness,  and  the  entire- 
ness  of  his  own  nature,  for  his  own  blessedness,  for  lus  own  pleasure  ? — God 
hath  ordained  and  laid  up  eternal  life  in  his  decree  j  but  Jesus  Christ  is  ta 

VOL.  II  o 


210  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIV. 

be  eternal  life,  to  communicate  that  life  that  is  in  Mmself  to  us,  1  John  i.  1. 
Christ  is  called  eternal  life,  as  he  was  with  God ;  and  he  was  incarnate  and 
took  flesh  on  purpose  that  this  life  might  be  communicated,  1  John  v.  11. 
The  Father  hath  given  us  eternal  life  in  his  own  decree.  First,  God  pur- 
posed that  man  should  live  in  union  and  communion  with  him,  and  par- 
take of  that  life  that  he  himself  lives,  and  communicates  as  far  as  the 
creature  is  capable.  '  He  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life.'  Well,  where  hath 
he  put  it  for  us  to  have  it  1  And,  saith  he,  this  life  is  in  his  Son,  that  he 
might  unite  them  to  him.  John  xvii.  2,  '  Thine  they  were,  thou  gavest  them 
me,  that  I  might  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  me.'  So 
he  gives  it  to  them ;  he  living  by  the  Father,  they  are  given  to  him ;  he 
bestows  life  on  them,  they  Hve  by  him. 

So  that,  to  express  it  more  fully,  the  Godhead  dwells  in  the  human 
nature  of  Christ  and  is  a  quickening  Spirit  to  him;  and  by  virtue  of  our  re- 
lation to  him,  having  union  with  him,  he  quickens  us,  and  never  rests  till 
he  hath  brought  us  to  that  union  with  God,  in  our  measure  and  proportion, 
that  Christ  hatk  Col.  iii.  3,  our  Saviour  Christ  is  said  to  be  our  life  :  our 
*  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,'  and  when  '  our  life  shall  appear,'  that  is, 
Christ ;  therefore  we  are  said  to  be  quickened  with  Christ,  as  the  author  of 
our  quickening.  That  is  the  Jlrst  sense  that  is  put  upon  it,  so  some  inter- 
preters carry  it,  translating  it  properly. 

In  the  second  place,  when  it  is  said  we  are  quickened  together  with  Christ, 
it  being  a  quickening  out  of  death,  as  I  told  you,  it  evidently  implies  that 
this  Lord  of  ours,  Jesus  Christ  our  life,  was  also  dead ;  so  by  virtue  of  his 
dying  and  being  quickened,  we  are  quickened  together  with  him.  1  Pet, 
iii.  18,  it  is  said  he  was  'put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  in  the 
Spirit  j'  that  is,  raised  by  the  Godhead,  being  put  to  death.  He  had  quick- 
ening and  dying,  and  by  virtue  of  that  quickening  and  dying  of  his  we  are 
quickened  ;  so  we  are  quickened  together  with  him,  both  by  his  death  and 
resurrection. 

We  are  quickened  by  his  death,  to  purchase  that  life  and  quickening  that 
we  were  to  have  ;  therefore  you  read  in  John  x.  and  in  John  v.  21,  and  many 
places,  that  he  gave  his  life  for  the  life  of  the  world  ;  and  liis  flesh,  as  cru- 
cified and  broken,  is  that  that  hath  purchased  life.  I  shaU  not  need  to  stand 
to  give  you  places. 

Again,  on  the  other  side,  by  virtue  of  his  resurrection  we  are  also  quick- 
ened ;  therefore  it  is  called  'the  virtue  of  his  resurrection,'  Phil,  iii  10.  In 
Isa.  xxvi.  19,  there  is  a  prophecy  of  the  conversion  of  the  Jews :  '  Thy  dead 
men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise.'  Here  is 
quickening  together  with  Jesus  Christ ;  his  body  was  dead,  and  rose  again. 
Saith  he,  '  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,'  speaking  to  that  nation  that  were  scat- 
tered all  the  world  over.  How  do  we  know  that  their  conversion  is  called 
a  resurrection  from  the  dead  1  How  come  they  to  rise,  and  to  be  quick- 
ened 1  '  With  my  dead  body,'  by  virtue  of  my  resurrection.  He  speaks  of  a 
dew  afterwards ;  there  is  a  dew  fails  from  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  a  vir- 
tue which  quickeneth  us.     So  we  are  quickened  with  Christ. 

Again,  in  the  third  place,  we  are  said  to  be  quickened  with  Jesus  Christ, 
because  the  same  life  that  Jesus  Christ  is  quickened  with,  we  are ;  it  is 
called  'the  life  of  Jesus,'  2  Cor.  iv.  11.  Though  Paul  speak  of  the  life  of 
the  body,  it  is  called  the  life  of  Jesus.  We  are  delivered  to  death,  that  the 
life  of  Jesus  might  be  manifested  in  us.  As  he  lives  in  the  favour  of  God, 
as  he  lives  to  God,  so  we  live  to  God ;  it  is  the  same  life  ;  the  same  Spirit 


EpH.  II.  5,  6.]  TO  THE  EPHE9IANS.  211 

that  quickened  him  quickeneth  us,  Rom.  viii.  11,  The  same  Spirit  that 
raised  his  body  quickens  our  souls ;  if  we  be  quickened  truly,  we  live  with 
the  same  life  that  Jesus  Christ  did. 

Lastly,  We  are  said  to  be  quickened  with  him  in  this  sense,  because  when 
he  was  raised  and  quickened,  we  were  said  to  be  raised  and  quickened  in 
him,  as  a  person  representative  ;  so  by  virtue  of  that  we  are  now  quickened 
personally.  What  saith  the  Apostle  ?  Rom.  vi.  1 1,  '  Reckon  yourselves 
alive  to  God,'  as  Christ  is.  Why  1  Because  when  Jesus  Christ  was  quick- 
ened, when  he  arose,  ye  did  rise ;  when  he  was  quickened,  you  were  quick- 
ened in  him,  and  shall  have  it  complete  in  yourselves.  Therefore,  though 
it  be  imperfect  quickening,  it  is  thy  comfort  that  thou  art  quickened  with 
Christ,  and  in  Christ  as  a  head  first ;  and  as  his  life  was  perfect,  so  shall 
thine  be  ;  and  in  the  meantime,  though  thou  canst  not  say.  It  is  wrought  in 
me,  thou  mayest  say.  It  is  wrought  in  my  head  for  me ;  I  may  say  it  is  per- 
fect in  him.  '  Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.'  I  have  not  aU  my 
life  ;  my  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  Alas  !  you  have  but  a  little  degree, 
but  reckon  yourselves  alive  to  God,  as  Christ  is.  When  he  shall  appear, 
that  life  that  he  hath  in  glory  you  shall  have,  by  virtue  of  his  being  quick- 
ened. 

So  now  you  have  what  is  meant  by  being  quickened  with  Christ. 

Now,  brethren,  here  lies  plainly  the  comfort  of  a  Christian,  that  we  are 
quickened  together  with  Jesus  Christ,  therefore  this  life  shall  never  die ;  for 
we  are  quickened  together  with  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  him  as  our  head,  and 
as  a  person  representative  of  us.  Here  is  our  comfort,  our  life  is  bound  up 
in  the  bundle  of  the  Hfe  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore 
now,  if  Jesus  Christ  live  ;  If  I  live,  saith  he,  you  shall  live  ;  if  I  never  die, 
you  shall  never  die.  He  is  so  quickened  that  death  hath  no  more  dominion 
over  him,  Rom.  vi.  10.  So  saith  he  to  Martha,  when  she  doubted  of  the 
resurrection  of  her  brother,  '  He  that  believeth  in  me  shall  never  die ;  be- 
lievest  thou  this  ? '  It  is  a  point  of  thy  creed,  as  true  as  any  article  of  thy 
creed ;  believe  it,  there  is  nothing  truer.  What  is  the  reason  ?  Because  we 
are  quickened  with  Christ,  our  life  is  bound  up  with  his ;  and  as  it  is  in 
2  Cor.  iv.  14,  as  Christ  did  rise  up  by  the  power  of  God,  so  shall  we. 

Now  then  I  shall  end  in  a  word.  The  last  thing  that  I  am  to  speak  of 
is  the  scope  of  the  Apostle,  to  shew  the  greatness  of  the  work  of  God  and 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  upon  us,  and  his  love,  in  that  he  hath 
quickened  us.  You  see  the  greatness  of  the  grace,  and  love,  and  mercy  of 
God,  that  he  hath  quickened  us  with  Jesus  Christ.  But  that  shall  be  the 
observation,  it  is  the  Apostle's  scope,  and  the  main  thing  he  aims  at. 

In  the  first  place,  if  God  had  quickened  us  with  this  life  as  he  did  Adam 
for  Adam  was  quickened,  what  an  infinite  goodness  had  it  been,  if  there  had 
been  such  a  life  as  a  saint  hath,  to  grow  up  to  eternal  life  !  But  he  did  it 
when  we  had  forfeited  all,  and  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses. 

If  you  had  seen  Adam's  body,  whilst  it  was  making  of  clay,  and  formed 
by  degrees,  as  God  did  the  world;  and  when  that  body  of  clay  was  made, 
God  put  and  breathed  into  it  so  glorious  a  soul  as  it  was,  how  should  we 
have  admired  this  infinite  work  upon  him  !  But,  brethren,  that  when  we 
had  lost  this,  and  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses ;  that  '  when  we  were  in 
our  blood,  God  said.  Live,'  Ezek.  xvi.  6 ;  that  he  should  forgive  us  all  our 
sins,  for  quickening  always  carries  pardon  of  sin ;  he  hath  quickened  us  with 
him,  forgiving  aU  our  sins ;  and  as  he  shewed  his  mercy  and  grace  in  par- 
doning, so  his  power  in  putting  into  us  a  principle  of  life,  in  communicating 


212  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIV. 

a  greater  power  than  to  raise  the  dead,  the  same  that  raised  Christ, — what 
infinite  grace  and  goodness  is  this  ! 

And  then,  if  we  reckon  that  our  quickening  with  Christ  cost  Christ's 
death,  and,  that  we  are  quickened  for  ever  with  him  and  saved,  take  that  in 
Acts  iii.  15,  'Ye  have  killed  the  Prince  of  life,  and  him  God  raised;'  that 
the  Prince  of  life  must  be  put  to  death  and  quickened,  that  we  might  live  ! 
Our  life  cost  God  dear,  when  it  was  bought  with  Christ's  life.  All  the  life 
of  men  and  angels,  if  they  had  never  sinned,  it  was  but  as  the  life  of  a  slave 
to  the  life  of  a  king.  Do  but  consider,  he  is  the  Prince  of  life  ;  what  a  life 
he  had,  and  what  it  was  for  him  that  was  the  Prince  of  life  to  be  put  to 
death;  and  put  to  death  he  was,  that  you  might  have  life. 

And  not  only  so,  but  as  your  quickening  lies,  that  being  condemned,  and 
then  being  justified,  a  sentence  of  condemnation  being  upon  you  :  so  Christ 
was  not  put  to  a  bodily  death  only,  but  he  had  our  sins  laid  on  him;  he  was 
made  a  curse,  and  then  he  was  justified  in  the  Spirit,  absolved  from  aU  our 
sins,  and  this  was  his  quickening  ;  and  by  virtue  of  his  quickening,  we  are 
quickened  in  the  life  of  justification.  I  might  enlarge  this  :  Rom.  v.  8, 
Christ's  love  was  commended  in  this,  that  he  died  for  us.  '  Greater  love 
hath  no  man  than  that  he  lay  down  his  life,'  &c.,  John  xv.  13.  Let  a  holy- 
heart,  that  is  afi"ected  with  the  love  of  Christ  and  of  God,  consider  this ;  for 
words  and  rhetoric  cannot  express  it  to  a  carnal  heart ;  but  to  express  it  to 
a  spiritual  heart,  how  wonderfully  will  he  stand  admiring  the  love  and  grace 
of  God  and  of  Christ  ! 

Again,  in  the  third  place,  do  but  consider  the  excellency  of  this  life.  It 
is  a  greater  life  than  when  we  were  in  Adam,  infinitely  greater ;  we  are 
quickened  with  Christ,  with  the  same  life  that  Christ  is  quickened  with. 
Alas  !  when  Adam  was  quickened,  he  was  quickened  by  the  law  ;  but  Jesus 
Christ  is  onr  life,  Adam's  life  was  nothing.  John  x.  10,  '  I  came  that  they 
might  have  life,  and  have  it  more  abundantly.'  Therefore  indeed  and  in 
truth  we  explain  this  life  to  you  :  by  our  death  in  sin  we  cannot  do  it. 
Why  1  Because  our  death  in  sin  is  a  deprivation  only  of  that  we  had  in 
Adam,  but  it  is  restored  infinitely.  *  I  am  come  to  give  you  life,  and  to 
give  it  more  abundantly.'  It  is  a  higher  justification,  living  in  the  eternal 
favour  of  God  ;  Adam  was  but  in  the  temporal  favour  of  God. 

Lastly,  To  end  all,  it  is  evident  here  that  the  Apostle  principally  means 
our  calling,  the  first  infusion,  the  Holy  Ghost  putting  in  a  principle  of  life 
and  making  us  new  creatures.  Therein  is  infinite  love,  next  to  the  death 
of  Christ,  that  he  quickened  us  when  we  were  dead.  '  God,  that  is  rich  in 
mercy,  hath  quickened  us.'  There  are  three  acts  of  God  wherein  his  love 
is : — 

The  first  is,  His  love  from  eternity. 

The  other.  When  he  gave  Jesus  Christ  for  us. 

The  third.  When  he  called  us  first,  and  converted  and  turned  us. 

What  is  the  reason  that  we  should  account  it  so  great  a  work  ?  The  rea- 
son is,  because  then  we  were  quickened  with  Jesus  Christ.  Let  the  principle 
of  life  be  never  so  small,  it  is  the  seed  of  God  that  shall  rise  to  eternal  life ; 
therefore  he  that  believeth  hath  eternal  life.  What  saith  the  Apostle  in  the 
next  words  ?  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved.'  He  saith  not,  ye  shall  be,  but  ye 
are  saved  ;  for  this  Hfe  hath  eternal  life  in  the  seed,  and  shall  be  raised  to 
eternal  life. 

Therefore  when  God  calls  a  man,  all  the  thoughts  of  love  that  he  had 
from  eternity,  all  the  thoughts  of  love  he  had  when  Christ  came  in  the  flesh. 


EpH.  II.   5,   6. J  TO  THE  EPUBSIANS.  213 

all  that  ever  he  means  to  do  for  a  man,  is  before  him,  and  he  estates  this 
man  in  all ;  all  that  God  hath  done,  and  wiU  do,  are  in  that  act  concentred, 
when  he  quickens  him ;  for  then  a  man  hath  possession  and  right  of  aU. 
And  this  shaU  go  on  till  it  come  to  the  height  of  perfection,  as  the  Scrip- 
ture holds  it  out  i  '  to  ait  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.' 


214  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XV. 


SERMOTsT  XT. 
(5y  grace  ye  are  saved.) — Ver.  5. 

The  words  of  this  5ih.  verse  fall  into  these  three  particulars.     Here  is — 

1.  A  repetition  of  our  condition  which  we  were  in  by  nature,  to  illustrate 
grace  the  more ;  '  When  we  were  dead  in  sins,'  saith  he,  '  he  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ.'     Here  is — 

2.  The  first  benefit  bestowed  upon  us,  and  that  in  this  life,  which  is  the 
seed  of  glory  ;  our  being  '  quickened,'  and  that  '  with  Christ.'     Then — 

3.  The  Apostle's  note,  by  way  of  observation  upon  it,  in  a  parenthesis, 
whereby  he  sets  a  mark,  as  it  were  a  finger  in  the  margin,  to  note  this  as  a 
result  from  hence ;  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved.' 

I  opened  the  benefit,  which  is  here  bestowed  upon  us,  in  the  last  discourse. 
I  shewed  what  was  meant  by  quickening,  and  why  it  is  said  we  are  quick- 
ened '  together  with  Christ.' 

First,  I  shewed  what  was  meant  by  qiiickening,  and  went  over  aU  those 
particulars.     Both — 

1.  In  respect  of  justification.  I  shewed  you,  according  to  the  Scripture 
phrase,  that  it  is  a  quickening,  a  giving  life.  So  in  Col.  ii.  13, '  He  hath 
quickened  you  together  with  Christ,  having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses.' 
And— 

2.  I  shewed  you  how  that  all  the  fellowship  we  have  with  God,  and  his 
fulness,  it  is  in  the  Scripture  called  life  and  quickening.  All  the  joy  we 
have  in  the  favour  and  loving-kindness  of  God,  which  is  better  than  life,  it 
is  called  quickening.     And  then — 

3.  The  image  of  God,  which  consisteth  in  holiness,  it  is  a  Spirit  of  quick- 
ening.    And — 

4.  The  putting  in  the  Holy  Ghost  into  our  soul,  and  his  dwelling  there 
for  ever,  as  a  soul  in  our  soul,  and  the  union  of  the  Godhead  of  Christ  to  us, 
of  Christ  who  is  our  life ;  by  this  also  we  are  quickened.     And  then — 

5.  Lastly,  Every  stirring  of  the  regenerate  part,  every  spiritual  affec- 
tion, every  holy  end  and  purpose,  that  is  raised  up  in  the  heart  of  a  believer 
throughout  the  whole  course  of  his  life,  aU  these  are  quickenings,  and  they 
are  from  our  having  been  quickened  together  with  Christ.  Ps.  Ixxx.  18, 
'  Quicken  us,  and  we  will  call  upon  thy  name.'  The  ability  which  a  man 
hath  to  jjray  in  a  sjiiritual  way,  is  a  quickening. 

Secondly,  I  shewed  you  how  we  are  quickened  together  with  Christ ;  and 
how  our  quickening  dependeth  upon  his  being  quickened.  For  he  was  put 
to  death  in  the  flesh,  and  quickened  in  the  Spirit,  as  the  Apostle  Peter  speaks, 
1  Peter  iii.  18. 

I  added  a  third,  which  is  the  scope  of  the  Apostle  here,  and  that  is  the 
greatness  of  this  work.  For  I  take  it  that  quickening  here  contains  not 
simply  only  our  first  conversion,  though  eminently  that,  but  all  that  is  done 
upon  us  in  this  life ;  as  on  the  other  side  those  that  follow  in  the  6th  verse  are 
the  works  which  God  will  work  in  our  persons  one  day  in  the  world  to  come. 


EpH.  IL  5.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  215 

The  greatness  of  this  work  I  demonstrated  by  such  things  as  are  proper  to 
the  text.     As — 

1.  That  he  quickened  us  thus  when  we  were  dead ;  as  in  Ezek.  xvi.  6, 
'  I  said  unto  thee,  in  thy  blood,  Live.'  It  was  not  only  a  child  cast  forth  in 
its  menstruous  blood,  but  a  dead  child  too.     And  so  likewise — 

2.  In  that  it  is  called  quickening,  and  quickening  having  those  relations 
to  death,  it  importeth  a  mighty  work  of  power.  In  Rom.  iv.  17,  it  is  made 
a  great  matter  in  Abraham's  faith  that  he  believed  in  God  '  who  quickeneth 
the  dead ; '  but  yet  it  was  but  the  quickening  of  the  dead  womb  of  Sarah. 
There  goes  an  infinite  deal  of  mercy  to  quicken  the  dead  heart  of  a  believer ; 
nay,  to  quicken  his  graces,  which  are  not  dead  in  sin,  but  they  are  dead 
of  themselves,  without  the  quickening  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ps.  cxix.  156, 
'  Great  are  thy  tender  mercies,  0  Lord;  quicken  me,'  saith  David. 

3.  It  is  a  great  work  likewise  in  respect  of  the  life  which  we  are  quick- 
ened unto,  and  of  which  it  is  the  beginning  :  it  is  the  beginning  of  all  that 
life  of  glory  which  we  shall  have  hereafter.  It  is  not  only  quickening  us  unto 
that  life  which  Adam  had,  but  it  is  quickening  us  unto  that  life  which  Christ 
himself  leadeth,  '  who  is  our  hfe,'  Col.  iii.  4.  And  therefore  in  1  Cor.  xv. 
there  is  a  comparison  made  between  Adam  and  Christ.  *  The  first  man  Adam,' 
saith  he,  ver.  45,  '  was  made  a  living  soul ;  the  last  Adam  was  made  a  quicken- 
ing spirit.'  The  comparison  lies  not  only  in  this,  that  Jesus  Christ  can  raise 
up  a  dead  creature,  a  dead  soul  and  a  dead  body;  but  the  comparison  is  of 
the  life  itself  with  which  both  the  one  and  the  other  are  endowed,  for  the  ex- 
cellency thereof ;  as  appears  evidently  by  what  he  saith  of  the  body  there, 
that  from  a  natural  it  is  raised  to  a  spiritual  life ;  and  it  holds  much  more 
in  the  soul.  Therefore  in  John  x.  10,  Christ  saith,  'I  am  come  that  they 
might  have  life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  more  abundantly.'  Now  then, 
do  but  consider ;  if  thou  feelest  the  beginnings  of  spiritual  life,  the  least 
stirring  that  is  in  thee,  though  it  be  but  in  a  way  of  quickening,  for  so  you 
see  he  expresses  it  by  that  which  is  the  lowest,  think  what  this  quickening 
is  the  beginning  and  foundation  of.  When  Mary  did  feel  herself  quick  with 
the  Son  of  God,  little  thought  she  what  a  life  that  quickening  was  the  first 
motion  of,  even  of  that  life  which  the  Son  of  God  now  leads  in  heaven, 
which  was  his  due  then.  '  Your  life,'  saith  he.  Col.  iii.  3,  '  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God.'  The  truth  is,  we  have  little  of  that  life  which  we  shall  have 
hereafter ;  it  is  but  quickening  here,  we  may  be  said  only  to  live  hereafter. 
'  Your  life,'  saith  he,  '  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God :  and  when  Christ,  who  is 
our  life,  shaU  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory.'  Here  it 
is  but  a  seed  of  life,  buried  to  grow  up  hereafter ;  it  is  a  drop  of  life  to  be 
swallowed  up  in  that  sea,  in  that  ocean  of  life  hereafter.  And  then  likewise 
consider,  it  is  a  quickening  together  with  Christ,  the  same  that  Christ  hath ; 
our  lives  are  bound  up  with  his,  and  in  his. 

But  now  the  chief  is  the  mercy,  for  that  is  the  Apostle's  scope  to  exalt ; 
the  mercy  of  it  doth  lie  in  this,  that  Jesus  Christ  must  die,  and  be  quickened 
again  out  of  death,  before  such  time  as  this  life  shall  be  given  us.  In  John 
xii.  24,  Christ  compares  himself  to  a  grain  of  corn,  which  '  except  it  fall 
into  the  ground,  and  die,  it  abideth  alone ;  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit.'  If  I  had  not  died,  saith  he,  I  had  been  in  heaven  alone,  none 
had  ever  had  any  quickening  by  me.  I  had  not  brought  a  soul  to  life,  if  I 
had  not  died.     That  is  the  mind  of  Christ's  comparison  there.     And — 

This  leads  me  now  to  that  which  is  a  fourth  thing  to  be  considered  here 
in  this  place,  which  I  mentioned  not  in  the  last  discourse.  I  told  you,  when 
I  handled  and  opened  to  you  the  greatness  of  the  love  of  God  to  us,  that  I 


216  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XV. 

would  keep  to  such  tilings  as  tlie  text  affords,  to  set  it  out  unto  you  still,  as 
they  fall  in  my  way.     I  shewed  you  how  great  a  love  it  was — 

1.  From  the  subject  of  it ;  God. 

2.  For  the  hind  of  it ;  his  love. 

3.  For  the  time  he  hath  borne  it  to  us ;  even  from  everlasting. 

4.  From  the  'persons  ;  us — us  nakedly,  and  distinctly,  and  definitely ;  and 
us,  not  others. 

5.  From  our  condition ;  when  we  were  dead. 

And  now,  which  I  will  but  speak  to  in  a  word,  the  greatness  of  this  love 
is  set  out  by  this,  that  to  the  end  we  might  be  quickened,  he  gave  his  Son 
to  death.  It  is  but  couched  in  the  text,  and  therefore  I  wiU  but  briefly 
speak  to  it,  and  so  proceed. 

My  brethren,  when  the  Scripture  would  set  out  the  love  of  God  to  us,  it 
speaks  not  much  of  it,  but  the  chief  and  eminent  thing  it  holds  forth  is  this,  that 
God  gave  his  Son,  and  gave  his  Son  to  death  for  us.  You  have  it  in  Kom.  v.  8, 
*  God  commendeth  his  love  towards  us,' — or,  as  the  word  signifies,  he  makes  it 
noble  and  illustrious, — 'in  that  while  we  were  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.'  It 
is  not  only  that  when  we  were  sinners  he  loved  us,  or  quickened  us  when  we 
were  dead,  but  that  he  gave  his  Son  to  die  for  lis  to  efi'ect  this,  there  hes  the 
emphasis ;  that  is  more  than  quickening,  and  more  than  all  the  benefits  we 
have  by  Christ.  You  have  the  like  in  1  John  iv.  9,  '  In  this  was  manifested 
the  love  of  God  towards  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only-begotten  Son 
into  the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  him ;'  we  had  never  had  any  of 
this  spiritual  life  else.  And  '  herein  is  love,'  saith  he,  ver.  10, — that  is  set  out 
by  two  things, — '  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us  ; '  so  that  God 
loved  us  from  everlasting,  and  began  to  love  us  first ;  and  then  it  follows, 
'  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.'  '  Herein  is  love  :'  that 
is,  in  this  is  the  highest  manifestation  of  the  love  of  God.  It  is  such  a  phrase 
as  that  in  Rev.  xiv.  12,  '  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints ;'  that  is,  here  it 
is  tried,  here  it  is  seen. 

You  know  it  was  the  highest  trial  of  Abraham's  love  to  God  that  he  had 
a  heart  to  give  his  son  for  him.  'Now  I  know,'  saith  God,  Gen.  xxii.  12, 
'  that  thou  fearest  God,' — that  word  fear  is  put  for  love,  and  for  all  religion, 
according  to  the  language  of  the  Old  Testament, — '  seeing  thou  hast  not 
mthheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son  from  me.'  You  see  how  God  was  taken 
with  it,  though  it  was  but  in  the  purpose  of  Abraham's  heart  to  do  it.  But 
how  much  more  is  it  for  God  actually  to  give  us  his  Son  !  In  John  iii.  16, 
it  is  said,  '  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son.' 
StiU  you  see  the  Scripture  runs  upon  it.  He  loved  and  he  gave,  for  love 
presently  thinks  of  giving;  and  if  it  be  a  great  love,  it  will  express  itself  by 
gifts  answerable.  Now  God  had  a  Son,  and  he  so  loved  the  world  that  he 
gave  this  Son.  The  truth  is,  that  God  himself  could  not  do  a  greater  act, 
nor  give  a  greater  gift.  I  may  say  of  this  act,  as  it  is  said  in  Heb.  vi.  13, 
that  when  God  made  promise  to  Abraham,  '  because  he  could  swear  by  no 
greater,  he  sware  by  himself ;'  so,  because  he  could  manifest  his  love  no  greater 
nor  higher  way,  he  gave  his  Son,  and  his  only-begotten  Son.  You  see  there 
is  a  so  put  upon  it ;  he  so  loved  the  world, — that  is,  his  elect  in  the  world, 
for  so,  I  take  it,  it  is  meant.  Such  expressions  have  an  import  in  them  of 
unexpressibleness ;  as,  '  so  great  salvation,'  Heb.  ii.  3,  and  '  such  contradic- 
tion of  sinners,'  Heb.  xii.  3.  If  Satan  say.  Thou  hast  so  sinned,  reply  again, 
God  hath  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  Son  for  us.  The  Apostle  put- 
teth  an  unexpressibleness  upon  the  love  of  God  in  making  of  us  his  sons,  1 
John  iii.  1,  'Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us. 


EpH.  II.  5.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  217 

that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God  ! '     What  manner  of  love  then  is 
this,  that  God  hath  given  us  his  only  Son  ! 

You  have  it  again,  in  Rom.  viii.  32,  emphatically  mentioned,  where  the 
Apostle  speaks  with  an  amazement,  as  if  he  had  even  run  himself  out  of 
breath  :  '  What  shall  we  then  say  to  these  things  ] '  Having  spoken  of  the 
love  of  God,  such  a  sea  of  love  came  upon  him  as  overcame  him.  And 
what  follows  1  '  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for 
us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  1 '  Do  but 
consider  the  words  a  little.  '  He  spared  not  his  Son ;'  the  word  implies  that 
God  was  sensible  enough  what  it  was  to  give  such  a  Son,  it  implies  the 
greatest  tenderness ;  he  felt  every  blow,  yet  he  gave  the  blows  himself  Even 
as  when  of  loving  parents  it  is  said  they  do  not  spare  their  children,  when 
out  of  the  greatest  tenderness  they  do  correct  them.  And  he  is  said  not  to 
'  spare  his  own  Son,'  who  is  more  his  own  Son  than  our  sons  can  be,  which 
are  differing  from  ourselves,  but  Christ  of  the  same  substance  with  himself. 
And  the  truth  is,  none  knows  how  to  value  the  gift  but  God  himself,  that 
gave  him,  and  Christ  himself,  that  was  given.  And  he  did  do  it  freely  too  : 
the  word  that  is  used,  y^ap/ssrai,  imports  it ;  with  him  he  shall  graciously 
give  us ;  he  gives  Christ,  and  all  things  else  freely  with  him,  therefore  it 
implies  that  he  gave  him  up  freely  also.  Abraham  gave  his  son,  but 
he  was  commanded  to  do  it ;  but  God  gave  his  Son  freely,  and  it  pleased 
the  Lord  to  bruise  him.  And  to  shew  that  this  was  the  greatest  gift  that 
God  could  give,  or  had  to  give,  what  follows  1  Now  he  had  given  us  his  Son, 
take  all  things  else,  saith  he.  I  do  not  value  heaven,  now  I  have  given  my 
Son  for  you ;  therefore  take  that.  I  do  not  value  grace,  nor  comfort,  nor 
creatures;  take  all  freely,  even  as  you  had  my  Son.  'If  he  spared  not  his 
Son,'  saith  he,  '  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things?' 
He  hath  given  the  greatest  pawn  of  his  love,  in  giving  us  his  Son,  that 
ever  was. 

Take  another  scripture,  in  1  John  iii  16,  '  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love 
of  God,  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us.'  Do  but  consider  whose  life  it 
was  that  was  laid  down.  The  Apostle  greatens  this  love  from  the  person, 
the  owner  of  this  life.  Was  it  the  life  of  men  1  Alas  !  what  are  the  lives 
of  men  1  They  are  but  as  the  lives  of  gnats  and  flies,  such  as  came  out  of 
nothing  but  the  other  day ;  no,  but  tliis  is  the  life  of  God.  The  life  which  God, 
dwelling  in  a  human  nature,  hath,  and  is  due  to  that  human  nature,  God 
dwelling  there ;  the  Apostle  puts  an  emphasis  upon  that,  that  it  was  the  Hfo 
of  God,  and  his  own  life,  and  so  dear  to  God  in  the  proportion  of  it  as  the 
lives  of  creatures  are,  in  their  several  degrees  of  excellency  and  happiness 
they  enjoj^,  to  each  of  them.  The  life  of  a  man  is  more  dear  to  a  man,  than 
of  a  beast  to  a  beast,  of  a  fly  to  a  fly.  And  among  men,  of  a  king  to  a 
king,  than  of  an  ordinary  man  to  himself ;  because  he  hath  more  of  an  out- 
ward life  and  happiness  to  lose.  And  look,  how  much  reason  God  hath  to 
love  his  own  life  more  than  men  their  own,  by  so  much  was  it  greater  love 
in  God  to  lay  down  that  life  ;  a  life  so  dear  to  him,  that  none  knew  how  to 
value  this  life  of  God  but  God  himself,  and  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  God,  and 
dwelt  in  that  liuman  nature. 

All  this,  my  brethren,  God  did,  when  he  could  have  saved  the  world  other- 
wise too,  let  me  put  that  in  ;  and  this  when  all  our  lives,  and  all  the  glory  he 
shall  have  from  us,  is  not  worth  that  life,  that  glory  of  Christ  that  was  de- 
based. And  yet  God  found  a  sweet-smelling  savour  in  it,  he  did  so  heartily 
and  freely  oft'er  him  up.  The  truth  is,  this  love  cannot  be  set  out,  unles? 
God  shed  it  abroad  in  the  heiirt  of  a  man  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  knowa 


218  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XV. 

the  heart  of  God,  and  knows  the  valuation  of  this  gift,  and  who  by  his  report 
of  it  takes  the  heart  mth  it  j  all  the  discourses  in  the  world  otherwise  will 
do  a  man  no  good.  And  so  much  now  for  that  head  likewise,  the  greatness 
of  this  love,  that  we  are  quickened  together  with  Christ,  and  so  he  must  die, 
and  then  be  quickened,  before  we  could  be  quickened;  'We  are  quickened 
together  with  him,'  saith  he. 

Now  I  come  to  the  next  words,  the  third  thing  here  in  this  verse,  and 
that  is  this — 

By  grace  ye  are  saved. 

The  Apostle  brings  this  in,  as  an  inference  from  both  the  other,  that  '  when 
we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  God  did  then  quicken  us  together  with 
Christ  :'  and  he  brings  it  in  by  way  of  parenthesis,  as  setting  a  mark  on  it, 
as  making  it  that  thing  he  would  have  them,  as  the  result  of  all,  observe 
and  carry  in  their  eye.     Three  things  are  to  be  considered  in  it : — 

1.  The  manner  of  his  bringing  of  it  in. 

2.  The  occasion. 

3.  The  matter  itself. 

All  these  are  worthy  our  observation,  and  will  afford  observations  to  us. 
I  shall  handle  the  second,  viz.,  the  occasion,  last  of  all. 
For  the  manner  of  his  bringing  of  it  in  : — 

1.  He  brings  it  in  here  abruptly,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  sentence,  before 
he  had  made  an  end  of  enumerating  the  benefits  we  have  in  and  by  Christ. 
And  he  repeats  it  again  in  the  8th  verse  in  so  many  words ;  insomuch  as 
some  have  thought  that  it  did  creep  into  the  copy  by  the  addition  of  some 
writer,  and  that  it  was  not  the  Apostle's  own.  But  far  be  it  from  us  to  think 
so  ;  for  by  saying  this  of  whole  sentences,  and  especially  of  so  rich  sentences 
as  this,  is  to  open  a  gap  for  aU  heresy,  and  to  make  of  the  Scriptures  what 
they  please,  and  to  have  no  foundation  for  our  faith  therein ;  for  the  like 
exception  may  be  made  of  any.  But,  my  brethren,  it  is  the  Apostle's  indi- 
gitating  here,  in  this  discourse,  this  thing  again  and  again.  To  say,  '  By 
grace  ye  are  saved,'  and  to  say  it  again ;  to  say  it  briefly  first,  and  largely 
afterwards  to  open  it,  to  that  end  they  might  have  in  their  eye  this  as  the 
chief  result  and  scope  of  all  his  discourse  ;  for  him  to  do  so  it  is  no  wonder. 
He  did  so  in  mentioning  our  lost  condition  :  first  he  mentioneth  it  largely, 
in  ver.  1-3;  and  yet  he  repeats  it  again,  to  set  the  consideration  of  it  the 
more  upon  our  hearts,  in  this  ver.  5.  Answerably,  when  he  would  speak  of 
that  grace  by  which  we  were  delivered  out  of  this  condition,  he  gives  us  in 
the  beginning  here  a  brief  touch  of  it,  *  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  and  then 
insisteth  largely  upon  it  afterwards  in  ver.  8.  It  was  meet  that  this  seal 
should  have  a  double  impression  upon  the  wax  to  make  it  the  deeper,  for  it 
is  God's  seal ;  it  is  that  grace  by  which  he  knows  who  are  his.  It  is  the 
first  great  end  and  design  of  God.  So,  ver.  7,  you  have  it,  '  That  in  the 
ages  to  come,  he  might  shew  the  riches  of  his  grace.'  It  is  both  the  first 
cause,  and  the  middle  cause,  and  the  ultimate  cause  of  our  salvation ;  and 
therefore  no  wonder  the  Apostle  mentioneth  it  three  times.     And  then — 

2.  Why  he  should  bring  it  in  by  way  of  parenthesis,  in  the  very  midst 
of  his  discourse  of  the  benefits  we  have  in  and  by  Christ,  before  he  goes  on 
to  speak  of  the  rest,  having  spoken  only  of  quickening ;  for  him  to  say,  '  by 
grace  ye  are  saved,'  by  way  of  parenthesis,  it  argues  that  he  had  this  thing 
in  his  thoughts,  his  thoughts  were  full  of  it ;  and  it  breaks  out  presently 
upon  the  first  just  occasion.  He  had  but  mentioned  the  first  degree  of  sal- 
vation, '  he  hath  quickened  us  ; '  yet  because  whoever  hath  that  degree  his 
salvation  shall  be  completed,  he  presently  cries  out.  Are  ye  quickened  ?  ye 


EpH.  II.  5.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  219 

are  saved.  He  speaks  as  if  the  whole  work  were  done,  for  done  it  shall  be. 
He  cries  out,  Ye  are  saved,  upon  the  very  mention  of  the  first  degree  of  sal- 
vation ;  and  he  teUs  them  by  what :  Ye  are  saved  by  grace,  saith  he.  You 
have  just  such  a  parenthesis  in  Hab.  i.  12,  where  the  prophet,  in  the  name 
of  the  people  of  God,  prays  unto  God  :  '  Art  thou  not  from  everlasting,  0 
Lord  my  God,  mine  Holy  One  V  What  follows?  *  We  shall  not  die.'  He 
did  presently  gather  that  from  it,  and  it  came  in  as  a  note  by  the  way :  he 
had  no  sooner  said,  '  Thou  art  my  God  from  everlasting,'  but,  '  We  shall  not 
die,'  and  then  he  goes  on  in  his  prayer.  So  here,  when  the  Apostle  had  but 
named  that  work  which  insureth  salvation  to  us,  and  that  engageth  God  for 
ever  to  go  on,  and  that  he  that  hath  begun  a  good  work  will  perfect  it,  he 
presently  brings  this  in  by  way  of  parenthesis,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  and 
80  putteth  a  more  real  emphasis  upon  grace  than  in  the  former  upon  mercy 
and  love,  simply  and  alone  considered.  He  gives  them  greater  epithets  in- 
deed, and  yet  he  gives  grace  the  same  afterwards  too.  But  he  brings  this 
in  here  as  an  eminent  observation  by  the  way,  as  that  which  he  would  have 
them  of  all  things  observe.  And  so  thereby  he  gives  it  a  more  real  exalta- 
tion than  the  other.     And  then — 

3.  If  any  one  shall  say,  Is  there  any  difference  between  his  scope  in 
bringing  it  in  here  and  in  the  8th  verse  1  1  answer,  Yes ;  and  this  I  desire 
you  to  observe  and  remember,  for  it  shall  steer  me  in  the  handling  of  it ; 
for  some  things  are  proper  to  this  place,  and  other  things  are  proper  to 
what  belongs  to  this  sentence  in  the  8th  verse.  To  shew  you  the  difference 
then.  It  comes  in  here  by  way  of  general  premise,  as  a  touch  by  the  way 
of  what  he  would  more  largely  open  and  particularly  speak  of  It  comes 
in  here  as  the  chief  cause  of  salvation  simply  considered,  a  cause  of  all  those 
benefits  which  we  receive,  that  we  are  quickened,  and  raised  with  Christ,  and 
sit  in  heavenly  places  with  him ;  it  is  placed  in  the  midst  of  them  as  the  sun 
is  in  the  firmament.  But  in  the  8th  verse  it  comes  in  comparatively  and 
more  largely ;  it  comes  in  there  excluding  what  may  seem  to  put  in  as  causes 
of  our  salvation ; — if  you  wiU.  make  them  causes  that  are  not  causes,  and  yet 
will  go  about  in  the  hearts  of  men  to  share  the  honour  with  free  grace,  '  by 
grace  ye  are  saved,'  saith  be,  'through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is 
the  gift  of  God ;  not  of  works,'  &c. ; — he  brings  it  in  there,  I  say,  by  way  of 
exclusion,  by  way  of  cutting  off  the  pleas  of  whatsoever  would  pretend  to 
any  title  or  honour  herein,  or  which  the  hearts  of  men  are  apt  to  mingle 
with  and  ascribe  salvation  unto.  You  see  clearly,  then,  the  differing  way  of 
handling  and  speaking  to  these  words  here  and  in  the  8th  verse.  Here  I 
must  speak  of  it  simply  as  it  is  the  cause  of  our  salvation  ;  but  there  I 
must  speak  of  it  as  it  is  a  cause  of  our  salvation,  excluding  all  things  else. 
There  is  nothing  hath  been  more  corrupted  in  all  ages  than  the  causation 
that  free  grace  hath  in  the  salvation  of  men,  by  Papists,  and  by  Remon- 
strants, and  by  legalists,  and  by  carnal  hearts,  that  still  will  mingle  with  it 
something  of  themselves.  Now  all  these  things  I  must  speak  to,  as  the  text 
shall  give  occasion,  when  I  come  to  the  8th  verse.  Only  that  which  I  am 
now  to  do  is  to  shew  you,  and  that  in  a  more  general  way,  how  that  grace, 
and  free  grace,  is  the  cause  of  all  salvation.  Aid  herein  I  will  observe  this 
method — 

1.  Open  to  you  what  is  meant  by  ^  graced 

2.  What  is  held  foHh  under  this  word,  being  '  saved,'  as  here  it  is  brought 
in. 

3.  /  shall  put  them  both  together,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  and  speak  to 
them  jointly. 


220  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLB  [SeEMON  XV. 

There  is  an  observation  •wMch  I  should  have  mentioned,  drawn  from  the 
manner  of  the  Apostle's  bringing  this  in  here,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  by 
■way  of  parenthesis  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse,  and  then  that  he  should 
afterwards  so  largely  insist  upon  it  again  and  again  :  it  holds  forth  this  to 
us — 

Ohs. — That  the  dependency  our  salvation  hath  in  the  whole,  and  all  the 
parts  of  it,  upon  free  grace,  is  the  greatest  thing  in  the  gospel.  It  is  that 
which  the  Apostle  would  have  these  Ephesians  above  all  things  else  take 
notice  o£  He  sets  therefore  this  mark  upon  it  by  this  parenthesis,  as  if  he 
had  said,  Remember  tliis,  saith  he,  as  the  great  result  of  my  discourse,  to 
hold  forth  this  to  you,  to  beget  thoughts  of  this  in  you,  that  by  grace  ye  are 
saved.  But  of  this  when  I  come  to  the  8th  verse.  At  present  I  shall  in- 
quire— 

First,  What  is  meant  hy  'grace'  here! 

To  be  sure,  it  is  not  meant  the  graces  in  us,  though  they  have  also  the 
name  given  to  them.  The  Papists  run  altogether  upon  that.  K  you  read 
their  books  of  the  Attributes  of  God,  you  shall  not  find,  as  I  remember,  that 
title,  Be  Gratia  Dei,  in  any  one  of  them.  No;  they  run  upon  the  grace 
that  is  in  us.  Indeed  the  graces  that  are  in  us  are  called  grace  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, as  in  2  Cor.  viii.  1,  '  We  do  you  to  wit  of  the  grace  of  God  bestowed 
upon  the  churches  of  Macedonia;'  and,  ver.  7,  '  As  ye  abound  in  everything, 
in  faith,  and  utterance,  and  knowledge,  and  in  all  diligence,  and  in  your  love 
to  us,  see  that  ye  abound  in  this  grace  also.'  So  in  2  Cor.  ix.  8,  '  God  is 
able  to  make  all  grace  abound  towards  you;'  and,  ver.  14,  'We  long  after 
you,  for  the  exceeding  grace  of  God  in  you.'  But  yet  the  graces  that  are  in 
us,  they  are  called  graces  merely  because  they  are  the  gifts  of  a  higher  grace, 
by  which  higher  grace  we  are  saved ;  and  salvation  is  never  attributed  to  our 
own  graces.  Or  indeed  and  in  truth,  they  are  part  of  salvation  itself,  even 
as  the  benefits  that  God  bestows  upon  us  out  of  love,  they  are  called  love 
so  in  1  John  iii.  1,  '  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God  I '  There  adoption  and 
sonship  is  called  the  love  of  God  which  he  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  because 
it  proceeds  from  love ;  so  these  ai'e  called  graces  because  they  flow  from  that 
grace.  Even  as  regeneration,  the  thing  begotten  in  us,  is  called  spirit  in  us, 
because  it  is  begotten  by  the  Spirit ;  so  these  are  called  graces,  because  they 
are  the  gift  of  grace.  And  therefore  in  Acts  xL  23,  the  effects  of  the  grace 
of  God  are  there  called  grace.  '  When  he  had  seen  the  grace  of  God,  he 
was  glad;'  that  is,  he  had  seen  men  turned  unto  God,  for  he  speaks  of  the 
conversion  of  souls  and  of  the  graces  of  God  wrought  in  them.  My  breth- 
ren, they  are  but  improperly  called  grace.  It  is  that  which  hath  misled  the 
Papists  and  school-men;  and  you  may  see  how  dangerous  a  little  mistake  is. 
They  thought  to  call  it  grace,  because  it  made  us  accepted,  and  rendered  us 
gracious  in  the  eyes  of  God,  therefore  they  called  it  that  grace  by  which  we 
are  accepted.  But  the  truth  is,  these  are  only  called  graces  because  they 
are  the  gifts  of  grace ;  and  therefore  in  that  place  I  quoted  before,  2  Cor. 
viii.  1,  it  is  called  'the  grace  bestowed.'  And  you  shall  stUl  find  that  when 
our  grace  is  spoken  of  the  word  given  is  mentioned,  as  in  Eph.  iiL  2.  And 
twenty  such  instances  more  there  are,  which  I  could  give  you.  They  are 
called  graces,  I  say,  because  they  are  bestowed  by  grace.  They  are  not 
gratixje  gratum  facientes,  but  gratia  gratum  facientis,  that  is,  the  grace  of 
God  making  us  gracious.  And  therefore  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  invented  a 
word  for  it,  which  we  find  used  in  no  heathen  author,  as  the  learned  have 
observed.     He  calls  them  y^apiefj.a7a,  that  is,  gifts  out  of  grace  and  out  of 


EpII.  II.  5.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  221 

favour.  And  in  Rom.  v.  15  there  is  mention  made  of  the  grace  of  God  and 
of  the  gift  by  grace,  which  indeed  is  phiinly  meant  only  of  the  righteousness 
of  Christ ;  yet  in  relation  unto  us,  and  as  flowing  from  that  original  grace  in 
God,  it  is  called  the  gift  by  grace,  or  the  gift  of  grace.  So  that  now  you 
must  take  the  favour  of  God,  that  which  is  in  the  heart  of  God  towards  us, 
— which  is  called  in  that  Rom.  v.  15,  in  distinction  from  all  gifts  given  by 
God,  yea,  from  Christ  himself,  fj  %ao/;  rov  Giou,  the  grace  of  God, — to  be  that 
which  the  Apostle  means  here  in  the  text ;  and  though  he  hath  given  the 
graces  in  us  the  name  of  grace,  yet,  as  I  said  before,  he  never  attributed 
salvation  to  them. 

And  that  here  grace  is  so  taken,  I  suppose  I  shall  not  need  to  stand  long 
in  it.  You  see  the  Apostle  brings  it  in  here  as  a  cause  of  salvation,  together 
with  mercy  and  love  in  God ;  therefore  the  grace  here  meant  is  the  grace 
of  God  also.  And  so,  ver.  7,  '  That  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace.'  It  is  not  the  grace  in  us,  but  grace  in  God,  which  he  calleth 
also  'kindness'  in  the  same  verse.  So  that  in  a  word,  by  'grace'  here  is 
meant  this,  the  favour  of  God  freely  accepting  of  us.  Eph.  i.  6,  '  To  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  whereby  he  hath  made  us  accepted ;'  ac- 
cepted with  himself.  This  is  the  great  grace  that  is  here  intended.  I  could 
give  you  another  place  for  it ;  it  is  in  Rom.  iii.  24,  '  Being  justified  freely 
by  his  grace.'  There  is,  first,  his  grace  ;  and,  secondly,  to  shew  that  it  is  not 
anything  in  us,  he  addeth  the  word  '  freely'  to  it.  He  doth  not  only  call  it 
grace,  but  '  his  grace,'  by  way  of  distinction ;  and  then  he  adds  '  freely'  to 
it,  to  cut  off  all  things  from  it. 

The  observation  from  hence,  by  the  by,  is  only  this  : — 

Obs. — That  we  should  now  have  our  heart  set  upon  seeking  of  the  grace 
and  favour  of  God,  as  the  highest,  supreme,  and  chief  cause  of  all ;  and  to 
seek  graces  as  the  fruit  thereof ;  to  pray,  though  for  inherent  grace  to  be 
wrought  in  us,  yet  chiefly  to  seek  after  the  favour  of  God,  to  have  our 
hearts  affected  with  it.  To  apprehend,  and  seek  after,  and  to  have  our 
hearts  taken  with  the  favour  of  God,  and  to  be  the  subject  of  it,  is  in  itself 
infinitely  more  than  to  be  taken  with  the  fruits  of  it.  And  so  likewise,  to 
seek  after  the  vision  of  this  favour  in  itself ;  as  Moses,  '  Shew  me  thy  face,' 
saith  he.  God  knew  what  he  meant,  and  therefore  answers,  *  I  wiU  be  gra- 
cious to  whom  I  will  be  gracious  ;'  and  I  will  be  gracious  unto  thee.  Our 
hearts  now  and  our  comfort  should  be  pitched  upon  the  grace  that  is  in  God. 

You  shall  find  the  expression  in  2  Thess.  ii  1 6  ;  I  shall  but  quote  it  to 
you  :  '  Now  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  God,  even  our  Father, 
which  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  us  everlasting  consolation  and  good 
hope  through  grace.'  What  is  it  that  will  be  everlasting  consolation,  that 
will  never  fail  you  1  And  what  is  that  good  hope  that  will  be  everlasting  1 
It  is  when  the  grace  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  and  the  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  souls,  in  a  more  immediate  manner.  That  he 
speaks  of  that  love  is  clear ;  for  he  saith,  God,  that  hath  loved  us  with  an 
infinite  love,  and  saved  us  with  his  free  grace  that  is  in  himself,  out  of  that 
love  he  hath  given  us  eternal  consolation,  and  good  hope  in  that  love,  and 
in  that  grace. 

Now  then,  this  being  cleared  and  opened  to  you,  I  come,  in  the  second 
place,  to  shew  you  what  this  expression  of  grace  doth  superadd  to  mercy 
and  love ;  for  you  see  here  he  brings  in  three  cau.5es  of  our  salvation. 
Therefore  as  I  have  opened  the  thing  itself,  I  shall  in  the  second  place  open 
it  as  it  is  a  cause  of  salvation,  distinct  some  way  from  mercy  and  love. 
Exod.  xxxiv.  6, '  The  Lord,  gracious  and  merciful;'  he  makes  grace  a  distinct 


222  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLB  [SeRMON  XV. 

thing  from  mercy.     It  is  the  same  for  the  substance  with  love  and  mercy, 
yet  it  holds  forth  something  more  eminently  than  both. 

1.  It  noteth  out,  not  simply  love,  but  the  love  of  a  sovereign,  transcen- 
dently  superior,  one  that  may  do  what  he  will,  that  may  wholly  choose  whe- 
ther he  will  love  or  no.  There  may  be  love  betwixt  equals,  and  an  inferior 
may  love  a  superior  ;  but  love  in  one  that  is  a  superior,  and  so  superior  as  he 
may  do  what  he  will,  in  such  a  one  love  is  called  grace  :  and  therefore  grace 
is  attributed  to  princes ;  they  are  said  to  be  gracious  to  their  subjects.  Sub- 
jects, though  they  love  their  princes,  yet  they  are  not  said  to  be  gracious  to 
them.  ISTow  God,  who  is  an  infinite  sovereign,  who  might  have  chosen  whe- 
ther ever  he  would  have  loved  us  or  no,  for  him  to  love  us,  and  to  love  us 
wdth  a  special  love,  this  is  grace.  In  that  of  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  when  God 
proclaims  his  name,  what  is  the  first  word  ?  '  The  Lord,  the  Lord,'  and  '  gra- 
cious' is  the  next.  'The  Lord,  the  Lord,  gracious.'  I  am  the  sovereign 
Lord  of  all  the  creatures ;  if  I  love,  if  I  shew  mercy,  this  is  grace.  And  in 
the  chaj^ter  before,  ver.  19,  he  speaks  Uke  a  king,  and  like  the  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth ;  '  I  wUI  be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious.' 

2.  Grace  here,  as  it  is  in  God,  notes  out,  not  simply  love,  but  the  height 
of  love,  a  love  that  wiU  shew  all  its  goodness.  Exod.  xxxiii  19,  I  will, 
saith  he,  shew  thee  all  my  goodness  ;  what  follows  ?  '  I  will  be  gracious  to 
whom  I  will  be  gracious.'  For  God  to  be  gracious  to  us,  is  so  to  love  us  as 
to  bestow  all  that  becomes  creatures  to  have  from  him,  all  that  is  suitable  to 
the  condition  of  creatures.  When  the  apostles,  therefore,  would  wish  all 
good  to  those  unto  whom  they  wrote,  still  they  wish  grace,  because  it  brings 
the  utmost  good  with  it,  it  is  love  extended  to  the  utmost ;  if  it  be  grace, 
they  shall  have  his  Son,  and  all  things  with  him  :  *  He  will  graciously  with 
him  give  us  aU  things.'  So  I  told  you  the  word  signifies  in  that  Rom. 
viii.  32. 

3.  Hence  therefore,  thirdly,  it  notes  withal  the  greatest  freeness.  You 
have  the  phrase  in  Hosea  xiv.  4,  '  I  will  love  them  freely.'  Where  God 
loves,  he  loves  freely ;  and  grace  denotes  the  freeness  of  that  love,  it 
superadds  in  the  significance  of  it  freeness ;  and  love  in  that  respect  is  called 
grace,  and  grace  is  but  free  love.  You  shall  find  it  in  Rom.  iii.  24,  '  Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace.'  And  therefore,  where  the  Aj)ostle  useth  the 
word  '  grace,'  or  God  is  said  to  give  us  out  of  this  grace,  our  interpreters 
often  render  the  word,  to  give  us  freely.  Thus  in  1  Cor.  ii.  12,  '  The  things 
that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God  ;'  the  word  is,  things  given  to  us  out  of 
grace,  or  graciously.  So  in  the  place  quoted  even  now,  Rom.  viii.  32,  '  He 
will  with  him  give  us  all  things  freely,'  or  graciously,  as  the  word  signifies. 

Now  for  God  to  give  freely,  it  implies  these  five  things,  that  I  may  open 
them  distinctly  to  you  : — 

First,  To  set  his  heart  and  his  love  on  us,  merely  out  of  his  own  good 
motion  and  good  will.  Mark,  therefore,  how  they  are  joined  together  in 
Eph.  i.  5,  6.  In  the  5th  verse  he  had  said  that  God  '  predestinated  us  unto 
the  adoption  of  children,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  wiU ;'  and  in 
the  6th  verse  he  saith,  '  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace.'  When  he 
doth  it  thus  in  a  freedom,  merely  out  of  the  motion  of  his  own  will,  this  is 
freeness,  and  this  makes  it  grace.  Grace  implies  more  than  to  give,  though 
it  implies  that  too ;  and  though  stiU  you  shaU  find  both  joined,  it  implies 
to  give  freely. 

Secondly,  It  is  not  only  said  to  be  grace  in  regard  of  the  freeness  of  it 
towards  us,  but  in  respect  of  the  sovereignty  of  God's  wall,  that  he  may 
choose  to  love  whom  he  will,  and  do  what  he  will,  merely  as  a  sovereign  : 


EpH.  II.  5.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  223 

for  so  it  is  most  certain  that  all  that  Adam  had  might  be  called  grace  in 
that  respect ;  for  what  God  did  for  Adam,  all  the  holiness  he  had,  it  was 
freely  done,  which  yet  in  the  Scriptures  is  not  called  grace.  It  might  have 
been  said  unto  Adam,  'Who  made  thee  to  differ  from  another?'  It  was  the 
free  will  of  God.  '  And  what  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive?'  So 
that  grace  here  implies  more  than  merely  the  freeness  of  a  sovereign,  that 
God  doth  it  merely  out  of  his  superiority.  But  we  find  that  grace  is 
opposed  to  all  that  dueness  which  in  a  way  of  justice  becomes  God  to  re- 
ward the  creature  with  under  the  covenant  of  works.  In  Rom.  iv.  4,  you 
shall  find  that  grace  is  opposed  to  o^j/'Xjj/ia,  to  a  debt,  or  a  due ;  the  Apostle, 
speaking  of  the  justification  of  a  sinner,  opposeth  to  it  the  justification  by 
works  :  '  To  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of 
debt.'  I  take  it,  that  there  by  debt  is  not  meant  as  if  the  creature  under 
the  covenant  of  works  could  oblige  God,  or  that  God  was  a  debtor,  strictly 
taken,  to  the  creature.  For  that  of  the  Apostle  is  certain,  in  Rom.  xi.  35, 
'Who  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be  recompensed  unto  him  again  V 
But  yet  this  we  may  say,  that  there  was  a  dueness  and  a  meetness  between 
God  as  the  Creator  and  the  creature  :  that  if  the  creature  were  holy,  as  it 
was  meet  God  should  create  him,  if  he  made  him  reasonable,  and  if  he 
continued  in  that  holiness,  it  was  meet,  it  was  according  to  the  law  of  nature 
between  the  Creator  and  the  creature,  he  should  live,  and  be  esteemed 
righteous,  and  be  in  God's  favour,  and  have  his  approbation  in  so  doing ; 
and  likewise  that  God  should  make  a  promise  that  he  should  do  so.  It  was 
meet  that  God,  seeing  a  holiness  in  Adam,  and  seeing  him  to  continue  in 
that  holiness,  should  approve  him  and  justify  him,  as  a  creature  that  was 
holy,  and  continued  holy,  as  a  creature  under  that  covenant. 

But  the  grace  which  the  gospel  speaks  of,  and  by  which,  we  are  saved,  is  a 
grace  opposed  to  this  dueness  that  is  between  the  Creator  and  the  creature, 
simply  so  considered.  Therefore  now  God,  that  he  might  make  way  for  this 
grace  which  was  in  the  purposes  of  his  heart,  and  to  lay  the  creature  low  in 
itself,  and  to  manifest  the  riches  and  greatness  of  his  grace  and  love,  downs 
with  Adam's  state,  he  suffers  that  to  be  ruined.  Adam  forfeited  that  bond 
which  was  between  his  Creator  and  him,  and  it  is  a  forfeiture  that  cannot  be 
restored  again,  no,  not  by  God  himself,  to  a  sinful  creature,  as  the  state  of 
innocency  cannot.  Now  then,  when  God  had  dissolved  that  dueness,  that 
debt,  as  I  may  call  it,  that  obligation,  which  according  to  the  law  of  nature, 
in  a  way  of  meetness  and  comeliness,  it  was  fit  for  God  as  a  Creator  to  deal 
with  a  creature,  there  is  now  room  for  grace.  For  now  he  is  not  only  free 
as  he  is  a  sovereign,  but  he  is  free  as  a  judge,  in  respect  that  he  is  freei&s  to 
that  his  own  law  which,  though  sovereign  of  the  world,  he  had  condescended 
unto,  by  reason  of  the  relation  of  being  a  Creator.  He  is  not  only  free  in 
respect  of  prerogative,  as  a  king  is  over  his  subjects,  and  is  therefore  said  to 
be  gracious ;  but  he  is  gracious  now  as  a  king  unto  traitors.  In  Rom.  iii, 
when  he  comes  to  speak  of  being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  which  he  doth, 
ver.  24,  how  doth  he  make  way  for  it  1  He  tells  us  before  that  all  men  were 
become  guilty  before  God;  so,  ver.  19,  '  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,' 
saith  he,  '  and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God.'  All  had  their 
necks  upon  the  block.  Now,  saith  he,  if  ever  these  be  saved  and  justified, 
it  must  be  by  grace.  So  you  have  it  after  that  discourse,  at  the  24th  verse, 
*  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus,'  when  we  were  thus  obnoxious,  and  were  all  become  guilty  before  God. 
Grace  hath  a  further  freedom  therefore. 

Thirdly,  The  freeness  of  this  grace  lies  in  this,  that  God's  resolutions  of 


224  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XV. 

love  are  firm,  and  so  free  and  noble  that  nothing  shall  divert  him.  Grace 
always  hath  a  generousness  accompanying  it :  that  as  God  is  the  King  of  all 
the  world,  and  wiU  be  gracious  to  whom  he  will  be  gracious  ;  so  he  resolveth 
for  ever  to  be  so,  and  nothing  shall  hinder  him  from  being  so.  There  shall 
be  neither  ifs  nor  huts.  '  If  my  people  forsake  my  laws  ; '  what  then  1  I 
will  not  take  my  mercy  away  from  them  for  all  that,  he  saith  in  Ps.  Ixxxix. 
33.  And  saith  Paul,  in  1  Tim.  i.  13,  but  I  obtained  mercy  for  all  that, 
though  I  was  injurious  and  a  persecutor,  &c.     And  then — 

FouHhly,  It  is  free  in  this,  because  he  casts  it  upon  what  persons  he  will. 
Therein  is  freedom  of  grace  also,  whereas  there  was  no  difference,  as  the 
Apostle  saith,  Piom.  tii.  22,  '  but  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God  ;'  then  comes  in,  '  being  justified  freely  by  his  grace.'  He 
hath  here  a  freedom  now,  in  respect  of  persons,  to  this  or  that  person,  and 
not  to  others.  Therefore  again,  in  Rom.  xi.  5,  they  are  said  to  be  'a  rem- 
nant according  to  the  election  of  grace  ; '  that  whereas  aU  were  in  a  like  con- 
dition, this  free  taking  of  a  remnant,  this  choosing  of  these  and  not  others, 
is  out  of  grace  ;  it  is  therefore  called,  '  the  election  of  grace.' 

And  then,  in  the  last  place,  as  it  respects  no  persons,  so  no  conditions 
upon  which  he  gives  salvation  to  us,  pardon  of  sin,  justification,  and  heaven 
at  last.  I  say,  that  he  doth  it  freely  without  conditions.  There  is  indeed 
a  freedom  that  God  hath  given  away,  and  that  is,  by  having  made  promises 
to  his  people  ;  but  it  is  free  gTace  that  made  him  promise.  There  is  also  a 
declaration  of  his  will,  that  without  such  a  thing  he  will  not  bestow  another 
thing,  which  yet  he  bestows,  both  the  one  and  the  other,  out  of  gTace  :  with- 
out holiness  no  man  shall  go  to  heaven,  &c.  But  yet  they  are  not  conditions, 
they  are  indeed  the  effects  of  this  grace,  as  the  Apostle  terms  them.  '  The 
grace  of  God  was  exceeding  abundant  in  faith  and  love,'  1  Tim.  i.  14  ;  that 
is,  in  working  faith  and  love.  And  indeed,  that  I  may  speak  more  plainly, 
what  is  faith,  and  love,  and  repentance,  and  all  these,  to  salvation  ?  They 
are  salvation  itself,  they  are  part  of  it.  When  God  requires  of  you  that  you 
should  believe,  and  repent,  and  mortify  sin,  and  walk  holily,  doth  he  re- 
quire these  as  conditions  1  No,  he  requires  them  as  parts  of  salvation  itself, 
as  the  essentials  to  salvation.  My  brethren,  they  are  the  essentials  unto 
salvation  itself.  For  what  is  faith  and  holiness  unto  glory  and  salvation  to 
come  1  It  is  as  reason  is  to  learning.  AU  the  world  must  needs  say  that 
reason  is  a  part  of  that  knowledge  a  learned  man  hath,  or  he  would  never 
be  learned  ;  it  is  not  a  condition  so  much  of  his  being  learned,  as  it  is  a  part 
of  it.  So  when  God  bids  us  believe,  what  is  it  ?  It  is  to  bid  us  be  saved, 
it  is  to  bid  us  have  eternal  life,  and  the  comforts  of  eternal  life  in  our  hearts ; 
it  is  to  teU  us,  I  will  give  you  my  Son  freely,  I  would  have  you  marry  him, 
I  would  have  you  believe  in  him,  I  would  have  you  be  one  with  him.  As 
if  a  man  should  say,  I  will  give  you  meat  upon  condition  you  eat  it.  Why, 
he  hath  no  sweetness  in  it,  unless  he  eat  it ;  it  wdll  do  him  no  good  else. 
So  saith  God,  I  will  give  you  my  Son ;  believe  in  him. 

Is  faith  such  a  great  condition,  think  you  1  It  is  that  without  which 
Christ  cannot  be  yours,  you  cannot  possess  him  else,  you  can  have  no  sweet- 
ness by  him,  he  will  do  you  no  good  else.  They  are,  I  say,  essentials  to  sal- 
vation, essential  requisites.  But  perhaps  I  shall  speak  a  little  more  to  this 
when  I  come  to  the  8th  verse.  My  brethren,  this  is  certain,  that  look,  what- 
ever contrivements  free  gi-ace  in  God  could  have  that  might  not  imply  a 
contradiction,  that  might  stand  with  holiness,  that  might  stand  with  the 
wisdom  of  God,  that  might  effect  the  thing,  viz.,  to  save  men  ;  all  that  ad- 
vancement of  his  free  grace  he  hath  ordered,  and  designed,  and  plotted  in  n-E 


EriL  II.  5.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  225 

the  works  of  our  salvation.  In  Rom.  v.  21,  it  is  said  that  'grace  reigned 
through  the  righteousness  of  Christ  unto  eternal  life.'  It  reigneth,  mark  it ; 
of  all  things  else,  God  hath  set  up  his  free  grace  as  a  monarch,  and  hath  so 
set  it  up  as  that  it  shall  reign ;  and  there  is  no  work  of  man,  or  anything  in 
man,  that  shall  in  the  least  impair  the  sovereignty  of  it.  If  a  sovereign  have 
the  making  of  his  own  laws,  he  will  be  sure  to  make  himself  sovereign  enough. 
Why,  free  grace  is  a  sovereign.  We  are  therefore  said  to  be  '  under  grace,'  in 
Rom.  vL,  and  that  therefore  '  sin  shall  have  no  more  dominion  over  us,'  be- 
cause we  are  under  the  dominion  of  grace,  implying  that  grace  is  a  mighty 
king  and  sovereign. 

If  grace  therefore  have  the  making  of  his  own  laws,  if  he  have  the  con- 
triving of  all  the  things  in  our  salvation,  doubtless  he  hath  contrived  it 
so  as  that  himself  will  be  the  immediate  bestower  of  all,  and  that  all  that 
Cometh  shall  come  immediately  from  free  grace,  and  shall  be  so  acknow- 
ledged, and  thereby  be  magnified.  It  is  the  property  of  kings,  if  they  do 
any  great  good.,  they  will  do  it  themselves ;  so  free  grace  being  this  great 
lord  and  sovereign,  it  will,  though  it  may  use  instruments,  yet  use  them  so 
as  itself  will  have  the  glory.  It  is  like  majesty,  it  cannot  endure  anything 
else  to  come  up  into  the  throne.  Saith  the  Apostle,  in  Rom.  iv.  IC,  'There- 
fore it  is  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by  grace.'  He  speaks  as  if  grace  had  a 
design  still  to  keep  close  to  that  end,  that  he  will  have  it  by  grace.  He 
hath  taken  in  faith  indeed.  Why  1  Because  faith  will  magnify  and  appre- 
hend that  grace  ;  it  is  a  pure  receiving  thing,  as  afterwards  I  shall  open.  I 
quote  the  place  only  for  this,  that  free  grace  hath  designed  the  way  so  as  that 
still  itself  might  be  magnified  in  all.  And  therefore,  whether  faith  and  re- 
pentance and  holiness,  &c.,  be  conditions  or  not  conditions,  we  need  not  dis- 
pute it  much ;  they  are  parts  of  salvation, — I  would  salve  it  so, — they  are 
that  indeed  without  which  no  man  shall  be  saved.  '  Without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  God  ;'  and  without  faith  no  man  is  actually  justified  in  his 
own  person  ;  he  may  be  justified  representatively  in  Christ.  But,  I  say, 
they  are  parts  of  salvation  itself ;  therefore,  when  he  saith,  '  He  hath  quick- 
ened us  together  with  Christ,'  he  presently  addeth,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved ;' 
for  quickening  is  a  part  of  salvation.  So  that  this  is  the  thing  I  aim  and 
drive  at,  that  God  hath  so  ordered  all  the  business  of  salvation,  that  free 
grace  shall  be  magnified. 

So  much  now  for  the  opening  of  this  first  thing,  "what  is  meant  by  grace, 
both  simply  in  itself  considered,  and  as  it  is  a  cause  of  salvation,  that  Lath 
something  in  it,  some  kind  of  notion,  superadded  to  love  and  mercy. 

Now  I  come  to  the  second,  and  that  is,  saved. 

I  will  not  stand  much  upon  the  opening  of  that ;  only  this.  Saved  is  op- 
posed to  what  is  lost  :  seek  and  save  that  which  is  lost ;  so  the  Scripture 
phrase  is.  '  Saved '  and  '  grace '  here  are  well  joined  together ;  for  when  we 
Avere  lost,  free  grace  then  shewed  itself,  it  entered  then  upon  the  throne. 
The  Apostle  had  said, '  dead  in  sins,'  and  '  children  of  wrath,'  and  oppositely 
says,  '  saved,'  which  imports  a  life ;  oojTTjsia,  vita,  and  so  the  Syriac  and 
Arabian  often  translate  it  aurr;^ia.  AU  salvation  hath  a  life  supposed  to 
be  saved,  but  not  e  contrci;  the  angels  live,  yet  are  not  said  to  be  saved. 
And  the  Holy  Ghost  calls  that  blessedness  of  the  old  covenant  of  works, 
life,  but  never  salvation,  for  j'ou  are  saved  by  grace  ;  and  accordingly  useth 
a  word  in  the  Hebrew  peculiar  to  the  grace  by  which  we  are  saved,  import- 
ing mercy,  which  he  useth  not  of  that  favour  which  giveth  life  by  the  law. 

But  the  thing  I  would  especially  note  out  of  that  word  saved  is  this,  that 
we  are  said  to  be  saved  now,  now  at  the  present.     He  had  no  sooner  said, 

VOL.  II.  P 


226  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XV. 

we  are  '  quickened  together  witli  Christ,'  but  instantly  he  cries  out,  '  Ye  are 
saved.'  I  will  give  you  but  one  parallel  place  for  it ;  it  is  in  2  Tim.  i.  9, 
'  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling,  not  according  to 
our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace.'  God  hath  called 
us  according  to  his  grace,  and  hath  saved  us. 

I^ow  what  is  the  reason  that  we  are  said  to  be  saved  when  called  ? 

I  will  give  you  two  reasons,  and  these  are  both  in  the  text,  though  I 
could  give  you  more ;  as,  because  calling  is  the  beginning  of  salvation,  and 
makes  the  work  sure,  and  gives  us  a  right  to  it :  '  Behold  what  manner  of 
love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of 
God!  ISTow  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be ;  but  we  know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him.' 
All  that  Ave  shall  have  in  heaven  is  but  the  appearing  of  what  we  now  have 
and  are.  But  to  let  that  pass.  Some  would  interpret  the  words  thus,  We 
are  saved  by  hope.  But  the  Apostle's  scope  is  not  here  to  shew  what  our 
hopes  are,  but  Avhat  is;  and  instead  of  saying,  'By  hope  ye  are  saved,'  he 
plainly  saith,  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved.'  Now,  I  say,  there  are  two  reasons  in 
the  text  plainly  and  clearly. 

Fir.';t,  We  are  said  to  be  saved  now  because  we  are  now  actually  under  the 
dominion  of  grace, — for  so  I  may  express  it, — which  hath  undertaken  to  make 
our  salvation  perfect.  Let  grace  look  to  it  now,  for  it  is  engaged ;  and  in 
that  respect  grace  is  not  free,  as  I  said  before,  and  it  is  well  for  us  that  grace 
hath  not  that  kind  of  freedom.  If  our  salvation  depended  upon  any  thing 
in  us,  the  Apostle  could  not  have  said,  '  ye  are  saved  ;'  but  put  grace  and 
sah'ation  together,  and  he  might  well  say  it.  And  the  Ajjostle's  meaning 
is  this,  as  if  he  had  said.  You  have  had  exjjerience  in  your  quickening  and 
conversion  and  hitherto  of  the  gi-ace  of  God  towards  you,  in  quickening  you 
together  Avith  Christ,  and  so  in  drawing  you  into  union  and  communion 
Avith  himself  and  his  Son.  Now,  faithful  is  he  that  hath  called  you  into 
fellowship  with  his  Son,  as  1  Cor.  i  9  ;  and  he  that  hath  begun  will  per- 
fect it,  as  Phil.  i.  6.  And  '  if  Avhen  we  were  enemies,  Ave  were  reconciled 
to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled,  Ave  shall  be 
saved  by  his  life.'  So  if  grace  have  wrought  in  you  this  great  work,  quick- 
ening you,  you  may  conclude  from  thence  that,  now  ye  are  quickened,  by 
grace  ye  are  saved;  the  thing  is  as  good  as  done,  for  grace  hath  undertaken 
it,  and  this  is  one  property  of  grace,  to  be  immutable  :  Rom.  iv.  16,  'It  is 
of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by  grace ;  to  the  end  the  promise  might  be  sure.' 
In  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  when  the  Apostle  was  in  a  mighty  great  temptation,  and  did 
not  know  Avhat  would  become  of  his  carnal  heart,  or  at  leastA\nse  fearing 
lest  he  might  be  overborne  by  the  temptation,  what  answer  hath  he  1  Ver. 
9,  '  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  ;'  my  grace  hath  undertaken  to  save  thee, 
therefore  do  not  thou  fear ;  that  is  sufficient,  and  that  will  look  to  thee  and 
take  care  and  order  for  thee.  But,  might  Paul  say,  or  another  say,  I  shall 
sin  and  run  out  grievously  against  grace.  Bat  if  grace  Avill  pardon  thee, 
what  is  that  to  thee  1  And  besides  that,  grace  wiU  reduce  thee,  and  perhaps 
keep  thee,  and  prevent  it ;  however  consider,  if  grace  be  able  to  save  thee, 
if  there  be  any  sufficiency  in  grace,  it  shall.  So  that,  I  say,  a  man  may 
reckon  that  if  grace  be  king,  it  aviU  prevail  over  all.  Grace  reigneth,  saith 
the  Apostle,  and  nothing  shall  hinder,  neither  guUt  nor  sin,  past  or  to  come. 
Still  you  shall  have  grace  that  Avill  look  to  pardon  you,  and  wUl  look  that  you 
shall  not  run  into  such  sins  as  shall  put  you  out  of  grace ;  for  this  king  that 
made  these  laws  and  principles  of  remaining  in  the  state  of  grace,  looks  to 
all  its  subjects;  if  they  be  under  his  dominion,  they  shall  not  be  under  the 


EpH.  IL  5.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  227 

dominion  of  sin.  If  grace  therefore  be  the  undertaker,  the  Apostle  might 
well  s.ay  that,  being  quickened,  ye  m-e  saved. 

But  there  is  a  second  reason  why  he  saith  saved  in  the  present  tense ; 
because  in  the  next  words  he  tells  us,  we  are  '  raised  together  with  Christ, 
and  sit  with  him  in  heavenly  places.'  In  your  head,  saith  he,  ye  are  in 
heaven  representatively ;  and  are  as  sure  to  be  in  heaven  as  if  you  were  now 
there.  Therefore  the  Apostle  having  told  them  that  they  were  quickened 
with  Christ,  gives  them  assurance  of  salvation.  *  Ye  are  saved,'  saith  he, 
for  you  may  see  yourselves  '  quickened  together  with  Christ,  and  raised  up 
with  him,'  representatively,  and  therefore  you  shall  one  day  '  sit  with  him 
in  heavenly  places'  also.  So  much  now  for  having  explained  this  word, 
'  saved.' 

I  shall  now  come  to  the  third  thing,  \\z.,  to  sjyeaJc  to  these  iiuo  jointly  and 
together ;  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved.^  And  this  is  plainly  the  meaning  and  the 
sum  of  it,  which  you  may  make  an  observation,  or  an  interpretation  of,  as 
you  will.  All  our  salvation  first  and  last,  the  whole  and  all  the  parts  of  it, 
they  are  to  be  attributed  solely  to  the  free  grace  of  God  and  not  to  any 
thing  in  us.  This  latter,  '  not  to  any  thing  in  us,'  and  how  it  is  abstracted 
from  all  things  in  us,  I  shall  speak  of  when  I  come  to  the  8th  verse.  But 
I  shall  speak  now  a  little  to  the  former,  and  then  I  think  I  shall  have  opened 
these  words  fully.  I  say,  the  whole  business  of  salvation,  first  and  last,  and 
all  the  parts  of  it,  they  are  all  attributed  unto  grace.  The  free  grace  of  God, 
or  that  free  favour  that  is  in  the  heart  of  God,  is,  I  say,  the  sole  cause  of  all 
the  parts  and  degrees  and  benefits  of  salvation.  They  are  attributed  unto 
grace  in  three  respects. 

1.  In  respect  of  God's  everlasting  purposes,  looking  to  nothing  in  the 
creature,  and  decreeing  and  purposing  all  benefits  to  them  out  of  grace  ;  so 
that  every  benefit  when  it  shall  be  bestowed  upon  us,  shall  flow  from  that 
everlasting  good- will  and  purpose  of  his.  You  have  this  in  2  Tim.  i.  9,  a 
place  pat  to  the  purpose,  '  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy 
calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and 
grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began.'  There 
now  the  love  of  God  set  upon  us  freely  is  called  a  gift,  and  every  fruit  of  it 
in  them  is  according  to  that  grace,  because  out  of  that  grace.  My  brethren, 
let  me  give  you  but  this  notion  by  the  way.  Though  God  hath  subordinated 
in  the  way,  in  the  chain  of  our  salvation,  one  thing  to  another ; — as  thus, 
actual  justification  of  our  persons  upon  our  believing,  for  it  is  clear  we 
are  not  justified  in  a  true  sense  till  we  believe,  and  then  we  begin  to  be  jus- 
tified in  our  own  persons,  yet  we  are  representatively  justified  in  Christ  from 
eternity;  here  he  makes  justification  to  follow  upon  faith,  or  to  be  concomi- 
tant to  faith ;  and  so  heaven  and  glory  the  consequent  of  grace,  without 
which  no  man  shall  see  God;  yea,  he  hath  made  all  these  to  depend  upon 
Christ  meritoriously  ; — yet,  notwithstanding,  take  all  these,  Christ,  and  faith, 
and  justification,  and  heaven  in  the  end,  they  are  all  co-ordinate,  and  from 
his  own  free  grace.  That  is,  they  do  all  immediately  flow  from  his  own 
purpose  and  free  grace  to  us,  without  dependence  one  on  another;  in  respect 
of  his  purpose  I  say.  And  therefore  it  is  said  that  out  of  his  love  he  gave 
Christ  and  the  like ;  and  in  Heb.  ii.  9,  it  is  said  that  Jesus  Christ  died 
*  by  the  grace  of  God.'  What  was  the  cause  of  the  death  of  Christ  for  us  1 
It  was  the  free  grace  of  God  in  his  everlasting  purpose,  Rom.  viii.  32.  Having 
given  us  his  Son,  '  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  V 
So  that  Christ,  though  he  was  the  more  excellent  gift,  yet  he  was  a  gift,  and  all 
was  given  with  him.    He  gave  Christ  out  of  grace,  and  with  him  gives  all  things 


228  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XV. 

also  out  of  grace ;  and  thougli  in  execution  they  are  all  to  be  conveyed  to  us 

through  Christ,  yet  in  respect  of  his  will,  and  in  respect  of  his  purpose,  they 
are  all,  even  Christ  himself  and  all,  co-ordinate  from  that  grace  of  his.  So  that 
in  that  respect  first,  because  of  his  everlasting  purposes,  all  doth  thus  depend 
immediately  upon  free  grace,  originally  upon  an  absolute  freedom  in  God  ; 
hence  therefore  we  are  said  to  be  saved  only  by  grace.  All  the  things  we 
have  are  in  this  respect  said  to  be  graciously  given  us  by  God ;  so  the  word 
is  in  1  Cor.  ii.  12,  because,  as  it  is  ver.  9,  God  hath  prepared  them  for  those 
that  love  him.  Therefore  he  is  called  the  God  of  all  grace,  1  Pet.  v.  10,  even 
as  he  is  called  the  God  of  all  comfort ;  for  of  all  the  grace  that  he  bestows 
upon  us,  he  is  the  fountain,  and  the  immediate  fountain  ;  it  was  merely  out 
of  his  grace,  and  this  was  before  we  had  done  good  or  evil,  Rom.  xi.  6.  Now 
then,  the  grace  of  God  toward  us,  upon  which  our  salvation  in  all  the  parts  of 
it  depends,  that  grace  whereby  we  are  saved,  it  is  a  sovereign :  so  that  though 
the  grace  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ  as  God-man  and  Mediator  is  taken  up  into 
partnership  with  the  Son  of  God,  and  therefore  our  salvation  is  attributed 
to  his  grace,  1  Tim.  i.  14,  '  The  grace  of  our  Lord  is  exceeding  abundant; '  yet 
if  you  compare  this  in  order  of  our  salvation  to  the  original  grace  in  God 
himself,  it  is  but  a  gift  of  grace.  The  Apostle,  as  Zanchy  well  observeth, 
upon  Rom.  v.  1 3,  speaks  of  the  grace  of  God  and  of  the  gift  by  grace.  What 
means  he  by  the  gift  by  grace  1  Even  that  very  redemption  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  himself,  for  it  was  the  free  grace  of  God  that  did  order 
that  as  a  gift  to  us,  for  our  salvation  and  justification.  So  that  in  this  respect 
we  are  saved  by  grace,  this  original  grace  of  God ;  aryi  the  grace  that  is  in 
Jesus  Christ,  take  it  as  it  is  for  us,  it  is  but  a  second  grace,  it  is  but  a  gift 
of  grace ;  this  is  the  fountain,  it  is  grace  given  us  in  Christ,  2  Tim.  i.  9.  And 
this  is  the  first  respect  in  which  we  are  said  to  be  '  saved  by  grace.' 

2.  In  respect  that  God  hath  laid  up  all  our  salvation,  and  all  the  grace  by 
virtue  of  which  we  are  saved,  in  another,  namely,  in  his  Son.  So  that  indeed 
when  we  come  to  the  point  of  salvation,  it  is  grace  still,  take  it  at  the  second- 
hand, as  it  is  in  Christ ;  take  it  in  opposition  to  what  is  in  us,  or  in  opposi- 
tion to  what  is  a  due  or  a  debt,  to  what  was  in  the  covenant  of  works,  I  say 
that  grace  we  are  saved  by  is  laid  up  in  another,  and  it  is  a  gift  of  grace,  as 
even  now  I  said,  not  only  subordinate  to  that  original  grace  in  God,  but  the 
grace  by  which  we  are  saved,  and  to  which  our  salvation  is  attributed.  So 
that  we  are  never  said  to  be  saved  by  the  grace  that  is  in  us,  but  by  the  grace 
Ihat  is  in  him  for  us.  It  is  true  we  shall  go  to  heaven,  and  that  is  salvation  ; 
but  it  is  not  by  virtue  of  our  grace,  but  by  virtue  of  that  grace  given  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  us,  to  sit  in  heavenly  places,  and  to  possess  heaven  for  us  and  in 
our  room,  tiU  we  come  thither.  So  like\\dse,  we  shall  rise  again,  but  it  is  be- 
cause there  was  that  grace  given  to  Jesus  Christ  for  us,  that  he  rose  in  our 
stead.  Therefore  the  words  also  follow  in  this  verse,  '  he  hath  raised  us  up 
together  with  him.'  So  we  are  justified  by  a  righteousness,  but  it  is  that 
grace  of  righteousness  which  is  graciously  laid  up  for  us  in  him.  It  is  not 
our  holiness,  but  Christ's  ;  it  is  the  Spirit  of  life  that  is  in  Christ,  Rom.  viii. 
2.  We  are  sons,  it  is  true,  but  it  is  stiU  by  virtue  of  the  grace  of  sonship 
that  is  in  Christ,  which  I  say,  as  by  virtue  of  it  we  are  sons,  is  a  grace  for  us, 
and  it  was  a  grace  to  the  human  nature  to  be  united  to  the  Son  of  God,  and 
in  that  respect  it  is  a  grace  to  him  too,  though  he  be  the  natural  Son  of  GocL 
Therefore  we  are  said  to  be  made  gracious  m  the  beloved,  Eph.  i.  6.  Though 
we  have  the  counterpane  of  all  grace  that  is  in  Christ ;  yet,  notwithstanding, 
our  salvation  is  by  the  grace  that  is  in  him,  which  is  the  other  counterpane : 
and  notwithstanding  what  is  in  us,  our  acceptation  is  by  his  grace  and  his 


EpH.  II.  5.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  229 

favour.  Oh,  how  far  are  we  removed  off  from  having  anything  in  us  that  is 
the  cause  of  salvation !  You  see  first  here  is  the  original  grace  of  ail ;  and 
Jesus  Christ  himself  is  but  a  gift  of  that  grace.  And  then  take  all  the  grace 
that  is  in  Christ,  our  salvation  when  it  is  attributed  ar.  to  a  cause,  it  is  attri- 
buted unto  that ;  it  is  grace  in  another,  and  not  in  ourselves.  And  take  our 
graces  themselves,  they  are  all  parts  of  our  salvation. 

3.  Let  me  add  this  to  it  too,  if  I  may  be  distinctly  understood.  All  parts 
of  salvation,  when  they  are  wrought  in  us,  though  one  may  be  subordinate 
to  another, — that  is,  thus  far  that  God  will  not  work  and  bestow  this,  unless 
withal  he  bestows  this,  as  I  said  before ;  '  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see 
God,' — yet  when  God  bestows  any  one  of  them,  he  doth  it  out  of  that  original 
grace  he  purposed  towards  us  at  first ;  they  are  the  fluxes  and  renewings  of 
that  grace.  Though  God  hath  obliged  himself  by  a  promise,  and  though  he 
will  never  bestow  one  gift  of  grace  till  he  bestow  another,  yet  when  he  be- 
stows both,  the  one  and  the  other,  they  have  all  an  immediate  dependence 
upon,  and  are  the  immediate  fluxes  of  that  everlasting  love  of  his  that  con- 
curreth  with  all  this.  Whatsoever  a  Christian  is  in  the  whole,  or  in  parts, 
or  whatsoever  he  shall  be,  flows  immediately  from  that  grace.  When  God  con- 
verts a  man,  it  is  as  if  he  new  chose  him ;  and  Jesus  Christ  is  an  instru- 
ment of  this  grace  and  mercy.  You  have  a  fit  place  for  it  in  Rom.  xv.  8,  9, 
'  Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the  truth  of  God,  to 
confirm  the  promises  made  unto  the  ftithers,' — to  make  them  all  good, — '  that 
the  Gentiles  may  glorify  God  for  his  mercy.'  Go  over  all  the  parts  of  salva- 
tion, you  shall  see  this  to  be  true. 

The  first  step  of  salvation  is  quickening,  conversion.  It  is  wholly  by  his 
grace.  '  He  hath  called  us  with  a  holy  calling  according  to  his  grace,'  2  Tim. 
i.  9.  And,  Gal.  i.  15,  *  It  pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mother's 
womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace ; '  that  is,  he  did  put  forth  a  fresh  act  of 
that  love  and  grace,  as  freely  as  when  he  first  chose  him ;  though  between 
that  act  and  God's  choice  Jesus  Christ  came  in  to  purchase  it.  So  in  Eph. 
iiL  7,  where  he  speaks  of  his  ministry, — I  may  say  the  like  of  our  calling  as 
he  doth  of  the  gifts  of  his  ministry,  for  indeed  in  the  Galatians  he  meaneth 
both, — '  Whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,  according  to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of 
God  given  unto  me  by  the  effectual  working  of  his  power.'  When  God 
means  to  convert  a  man,  what  sets  his  power  a- work  1  It  is  the  original 
grace  of  God,  continued  and  renewed  to  that  man  still. 

So  take  justification.  Titus  iii.  7,  we  are  'justified  freely  by  his  grace.' 
Take  the  whole  state  we  stand  in  afterward,  take  in  all ;  what  is  the  whole 
state  of  a  Christian  after  his  calling  in  this  hfe  ?  It  is  called  a  state  of  grace. 
What,  of  his  having  grace  in  himself?  No,  it  is  of  being  under  the  grace  of 
God.  You  are  under  grace,  saith  the  Apostle ;  and,  Rom.  v.  2,  we  have 
*  access  by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand.'  Stand,  how  1  Having 
peace  with  God  by  faith  at  first,  we  stand  in  the  presence  and  in  the  favour 
of  God  :  it  is  the  Scripture  phrase,  when  it  speaks  of  God's  acceptation ;  so 
Ps.  i.,  *  The  righteous  shall  stand  in  judgment,' — that  is,  they  shall  stand  in 
the  grace  and  favour  of  God;  so  the  whole  state  of  a  Christian  is  a  standing 
in  grace  and  in  the  favour  of  God.  So  in  Gal.  i.  6,  he  hath  called  you ; 
unto  what?  'Into  the  grace  of  Christ.'  And  in  Rom.  vi.  14,  we  are  said  to 
be  under  the  dominion  of  grace.  Hence  therefore  all  that  folio weth  to  a 
Christian  after  his  conversion  is  as  freely  from  grace  as  the  first  work.  One 
thing  may  make  way  for  another,  that  I  acknowledge,  and  God  will  not  be- 
stow one  thing  without  another,  yet  still  they  are  all  co-ordinate  and  from 
grace,  and  are  the  immediate  effects  of  grace;  even  in  such  things  wherein 


230  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XV. 

our  will  co-works  with  it,  yet  still  the  text  saith  it  is  not  we,  but  grace  in 
us.  Take  all  the  good  a  man  doth  after  he  is  turned  unto  God,  they  are  all 
quickenings,  and  quickenings  by  grace.  2  Cor.  viii.  1,  when  they  of  Mace- 
donia had  given  alms,  they  had  done  it  out  of  love  unto  God;  and  to  give 
away  their  estates,  this  would  seem  a  mighty  good  work,  and  to  have  some- 
thing in  itself ;  what  saith  the  Apostle  of  it  1  '  My  brethren,  we  do  you  to  wit 
of  the  grace  of  God  bestowed  on  the  churches  of  Macedonia  : '  and  the  grace 
there  he  speaks  of  is,  that  God  had  enlarged  their  hearts  to  give  away  their 
estates  even  to  penury.  So  Phil.  ii.  13,  'It  is  God  that  worketh  in  you  both 
to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.'  If  we  work  out  our  own  salvation, 
yet  it  is  of  his  good  grace  ;  it  is  his  good  pleasure  that  worketh  both  the  will 
and  the  deed.  Take  one  place  more  :  1  Cor.  xv.  10,  '  By  the  grace  of  God 
I  am  what  I  am  ; '  it  is  a  speech  somewhat  near  that  name  given  to  Jehovah. 
I  Paul,  saith  he,  whole  Paul,  take  me  with  all  my  prayers,  and  all  my  sermons, 
and  all  my  sufferings,  aU  that  I  am  and  shall  be,  it  is  all  by  the  grace  of  God ; 
and  though  I  have  wrought  more  abundantly  than  all  the  apostles,  '  yet  not 
I,  but  the  grace  of  God  that  is  in  me.'  And  then,  lastly,  for  heaven  :  it  is 
true,  holiness  must  go  before ;  but  when  God  comes  to  bestow  heaven,  he 
doth  it  out  of  the  same  grace  by  which  he  chose  a  man  at  first,  and  as 
freely;  and  therefore,  Rom.  vi.  23,  eternal  life  is  called  a  gift  of  grace ;  and 
if  you  will  have  a  more  express  scripture,  1  Peter  iii.  7,  '  heirs  of  the  grace 
of  life  ; '  though  they  are  heirs  and  cannot  be  disinherited,  that  freedom  God 
would  not  keep  to  himself,  but  estated  it  on  us  by  promise ;  else  it  were  not 
an  inheritance  :  yet  it  is  wholly  grace  in  the  promise  and  in  the  bestowing. 
So  that  salvation  is  in  all  the  parts  of  it  attributed  unto  the  grace  of  God. 

I  shall  end  this  particular  with  a  meditation,  and  that  is  this  : — 

Is  salvation  and  all  the  parts  of  it,  in  the  whole  and  in  every  part  of  it, 
nothing  else  but  the  grace  of  God  towards  us,  implying  the  favour  of  God 
which  he  bestows  upon  us  out  of  his  own  heart  freely  1  Then  let  all  our 
obedience,  and  all  the  parts  thereof,  be  nothing  else  but  thankfulness  unto 
God ;  let  it  be  in  that  respect  grace,  the  counterpane  of  his  grace.  In  2 
Cor.  i.  12,  we  shall  see  how  grace  was  the  spring  of  the  Apostle's  obedience. 
We  have  not  walked,  saith  he,  in  fleshly  wisdom ;  that  was  not  the  motive 
that  stirred  me, — for  he  speaks  of  motives, — but  the  grace  of  God,  saith  he ;  I 
have  not  been  moved  by  ends  of  my  own,  but  the  great  wheel  that  hath 
moved  me  hath  been  the  grace  of  God  towards  me  in  Jesus  Christ. 

Thus  now  you  have  had  opened  to  you  what  is  meant  by  grace;  what  by 
being  saved  ;  and  why  saved  now  ;  and  also  how  by  grace  we  are  saved.  I 
have  one  observation  which  I  will  end  withal.  I  told  you  of  it  at  the  be- 
ginning. The  Apostle,  you  see,  makes  this  the  main  scope  of  all,  from  the 
1st  verse  of  this  chapter  even  to  the  11th.  Though  he  speaks  of  our  death 
in  sin,  and  our  quickening  with  Christ,  yet  all  this  is  to  have  them  take 
notice,  that  hi/  grace  thfi/  are  saved.  He  brings  it  in  by  way  of  parenthesis, 
and  repeats  it  twice,  yea  thrice.  What  is  it  then  I  observe  from  it  ?  Plainly 
this  : — 

Obs. — That  our  whole  salvation  by  grace,  it  is  the  greatest  thing  of  all 
others,  of  the  greatest  moment  for  believers  to  know  and  to  be  acquainted 
with.  The  Apostle,  you  see,  cannot  hold  speaking  out  his  whole  sentence 
before  he  brings  in  this  :  as  soon  as  ever  he  had  said,  '  We  are  quickened 
by  Christ,'  he  comes  in  with  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved.'  He  would  set 
the  stamp  of  this  seal  with  a  treble  impression  on  u])on  their  hearts. 
This  is  the  great  axiom,  the  great  principle  he  would  beget  in  all  their 
hearts.     And  it  is  to  advance  the  design  of  God,  the  glory  of  his  grace,  so 


EpH.  II.  5.]  TO  THE  EPHESlANg.  231 

you  have  it,  ver.  7.  This  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  gospel,  and  it  la 
the  sum  of  the  great  design  of  God.  For,  as  I  said,  a  sovereignty  of  grace 
was  set  up ;  and  what  is  the  gospel  1  It  is  the  laws  and  statutes  this  great 
sovereign  hath  made,  and  grace  will  be  sure  to  make  such  laws  as  shall 
advance  itself. 

Therefore  you  shall  find,  that  when  a  man  doth  step  out  of  the  way  and 
road  of  free  grace  unto  anything  else,  he  is  said  to  turn  from  God.  A  man 
may  step  out  of  the  way,  from  truths  to  other  errors,  and  not  step  out  from 
God  ;  but  see  what  the  expression  is  in  Gal.  i.  6,  '  I  marvel  that  you  are  so 
soon  removed  from  him  that  called  you ' — it  was  because  they  did  not  hold 
the  doctrine  of  free  grace — 'into  the  grace  of  Christ,  unto  another  gospel;' 
implying  that  it  is  a  stepping  aside  from  God.  It  was  God's  great  design 
to  advance  grace,  and  therefore  he  calls  their  stepping  aside  from  the  doc- 
trine thereof,  a  frustrating  of  the  grace  of  God,  Gal.  ii.  21,  which  men  do  by 
mingling  anything  with  it.  It  is  a  frustrating  of  the  grace  of  God  because 
it  frustrateth  the  great  design  of  God,  for  to  frustrate  is  to  make  void  a  de- 
sign. This  was  the  great  design  of  God,  which  he  had  in  his  heart.  By 
mingling  anything  Avith  it  you  frustrate  the  design  of  God,  and  you  turn 
from  him,  and  not  only  turn  from  him,  but  turn  from  him  to  another  gospel. 
For  what  is  the  gospel  but  the  laws  and  statutes  of  the  great  king,  free 
grace  1  Therefore  it  is  called  the  gospel  which  bringeth  salvation,  as  being 
the  matter  of  it.  And  the  gos})el  is  said  to  have  two  that  are  the  subject- 
matter  of  it :  the  one  is  Christ,  therefore  it  is  called  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and 
the  word  of  Christ ;  the  other  is  grace,  and  therefore  likewise  the  gospel  is 
called  the  word  of  his  grace,  and  the  gospel  of  his  grace.  And  the  ministry 
which  Paul  had  received,  what  was  it  1  To  testify  the  grace  of  God.  And 
to  divert  from  it  the  Apostle  interprets  to  be  a  turning  to  another  gospel, 
and  he  pronounceth  a  curse  to  any  that  shall  do  it,  even  unto  angels  them- 
selves. 

How  are  Christians  described,  their  persons,  and  the  work  of  grace  upon 
them  ?  Read  the  New  Testament ;  how  are  their  persons  expressed  1  '  They 
that  receive  abundance  of  grace,'  Rom.  v.  17.  He  might  have  said  believers. 
No,  but  '  those  that  receive  abundance  of  grace,'  and  he  opposeth  it  to  un- 
believers and  men  condemned  :  they  are  free-grace  receivers,  you  may  well 
call  them  so.  And  so  in  Acts  xv.  11  they  are  called  such  as  believe  through 
the  grace  of  God.  And  then  how  is  the  work  of  God  upon  them  described? 
How  is  the  work  of  conversion  described?  Col.  i.  6,  '  Since  ye  knew  the  grace 
of  God : '  yea,  he  doth  distinguish,  as  we  use  to  distinguish  upon  the  work  of 
grace,  in  saying  there  is  a  counterfeit  work  and  a  true  work ;  so  he  likewise  by 
way  of  distinction  calls  it  the  knowledge  of  the  grace  of  God  in  truth.  '  Since 
ye  knew  the  grace  of  God  in  truth,'  saith  he ;  for  it  is  a  hidden  mystery  to 
entertain  it  in  the  true  notion  of  it,  and  therefore  he  makes  it  proper  to 
a  saving  work.  So  in  Eph.  iv.  21,  'If  so  be  ye  have  heard  him,  and  been 
taught  by  him,  as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus.'  It  is  the  greatest  thing  in  the 
world  to  settle  men's  hearts  in  '  the  true  grace  of  God,'  as  the  expression  is, 
1  Peter  v.  12,  to  have  a  right  knowledge  of  it,  as  salvation  is  attributed  to 
it,  and  to  sever  it  from  whatever  is  in  a  man's  self,  and  yet  to  give  that  due 
to  what  is  in  a  man  that  belongs  to  it.  My  brethren,  to  trust  perfectly  in 
the  grace  that  is  offered, — so  indeed  the  original  rather  reads  it,  in  1  Peter 
i.  13, — that  is  brought  to  light  in  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  trust 
perfectly  in  it,  not  by  halves,  but  fully,  and  to  have  the  right  art  of  doing  it, 
and  not  to  turn  this  grace  into  wantonness,  to  settle  the  gospel  ixpon  a  right 
wheel,  for  it  runs  upon  free  grace,  and  yet  to  say  that  works  and  faith  and 


232  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XV. 

holiness  are  required,  to  do  this  practically  in  a  man's  own  spirit  is  the  hard- 
est thing  in  the  world.  Therefore  the  Apostle  Peter  saith,  '  I  have  written  to 
testify  to  you,  this  is  the  true  grace  in  which  ye  stand ; '  that  is,  I  have 
opened  the  gospel  to  you.  But  let  me  tell  you,  there  is  nothing  the  heart 
of  man  is  apter  to  divert  from.  Gal.  i.  6,  '  I  marvel  that  you  are  so  soon 
removed  from  him  that  called  you  into  the  grace  of  Christ.'  Men  are  easily 
put  by ;  for  carnal  reason  comes,  and  that  would  mingle  works  and  some- 
thing in  a  man's  self  with  it ;  and  then  self-love  will  come,  and  turn  the 
grace  of  God  into  wantonness,  and  make  a  clean  other  gospel  of  it. 

This  very  httle  sentence,  By  grace  ye  are  saved,  is  the  main  thing  of  the 
gospel ;  now  what  to  attribute  unto  faith  and  holiness  you  shall  see  when 
we  come  to  the  Sth  verse.     la  the  meantime  let  this  suffice  I  have  spoken. 


£PU.  II.  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIA^a  233 


SERMON  XVL 

And  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly/  places 
in  Christ  Jesus. — ^Ver.  6. 

Here  are  two  benefits  more,  two  parts  of  that  salvation  spoken  of  before ; 
'  By  grace  ye  are  saved.'  As  the  Apostle  saith  there  were  three  causes  of 
sin  in  us,  (in  the  1st,  2d,  and  3d  verses,)  the  world,  the  devil,  and  the  flesh  or 
corrupt  nature;  so  he  saith  there  are  three  causes  of  our  salvation  in  God. 
There  is  mercy,  love,  and  grace :  *  For  his  rich  mercy,  and  great  love  where- 
with he  loved  us ;  by  grace  ye  are  saved.'  So  there  are  three  parts  of  our 
salvation,  Avhich  is  perfected  by  degrees  : — 

1.  Our  quickening;  he  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ. 

2.  He  hath  raised  us  up.     And — 

3.  Made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places. 

These  two  latter  are  parts  of  our  salvation,  and  they  answer  and  corre- 
spond to  what  was  done  in  Christ,  who  is  our  pattern  and  head.  If  you  read, 
chap.  i.  10,  he  speaks  of  a  mighty  power  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  he 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  heavenly 
places.  Here  he  saith,  making  up  the  reddition  in  this  verse,  '  He  hath 
raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus.' 

The  difficulties  of  these  words  are  indeed  great;  I  shall  endeavour,  by  way 
of  interpretation,  to  assoil  them  as  I  am  able. 

The  first  difficultij  is  this  :  How  to  distinguish  that  work  of  quickening, 
mentioned  in  the  5th  verse,  from  what  is  here,  '  hath  raised  us  up  together.' 
Whether  this  work  of  resurrection,  as  here  it  is  mentioned,  is  intended  that 
of  the  soul  which  we  partake  of  here,  or  that  of  the  body,  or  of  the  whole 
man  rather  in  the  world  to  come  1  Or  more  generally,  whether  that  these 
two  here  that  now  follow  are  works  wrought  in  this  life  in  us  1  Or  whether 
those  which  his  power  is  engaged  to  work  in  us  in  the  world  to  come  1 

Now  that  which  makes  the  difficulty  are  these  things — 

First,  In  that  we  are  said  as  weU  to  be  raised  with  Christ  in  this  life,  both 
in  respect  of  sanctification  and  justification,  as  that  we  are  said  to  be  quick- 
ened by  him.  I  shall  not  need  quote  many  places  ;  that  in  Rom.  vi.  makes 
it  clear  and  evident  that  it  is  so,  where  we  are  said  to  be  '  planted  into  the 
likeness  of  his  resurrection.'  And  you  know,  the  resurrection  of  the  soul  is 
called  the  first  resurrection.  And  so  now  '  hath  raised  us  up  together,'  should 
be  but  the  same  thing  with  what  formerly  he  had  said,  '  hath  quickened  us.' 
And  Musculus,  in  his  comment  upon  this  place,  gives  this  reason  why  the 
Apostle  addeth  to  quickening,  '  hath  raised  us  up '  here  in  this  life ;  namely, 
to  explain  the  words.  For,  saith  he,  men  or  things  may  be  said  to  be  quick- 
ened which  were  never  dead ;  there  may  be  a  quickening  without  a  resurrec- 
tion, as  it  is  said,  in  1  Tim.  vi.  13,  that  God  is  he  who  quickeneth  all  things, 
—-that  is,  that  doth  put  life  into  all  things :  now  all  things  were  not  dead 


23i  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVL 

before  sucli  time  as  tlaey  had.  life  put  into  them.  Adam  might  be  said  to  be 
quickened  when  he  had  the  breath  of  life  breathed  into  him,  yet  he  could 
not  be  said  to  be  raised  again ;  therefore,  saith  he,  for  more  distinct  explica- 
tion sake,  after  the  Apostle  had  said,  *  He  hath  quickened  us,'  he  addeth, '  and 
hath  raised  us  up,  to  shew  that  it  is  a  quickening  by  way  of  resurrection,  we 
being  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses.  So  that  indeed  the  word  '  quickened  us, 
saith  he,  noteth  out  the  substance  of  the  work  of  God  upon  us  in  this  life ; 
but  this  '  hath  raised  us  up  '  noteth  out  the  modus,  the  manner,  that  is  by 
resurrection  of  them  that  are  dead.  And  so  he  would  have  quickening  and 
resurrection  here  to  be  both  one,  and  to  be  both  meant  of  the  soul ;  as  else- 
where the  resurrection  of  the  body  is  called  quickening.  Rom.  viii.  11,  '  He 
that  raised  up  Chiist  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies ;' 
that  is,  saith  he,  shall  raise  them  up.  And  so  it  is  used  of  Christ,  1  Peter 
iii.  18,  '  He  was  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  by  the  Spirit.' 

And  that  which  yet  strengtheneth  the  objection  more,  viz.,  that  the  resur- 
rection of  the  soul  should  be  here  intended,  is  this.  Because  that  that  paral- 
lel epistle  to  this,  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  which  we  have  so  often  had 
recourse  unto  to  interpret  things  in  this  epistle,  when  it  speaks  of  quicken- 
ing and  of  resurrection  with  Christ,  as  it  doth  in  chap.  ii.  13,  13,  it  makes 
them  both  to  be  works  of  God  upon  us  in  this  life.  '  You  are  risen  with 
him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  :  and  you,  being  dead  in  your 
sins,  hath  he  quickened  together  ■\Aith  him.'  You  see  he  mentioneth  both,  as 
he  doth  here  ;  and  it  is  evident  he  speaks  of  the  resurrection  which  we  have 
through  faith,  through  the  work  of  God  upon  us  here  in  this  life.  And  that 
the  work  of  faith  is  a  resurrection,  I  remember  I  opened  at  large  upon  the 
19th  verse  of  the  first  chapter. 

And  that  which  yet  addeth  to  this  dilficulty  is  this,  that  the  Apostle  here 
speaks  of  this  resurrection  as  a  thing  that  is  already  done,  like  as  he  did  of 
quickenmg  before.  '  He  hath  quickened  us,'  saith  he,  '  and  hath  raised  us  up, 
and  he  hath  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places.' 

But  yet  for  all  this,  I  find  that  most  interpreters,  and  I  confess  myself  of 
that  mind  also,  do  judge  it  to  refer  rather  to  that  glorious  re.surrection  of  the 
body  which  is  to  come ;  the  which,  why  it  is  said  '  hath  raised  us  up,'  as  a 
thing  for  the  present,  or  as  a  thing  past  rather,  I  shall  give  you  an  account 
of  anon.     And  the  reasons  are  these  : — 

First,  Because  the  Apostle's  scope  is  to  comprehend  the  whole  work  of 
God  upon  us  wherein  we  are  made  conformable  to  Jesus  Christ,  yea,  unto 
Jesus  Christ  in  glory.  And  his  scope  is  to  shew  that  that  power  which 
wrought  in  Christ  that  resurrection  of  his  body,  which  raised  him  up  to  that 
glory  which  he  hath  in  heaven,  the  same  power  works  in  us  this  whole  work 
enumerated  here.  It  relateth  to,  and  correspondeth  mth  the  whole  work 
upon  Christ  spoken  of  in  the  first  chapter,  ver.  18,  and  so  on;  where  he 
speaks  of  Christ,  who  is  there  made  the  pattern  of  this  work  upon  us,  and 
saith  thus,  '  According  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought 
in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right 
hand  in  the  heavenly  places.'  Therefore  now,  in  making  up  the  reddition, 
or  the  parallel  upon  us,  and  of  the  mercy  and  grace  towards  us  which  he 
works  in  us  conformable  to  what  he  wrought  in  Christ,  he  must  intend  the 
whole  work  of  our  salvation  first  and  last,  and  especially  that  in  glory,  be- 
cause he  speaks  of  that  mighty  power  which  wrought  in  Christ  in  raising 
him  up  to  glory.  He  speaks  there  also  of  a  power  which  is  begun  in  us,  that 
shall  go  on,  and  never  leave  us,  till  it  hath  made  us  like  to  Christ  in  all 
things ;  a  power  towards  us,  which  begins  in  working  faith  and  in  quicken- 


EpH.  II.  G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  235 

ing,  begins  there,  and  hatli  engaged  itself  to  do  all  that  for  us  which  it  did 
i:i  our  head  Christ  Jesus.  Now  then,  the  raising  up  of  our  bodies  at  last, 
and  the  glorifying  of  them  in  heaven,  is  the  great  work  of  power  ;  and  there- 
fore he,  speaking  of  the  whole  power  that  works  in  us,  answerable  to  the 
whole  work  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  must  mean  the  whole  work  of  salvation 
under  these  three  heads,  of  quickening,  and  raising  us  up,  and  making  us  sit 
in  heavenly  places  in  him. 

Secondly,  That  these  two  works,  '  hath  quickened,'  and  '  hath  raised  us 
up,'  are  distinct,  there  are  these  three  clear  appearances  for  it  from  the  text 
here : — 

1.  Do  but  consider  that  he  severs,  as  it  were,  quickening  from  being 
raised ;  for  when  he  had  said,  '  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,'  he 
comes  in  with  this  parenthesis,  ('  by  grace  ye  are  saved,')  as  putting  not  only 
a  period,  but  a  partition  there,  ere  he  went  any  further,  by  that  parenthesis, 
as  a  note  upon  that ;  then  shewing  them  those  two  parts  of  salvation  which 
are  to  come,  whereof  he  had  spoken  when  he  had  said  *  by  grace  ye  are 
saved : '  that  at  the  resurrection,  and  that  in  heaven.     And  then — 

2.  Having  severed  them  thus  by  a  partition,  you  see  he  yokes  and  joins 
these  two,  '  hath  raised  us  up,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places,' 
together,  as  works  and  benefits  of  a  sort  and  kind.  And  therefore,  as  '  sit- 
ting in  heavenly  places '  pertains  to  the  glory  to  come,  so  also  '  hath  raised 
us  up '  refers  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  which  is  the  foundation  of 
that  glory,  and  indeed  is  the  preparation  to,  and  foundation  of  it. 

3.  And  further,  to  shew  that  he  did  intend  this  distinction,  when  he  speaks 
of  quickening,  he  addeth,  rw  X^isruj,  together  with  Christ ;  but  when  he 
comes  to  speak  of  these  two,  to  shew  that  they  are  works  of  a  kind,  he  doth 
not  say  'hath  raised  us  up  together  with  Christ'  a  second  time,  but  he 
defers  the  mention  of  Christ  till  he  added  the  other  which  is  of  the  same 
kind  with  it :  '  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  hea- 
venly places  in  Christ  Jesus  ; '  that  same  '  in  Christ  Jesus '  referring  to  both 
in  common.  Whereas  if  that  quickening  and  raising  up  had  been  all  one 
in  his  intention,  he  would  have  added  '  with  Christ '  after  this  word  '  raised 
us  up,'  or  in  common  added  here  rather  than  with  quickening,  and  so  have 
made  the  period  there.  But  you  see  he  doth  not  only  sever  them  thus  by  a 
parenthesis,  making  a  full  period  of  the  other,  viz.,  of  quickening,  and  adds 

*  with  Christ '  to  it,  and  then  joins  these  two  together,  but  he  brings  in  '  in 
Christ '  in  common  as  to  both.  So  that  now.  as  we  are  said  to  sit  now  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus,  in  respect  of  that  glory  we  shall  one  day 
have ;  so  we  are  said  to  be  raised  up  also  in  Christ  Jesus,  in  respect  of  that 
resurrection  we  shall  then  likewise  have.     But — 

Thirdly,  That  which  most  of  all  convinceth  me  is  this  :  that  when  the 
Apostle  speaks  of  these  two  latter,  '  raised  us  up,  and  made  us  sit  together 
in  heavenly  places,'  he  adds  the  phrase  '  in  Christ  Jesus  ; '  but  when  he 
speaks  of  the  other,  viz.,  of  quickening  us,  he  doth  not  put  in  h  tui  Xiiarip, 

*  hath  quickened  us  together  in  Christ  Jesus,'  but  '  hath  quickened  us  to- 
gether with  Christ  Jesus.'  Which  evidently  and  critically  intendeth  to  hold 
forth  this,  as  a  main  ?nd  eminent  difference  between  these  two  latter  works 
and  that  other  of  quickening,  which  is  worthy  your  observation  :  that  when 
he  speaks  of  quickening,  it  is  a  work  already  done  in  us ;  as  it  was  once  done 
in  Christ  for  us,  so  it  hath  had  its  accomphshment  in  a  measure,  therefore 
we  are  said  so  to  be  quickened  together  in  Christ,  as  also  with  Christ ;  for 
that  is  a  true  rule,  that  those  works  which  were  done  in  Christ  for  us,  after 
they  are  begun  to  be  wrought  in  us,  we  are  said  to  have  them  wrought  in 


236  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XVI. 

ns  together  witli  Christ,  as  I  shall  shew  you  anon.  But  when  he  comes  to 
those  works  which  yet  are  to  be  wrought  in  us,  as  this  resurrection  and  this 
sitting  in  heavenly  places  is,  which  are  but  in  hope  ;  of  these  he  only  saith 
that  they  are  wrought  for  us  in  Christ,  but  not  they  are  wrought  in  us  with 
Christ,  because  that  we  are  not  yet  actually  in  our  persons  partakers  of 
them,  but  only  as  yet  in  our  head ;  but  when  he  saith.  we  are  quickened 
together  with  Christ,  (as  likewise  in  Col.  ii.  13  the  phrase  is,)  his  meaning 
is  that  we  have  been  actually  partakers  in  our  own  persons  of  quickening,  as 
well  as  Christ  was ;  but,  I  say,  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  these,  he  saith 
only  '  in  Christ.' 

And  let  me  throw  in  another  observation  towards  it : — 

Ohs. — What  is  the  reason  that  the  Apostle  in  the  beginning  of  his  speech, 
at  the  19th  verse  of  the  1st  chapter,  whereof  this  is  the  conclusion,  speaks  of 
the  mighty  power  of  God  which  works  in  them  that  believe  ;  and  here  in  this 
place,  when  he  comes  to  make  up  the  return  and  the  reddition,  he  speaks  of 
grace,  and  mercy,  and  love  1  The  reason  is  plainly  this,  because  though  his 
power  is  engaged  by  grace,  and  mercy,  and  love  to  this  resurrection  to  come, 
and  to  setting  of  us  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  yet  notwithstanding  his 
power  is  put  forth  only  in  quickening  of  us ;  but  grace,  and  mercy,  and  love 
are  put  forth  both  in  quickening  of  us  and  in  raising  us  up  again,  and 
making  us  sit  in  heavenly  jjlaces  in  Christ;  by  grace  we  have  these  two  latter 
now.  We  are  not  only  quickened  by  his  power  already  working  in  us,  but 
by  grace  we  are  raised  together  in  Christ,  and  by  grace  we  sit  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ ;  but  by  power  we  do  not  yet, — that  is,  the  power  that  hath 
engaged  to  work  it  one  day  hath  not  already  wrought  it,  not  wrought  it  with 
Christ,  only  wrought  it  for  us  in  Christ  our  head. 

And  this  is  a  far  better  and  more  observable  criticism  than  that  of  Mus- 
culus,  for  it  notes  out  one  of  the  greatest  truths  of  the  gospel,  that  is,  the 
representation  of  Christ  for  us  :  that  he  as  a  common  person  hath  received 
all  benefits  for  us,  and  we  in  him  are  said  to  have  received  them ;  for  that  is 
said  to  be  done  for  us  in  Christ  which  yet  is  not  wrought  upon  us. 

And  as  for  that  which  he  observes,  that  '  hath  raised  us  up  '  is  added  by 
the  Apostle  to  shew  that  it  is  quickening  from  the  dead,  there  needed  no 
such  addition  ;  because  he  had  said  in  the  words  before,  '  when  we  were 
dead,  he  quickened  us.'  Now  a  man  cannot  be  quickened  when  he  is  dead, 
but  it  must  needs  be  a  resurrection  ;  and  therefore  the  resurrection  of  the 
soul  in  this  life  is  fully  included  in  those  words,  and  these  words  *  hath 
raised  us  up '  needed  not  be  added  to  shew  the  manner  of  quickening,  as  he 
would  have  it.  And  so  it  is  an  argument  rather  for  the  contrary ;  for  he 
would  not  have  repeated  the  same  thing  again  if  he  meant  by  quickening 
and  raising  again  one  and  the  same  thing. 

And  for  that  in  Col.  ii.,  where  *  lising  vaih.  Christ,'  and  '  qmckened  with 
him,'  are  both  mentioned  as  here,  and  both  as  past,  I  answer,  first,  it  is  not 
said  there  we  are  raised  in  Christ  only,  as  here,  but  with  Christ.  And  be- 
sides, the  Apostle  here  puts  a  distinction  also,  to  shew  the  difference,  for  he 
saith  we  are  '  risen  with  him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God.' 
If  he  had  said  so  here  indeed,  we  must  needs  have  concluded  that  'hath 
raised  us  up '  is  meant  of  that  resurrection  of  the  soul,  which  is  all  one  with 
quickening. 

So  that  to  conclude,  though  that  quickening  of  us,  and  raising  us  again, 
are  terms  equivalent,  and  one  is  often  put  for  the  other  in  the  Scripture,  as 
was  observed  before,  and  is  plain  in  John  v.  21,  yet  there  is  a  double  resur- 
rection and  a  double  quickening  :  the  one  of  the  soul  in  this  life,  and  that 


EpH.  II.   6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  237 

the  Apostle  means,  ver.  5;  and  the  other  of  the  body  after  this  life,  and 
that  the  Apostle  intends  here  in  this  verse.  You  shall  find  them  both  in 
John  V.  24,  25,  compared.  There  was  a  double  resurrection  Avrought  in 
Christ :  there  was  one  of  his  soul,  as  I  may  so  speak,  when  it  was  made 
heavy  to  the  death,  when  the  brunt  of  his  Father's  wrath  was  over,  when 
he  cried.  It  is  finished;  for,  I  take  it,  that  word,  'It  is  finished,'  hath  relation 
to  that  conflict  he  had  with  his  Father,  which  began  in  the  garden  and  ended 
upon  the  cross  :  and  indeed  as  those  pangs  that  seized  upon  his  soul,  which 
made  him  say.  My  soul  is  heavy  unto  the  death,  were  the  greater  of  the  two; 
so  that  resurrection  was  the  greater  of  the  two.  Then  he  had  a  resurrection 
of  his  body,  which  was  raised  up  the  third  day  ;  and,  I  take  it,  both  these 
are  included  in  Acts  ii.  24,  as  I  shewed  in  handling  the  19  th  and  20th  verses 
of  the  1st  chapter.  Now  then,  the  Apostle  here  intending  to  shew  how  that 
we  are  raised  up  answerably  to  Jesus  Christ,  first,  he  mentions  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  soul  in  this  life  under  that  of  quickening;  and  then  brings  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  under  this  phrase,  *  and  hath  raised  us  up;'  and  then 
the  glory  of  heaven  in  this,  '  hath  made  us  sit  in  heavenly  i^laces  in  Christ.' 

And  so  much  for  the  first  difficulty. 

The  second  difficulty  is  this  :  How  the  Apostle  can  speak  in  the  time  pre- 
sent, or  in  the  time  past,  and  intend  the  resurrection  of  the  body  to  come, 
and  our  being  in  heaven,  and  say,  '  hath  raised  us  up,  and  hath  made  us  sit 
together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ.' 

To  assoil  this  difficulty  also  : — 

First,  Jerome  and  others  upon  this  place  refer  it  to  God's  decree;  say  they, 
what  God  hath  decreed  to  be  done,  though  it  be  to  come,  the  Scripture  speaks 
of  it  as  if  it  were  now  present,  yea,  as  if  it  were  j^ctst.  As  in  Rom.  viii.  30^ 
'  Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called ;  and  whom  he  called,  them 
he  also  justified;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.'  Because  in 
God's  decree  these  things  are  so  sure  as  if  they  were  done  at  the  present,  yea, 
as  if  they  were  past ;  they  are  tanquam  'praeteritura,  as  things  past,  which 
cannot  be  undone  again. 

But  though  this  be  a  truth,  yet  it  is  not  so  spoken  here,  in  respect  of 
God's  decree  only  or  chiefly,  that  we  are  said  to  be  raised  up  again,  and  to 
sit  together  in  Christ  in  heavenly  places.  For  if  you  mark  it,  it  is  something 
that  was  done  upon  Jesus  Christ's  having  been  raised  up,  and  set  at  God's 
right  hand  first,  as  a  head,  as  ver.  20  of  the  first  chapter  hath  it,  that  we  are 
thereupon  said  to  be  raised  up  and  to  sit  together  with  him.  He  doth  not 
therefore  wholly  refer  this  to  God's  decree,  but  he  refers  to  what  was  done 
in  Christ  when  he  was  raised  up,  and  now  sitteth  in  heavenly  places.  He 
doth  not,  I  say,  refer  to  God's  decree,  which  was  before  all  worlds,  but  to  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  which  was  done  long  before  the  world  began. 

Others  say  this,  that  it  respecteth  the  work  of  faith  and  hope  in  us  :  for 
by  faith  and  by  hope  we  may  see  ourselves  raised  and  set  in  heavenly 
places ;  and  we  believe  we  shall  be  raised  with  Christ  and  shall  sit  together 
with  him  in  heavenly  places.  And  because  that  faith  doth  make  things  to 
come  as  present,  therefore,  say  they,  the  Apostle  doth  speak  in  the  language 
of  faith.  He  hath  raised  us  up,  and  he  hath  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ.  Nos  cum  illo  in  coelo  'per  spem,  et  ille  cuin  nobis  per  Spi- 
ritum; — He  is  here  with  us  below  by  his  Spirit,  and  we  with  him  in  heaven 
by  faith  and  by  hope.  And  this  also  is  a  truth.  Rom.  vi.  8,  '  If  we  be  dead 
with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live  with  him.'  And  as  all  things 
are  present  to  God  that  are  to  come,  who  calleth  things  that  are  not  as  if 
they  were ;  so  it  is  true  that  all  things  are  present  to  faith,  for  it  enableth 


238  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVI. 

US  to  look  upon  tilings,  in  our  proportion,  as  God  doth :  as  in  Rom.  viii.  11, 
'  If  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he 
that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies 
by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.' 

Now  for  this  meaning  also,  I  deny  not  but  that  it  is  part  of  it,  as  I  shall 
shew  you  anon ;  but  it  is  not  all.  For  if  so,  as  Zanchy  well  observeth,  then, 
in  the  first  place,  they  in  the  Old  Testament  who  by  faith  saw  the  promises 
afar  off,  might  believe  themselves  raised  and  set  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus  that  was  to  come.  But  I  say  still,  the  Apostle  here  pitcheth 
upon  what  was  actually  done  in  Christ  already,  after  the  time  of  the  Old 
Testament,  when  Christ  did  rise  again ;  and  upon  his  being  raised  and  set  in 
heaven,  we  are  said  to  be  raised  and  to  sit  with  him.  And  then,  in  the 
second  place,  it  is  not  said  to  be  past,  because  faith  believes  it  shall  be  done ; 
but  it  is  propounded  here  as  really  done  in  Christ,  and  therefore  propounded 
to  our  faith  to  believe  in  it;  so  as  faith  believes  it,  because  in  Christ  it  is 
done  for  us. 

You  wiU  then  say  to  me,  What  is  it  that  is  imported  here? 

I  take  the  words  to  import  our  being  raised  in  Christ  as  in  a  head,  as  in 
a  common  person;  and  in  his  being  raised  and  sitting  in  heavenly  places,  we 
are  said  also  to  be  so.     For  the  distincter  understanding  of  this  : — 

Some  do  interpret  the  words,  '  we  are  raised  in  Christ,'  and  impute  it  only 
to  this,  that  Christ  ha\ing  raised  our  nature  in  himself,  it  is  as  a  pawn  that 
tve  shall  be  advanced  liknvise,  and  so  though  Christ  rose  but  as  a  single  man, 
yet  because  the  human  nature  is  carried  up  to  heaven,  that  is  an  evidence 
that  our  nature  shall  come  thither  too;  that  he  being  advanced,  we  being 
his  kindred,  shall  be  advanced  also  :  and  so  now  it  is  a  pledge  of  our  resur- 
rection. And  this  also  is  a  great  truth;  for  when  Christ  went  to  heaven, 
there  were  mutual  pledges  given  of  our  coming  thither;  he  carried  our  nature 
to  heaven,  to  shew  that  our  nature  being  carried  thither  is  a  pawn  of  our 
coming  thither  likewise.  John  xiv.  3, '  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you;  and 
if  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  to  my- 
self; that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also.'  And  as  he  carried  our  nature 
thither,  so  he  being  in  heaven,  he  gives  us  his  Spirit  as  an  earnest  that  we 
shall  come  thither  also ;  as  in  Rom.  viii  1 1 , '  If  the  Sjurit  of  him  that  raised  up 
Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall 
also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.'  There- 
fore the  Spirit  is  called  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance.  This,  I  say,  is  a  blessed 
truth,  and  a  certain  evidence  we  shall  come  to  heaven ;  yet  it  is  not  all  that 
is  held  forth  by  this  phrase.  For  though  the  Spirit  dwelling  in  us  be  a  pawn 
we  shall  be  raised,  and  thereby  our  resurrection  is  made  sure,  because  we 
have  the  Spirit  in  us  that  raised  up  Christ, — who  therefore  is  a  working 
Spirit,  and  will  never  leave  what  he  takes  possession  of  to  dwell  in  till  he 
hath  raised  it  up, — yet  we  are  nowhere  in  the  Scripture  said  to  be  raised  in 
the  Spirit,  but  we  are  said,  as  here  in  the  text,  to  be  raised  in  Christ ;  there- 
fore it  must  be  more  than  ha-vdng  a  pa'WTi  of  our  resurrection  in  Christ's 
resurrection.  And  yet,  if  that  were  the  intent  of  it,  it  might  as  well  be  said 
we  are  raised  in  the  Spirit  as  in  Christ ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  pawn  of  that 
himself,  as  well  as  Christ's  resurrection.    Yea,  we  are  said  to  '  sit  in  Christ.' 

Others  therefore  interpret  it  thus,  that  we  are  said  to  sit  together  in 
Christ,  because  of  a  conformity  we  shall  be  wrought  to,  like  to  Christ ;  that 
look,  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead,  so  shall  we  be;  we  shall  have 
the  same  resurrection  of  the  body  which  he  had,  and  the  same  glory  in 
heaven,  in  our  measure,  which  he  hath.     But  mark  it,  stUl  I  say,  it  is  not 


EpII.  II.  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  239 

said  that  we  are  raised  as  Christ  is  raised, — that  the  Apostle  eminently  holds 
forth  in  Horn,  vi., — but  here  it  is  said  we  are  raised  i?i  Christ. 

Others  say,  that  we  are  raised  by  rigid,  that  by  Christ's  resurrection  a 
right  is  conveyed  to  us  to  rise  again ;  we  have  a  right  to  sit  in  heavenly 
places,  which  is  made  good  by  Christ's  sitting  there,  therefore  we  sje  said  to 
be  co-heirs  with  Christ,  Rom.  viii. 

This  sense  I  should  determine  and  rest  in,  if  the  full  foundation  of  that 
right  be  taken  in  also ;  which  is,  that  Christ  as  by  death  he  purchased  it  for 
us,  so  in  our  names  and  stead  hath  taken  possession  of  it  for  us,  which  is  more 
than  all  the  former,  and  yet  supposeth  them  all,  and  includes  them  ;  namely, 
that  by  way  of  representation  he  is  there  in  our  stead,  being  a  common 
public  person  representing  us,  he  being  raised,  and  he  rising  as  a  common 
person,  he  sitting  in  heaven,  and  he  sitting  there  as  a  common  person  for  us, 
that  in  this  respect  we  are  said  to  be  raised  up,  and  to  sit  together  in  Christ, 
in  Christ  as  our  head.  And  so  Chrysostom  also  doth  interpret  it.  The 
head  sitting  there,  the  body  must  needs  be  accounted  to  sit  there  also,  and 
for  this  cause  he  addeth,  '  in  Christ.'  And  this  is  certainly  the  most  genuine 
meaning  of  this  place,  though  it  may  include  many  of  the  other  senses  in  it. 
For  first,  in  chap.  i.  22,  Christ  is  not  only  said  to  sit  in  heaven  himself, 
but  he  sits  there  as  a  head.  '  He  gave  him  to  be  a  head,'  saith  he  there, 
*  over  all  things  to  the  church  ; '  as  for  influence,  as  there,  so  also,  as  here, 
by  way  of  representation.  So  that  in  him,  representing  us  as  the  head  doth 
the  body,  we  are  said,  being  united  to  him,  to  sit  there  also. 

This  notion,  of  Jesus  Christ  being  a  common  person,  and  representing  us, 
I  have  at  large  handled,  and  shewed  the  parallel  made  between  Adam  and 
Christ  herein.  In  Rom.  v.  we  are  all  said  to  have  sinned  in  Adam, — in  whom 
all  have  sinned,  saith  Paul,  speaking  of  Adam, — and  were  cast  out  of  Paradise 
in  him,  to  have  died  in  him,  and  we  were  all  cursed  in  him.  '  In  the  day 
thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  die  the  death ; '  this  brought  a  universal  law 
upon  all  mankind  to  die,  in  Adam  all  died  by  virtue  of  this.  So  in  Jesus 
Christ ;  in  his  being  raised  again  we  are  raised,  in  his  sitting  in  heavenly 
places  we  sit.  But  I  will  not  enlarge  upon  this  anything  to  what  formerly 
I  have  spoken.  Jesus  Christ  sits  in  heaven,  not  only  as  a  person  receiving 
heaven  for  us, — as  a  guardian  that  hath  received  from  a  father  jewels  and 
writings  to  be  kept  for  a  child ;  thus  indeed  Jesus  Christ  did  receive  heaven 
and  all  things  else  for  us,  in  God's  everlasting  purposes  :  as  in  Timothy  there 
is  mention  of  a  '  grace  given  us  in  Christ  before  the  world  began  ; '  and  so  you 
have  it  in  Eph.  i.  5,  God  'blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus,' 
before  the  world  began.  But  Jesus  Christ  is  gone  to  heaven,  as  one  legally 
authorised  to  take  possession  of  heaven  in  our  stead,  so  as  that  possession  of 
it  which  he  takes  shall  be  in  law  reckoned  as  if  we  ourselves  had  taken  it. 
The  notion  of  a  public  representative,  to  do  acts  that  in  law  are  counted 
theirs  whom  he  represents,  is  common  among  a.l  nations.  You  know  that 
Rachel  is  said  to  have  worshipped  Joseph,  though  she  was  dead  long  before, 
because  she  was  represented  in  Jacob  her  husband.  Gen.  xxxviL  10.  So 
Le^i,  before  he  was  bom,  is  said  to  pay  tithes  to  Melchizedek  in  Abraham ; 
and  so  we  are  said  to  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  :  for  all  these  public 
persons,  and  all  these  types,  were  but  representations  of  what  Jesus  Christ 
is  to  his  church,  and  of  that  union  which  Jesus  Christ  and  his  church  hath. 
Christ  therefore  is  called  '  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  sleep]'  and  he  is  called 
'  the  first-begotten  from  the  dead.'  Now  the  first-fruits  were  blessed  ;  and 
when  they  were  blessed,  all  the  crop  that  stood  in  the  field  was  blessed 
also,  though  it  was  .not  reaped.     And  that  blessing  of  the  crop  in  the  first- 


240  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVI. 

fruits,  it  was  not  only  jure,  or  'potentate,  in  respect  that  it  had  a  right  to 
blessing,  but  it  was  actu  ;  only  with  this  diflference,  not  in  their  own  proper 
individuals,  but  in  the  first-fruits  that  represented  them,  yet  it  was  an  actual 
bestowing  of  it,  and  may  rightly  be  said  so.  Therefore  because  that  when 
Jesus  Christ  rose  he  represented  us  in  his  person,  and  now  he  sits  in  heaven 
he  represents  us  in  his  person,  therefore  we  are  said  to  be  raised  in  him, 
and  to  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  him.  And  we  have  it  not  only  by  faith,  or 
by  hope,  not  only  potestate  et  Jure,  but  actu  ;  but  how  1  Not  in  our  own 
persons,  but  actually  possessed  thereof  by  such  a  legal  act,  as  by  law  it  is 
attributed  unto  us,  because  our  Head  has  done  it  in  our  stead. — And  so  much 
now  for  that  second  difficulty. 

There  is  yet  a  third  appearance  of  a  greater  difficulty  than  either  of  these, 
which  I  must  also  remove.  You  see  he  puts  here  '  he  hath  raised '  after  '  he 
hath  quickened.'  Now,  if  this  '  hath  raised,'  and  '  hath  made  us  sit  in  hea- 
venly places  in  Christ,'  should  be  meant  of  a  representative  sitting  in  Christ; 
and  that  he  by  way  of  representation  in  our  stead,  bearing  our  persons,  our 
persons  are  reckoned  to  sit  there  m  him  when  he  began  to  sit  there,  and  so 
our  being  raised  when  he  first  rose  ;  and  then  if  so,  here  lies  the  objection: 
these  E[)hesians  might  be  said  to  have  been  made  to  sit  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus  long  before  they  were  converted,  even  from  the  fir  t  time 
that  Christ  did  sit  down  there,  and  might  also  be  said  to  have  been  raised 
again  long  before  they  were  converted,  even  when  Jesus  Christ  was  raised  ; 
for  in  these  acts  he,  as  a  common  person,  represented  them  according  to  this 
interpretation.  But  if  you  eye  the  words,  they  will  seem  to  speak  of  such 
mercies  under  them  as  we  come  to  have  in  Christ,  after  or  together  with  our 
quickening.  '  God,'  saith  he,  '  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  hath  quickened  us,  and 
hath  raised  us,  and  hath  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ ;' 
namely,  upon  our  quickening.  Whereas  I  say,  if  it  should  be  meant  of  a  re- 
presentative sitting  of  Jesus  Christ  in  heaven,  and  so  they  in  him,  that  was 
done  long  before  they  were  quickened  ;  for  from  the  first  time  that  he  sat 
down  there,  he  did  it  in  the  name  of  all  believers. 

Now  to  assoil  this  difficulty,  which  hath  troubled  me  more  than  all  the 
form.er — 

First,  I  would  say  this,  that  these  Ephesians  were  said  to  be  raised  up, 
and  to  sit  in  heavenly  places,  even  long  before  they  were  converted,  in 
Christ  as  a  representative  person ;  but  why  then  doth  he  mention  these 
after  quickening,  that  work  of  conversion  1  He  mentions  them  because  that 
these  are  mercies  to  be  wrought  in  us  after  quickening.  All  were  wrought 
in  Christ,  and  done  at  once ;  but  if  you  come  to  the  execution  of  them,  to 
the  degrees  of  accomplishment,  quickening  is  first,  being  raised  is  next,  and 
sitting  in  heavenly  places  is  last :  and  because  they  are  last  in  execution, 
hence  it  comes  to  pass  that  he  names  these  after  the  other.  So  that  the 
reason  why  that  these  come  in  after  quickening  in  the  Apostle's  rehearsal  is 
not  that  they  were  not  true  of  them  before,  but  it  is  that  they  are  in  order 
of  execution  performed  afterwards. 

But  then  there  is  a  second  answer,  and  that  is  this  :  that  though  we  are 
made  to  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  before  conversion,  coram  Deo, — before 
God,  between  Christ  and  him, — and  it  may  be  said  of  all  the  elect  in  the 
abstract  that  they  are  so  before  their  conversion  ;  yet  we  must  consider  that 
here  the  Apostle  speaks  to  these  Ephesians  by  way  of  application.  Mark  it, 
for  it  is  a  real  answer.  Paul  could  not  personally  have  apj)]ied  it  to  these 
Ephesians  before  their  conversion ;  but  being  quickened,  that  he  might 
add  this  moreover,  God  hath  raised  you  up ;  he  hath  not  only  quickened 


EpH.  IL  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  241 

you,  but  now  you  may  see  witli  open  eyes  that  God  hath  done  more  for  you 
when  you  knew  not  of  it ;  you  have  a  head  in  heaven,  in  whom,  and  by 
whom,  and  with  whom  you  are  quickened ;  in  whom  also  you  are  raised  up 
and  sit  together  in  heavenly  phices,  and  have  done  so  ever  since  Christ 
ascended  thither.  So  that  now,  because  he  speaks  to  the  Ephesians  by  way 
of  application,  and  that  he  could  not  have  applied  it  thus  in  concrete  to 
them  personally  before  they  had  been  quickened,  therefore  he  mentioneth 
quickening  first.  For  then  comes  the  comfort  of  what  was  done  for  them 
in  Christ  before.  And  so  he  holds  forth  the  greatness  of  the  mercy  and 
grace  God  hath  shewn,  that  he  had  not  only  quickened  them  here  by  the 
virtue  of  Christ's  resurrection  alread)',  but  he  had  made  provision  for  their 
being  in  heaven  long  ago,  by  their  head  being  there ;  one  of  these  coming 
in,  in  his  rehearsal  after  the  other,  not  that  they  were  not  true  before,  but 
that  now  they  have  the  comfort  of  them,  and  that  now  they  are  applicable 
to  them,  and  not  before.  The  mention  of  these  two  comes  in  therefore 
most  fitly  after  quickening,  for  the  comfort  of  their  faith,  though  long  be- 
fore ;  and  this  because  they  seeing  the  power  of  God,  which  he  tells  them 
was  engaged  towards  them,  ver.  19  of  the  first  chapter, — that  it  had  already 
shewed  itself  in  quickening  them,  and  had  shewed  itself  by  virtue  of  this, 
that  they  had  been  quickened  in  Christ  when  he  was  quickened  and  raised, 
— this  might  be  an  evidence  to  them  that  one  day  they  should  be  further 
raised  up  in  their  bodies  together  with  him,  and  sit  in  heavenly  places,  and 
in  the  meantime  they  did  sit  together  in  him.  It  comes  in  therefore,  I  say, 
well  after  quickening,  because  that  quickening  is  a  pawn,  an  evidence  to 
them  that  they  do  sit  in  Christ,  and  shall  sit  together  with  him  one  day. 
And  thus  the  Apostle  doth  clearly  reason  from  what  is  already  wrought  to 
what  is  done  for  us  in  Christ,  and  shall  be  one  day  wrought.  Rom.  vi.  5, 
'  If  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be 
also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection.'  And,  ver.  8,  '  If  we  be  dead  with 
Christ,' — mark  the  phrase,  for  he  speaks  of  mortification  begun, — then  '  we 
believe  that  we  shaU  also  live  with  him,'  and  so  be  raised.  Why  ?  Be- 
cause, ver.  9,  '  As  Christ  being  raised  up  dieth  no  more,  but  liveth  unto 
God;'  so,  ver.  11,  'reckon  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  to  sin,  but  alive 
unto  God  :'  for  you  may  see  your  persons  to  be  in  Christ,  and  you  may  have 
hope  to  be  raised  one  day  with  him,  because  you  see  already  that  by  virtue  of 
your  communion  with  Christ,  the  power  of  God  hath  wrought  something  of 
what  Christ  hath  done  for  you,  by  way  of  representation ;  you  are  dead 
with  Christ  already,  and  are  quickened  with  him,  and  therefore  shall  one 
day  be  raised  up  together  with  him,  and  sit  together  with  him  in  heavenly 
places. 

But,  lastly,  to  give  yet  a  more  full  answer  to  this  objection,  I  do  grant 
these  two  or  three  things  : — 

1.  That  upon  a  man's  being  converted  or  quickened,  he  may  be  said  anew 
to  be  raised  up  in  Christ,  and  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  jjlaces  in  him. 
There  is  a  new  act  done  by  which  Christ  becomes,  upon  a  new  engagement, 
a  public  person  for  those  who  are  thus  quickened.  I  shall  express  myself 
to  you  in  this  as  clear  as  I  can,  because  there  is  a  difficulty  in  it.  My 
brethren,  I  lay  this  for  a  ground,  that  upon  any  new  kind  or  degree  of  union 
or  being  in  Christ,  aU  we  have  communion  with  Christ  in  is  anew  confirmed 
to  us,  and  that  not  only  between  Christ  and  us,  but  between  God  and  Christ 
also.  All  must  needs  grant  this,  that  our  union  or  oneness  with  Christ  is 
the  foundation  of  our  communion  and  fellowship  with  him  and  being  made 
partakers  with  him  of  all  he  did  for  us  :  that  we  are  said  to  be  risen  with 

VOL.  II.  Q 


243  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVL 

Christ  as  in  a  common  person,  and  to  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  him,  is  because 
"we  are  one  with  him,  for  these  are  things  whereby  we  have  fellowship  with 
him.  Now  then,  upon  any  new  way  of  union  and  oneness  with  Christ, 
there  must  needs  be  a  further  communion  or  fellowship,  degree,  or  declara- 
tion, or  authorisation  at  least,  of  communion  with  him  of  all  the  blessings 
we  are  to  have  in  him. 

Now,  I  say,  when  we  are  turned  to  God,  there  is  certainly  a  new  fresh 
declaration  made  before  God,  and  the  angels,  and  all,  of  our  union  with  the 
Lord  Jesus.  In  Phil.  iii.  12, — which  place  I  quote  for  this  purpose,  and  you 
shall  see  it  will  come  home  to  the  point  in  hand,  of  the  resurrection,  and 
heaven,  and  all,  by  and  by, — saith  Paul  there,  speaking  of  his  seeking  to  attain 
unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  '  I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend 
that  for  which  also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus.'  He  speaks  of  his  con- 
version unto  God;  he  had  spoken  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  that 
state  which  the  text  here  mentioneth,  as  that  which  in  his  own  person  he  had 
not  yet  attained.  I  have  not  attained  it,  saith  he,  in  my  own  person ;  he  speaks 
of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  in  the  perfection  of  it.  '  If  by  any  means,' 
saith  he,  *  I  might  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.'  It  is  sS,ai'daTasiv, 
it  is  not  only  dmsraaiv  simply,  as  Grotius  well  observes ;  it  is  that  perfect 
state  of  the  resurrection  which  death  shall  have  no  dominion  over.  Now  as 
Paul  fully  aimed  to  apprehend  this,  so  he  did  it  under  this  notion  that  Jesus 
Christ  had,  for  this  and  all  else  that  was  to  be  wrought  in  Paul,  appre- 
hended him  when  he  was  turned.  '  That,'  saith  he,  '  I  may  apprehend  that 
for  which  I  am  apprehended  of  Jesus  Christ.'  Clearly  then  here  is  the 
meaning  of  it.  When  Paul  was  first  turned  to  God,  when  Jesus  Christ  first 
took  him  by  the  hand  and  put  him  into  this  way,  then  did  Jesus  Christ  own 
him  as  his  publicly  before  God  and  himself  in  heaven,  and  sent  his  Spirit 
into  his  heart;  and  owning  him  as  a  public  person,  he  declares.  This  soul  is 
one  with  me,  to  be  perfectly  raised  up  one  day  with  me,  and  to  be  perfectly 
glorified  one  day  with  me,  and  to  that  end  I  do  send  my  Spirit  into  his 
heart,  that  he  by  degrees  may  come  to  attain  and  apprehend  all  that  for 
which  I  now  do  comprehend  him.  This  I  take  to  be  clearly  the  meaning  of 
the  place.  And  if  this  be  true,  here  is  now  a  new  declaration,  a  new  way 
indeed  of  union  with  Christ,  a  new  act  of  union,  rather  than  a  degree  added 
to  what  was  before. 

!My  brethren,  do  not  stumble  at  this ;  I  will  tell  you  why.  We  were  one 
with  Christ  before  the  world  was ;  there  is  one  way  of  union  then.  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  human  nature  cometh  down,  and  represents  us,  doth  what  we 
have  to  do  ;  here  now  is  another  way  of  union.  Why  ?  This  is  the  reason, 
for  we  were  one  with  Christ  by  his  undertaking  for  us  only  from  everlasting, 
but  we  were  one  with  him  by  an  active  representation  when  below  on  earth, 
he  acting  all  he  undertook  when  he  was  here  below.  Now  answerably,  when 
he  is  in  heaven,  and  turns  any  soul  unto  God,  he  seizeth  upon  that  soul  by 
his  Spirit,  comprehends  it,  and  declares  that  he  owneth  it,  to  attain  by  his 
Spirit  all  that  which  he,  as  a  common  person,  beforehand  did  for  him.  Now- 
then,  upon  our  quickening  we  may  very  well  be  said,  as  here  in  the  text,  to 
be  raised  up  in  Christ,  and  to  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  him.  Though  it  was 
done  before  by  way  of  representation  in  one  respect,  yet  now  there  is  a  new 
authorisation,  a  new  declaration  of  it,  not  only  between  Jesus  Christ  and 
that  soul,  but  between  God  and  Christ,  who  now  doth,  before  the  other 
two  persons  of  the  Trinity, — perhaps  the  angels  themselves  know  so  much, 
for  there  is  joy  in  heaven  at  the  conversion  of  a  siimer, — take  this  soul,  to 
work  in  it  all  that  he  as  a  common  person  hath  wrought  for  it.     Jesus  Christ 


EpH.  II.  G.j  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  243 

comprehended  us  then,  to  raise  us  up  perfect  one  day.  Therefore  saith  Paul, 
I  aim  to  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  Why?  Because  Jesus 
Christ,  when  I  was  turned,  comprehended  me,  that  I  might  attain  this ;  and 
he  comprehendeth  us  to  sit  together  in  heaven  with  him. 

And  therefore  now,  as  you  will  say,  by  virtue  of  that  act  which  Christ 
performed  when  he  rose  again,  that  we  rose  in  Christ  as  in  a  common  person, — 
and  we  may  be  said  to  sit  in  heaven  when  he  first  began  to  sit  there, — so 
upon  this  new  act  of  Cluist's  comprehending  us  when  we  were  first  turned 
to  him,  and  did  publish  and  declare  this,  all  these  are  ratified  to  us  afresh, 
and  we  have  now  a  new  and  further  act  or  degree,  as  I  may  so  speak  it,  of 
Christ,  in  becoming  a  common  person  for  us  and  sitting  in  heaven  for  us,  a  new 
public  act  in  heaven.  Jesus  Christ  presenteth  himself  to  his  Father  as  he 
that  rose  for  that  soul,  that  it  might  rise  both  body  and  soul ;  therefore  he  ■ 
putteth  in  his  Spirit  to  raise  up  the  soul  now,  and  the  body  afterwards. 
Jesus  Christ  presenteth  himself,  as  sitting  in  heaven  in  the  room  of  that 
soul,  and  sendeth  his  Spirit  to  quicken  it  with  a  life  that  is  heavenly;  and 
that  Spirit  shall  never  leave  till  he  hath  brought  the  body  to  heaven  also. 
These  things  Christ  comprehendeth  us  for.  You  read  in  the  Revelations  of 
two  books,  though  they  come  all  to  one ;  the  one  is  the  book  of  the  Lamb, 
and  the  other  the  book  of  life.  There  is  a  registering  as  it  were  upon  public 
record  of  our  names  in  both.  Our  names  are  recorded  in  the  book  of  life  by 
eternal  predestination  and  the  decree  of  God.  When  Jesus  Christ  comes  to 
comprehend  a  soul,  our  names  are  anew  written.  There  is  a  new  record 
made  between  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  that  he  owneth  such  a 
soul,  that  he  represents  it,  takes  that  soul  to  work  all  that  in  it  Avhich  he  did 
representatively  as  a  public  person  for  it.  Therefore  in  this  sense  it  might 
well  be  said  that  we  are  raised  in  him,  and  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  him ;  we  are  reckoned  as  risen  in  him,  and  as  sitting  in  heaven  in  him, 
from  that  day  he  quickened  us.  For  from  that  day  he  comprehendeth  us 
that  we  may  attain  thereunto. 

2.  However,  in  the  second  place,  by  faith  by  which  we  are  quickened  we 
may  be  said  to  possess  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  to  '  sit  in  heavenly 
places  in  Christ ;'  upon  quickening  therefore  it  cometh  in  afterwards.  Faith 
instateth  us  into  all  these  in  such  a  manner  as  not  before ;  and  these  things 
are  all  likewise  things  to  come  :  for  though  Jesus  Christ  hath  represented  us 
when  first  he  went  to  heaven,  yet  every  moment  he  sitteth  there  he  still  re- 
presenteth  us.  Therefore  after  quickening  this  may  well  be  said  of  us,  and 
we  may  then  reckon  ourselves  alive  to  God  as  fully  as  Christ  is,  or  as  ever 
we  shall  be.  Faith  aims  to  comprehend  all  that  for  which  we  are  appre- 
hended and  comprehended  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  so  posscsseth  itself  of  it.  And 
now,  as  heirs  will  please  themselves  beforehand  with  the  thinking  of  what 
they  will  do  with  their  estate  before  they  come  to  it,  so  faith  doth  ;  it  setteth 
us  down  in  heaven,  setteth  us  upon  the  shore  of  the  other  world,  thinketh 
of  the  glorious  condition  we  shall  be  in  there,  and  what  a  glory  will  be  put 
upon  body  and  soul  when  we  shall  sit  in  heavenly  places  Avith  Christ.  Why  1 
Because,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  we  see  Jesus  Christ  already  crowned  with 
glory  and  honour.  Therefore  now  he  that  believeth  is  said  to  be  entered 
into  rest  in  Heb.  iv.  6,  9,  11,  and  yet  that  rest  is  to  come.  Nay,  in  Heb. 
vi.  19,  we  are  said  to  cast  anchor  within  the  veil.  And  in  Heb.  x.  21,  22, 
compared  with  all  went  before,  we  do  by  faith  enter  into  the  holy  of  holiest, 
and  have  boldness  so  to  do.  Alas  !  the  poor  people  of  Israel  stood  without, 
and  no  man  was  to  look  within  the  veil;  but  we  enter  into  the  veil,  and  cast 
anchor  there,  and  may  with  boldness  come  there.     Why?     Because  we  have 


244  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVL 

a  High  Priest  sitting  there.  Now  because  that  upon  quickening,  faith 
begins  to  work  thus,  hence  the  Apostle  therefore  mentioneth  these  two,  our 
rising  again,  and  sitting  in  heavenly  places,  after  quickening ;  and  makes 
them  as  it  were  a  new  work  upon  quickening,  because  that  faith  then  comes 
to  apprehend  them  and  to  have  the  comfort  of  them. 

I  might  add  now,  in  the  third  place,  that  when  a  man  is  thus  quickened 
and  turned  to  God,  the  state  of  that  man  is  altered,  even  in  this  respect, 
that  he  doth  now  actually  sit  "with  Christ  in  heaven.  Before,  the  threaten- 
ings  of  death  to  hold  him  in  the  grave  were,  according  to  that  state  he  stood 
in,  good  against  him,  good  against  him  in  foro  verhi,  according  to  the  cove- 
nant of  the  word,  which  God  will  judge  all  men  by ;  but  now  his  state  is 
60  altered  that  all  these  threatenings  cannot  come  out  against  him.  Why? 
Because  he  is  so  comprehended  by  Christ  as  that  he  sitteth  in  heaven  for 
him,  and  he  below  is  in  that  state  as  that  all  the  threatenings  of  heU  and 
the  grave  have  nothing  to  do  with  him.  They  had  nothing  to  do  with  his 
person  in  respect  of  God's  decree  before,  but  in  respect  of  his  state,  and  in 
foro  verhi,  they  had. 

I  shall  now  give  you  an  observation  or  two,  and  so  end.  The  great  obser- 
vation, which  I  thought  to  have  largely  handled,  is  this  : — 

Obs.  '1. — That  in  Christ  as  a  common  person,  and  as  a  pattern  of  us,  we 
may  be  said  to  have  done  what  Jesus  Christ  did  or  doth,  or  what  befalleth 
him  ;  and  we  are  reckoned  by  God  to  have  done  it.  My  brethren,  this  is  one 
of  the  greatest  hinges  of  the  gospel. 

But  the  second  observation  that  I  make  is  this  : — 

Obs.  2. — That  our  salvation  is  in  God's  gift ;  and  in  Christ's  personating 
of  us  and  apprehending  of  us,  it  is  perfect  and  complete  ;  though  in  our  per- 
sons, as  in  us,  it  is  wrought  by  degrees.  This  you  see  is  clear  ;  for  he  tells 
us  that  the  grace  and  love  and  mercy  of  God  is  such  as  he  hath  quickened 
us  with  Christ,  but  for  the  rest  it  is  done  in  Christ.  Our  salvation,  my 
brethren,  hath  been  perfected  between  God  and  Christ  over  and  over  and 
over.  It  was  perfected  in  God's  eternal  decrees ;  he  then  did  bestow  all 
grace  and  benefits  upon  us  before  the  world  began,  and  he  hath  blessed  us 
with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  things  before  the  world  was.  When 
Jesus  Christ  was  here  upon  earth,  the  text  tells  us,  in  Heb.  x.  14,  that  'by 
one  offering  he  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified.'  When  he 
rose,  he  perfected  our  resurrection  for  ever.  When  he  sat  down  in  heaven, 
he  perfected  our  sitting  down  there  for  ever.  When  we  are  converted,  when 
he  comprehendeth  us  anew,  then  he  doth  own  us  as  those  for  whom  he  did 
all  this,  and  professeth  to  represent  us,  and  professeth  to  send  his  Spirit 
down  into  our  hearts  to  work  all  that  in  us  for  which  he  hath  comprehended 
us.  And  upon  that  Paul's  heart  and  desires  are  in  a  flame  after  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead  ;  no  less  could  serve  him  :  for,  saith  he,  Jesus  Christ 
hath  comprehended  me  for  that  end  when  he  first  turned  me  to  him.  All 
this,  my  brethren,  hath  been  wrought  over  and  over  and  over ;  our  whole 
salvation  hath  been  perfected  between  God  and  Christ  by  I  know  not  how 
many  acts,  and  each  do  make  the  whole  sure,  sure  over  and  over.  Here 
now  is  all  the  difference :  when  it  comes  to  be  wrought  in  our  persons,  there 
indeed  he  goes  by  degrees,  as  it  is  applied  unto  us. 

The  truth  is  this,  that  God  the  Father,  in  bestowing  blessings  upon  us  at 
once  in  election,  found  Jesus  Christ  work  to  purpose.  Christ  came,  and  by 
degrees  he  did  purchase  it ;  fulfilled  the  law,  died,  rose  again,  ascended, 
sitteth  in  heaven.  By  these  acts  once  done  doth  Jesus  Christ  find  the  Holy 
Ghost  work  for  ever,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a-perfecting  for  ever  of  what 


EpH.  II.  C]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  24:5 

God  the  Father  intended  and  gave  at  once  ;  of  what  Jesus  Christ  did,  as  a 
common  person,  both  purchase  for  us  and  did  for  us  by  way  of  representa- 
tion. And  as  man  was  a-making  six  days,  so  we  are  by  degrees  a-perfecting 
for  heaven,  and  what  God  will  do  for  us  there  we  know  not.  And  take  this 
for  thy  comfort :  hatli  Christ  begun  to  quicken  tliy  heart  with  spiritual  life  1 
Do  as  Paul  did ;  set  upon  attaining  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  if  by  any 
means  thou  mayest  attain  that  holiness  thou  shalt  have  there  ;  for  Jesus 
Christ  hath  comprehended  thee  fc5r  it,  and  he  sitteth  in  heaven  now,  pre- 
sents himself  to  his  Father  as  he  that  rose  for  thee,  to  the  end  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  may  be  completed  in  thee.  He  presents  himself  as  sitting 
in  heaven  in  thy  stead,  thy  name  is  entered  into  the  Lamb's  book,  and 
therefore  say  with  thyself  as  Paul  doth.  Though  I  have  not  yet  attained  unto 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  yet  this  is  my  state  in  Christ,  this  is  that  for 
which  I  am  comprehended  of  him.  My  brethren,  the  truth  is  this,  that  all 
the  grace  and  happiness  we  shall  have  is  nothing  but  life;  for  what  is  Christ? 
He  is  still  called  life ;  so  John  i,  4,  and  1  John  i.  2.  And  these  three  things 
here  are  but  three  several  degrees  of  life — first,  your  souls  are  quickened  : 
then  your  bodies  and  souls  shall  live  another  life,  the  body  shall  be  raised 
up  a  spiritual  body ;  this  is  done  in  Christ  :  and  then  you  shall  be  taken 
up  into  glory  and  live  with  God.  'Your  hearts  shall  live  for  evermore.' 
It  is  all  but  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  doth  spring  and  by  degrees  rise 
up  in  us,  and  he  as  our  life  doth  sit  in  heaven  for  us,  as  the  Apostle  tells 
us  in  Col.  iii. 

A  third  observation  I  would  make  is  this  : — 

Obs.  3. — That  God,  as  he  hath  perfected  our  salvation,  as  you  see  he  hath 
done  over  and  over,  so  he  would  have  us  for  our  comfort  take  a  view  of  that 
whole  that  God  will  do  for  us,  and  by  faith  he  would  have  us  to  take  it  that 
he  hath  done  it,  and  he  hath  made  sure  work  for  it  in  our  Eedeemer  Jesus 
Christ.  We  should  not  therefore  only  look  to  what  is  behind,  but  look 
to  what  is  before.  My  brethren,  Jesus  Christ  waits  in  heaven  till  all  he 
did  for  us  as  a  common  person  be  perfected  and  completed ;  and  in  the 
meantime  he  comforts  himself  with  this,  that  we  shall  be  such  one  day,  and 
he  goes  over  it  in  his  thoughts  again  and  again;  and  so  should  we.  'Reckon 
yourselves,'  saith  the  Apostle, — go  and  take  a  leap  over  the  state  of  this  world, 
and  '  reckon  yourselves  alive  in  Christ.'  We  translate  it  through  Christ,  but 
the  truth  is,  it  is  in  Christ,  for  he  speaks  there  of  Christ's  being  raised  again 
and  sitting  at  God's  right  hand.  Reckon  yourselves,  saith  he,  alive  in 
Christ,  as  he  is.  And  we  should  do  this  both  to  provoke  us  to  attain  to 
this  life,  for  it  did  provoke  Paul,  to  labour  to  have  as  much  of  your  portion 
here  as  you  could,  to  get  as  much  of  the  resurrection  as  you  can.  Therefore 
saith  the  Apostle,  in  Phil.  iii.  20,  '  Our  conversation  is  in  heaven.'  Why  ] 
Because  Christ  hath  comprehended  us,  as  sitting  in  heaven  for  us,  and  he 
hath  comprehended  us  to  attain  to  whatever  he  hath  done  for  us.  That  if 
another  consequence  Paul  makes  of  Jesus  Christ  comprehending  us.  My 
brethren,  when  you  come  to  die,  reckon  yourselves,  I  am  risen  with  Christ, 
and  this  grave  must  give  up  my  body  again ;  I  commit  it  unto  it  as  to  a 
jailor.  I  thank  my  God  through  Christ,  saith  Paul,  that  hath  given  me 
victory  over  the  body  of  death ;  and  he  gives  the  same  thanks  in  1  Cor.  xv. 
for  the  victory  over  the  death  of  the  body.  God  would  have  us  consider  these 
things,  that  we  might  act  all  as  men  in  heaven.  Would  a  man  sitting  in  hea- 
ven do  this  1  '  If  you  be  risen  with  Christ,'  saith  the  Apostle  in  Col.  ii., '  why, 
as  though  living  in  the  world,  are  ye  subject  to  ordinances?'  Take  you 
as  worshippers,  saith  he,  you  are  not  to  receive  neither  the  doctrine  of  faith 


246  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVI, 

from  men  in  a  ■worldly  waj^,  neither  are  you  to  receive  tlie  commands  or 
inventions  of  men  in  worship  ;  and  he  urgeth  it  upon  this  ground,  because 
they  were  risen  in  Christ,  therefore,  saith  he,  act  accordingly :  '  Seek  the 
things  that  are  above.' 

The  fourth  observation  I  have  out  of  these  words  is  this  in  general,  for 
these  are  but  generals  : — 

Obs.  4. — You  see  now  that  we  may  apply  all  in  Christ,  piece  by  piece,  to 
the  like  to  be  done  in  ourselves.  The  Apostle  here  doth  apply  Jesus  Christ's 
being  raised  in  his  body,  and  that  body  raised  a  spiritual  body,  to  this,  that 
we  also  shall  be  raised,  and  that  we  are  raised  in  him ;  the  resurrection  of 
Christ  to  our  resurrection,  and  his  sitting  down  in  heaven  at  God's  right 
hand  to  our  sitting  there,  as  the  cause  of  it.  It  is  a  question  now,  whether, 
yea  or  no,  we  should  reckon  the  active  obedience  of  Christ  as  that  which 
standeth  in  stead  of  our  active  obedience ;  the  passive  obedience  of  Christ 
as  that  which  standeth  in  stead  of  what  we  should  have  suffered]  I  answer, 
yes ;  even  as  his  sitting  in  heaven  is  the  cause  of  our  sitting,  that  part  is  the 
cause  of  this  part  in  a  more  eminent  manner.  It  is  not  but  that  the  whole 
is  the  cause  of  the  whole  :  my  sins  are  forgiven  by  the  active  obedience  of 
Christ  as  well  as  the  passive,  and  the  passive  obedience  of  Christ  standeth 
for  the  fulfilHng  of  the  law ;  yet  for  my  comfort  I  may  apj)ly  every  piece 
in  Christ  to  what  I  would  have  from  him.  So  the  Apostle,  you  see,  doth; 
for  what  is  in  Christ  is  but  the  idea,  the  mere  pattern  and  exemplar  of  a 
Christian. 

The  last  observation  I  will  make  is  this  : — 

Obs.  5. — You  see  the  distinction  between  in  Christ  and  with  Christ  We 
jire  said  to  be  quickened  with  Christ.  Why  1  Because  that  that  work,  as  it 
is  wrought  in  Christ  once  for  us,  hath  now  some  accomplishment  in  us;  but 
speaking  of  the  resurrection  to  come,  he  doth  not  say  we  are  raised  up  with 
Christ,  but  raised  up  in  Christ.  Do  but  learn  to  distinguish,  for  the  want 
of  this  makes  many  men  mistake.  A  man,  before  he  is  called,  is  justified  in 
Christ,  but  not  tviih  Christ ;  that  is,  it  is  not  actually  applied  to  the  man's 
person — his  person  is  not  put  in  foro  verbi  in  the  state  of  justification. 
Learn,  I  say,  to  distinguish  between  receiving  a  thing  in  Christ,  and  receiv- 
ing it  ivith  Christ.  You  receive  it  Avith  Christ  when  it  is  actually  applied  to 
your  person.  We  now  sit  together  in  Christ  in  heaven ;  would  you  desire 
no  other  sitting  in  heaven  with  Christ  than  now  you  have  1  Certainly  you 
would.  As  you  sit  in  Christ,  so  likewise  you  would  sit  with  Christ.  So 
take  a  man  before  such  time  as  he  bclieveth  and  is  converted  to  God,  would 
he  have  no  other  sanctification  1  Would  you  have  for  your  child,  suppose 
you  believe  him  to  be  elect,  or  had  an  immediate,  infallible  warrant  so  to 
think,  no  other  sanctification  or  justification  than  he  hath  then?  No,  you 
would  have  him  sanctified  with  Christ,  and  justified  with  Christ,  which  is  to 
have  that  which  he  had  in  Christ  applied  to  him,  and  he  put  actually  in  his 
own  person  in  the  state  of  it.  The  want  of  the  consideration  of  these  things 
causeth  a  great  mistake  in  this  age.  You  shall  find  that  still  the  Scripture 
useth  that  phrase  of  those  things  which  we  not  only  have  in  Christ,  but 
have  some  actual  possessing  of  them  in  our  own  persons.  I  yield  it  is  at- 
tained in  Christ  as  in  a  common  person,  but  it  must  be  api>lied  to  our  own 
persons  also ;  for  would  any  man  desire  to  be  no  more  glorified  than  he  is 
now  %  Yet  we  are  perfectly  glorified  in  Christ  now,  so  we  were  perfectly 
justified  in  Christ  when  he  rose,  and  perfectly  justified  from  all  eternity. 
Who  shall  condemn  the  elect  of  God  1  saith  the  Apostle.  Yet  these  must 
be  applied  to  our  own  persons,  and  our  persons  must  actually  be  put  into 


Ern.  II.  C]  TO  the  ephesians.  247 

this  condition.  When  wc  come  to  heaven,  then  he  saith  we  shall  sit  with 
Christ  on  his  throne,  Rev.  iii.,  but  while  Ave  are  here  on  earth,  then  it  is 
sitting  in  Christ.  The  consideration  of  this  di.stinction  would  in  a  Avord 
clear  the  great  controversy  that  is  now  between  the  Antinomians,  as  they 
call  them,  and  others,  about  being  justified  before  conversion  ;  whether  a 
man  be  justified  before  conversion  or  nol  Or  whether  he  be  not  so  justified 
afterward  as  in  some  sense  he  was  not  before  1  I  say,  we  are  justified  in 
Christ  from  all  eternity,  and  we  are  justified  with  Christ  when  we  believe. 


248  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XVII. 


SERMON  XVn. 

And  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus. — Vee.  6. 

For  the  opening  of  these  words,  I  endeavoured  to  shew  two  things  the  last 
discourse,  and  spent  most  of  the  time  in  clearing  the  difficulties  of  the  text. 

1.  That  the  resurrection  here  mentioned  is  distinct  from  that  of  quicken- 
ing, and  referreth  to  that  great  benefit  which  at  the  latter  day  shall  be  com- 
municated to  us. 

2.  How  that  all  these  are  said  to  be  already  done  in  Christ. 

These  were  indeed  but  generals  to  the  words,  I  shall  now  speak  some- 
thing to  each  particular,  for  the  opening  of  them. 

There  are,  you  see  here,  two  degrees  of  our  exaltation  in  tlie  world  to 
come : — 

1.  Our  rising  again. 

2.  Our  sitting  in  heavenly  places. 

And  the  one  is  the  preparation  to  the  other.  And  herein  there  are  to  be 
considered — 

I.  The  things  themselves;  '  raised  up,'  and  '  sitting  in  heavenly  places.* 

II.  The  adjuncts  of  them.     As — 

1.  That  hath  these  are  said  to  be  done  already  ;  *  He  haih  raised  us  up  :' 
and,  *  He  hath  made  us  sit  in  heavenly  places.' 

2.  That  we  are  *  raised  together,'  and  '  sit  together.'     And — 

3.  '  In  Christ'  Jesus.' 

III.  The  greatness  of  this  mercy,  and  love  of  God  in  both  these.  To  shew 
forth  which  is  indeed  the  Apostle's  scope,  both  in  the  words  before, — the  ex- 
ceeding greatness  of  his  love  towards  us,  in  quickening  us,  in  raising  us,  in 
setting  us  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ, — and  in  the  words  that  foUow,  at  the 
7th  verse,  '  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace.' 

I  shall  begin  to  speak  to  the  first,  the  things  themselves ;  raised  up,  and 
sitting  in  heavenly  places. 

When  I  opened  the  words  before,  I  told  you  that  all  that  God  bestows 
upon  us,  both  of  grace  and  glory,  is  but  Hfe,  opposed  here  to  death.  For 
Jesus  Christ  is  appointed  to  be  our  life.  Now  of  this  life  there  are  several 
degrees,  several  parts  of  it  more  eminent.  The  one  is  that  of  quickening ; 
the  other  the  resurrection  and  union  of  soiil  and  body  at  the  latter  day. 
And  the  last  is  the  sitting  in  heavenly  places.  So  that  indeed  that  life  which 
God  intends  to  bestow  upon  us,  you  see  it  is  perfected  by  degrees.  He  be- 
gins with  dealing  with  the  soul  here  in  a  way  of  quickening ;  and  then 
he  doth  raise  the  body.  And  this  of  the  soul,  it  is  the  pawn  of  the  other : 
as  Tertuilian  saith,  by  the  quickening  of  our  souls,  our  bodies  are  also  in- 
augurated into  that  resurrection  which  is  in  the  world  to  come.  My  brethren, 
when  the  Spirit  first  comes  to  dwell  in  our  hearts,  he  maketh  our  bodies  his 
temple,  as  well  as  he  doth  our  soul.  You  have  it  in  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  where 
our  body  is  called  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  there  he  is  said  to 


EpH.  II.  C]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  210 

dwell.  Now  wherever  God  dwells,  he  hath  taken  up  his  scat  to  dwell  for 
ever ;  he  will  never  be  put  out  of  possession.  The  Godhead  dwelling  in  our 
Saviour  Christ's  body,  as  he  saith,  '  Destroy  this  temple,  and  I  will  raise  it 
up  again ; '  now  the  same  Spirit  dwelling  in  us  that  dwelt  in  Christ,  and 
our  bodies  being  likewise  made  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  hence  there- 
fore— though  we  owe  a  debt  to  that  great  statute  that  came  forth,  that  it  is 
appointed  for  all  men  to  die — yet  we  are  raised  up  again. 

The  second  thing  you  may  observe  is  this  :  that  the  Apostle  passeth  by 
that  happiness  which  the  soul  hath  between  our  death  and  resurrection.  He 
doth  not  mention  that,  you  see ;  but  next  to  that  of  quickening  the  soul,  he 
mentions  the  resurrection  of  the  whole  man.  Not  that  there  is  not  a  happi- 
ness and  a  blessedness  of  the  soul ;  either  that  the  soul  should  die,  or  that 
the  soul  should  sleep.  No,  the  New  Testament  is  so  clear  for  it,  as  for 
nothing  more.  '  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise.'  The  poor  thief 
desired  Christ  to  remember  him  when  he  came  into  his  kingdom.  Now 
Jesus  Christ  was  to  possess  his  kingdom  when  ascended,  and  he  shall  pos- 
sess it  fully  at  latter  day.  Why,  saith  Christ,  I  will  remember  thee  before 
I  come  into  my  kingdom  ;  that  is  a  long  while  thither.  I  will  remember 
thee  this  day,  and  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  that  Paradise  which  my  soul — 
f(jr  he  expresseth  the  state  of  souls — is  going  to.  And  I  take  it  also  that 
in  2  Cor.  xii.,  the  raptures  of  Paul  into  the  third  heavens,  and  into  Paradise, 
are  two  distinct  things.  He  was  caught  up  to  see  and  view  that  happiness 
which  in  the  utmost  top  of  heaven  the  saints  can  enjoy,  and  because  he 
might  think  much  to  stay  so  long,  therefore  he  was  permitted  to  see  also 
what  in  the  meantime  the  souls  enjoy,  and  so  was  carried  into  Paradise,  the 
place  where  Jesus  Christ's  soul  was  untd  his  resurrection,  which  is  also 
heaven ;  as  2  Cor.  v,  throughout  doth  shew.  But  you  see  here  that  the 
Apostle  passeth  by  that,  and  pitcheth  upon  the  resurrection  of  the  body. 
And  the  reasons  why  he  doth  so,  I  take  it,  are  these  : — 

First,  Because  that  of  the  soul  is  comprehended  under  quichening.  For 
all  that  Christ  shall  do  upon  the  soul  singly  is  here  by  a  synecdoche  ex- 
pressed by  that  word.  What  he  shall  do  in  uniting  soul  and  body,  that 
comes  ander  'raising  us  up  in  Christ;'  and  the  glory  which  he  will  put 
upon  both,  comes  under  '  sitting  in  heavenly  places.'  Now  therefore,  because 
it  is  but  upon  the  soul,  which  is  but  a  part  of  a  man,  which  is  the  chief  thing 
that  is  quickened  in  sight ;  therefore  here  he  doth  not  mention  that. 

But  indeed  the  greater  reason  of  the  two  is  this  :  because  the  resurrection 
of  the  body  is  the  great  point  and  principle  of  Christianity.  The  heathens, 
they  VFOuld  easily  be  persuaded  of  a  Paradise,  and  of  a  comfort  which  the 
souls  enjoyed,  which  they  thought  to  be  immortal ;  but  the  resurrection  they 
generally  denied.  So  did  many  of  the  Jews,  as  you  know  the  Sadducees 
did.  In  1  Thess.  iv.  13,  it  is  one  character,  the  description  of  heathens,  and 
their  doctrine  that  they  mourn  for  those  that  are  dead,  without  any  hope  of 
the  resurrection.  So  that  one  that  hath  no  hope  of  the  resurrection  is  all 
one  with  a  heathen.  And,  ver.  14  of  that  chapter,  the  Apostle  makes  this 
the  common  principle  of  all  Christianity.  *  If  we  believe,'  saith  he,  '  that 
Jesus  died  and  rose  again,'  then  we  believe  also  '  that  them  who  sleep  in 
Jesus  God  will  bring  with  him  ;'  the  meaning  whereof  is  this  :  we,  aU  Chris- 
tians, believe  this,  we  take  it  for  granted,  we  are  no  Christians  else.  I  say, 
this  is  one  great  point  of  Christianity,  which  therefore  the  Apostles,  wherever 
they  came,  stUl  preached  both  to  Jews  and  Gentiles.  To  the  Jews,  in  the  very 
beginning  of  the  church,  in  Acts  ii.  24.  And  to  the  Gentiles ;  so  Paul  in 
Acts  xvii.  18,  at  his  coming  to  Athens,  preached  to  them  the  resurrection. 


2o0  •  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVIL 

For  it  is  a  fundamental  point.  Therefore,  in  2  Tim.  ii.  17,  it  is  made  an 
evidence  of  damnation  to  deny  the  resurrection ;  and  said  to  be  an  over- 
throwing the  faith  :  insomuch  that  he  is  fain  to  put  a  '  nevertheless ''  in  the 
"words  after.  '  Nevertheless,'  saith  he,  '  God  knows  who  are  his,'  and  so  he 
will — though  these  fall  away  and  overthrow  the  faith  thus — keep  liis  elect. 
And  in  1  Cor.  xv.  2,  in  which  chapter  he  speaks  of  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  and  of  ours  in  the  whole  chapter  afterwards,  these  things,  saith  he, 
we  preach  to  you,  'by  which  also  you  are  saved  :'  you  cannot  be  saved  with- 
out believing  them,  take  it  in  the  influence  the  contrary  doctrine  hath  upon 
the  soul  now  under  the  gospel. 

But  then  the  chief  reason  of  all  is  this.  Because  that  the  resurrection  is 
the  great  preparation  and  beginning  of  that  world  to  come ;  of  that  new  state, 
and  alteration,  and  qualification,  and  fitting  of  the  whole  man  for  that  glory 
which  God  raiseth  us  up  unto.  It  is  the  beginning,  as  I  may  so  speak,  of 
that  new  world.  You  shall  find  therefore  this  reason  given,  in  1  Cor.  xv. 
53,  54,  why  there  must  be  a  resurrection.  '  For,'  saith  he,  '  flesh  and  blood 
cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ; '  therefore,  saith  he,  those  that  do  not 
die  must  have  something  analogous  to  the  resurrection  ;  they  must  all  be 
changed.  '  Behold,'  saith  he,  '  I  shew  you  a  mystery;  We  shall  not  all  sleep, 
but  Ave  shall  be  changed;  for  this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption ; 
and  this  mortal  must  put  on  immortality.'  We  cannot  possess  heaven  else. 
You  have  the  same  in  1  Thess.  iv.  14,  where  he  tells  you  the  story  of  the 
other  world  from  first  to  last ;  and  he  saith  that  before  such  time  as  we  go  to 
meet  the  Lord,  and  to  be  for  ever  with  him,  we  must  either  rise  again,  or 
those  that  do  not  rise  again  must  be  changed ;  which  is  the  very  same  that 
he  saith  in  that  1  Cor.  xv. 

And,  lastly,  there  is  a  greater  degree  of  glory,  infinitely  greater,  to  what 
the  soul  hath  now  in  being  with  Christ ;  so  much  greater,  that  the  apostles 
generally  shp  that  by — though  there  be  some  few  places  that  hold  forth  that 
glory  in  the  meantime — when  they  S23eak  of  the  glory  to  come,  and  usually 
tell  us  rather  of  the  glory  of  the  resurrection,  and  of  the  reward  that  shall 
be  at  the  resurrection,  because  comparatively  to  that  all  that  the  soul  re- 
ceiveth  before  is  exceedingly  small.  You  shall  see  the  Scripture  abundant 
in  it.  1  Peter  i.  4,  '  To  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that 
fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  you ; '  it  follows,  '  ready  to  be  re- 
vealed in  the  last  time.'  John  vi.  40,  when  Christ  promised  life  and  happi- 
ness upon  believing,  '  He  that  believeth  shall  have  everlasting  life,'  he  adds, 
'  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.'  Luke  xiv.  14,  '  Thou  shalt  be 
recompensed  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just.'  And  in  John  v.  29,  it  is  called 
the  resurrection  of  life,  as  if  that  Life  did  but  then  begin.  Nay,  in  John  vi. 
39,  Chri.st  speaks  as  if  we  were  lost  if  we  should  not  be  raised  again.  Do 
but  mark  his  words  :  '  This  is  the  Father's  "will  which  hath  sent  me,  that 
of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up 
again  at  the  last  day.'  So  that  although  the  soul  be  in  happiness  before, 
and  therefore  styled  '  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,'  yet  notwith- 
standing that  is  reckoned  as  nothing  in  comparison,  because  of  that  excess 
of  glory  which  shall  be  when  body  and  soul  shall  both  meet  together ;  which 
"will  infinitely  transcend  all  that  was  before.  For  then  Jesus  Christ  '  shall 
come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  be- 
lieve,' as  if  they  had  seen  no  glory  before,  2  Thess.  i.  10.  And  therefore  be- 
cause the  resurrection  is  that  time  wherein  there  shall  be  such  an  eminent 
excess  of  glory,  it  is  called,  in  Heb.  xi.,  'a  better  resurrection,'  a  resurrection 
in  meliorem  statum,  to  a  better  condition. 


EpH.  II.  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  251 

The  third  thing  I  would  have  you  observe  is  tliis,  that  we  are  said  to  be 
notv  raised.  He  hath  raised  us,  saith  he,  and  he  hath  made  us  sit  together 
in  heavenly  places.  For  as  before  God,  and  as  in  his  view,  we  are  so.  There 
were  those  that  did  teach  that  the  resurrection  was  past,  as  in  2  Tim.  ii.  18, 
which  Paul  there  makes  a  damnable  heresy ;  but  although  it  is  not  past,  yet 
to  God  it  is  as  if  it  were  ;  and  he  vieweth  us  as  now  raised  and  as  now  sit- 
ting in  heavenly  places,  though  we  are  in  the  midst  of  our  sins.  In  Matt, 
xxii.  31,  where  Christ  argues  for  the  resurrection,  'Have ye  not  read,'  saith 
he,  '  that  which  was  spoken  by  God,  saying,  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham, 
and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  1  God  is  not  the  God  of  the 
dead,  but  of  the  living.'  He  is  the  God  of  the  living,  saith  he,  and  therefore 
they  are  reckoned  as  alive ;  for  so  doth  Luke  interpret  it,  in  chap.  xx. 
38,  adding  this,  '  for  all  live  unto  him ;'  the  meaning  whereof  is  this,  that 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  do  all  now  live  unto  God.  In  Eom.  viii.  10,  it 
is  said  that  the  body  is  dead  by  reason  of  sin,  but  the  spirit  is  life  by  rea- 
son of  righteousness  :  that  is,  in  respect  of  what  is  in  the  view  of  God,  unto 
whom  all  things  to  come  are  present. 

Fourthly,  We  are  said  to  be  raised  in  Christ.  I  must  speak  a  word  or 
two  to  that,  for  '  in  Christ'  must  refer  to  '  raised  us  up,'  as  well  as  to  '  made 
us  sit  in  heavenly  places.'  Now  we  are  said  to  be  raised  in  Christ,  in 
respect — 

First,  that  he  is  the  cause  of  our  resurrection.     He  is — 

The  eflScient  cause. 

The  meritorious  cause. 

The  exemplary  cause. 

1.  He  is  the  efficient  cause,  for  he  putteth  his  Spirit  into  us.  But  I  wiU 
not  stand  to  open  that  now. 

2.  He  is  the  meritorious  cause,  for  by  his  death  he  merited  our  resurrec- 
tion. By  his  death  he  did  merit  his  own  resurrection ;  for  though  he  had  a 
right  to  rise  as  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  yet  he  had  a  right  likewise  by  virtue 
of  his  own  blood  and  death.  So  you  have  it  in  Heb.  xiii.  20,  '  The  God  of 
peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  shepherd 
of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant.'  Do  but  mark ; 
it  is  an  allusion  to  that  in  Zechariah,  *  By  the  blood  of  thy  covenant  I 
have  sent  forth  thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit,'  that  is,  out  of  the  grave  :  and 
as  God  delivers  prisoners,  so  he  delivers  Christ  himself ;  for  that  you  shall 
find  in  Scripture,  that  what  is  said  of  Christ  is  applied  to  his  church,  and 
what  is  said  of  the  church  is  applied  unto  Christ.  As  therefore  his  pri- 
soners were  brought  back  from  the  dead  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  so 
here — the  Apostle  alluding  to  that — Christ's  being  brought  back  from  the 
dead  is  said  to  be  the  purchase  of  his  own  blood.  He  was  brought  back, 
saith  he,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant.  Now  then,  if 
Christ  himself  was  brought  back  from  the  dead  through  the  blood  of  the 
covenant,  certainly  we  much  more  are  brought  back  again  from  the  dead 
through  the  blood  of  the  covenant.  Therefore  you  shall  find  that  our  re- 
surrection is  ascribed  as  well  to  the  death  of  Christ  as  to  his  resurrection. 
1  Thess.  iv.  14,  'If  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even  so  them 
also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  "will  God  bring  with  him ;'  or,  as  the  word  is  in 
the  original,  '  He  will  bring  them  that  sleep,  through  Jesus,  with  him  :'  for 
so  indeed  it  is  in  the  Greek  ;  therefore  Chrysostom  refers  it,  as  well  to  the 
words  that  follow,  as  to  sleeping  in  Jesus. 

3.  He  is  likewise  the  exemi:ilary  cause  of  our  resurrection.     That,  look 
what  state  his  body  and  soul  were  in  when  he  rose  again,  what  spiritual  and 


252  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVII. 

heavenly  qualifications  were  in  him,  the  same  likewise  shall  be  in  his.  And 
therefore  we  are  said  to  be  raised  up  in  Christ,  because  we  have  the  same 
endowments  put  upon  us  which  Jesus  Christ's  body  and  soul  had.  You  have 
this  expressly  in  1  Cor.  xv.  47.  Speaking  of  the  resurrection,  saith  he, 
'  The  first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy :  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  As  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  also  that  are  earthy ;  and  as  is  the 
heavenly,  such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly.  And  as  we  have  borne  the 
image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly.'  Our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  duSsui^og,  he  is  a  man  indeed  above  the 
heavens, — that  is,  he  hath  a  body  fitted  to  that  state ;  there  is  nothing  in 
him,  not  a  member  of  his  body,  that  is  earthy.  Now  look,  what  qualifi- 
cations he  had  to  fit  him  for  that  place  he  is  now  gone  to,  he  being  advanced 
far  above  all  principality  and  power ;  the  same,  saith  he,  shall  we  have  also, 
and  even  as  we  received  an  earthy  frame  of  body  from  Adam,  which  did  fit 
us  for  this  earthly  world  and  for  all  the  comforts  of  it,  so  we  shall  have  a 
heavenly  body,  and  a  heavenly  state  put  upon  that  body,  like  unto  Jesus 
Christ,  conformable  to  his  body,  as  you  have  it  in  the  Philippians,  which  I 
will  not  stand  upon.  Therefore  some  of  our  divines  say  that  our  Saviour 
Christ  did  not  simply  merit  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  for  that  however 
they  must  have  risen  again,  and  be  brought  to  judgment ;  but  these  glorious 
qualifications  the  saints  have  at  the  resurrection,  which  is  the  preparation  to 
the  glory  in  heaven  ;  this  indeed  he  merited.     This  some  divines  say. 

But  then  the  chief  and  the  last  thing  for  which  we  are  said  to  be  raised 
up  in  Christ  is,  because  that  in  his  resitrrection  he  was  a  common  person, 
and  represented  us,  and  therefore  when  he  rose,  we  are  said  to  have  risen.  I 
shall  give  you  some  scriptures  pertinent  to  that  of  the  resurrection.  I  will 
not  handle  the  point  in  general,  as  I  thought  to  have  done. 

Col.  i.  1 8,  he  is  called  '  the  beginning,  the  first-born  from  the  dead.'  He 
is  called  the  beginning,  to  shew  that  he  is  the  cause,  the  meritorious  cause, 
and  the  efficient  cause,  of  all  the  glory  the  saints  have,  and  of  all  the  glory 
they  shall  have.  But  then,  besides  being  the  cause,  and  the  beginning,  and 
the  foundation,  he  is  also  called  the  first-born  from  the  dead.  Now,  the 
first-born  and  all  the  children  that  followed  were  alike.  It  argues  therefore 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  exemplary  cause ;  that  look,  what  state  he  had 
after  his  resurrection,  the  same  shall  we  have.  But  that  is  not  all.  The 
first-born  of  the  males  that  opened  the  womb  were  consecrated  and  dedicated 
imto  God,  and  they  were  to  pay  a  ransom,  which  was  for  all  the  children 
that  followed,  and  then  they  were  all  freed  by  virtue  of  that  ransom  that 
was  paid  for  the  first-born;  so  that  the  first-born,  according  to  the  old  law, 
did  rejDresent  all  the  children  that  followed.  So  now  doth  Jesus  Christ ;  he 
is  called  the  first-born  from  the  dead,  for  when  he  opened  the  womb  of  the 
grave  and  came  forth,  we  were  all  freed  too,  by  virtue  of  the  ransom 
which  he  paid,  and  then  the  bars  of  the  grave  were  broken  open  too,  for  us 
in  him. 

And  to  give  you  another  similitude,  which  is  an  elegant  one.  In  1  Cor. 
XV.  23,  the  Apostle  giving  us  there  an  account  why  we  rise,  saith  he,  '  Every 
man  in  his  own  order  :  Christ  the  first-fruits,  afterwards  they  that  are  Christ's 
at  his  coming.'  And,  ver.  20,  '  Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  be- 
come the  first-fruits  of  them  that  sleep.'  This  the  Apostle  sets  out  by  an 
elegant  similitude,  which  I  shall  a  little  open  to  you,  to  shew  you  that  it 
hath  this  scope  that  I  now  mention.  For  you  shall  find,  at  the  37th  verse, 
that  he  com^pares  our  dying  and  our  rising  again  to  a  grain  of  corn  that  is 
sown  in  the  earth,  which  cometh  up  out  of  the  ground  again.     '  Thou  fool,' 


EpH.  II.  6.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  253 

saith  he,  *  that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened,  except  it  die.  And  that 
which  thou  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be,  but  bare  grain.' 
And  our  Saviour  Christ  himself,  in  John  xii.  24,  speaking  of  his  own  death 
and  rising  again,  useth  the  same  similitude  :  '  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall 
into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone ;  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit.'  Therefore,  saith  he,  the  Son  of  man  must  die  and  rise  again, 
that  he  may  bring  forth  fruit.  Now  mark  it ;  if  you  have  recourse  to  the 
old  law,  you  shall  find  that  the  first-fruits  of  the  grain  that  was  sown  and 
came  up  again  were  consecrated  unto  the  Lord,  and  by  virtue  of  that  conse- 
cration all  the  corn  that  stood  upon  the  ground  unreaped  was  consecrated 
too,  and  dedicated  to  a  holy  use,  and  therefore  men  might  then  enter  upon 
the  use  of  it. 

Now,  of  all  the  grains  that  shall  be  sown  of  the  bodies  of  men,  there  is 
fruit  to  come  up  at  the  resurrection ;  but  of  them  all  Jesus  Christ  was  the 
first-fruits  :  as  he  was  the  first-born  from  the  dead,  so  he  was  the  first-fruits 
of  the  rising  of  all  these  grains  that  fall  into  the  earth.  And  he  is  the  first- 
fruits  in  this  respect,  that  whilst  he  riseth,  they  all  that  are  sown  in  the 
ground,  or  shall  be  sown, — for  a  common  person  may  represent  those  to 
come, — are  also  said  to  rise ;  they  are  all  consecrated  to  that  state,  even  as 
waving  and  ofi"ering  the  first-fruits  to  the  Lord,  all  the  corn  that  stood  upon 
the  ground  unreaped  was  also  consecrated.  You  shall  find  this  metaphor 
used  also  in  Isa.  xxvi.  1 9,  '  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  they  arise.  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the  dust ;  for  thy 
dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead.'  I  bring 
the  place  but  for  this,  to  shew  that  the  Scripture  useth  the  metaphor  of  the 
fruits  rising  out  of  the  ground  to  express  the  resurrection ;  and  the  elegancy 
of  it,  that  the  Apostle  calleth  Christ  the  first-fruits,  because  he  representeth 
aU  the  rest,  and  they  all  rise  in  him.  And  therefore,  in  1  Cor.  xv.,  towards 
the  latter  end,  when  he  had  spoken  of  Christ's  and  of  our  resurrection,  he 
endeth  all  with  a  thanks  unto  God  :  '  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave, 
where  is  thy  victory?  &c.  Thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  The  victory  is  given  already,  and  we  can 
by  faith,  saith  he,  triumph  over  the  grave  and  hell  and  death  already ;  '  which 
giveth  us  victory,'  saith  he. 

And,  my  brethren,  because  that  Christ  and  we  are  one,  he  as  a  common 
person  representing  us, — it  is  a  notion  that  will  help  you  to  understand  the 
quotations  of  Scripture  out  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New, — therefore 
you  shall  find  that  what  is  applied  to  the  church  is  likewise  in  the  New 
Testament  applied  unto  Christ.  As,  for  example,  in  Isa.  1.  8,  '  It  is  God 
that  justifieth,  who  shall  condemn?'  This  is  the  speech  of  Christ  there. 
Look  now  into  Rom.  viii.  32,  and  the  Apostle  applies  the  very  speech  to  aU 
the  elect.  V/hy?  Because  Christ  and  the  church  are  one,  and  he  repre- 
sented them.  On  the  other  side,  promises  made  to  the  church,  because 
they  were  first  true  of  Christ  as  the  first-fruits,  therefore  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, they  are  applied  unto  him ;  as  in  Hos.  xi.  1,  '  Out  of  Egypt  have  I 
called  my  son.'  It  was  spoken  there  of  the  church,  but  because  the  deliver- 
ance out  of  Egypt  was  by  virtue  of  Christ  being  delivered  out  of  Egypt 
himself,  therefore  in  Matt.  ii.  15  it  is  applied  unto  Christ.  So  in  Heb.  xiii., 
the  place  I  quoted  even  now,  '  He  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord 
Jesus,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant ;'  this  in  Zech.  ix.  11  is 
applied  to  the  church :  '  By  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  I  have  sent  forth  thy 
prisoners  out  of  the  pit.'  And  yet  you  see  this  is  applied  to  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ;  because  that  Christ  in  his  resurrection  was  one  with  his 


254  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVII. 

church,  and  the  prisoners  of  hope  in  Zechariah  were  delivered  by  that  blood 
by  which  Jesus  Christ  himself  was  brought  again  from  the  dead  also. 

So  also  that  place,  in  Hos.  vi.  2,  3,  '  After  two  days  he  will  revive  us ; 
in  the  third  day  he  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight.'  This, 
though  it  is  spoken  of  the  church,  yet  still  it  hath  an  allusion  unto,  because 
a  conjunction  with,  the  resurrection  of  Christ ;  and  because  that  Christ  and  they 
are  as  one,  and  he  is  a  common  person  representing  them,  therefore  that  which 
is  applied  to  Christ  is  applied  to  the  church  too.     So  that,  in  Isa.  xxvi.  19, 

*  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  rise.'  All 
these,  I  say,  are  mutually  applicable  to  Christ  and  to  the  church  both.  And 
this  is  a  great  key  for  you  to  understand  many  of  those  places  which  the 
Apostles  quote  out  of  the  Old  Testament,  which  otherwise,  if  you  take  them 
in  their  context,  you  will  hardly  make  them  out  that  they  are  directly  spoken 
of  Christ ;  but  when  it  is  spoken  of  the  church,  who  is  one  with  Christ,  and 
to  whom  Christ  was  the  first-fruits,  therefore  what  is  said  of  the  church  is 
more  eminently  fulfilled  in  Christ,  because  it  is  said  of  the  church  by  virtue 
of  being  first  done  in  Christ. — So  much  concerning  this,  that  they  are  'raised 
together  in  Christ.' 

I  might  also  urge  it  out  of  1  Thess.  iv.  14.  The  Apostle  there  doth  take 
it  for  granted  that  all  Christians  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  died  and  rose  again  ; 
if  you  believe  that,  saith  he,  then  he  infers  this  connexion  from  it  infallibly  : 

*  God  shall  bring  those  that  sleep,  through  Jesus,  with  him ;'  or,  '  through 
Jesus,  God  shall  bring  those  that  sleep,  with  him.'  For  indeed  they  all  died 
with  him  and  rose  with  him ;  therefore  when  he  shall  come  again  in  glory, 
they  shall  be  brought  with  him  :  for  he  is  made  the  Captain  of  their  salvation 
in  bringing  many  sons  to  glory,  and  the  common  person  representing  them  all. 
There  lies  therefore  the  inference  of  it;  Jesus  Christ  is  our  head,  and  he  died 
and  rose  again ;  therefore  we  are  said  to  be  '  raised  in  him.' 

I  will  add  but  one  thing  more  for  the  full  opening  of  this  clause,  and  that 
is  this :  that  of  the  elect  only,  and  of  those  that  are  qydckened  and  are 
helievers,  it  can  be  said  that  they  are  raised  up  together  in  Christ.  For  you 
see  here  that  the  great  mercy  and  love  of  God  is  shewn  in  quickening  and  in 
raising  us  up  together  in  Christ.  Wicked  men  are  not  raised  up  upon  those 
terms  or  grounds  that  the  saints  shall  be  raised  iq)  by.  They  are  not  raised 
up  in  Christ.  Wicked  men  rise  indeed,  but  they  do  not  rise  by  virtue,  first, 
of  the  merit  of  Christ's  death ;  it  is  not  by  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  cove- 
nant. And  the  reason  is  clearly  this,  because  the  purchase  of  Christ's  merits 
nmst  needs  be  mercy,  but  to  raise  wicked  men  up  at  the  latter  day,  it  is  to 
punishment :  '  They  that  have  done  good,'  saith  he,  in  John  v.  29,  '  shall  rise 
to  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  they  that  have  done  evil  to  the  resurrection 
of  damnation.'  And  it  is  certain,  that  v^'hatever  mercy  God  shews  to  wicked 
men  here  through  Christ, — as  indeed  he  doth,  for  all  mercy  must  be  through 
him,  for  his  sake,  for  he  bought  the  world  of  God, — they  shall  be  sure  to 
have  none  at  latter  day.  Therefore  their  resurrection  is  not  by  virtue  of  his 
death.  And  the  similitude  of  the  first-fruits,  and  of  the  first-born,  evidently 
argues  that  as  they  do  not  rise  by  virtue  of  Christ's  merits,  so  they  do  not 
rise  in  him  as  a  common  person  representing  them.  For  the  first-fruits  did 
not  consecrate  the  chaff,  but  the  grain,  that  is  of  its  own  kind.  Now  Christ, 
as  I  shewed,  is  made  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  sleep.  The  place  is  clear 
in  1  Cor.  xv.  20,  '  Christ  is  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first- 
fruits  of  them  that  sleep.'  What,  of  all  1  Read  ver.  23  :  they  shall  all  rise, 
'  but  every  one  m  his  order ;  Christ  the  first-fruits,  afterward  they  that  are 


EpH.  II.  C]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  25$ 

Christ's.'  So  that  he  rose  as  the  first-fruits  only  to  them  that  are  his  and 
are  one  witli  him. 

And  by  the  way,  this  will  open  another  scripture  too.  It  will  be  objected, 
'that  as  in  Adam  all  die,  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive;'  and  you 
know  it  is  often  objected  that  Christ  and  Adam  are  both  universal;  the  one 
to  all  men  in  respect  of  conveying  sin,  and  the  other  dies  for  all.  So  that 
some  would  have  it  that  in  Jesus  Christ  all  men  rise,  because  the  Apostle 
useth  the  expression  as  large  of  the  one  as  of  the  other.  But  what  alii  All 
that  are  his,  so  ver.  23  hath  it.  As  all  that  are  Adam's  die  in  Adam,  so  all 
that  are  Christ's  rise  in  Christ.  And  this  also  will  help  you  to  understand 
that  place  in  Rom.  v.  which  is  objected  for  the  imiversality  of  Christ's  death. 

It  is  much  for  the  consolation  of  the  faithful  that  they  are  raised  upon  other 
terms,  that  they  are  raised  with  Christ,  and  in  Christ.  The  other  indeed, 
they  are  raised  by  the  power  of  Christ,  that  I  must  acknowledge  ;  for  that 
place  in  John  v.  is  express  for  it :  'The  hour  is  coming,'  saith  he,  ver.  28,  'in 
the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth  : 
they  that  have  done  good,  to  the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have 
done  evil,  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation.'  So  that  you  see  that  both  good 
and  bad  are  raised  up  by  the  power  of  Christ ;  but  yet,  mark  it,  not  by 
the  power  of  Christ  as  Mediator,  but  by  the  power  of  Christ  as  Judge ;  for 
he  had  said,  ver.  22,  that  the  Father  hath  committed  all  judgment  unto 
the  Son.  And  hence  now,  in  Acts  xvii.  31,  Paul  tells  us  that  God  hath 
appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world,  by  that  man  whom 
he  hath  ordained,  wliereof,  saith  he,  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men, 
in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.  My  brethren,  if  you  could  sup- 
pose tha1i  Christ  had  not  been,  it  was  necessary  that  men  should  be  raised 
again  to  come  to  judgment;  for  the  threatening  was  given  out,  that  man 
should  die,  body  and  soul ;  and  if  he  must  have  a  death  of  the  body  first,  it 
necessarily  argues  that  there  must  be  a  resurrection,  if  a  judgment.  Now 
Christ,  he  is  appointed  the  man  to  judge,  and  all  judgment  is  committed 
unto  him;  and  hence,  by  virtue  of  this  judicial  power  that  is  committed  unto 
him,  he  raiseth  them;  he  brings  them  out  of  prison  indeed,  but  it  is  as  you 
bring  malefactors  out  of  prison,  to  be  condemned,  and  then  executed ;  and 
they  are  not  raised  in  Christ :  he  hath  raised  us  up  together  in  Christ, 
saith  he. 

So  much  now  for  that  first  part  of  the  text.     I  come  to  the  second  : — 

And  hath  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus. 

That  you  may  understand  both  the  phrase  and  the  thing,  I  wiU  open  first 
the  word  sit. 

The  Apostle  had  used  it  of  Christ,  chap.  i.  20 :  he  hath  '  set  him  at  his 
own  right  hand  in  heavenly  places.'  It  noted  out  there  the  advancement  of 
Jesus  Christ  to  that  glory  and  happiness  which  he  hath  in  heaven  at  God's 
right  hand ;  and  it  must  needs  imply  as  much  done  for  us,  only  here  he 
leaves  out  '  at  God's  right  hand,'  and  the  reason  you  shall  see  anon.  It  is 
as  much  as  to  make  us  partakers  of  the  same  kingly  state,  of  all  the  same 
pleasures  and  honours  and  power  and  glory  of  this  kingdom,  which  Jesus 
Christ  himself  possesseth.  The  raising  up  is  but  the  fitting  of  the  body 
with  those  heavenly  properties  such  as  Jesus  Christ  had,  that  he  might  be 
fit  for  the  glory  and  pleasure  of  heaven,  as  I  shewed  you  out  of  1  Cor.  xv. 
Now  when  he  hath  put  such  endowments  upon  the  body  at  the  resurrection, 
then  he  placeth  them  in  the  midst  of  tiiat  glory  and  those  pleasures  which 
Christ  is  in  ;  and  look,  what  seats  of  glory  he  runs  through  they  shall  run 


256  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XVII. 

through  too,  and  be  partakers  of.  In  a  word  it  is  thus :  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
king  of  the  other  world,  and  you  all  shall  be  nobles  of  that  world,  of  that 
kingdom,  and  sit  together  with  him  ;  even  as  it  is  said  of  Joshua  the  high 
priest  in  Zech.  iii.  8,  '  Thou,  and  thy  fellows  that  sit  before  thee.'  For  so 
indeed  in  the  great  Sanhedrim,  in  the  meetings  of  the  high  priest  and  the 
other  priests,  they  sat  in  a  ring,  and  so  they  sat  all  before  him,  but  yet  they 
sat  all  with  him.  This  is  a  type,  and  was  a  type  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
fellows,  as  they  are  called  in  Ps.  xlv.,  and  that  in  respect  of  glory,  they 
being  partakers  of  the  same  kingdom  with  him.  And  in  that  place  of  Zecha- 
riah  he  saith  that  these  men  that  sat  before  Joshua  the  high  priest  were 
*  men  of  wonder,'  or  '  men  of  signs,'  as  I  shaU  shew  you  by  and  by.  The 
word  is  taken  for  being  types  and  signs,  as  for  being  men  wondered  at, 
though  our  translation  seems  rather  to  incline  that  way ;  but,  I  say,  it  holds 
forth  as  well  the  other,  for  Joshua  and  all  those  priests  that  sat  before  him 
were  all  but  types  of  our  great  High  Priest  that  sits  in  heaven,  and  of  all 
that  sit  there  with  him. 

As  it  was  thus  typified  out  in  the  Old  Testament,  so  you  shall  find  in 
the  Evangelists  that  when  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  spoken  of,  still  this  ex- 
pression of  sitting  is  mentioned.  So  that  '  sitting  in  heavenly  places '  is  to 
be  partakers,  as  nobles,  together  with  Christ,  of  all  the  honour,  glory,  and 
pleasure  that  that  kingdom  afi"ords.  In  Matt.  xx.  21,  you  have  the  expres- 
sion, '  Grant  that  these  my  two  sons  may  sit,  the  one  on  thy  right  hand, 
and  the  other  on  thy  left,  in  thy  kingdom.'  Christ  doth  not  deny  there 
but  that  there  are  such  sittings  and  such  advancement  in  his  kingdom,  but 
only  it  belonged  to  somebody  else  than  to  these  two.  I  quote  the  place 
only  to  shew  you  that  the  phrase  of  sitting  is  there.  You  have  it  hkewise 
in  Matt,  xviii.  11,  'Many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,' — from  all  quar- 
ters of  the  world, — '  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  with  Isaac,  and 
with  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  So  that  it  is  a  sitting,  as  kings  and 
nobles,  together  with  Christ  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  So  in  Luke  xxii 
29,  *  I  appoint  unto  j'ou  a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto 
me;'  and  what  follows?  You  shall  'sit  on  thrones,  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel.'  And  to  give  you  one  place  more  for  it  that  suiteth  this 
phrase,  for  that  is  it  I  am  to  open,  Eev.  iii.  21,  'To  him  that  overcometh 
will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am 
set  doA\Ti  with  my  Father  in  his  throne.'  So  as  indeed,  my  brethren,  it  is 
all  one  to  be  partakers  of  that  kingdom  Jesus  Christ  is  advanced  unto,  to  be 
heirs,  and  to  be  co-heirs  with  him. 

Now  if  you  would  know  more  particularly  what  this  phrase  'sitting'  doth 
imply;  you  see  it  imphes  a  kingdom,  and  in  that  kingdom  it  imphes  these 
things : — 

First,  It  implies  the  pleasures  of  that  Tcingdom.  My  brethren,  heavenly 
things  are  usually  expressed  to  us  by  earthly,  as  you  see  this  phrase  of  sit- 
ting is  from  what  is  used  upon  earth.  Now  it  is  famihar  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  in  the  New,  that  follows  the  language  of  the  Old,  to  express  the 
pleasures  of  heaven  by  sitting  at  a  table,  to  banquet  it  with  the  great  king 
that  maketh  that  feast.  So  in  that  Luke  xxii.  29,  'That  you  may  eat  and 
drink  at  my  table,  in  my  kingdom.'  And  in  Matt.  viii.  11,  when  Christ 
would  express  the  pleasures  of  heaven  in  the  language  of  the  Old  Testament, 
he  saith,  '  They  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  with  Isaac,  and  with 
Jacob;'  as  being  the  chief  guests  that  were  known  in  the  G^d  Testament. 
Therefore  heaven  is  called  Abraham's  bosom.  For  as  when  Christ  sat  at 
meat,  John,  who  was  the  chief  guest,  leaned  upon  his  breast,  or  lay  in  hia 


Eril.  II.  C]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  2.j7 

bosom;  so  the  pleasures  of  heaven  are  set  forth  by  an  allusion  to  that  custom 
which  was  tlicu  amongst  the  Jews.  For  the  fashion  was,  when  Christ  was 
upon  the  earth,  to  sit  at  meat  in  a  leaning  way,  and  the  custom  of  the 
Ilomans  made  it  more  general  among  the  Jews;  although,  indeed,  the  more 
ancient  custom  was  sitting,  as  appears  in  Gen.  xliii.  33,  where  it  is  said  that 
Joseph's  brethren  sat  before  him  at  meat.  And  you  shall  see  the  manner  of 
their  sitting  at  the  king's  table  in  1  Sam.  xx.  25,  where  it  is  said  that  Saul 
sat  upon  a  seat  by  the  wall,  and  there  was  room  for  all  the  nobles  ;  there 
was  Jonathan  and  Abner  sat  by  the  king's  side,  and  David's  place  was 
empty,  it  was  reserved  for  him ;  and,  saith  the  24th  verse,  they  sat  down  to 
eat  meat.  And  some  have  interpreted  that  in  Cant.  i.  12,  '  while  the  king 
sitteth  at  his  table ; '  the  word  in  the  original  is,  '  while  he  sitteth  at  his 
round  table,'  because  he  doth  not  sit  alone,  as  Saul  did  not,  but  he  hath 
seats  for  all  his  nobles  round  about  him,  as  the  manner  of  the  ancient  kings 
was,  that  those  whom  they  would  honour  sat  at  table  with  them;  so  David 
offered  Barzillai  that  honour  and  pleasure  to  sit  at  the  king's  table.  The 
meaning  of  all  is  this,  that  they  shall  enjoy  aU  the  pleasures  that  heaven 
ajffords ;  for  by  sitting  at  a  feast,  because  it  is  that  which  men  usually  place 
happiness  in,  is  that  meant.  Therefore  in  Isa.  xxv.  6,  the  pleasures  after 
the  resurrection  are  expressed  by  '  a  feast  of  fat  things,  and  of  wine  on  the 
lees.'  And  it  is  clear  he  speaks  of  the  state  after  the  resurrection,  for  the 
Apostle  in  1  Cor.  xv.  55  quotcth  the  words  in  Isa.  xxv.  of  death  being 
swallowed  up  in  victory.  Hence  the  poets  set  forth  the  pleasures  of  heaven 
by  nectar  and  ambrosia,  which  was  but  an  imitation  of  the  Jewish  and 
Scripture  language. 

The  same  our  Saviour  Christ  useth  in  the  ISTew  Testament,  in  Matt.  xxvi. 
29,  upon  occasion  of  the  sacrament,  where  they  all  sat,  and  he  had  given 
them  his  flesh  to  eat  and  his  blood  to  drink,  and  given  it  them  under  the 
blood  of  the  grape ;  saith  he,  '  I  will  not  henceforth  drink  of  this  fruit  of  the 
vine,  till  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom.'  Christ  being 
now  to  part  with  his  fellows  and  companions,  which  had  now  eaten  and 
drunk  with  him,  he  speaks,  after  the  manner  of  men,  of  the  next  happy  and 
joyful  meeting  they  should  have.  I  must  part  with  you  now,  saith  he,  and 
must  drink  no  more  of  this  blood  of  the  grape ;  but  we  will  feast  it  in 
another  manner  when  we  meet  next,  we  will  drink  new  wine  in  my  Father's 
kingdom  (just  the  language  of  the  Old  Testament);  and  he  calls  it  new  wine, 
not  that  there  is  any  such  thing  in  heaven,  for  the  phrase  implies  that  it  was 
another  thing  he  meant,  it  was  fulness  of  pleasures  at  God's  right  hand, 
rivers  of  pleasures,  of  which  they  were  to  drink  for  evermore.  He  calls  it 
new  wine,  because  it  was  wine  of  another  kind.  The  Jews  always  called 
what  was  most  excellent,  new ;  and  therefore  when  they  would  express  the 
heavenly  and  spiritual  Jerusalem  as  different  from  the  material  upon  earth, 
they  called  it  the  new  Jerusalem.  So  saith  he,  new  wine,  implying  it  was 
another  kind  of  wine.  And  therefore  we  need  not  have  recourse  for  the 
interpreting  of  that  place  to  his  drinking  with  his  disciples  after  his  resur- 
rection, for  it  is  clearly  meant  of  his  drinking  with  them  in  heaven,  after  he 
hath  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God  the  Father;  for  Ave  shall  sit  in  heaven 
then  and  enjoy  this  new  wine,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost  filling  us  with  the 
Godhead, — that  is,  filling  us  with  pleasures  and  blessedness  that  are  in  God 
himself. 

Here  then  is  one  thing  that  sitting  in  heavenly  places  doth  imply;  it  is 
enjoying  the  same  pleasure  and  happiness  that  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ 
himself  doth.     My  brethren,  you  know  that  God  doth  sometimes  make  his 

VOL.  IJ.  K 


258  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeP.MON  XYIL 

children  partakers  of  heaven  here,  filleth  them  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
glorious,  which  indeed  is  but  a  taste  of  that  glory  which  is  to  come ;  it  is  a 
having  us  into  the  wine-cellar,  and  gi'V'ing  us  somewhat  of  what  we  shall  have 
hereafter;  it  is  called  in  the  Eevelatious,  a  coming  to  us  to  sup  with  U3. 
Now,  alas !  what  is  all  the  joy  you  have  here  1  It  is  but  a  crumb  from  the 
king's  table,  a  bit  from  off  a  dish,  in  comparison  of  what  we  shall  have  in 
heaven.  I  allege  all  this  to  open  the  phrase  sitting,  as  implying  the  plea- 
sures of  that  kingdom ;  '  he  hath  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places.' 

Secondly,  It  implies  not  sitting  only,  as  at  a  table,  but  it  imjDorts  also  the 
honour  and  the  poiver  of  that  kingdom;  that  we  are  all  fellow-nobles  with 
Jesus  Christ,  and  sit  also  as  judges  upon  thrones.  This  you  have  in  Luke 
xxii.  30,  You  shall  '  sit  upon  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.' 
And,  Rev.  iii.,  '  I  will  grant  them  to  sit  upon  my  throne.'  And  therefore, 
you  know,  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  children,  knowing  that  Christ's  kingdom 
would  be  the  highest  kingdom  that  ever  was,  asked  that  one  of  her  sons 
might  sit  at  the  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left,  in  his  kingdom,  to  be 
partakers  of  that  honour  and  power  that  Jesus  Christ  himself  hath,  for  she 
knew  it  to  be  the  highest  honour. 

Thirdly,  The  word  'sitting'  iraporteth  also  a  secure  and  a  firm  condition; 
you  shall  sit,  and  sit  sure.  In  Rev.  xviii.  7,  when  Babylon  is  at  her  height, 
and  is  secure,  what  saith  she  ?  '  I  sit  as  a  queen,' — that  is,  I  am  secure,  it 
is  impossible  that  I  should  ever  be  moved.  I  allege  it  to  open  the  phrase. 
My  brethren,  man  in  innocency  did  but  stand,  and  he  got  a  fall,  he  did  not 
sit  sure.  *  Man  that  standeth  in  honour  abideth  not.'  But  in  heaven  you 
sit,  and  you  sit  in  Christ ;  so  sure  you  sit,  you  have  the  surest  seat,  the  seat 
must  fall  if  you  fall.  You  sit  in  Christ  now  for  sureness ;  when  you  come 
thither,  you  shall  sit  with  Christ,  in  God  indeed,  as  the  phrase  is  in  Col.  iii. 
2,  3.  Sitting,  I  say,  implies  the  firmness  of  all  this,  and  the  stability  of 
those  pleasures  and  of  that  honour  and  power  you  shall  have. 

Fourthly,  It  imports  rest  after  labour  and  iveariness.  In  John  iv.  G,  when 
Jesus  Christ  was  wearied  with  his  journey,  the  text  saith  he  sat  on  the  well. 
And,  Rev.  xiv.  1 3,  '  Blessed  are  the  dead,  for  from  henceforth  they  rest  from 
their  labours.'  And,  2  Thess.  i.  7,  '  To  recompense  to  you  who  are  troubled, 
rest  with  us.'  We  do  not  read  of  the  sitting  of  the  angels  in  heaven  :  we 
read  of  their  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places ;  but  they  are  stiU. 
presented  as  standing,  and  as  ministering  spirits  ;  it  may  be  for  this  reason, 
because  sitting  implies  rest  after  weariness,  but  I  rather  think  because  there 
is  an  advancement  of  the  saints  in  Christ  above  them.  It  implies,  I  say, 
rest  after  weariness ;  for  as  sitting  imports  reigning  with  Christ,  as  before, 
so  it  is  reigning  after  suffering.  '  If  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  reign 
with  him ;'  that  is,  we  shall  sit  with  him.  '  To  him  that  overcometh,  I  will 
grant  to  sit,'  Rev.  iii.  21. 

Lastly,  It  will  import  also,  at  leastwise  it  is  not  against,  degrees  of  glory 
in  heaven.  Even  as  here,  in  a  higher  house  of  state,  though  all  sit  as  peers 
together  with  the  king,  yet  there  are  degrees  and  ranks  of  nobles.  The 
apostles  shall  have  twelve  thrones ;  it  is  made  their  privilege  more  eminently, 
though  all  sit  in  his  throne,  as  Rev.  iii.  hath  it.  The  mother  of  Zebedee's 
children  came  and  asked  that  one  might  sit  on  Christ's  right  hand,  and  an- 
other on  his  left ;  for  in  old  Israel  the  next  seat  to  the  prince  was  for  the 
elders  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  and  of  the  tribe  of  Joseph,  one  on  the  right 
hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left,  and  those  were  the  more  honourable  places. 
Now,  Christ  doth  not  deny  but  there  shall  be  a  right  hand  and  a  left,  but 
not  reserved  for  those  two  sons ;  it  may  be  for  Peter  and  Paul.     You  ask, 


Eni.  II.  G.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  25d 

saith  he,  you  know  not  -what.  It  is  not  that  they  asked  that  which  was  not 
to  be  in  heaven,  but  that  which  follows  shews  the  meaning  of  it :  saith  he, 
If  ye  knew  what  sufferings  they  must  have  that  are  to  sit  there,  you  would 
not  have  asked  it.  '  Can  you  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  shall  drink  of,  and  be 
baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  shall  be  bai)tizcd  with  V  For  as  there  are 
degrees  of  glory,  so  it  shall  be  proportioned  in  most  likelihood  to  the  de- 
grees of  suffering  for  Christ  here.  Thus  again,  that  other  speech,  '  They 
shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,'  imports  these  degrees.  Why 
with  Abraham,  &c.  ?  They  were  the  chief  guests  of  all  the  saints  in  the  Old 
Testament ;  but  when  all  the  elect  shall  meet  together,  who  shall  be  the 
chief  guests,  next  to  Jesus  Christ,  we  know  not.  And  that  all  are  said  to 
sit  in  Christ,  it  hinders  not  but  that  there  may  be  these  degrees ;  for  they 
sit  there  now  in  Christ,  as  represented  by  him, — namely,  in  that  proportion 
of  glory  they  shall  have.  As  when  Christ  hung  upon  the  cross,  look  what 
portion  of  wrath  any  particular  elect  child  of  his  deserved  from  God  for 
their  sins,  Christ  bore  it  for  them  ;  but  it  must  not  be  said  that  he  bore  alike 
for  every  one,  but  according  to  that  proportion  that  he  in  his  sufferings  re- 
presented them  for. 

The  next  thing  to  be  explained  is  this,  in  heavenly  places,  or,  in  heavenlies ; 
for  places  is  not  in  the  Greek,  but  it  is  inserted  by  our  translators.  It  im- 
ports these  things — 

First,  The  place  of  this  kingdom,  it  is  heaven ;  for  you  know  that  heaven 
is  called  the  throne  of  the  great  king.  Matt.  v.  34,  and  chap,  xxiii.  22.  And 
there  Christ's  throne  is,  and  earth  is  but  his  footstool.  Therefore  now  to 
shew  you  the  place  of  this  kingdom,  he  saith,  *  in  heavenlies.'  In  Eph.  iii. 
10,  angels  are  called  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places,  because 
that  heaven  is  the  place  which  they  belong  to,  whereof  they  are  peers ;  and 
as  there  are  degrees  amongst  the  angels,  there  are  principalities  and  powers, 
so  there  are  also  in  these  heavenlies ;  I  only  cast  that  in  to  confirm  the  for- 
mer. The  place,  I  say,  is  heaven ;  there  is  his  throne,  and  the  footstool  of 
this  great  king  is  the  earth,  and  all  the  glory  of  the  earth  is  trampled  under 
his  feet.  What  is  heaven  then  1  I  think  it  is  the  meaning  of  that  in  Heb. 
xi.  16,  where  speaking  of  Abraham  and  the  rest  of  those  worthies,  when  it 
is  said  they  desired  a  better  country,  he  adds,  '  that  is,  a  heavenly,'  and 
that  therefore  '  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God,  for  he  had  pre- 
pared for  them  a  city.'  Had  they  had  no  other  happiness  and  blessedness  than 
here  below,  God  being  so  great  a  God  would  have  been  ashamed  that  hia 
children  should  have  no  better  condition ;  but  he  had  provided  a  city  for 
them ;  therefore  he  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God,  because  he  had 
prepared  so  great  a  happiness  for  them,  a  happiness  like  to  that  himself 
enjoys,  and  such  as  was  fit  for  the  cliildren  of  so  great  a  king.  My  brethren, 
it  is  for  God's  honour  to  make  infinite  happiness  there  ;  and  for  him  that  is 
so  great  to  profess  and  promise  so  great  entertainment  there,  and  when  we 
come,  not  to  have  it,  would  cause  shame.  '  In  my  Father's  house,'  saith 
Christ,  '  are  many  mansions ;  if  i*  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you ; '  for 
I  would  not  shame  myself  when  you  come  thither. 

Secondly,  As  the  word  '  sitting'  implies  power  and  pleasure,  so  this  word 
'heavenly'  argues  the  kind  of  power  and  pleasure  which  we  shall  enjoy.  As 
it  is  a  sitting  as  at  a  feast,  to  note  the  pleasure,  and  upon  thrones,  to  import 
the  power ;  so,  saith  he,  understand  it  rightly,  it  is  all  heavenly.  Therefore 
in  2  Tim.  iv.  18,  it  is  called  his  heavenly  kingdom;  heavenly,  that  is,  a 
better,  infinitely  better,  than  what  is  here  below,  as  Heb.  xi.  16. 
But  you  will  ask  me,  Why  is  it  heavenlies,  in  the  plural  number  t 


260  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XVII. 

I  observe  tMs,  in  the  New  Testament,  when  the  heaven  of  heavens  is 
spoken  of,  it  is  seldom  called  heaven  in  the  singular  number  in  the  Greek, 
but  heavens,  as  here.     And  that — 

1.  In  regard  of  the  eminent  excellency  thereof.  The  Jews  were  wont,  as 
Grotius  observes,  when  they  spoke  of  the  heaven  of  heavens,  to  silence  the 
first,  and  to  use  the  latter  expression  only,  heavens,  or  heaveulies,  as  here, 
as  not  else  knowing  how  to  express  the  excellency  thereof.  And  so  still, 
as  that  2)lace,  namely,  the  heaven  of  heavens,  is  spoken  of,  the  first  is 
silenced,  and  it  is  called  heavens.  I  could  give  you  a  multitude  of  places 
for  it.     But — 

2.  After  the  resurrection  there  is  a  sitting  in  two  sorts  of  heavenlies.  For, 
first,  when  Jesus  Christ  comes  to  judgment,  he  will  bring  heaven  down  with 
him.  Even  as  at  the  Earl  of  Strafford's  trial,  the  Parliament  was  removed 
from  the  usual  place  unto  Westminster  Hall,  and  the  nobles  and  House  of 
Commons  all  met  in  that  made  parliament-house,  and  it  was  the  parliament- 
house,  and  in  all  the  state  of  it.  You  shall  sit,  saith  he, — that  is,  during 
the  day  of  judgment, — upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes. 
There  is  no  judging  after  the  day  of  judgment ;  therefore  the  glory  that  ac- 
companieth  presently  after  the  resurrection,  before  we  go  to  the  heaven  of 
heavens,  is  heavenly.  Jesus  Christ  cometh  in  the  glory  of  the  Father,  and, 
as  I  said,  brings  heaven  down  with  him.  And  then  there  are  heavenlies 
afterwards ;  we  shall  sit  in  the  third  heavens,  whither  Paul  was  rapt. 

And  sure  there  are  varieties  of  these  glories — that  is  another  reason  too 
— and  of  good  things  there.  Wicked  men,  for  their  great  sins,  deserve  a 
thousand  hells  ;  so  the  saints,  if  we  may  so  express  it,  shall  have  a  thousand 
heavens ;  they  sit  in  the  midst  of  heavenlies.  Therefore  whatever  things 
are  useful  and  delightful,  heaven  is  set  out  to  us  by  them.  Here  the  allu- 
sion, you  see,  is  to  sitting ;  it  is  likewise  compared  to  walking,  to  walking 
in  shades,  and  woods,  and  pleasant  places.  Zech.  iii.  7,  '  If  thou  wilt  keep 
my  charge,'  saith  he  to  Joshua  and  his  fellows,  *  I  will  give  thee  walks  ; '  it  is 
to  shew  the  variety.  It  is  likewise  compared  to  a  house,  and  when  so,  he 
speaks  in  the  plural.  You  shall  have  houses  enough ;  saith  Christ,  '  In  my 
Father's  house  are  many  mansions;'  still  in  the  plural,  as  noting  the  copi- 
ousness and  abundance  to  each  saint.  Some  allege  that  place  to  prove 
several  degrees  in  glory;  but  that  was  not  pertinent  to  Christ's  scope,  which 
was  to  assure  them  all  universally,  and  every  one  of  them,  of  the  greatness 
of  that  glory  to  come  ;  all  shall  have  so  much  as  that  none  shall  envy  an- 
other. Non  notat  disparitatem.  hoereditatis,  sed  magnitudinem  et  amplitu- 
dinem,  qucc  tanta  est  ut  sit  capdopia.  Grceci  eleganier  copiam,  ahundaniiam 
vocarunt  dfSosiav,  cum  unicuique  tantum  suppetit,  quantum  si  possideat, 
nemini  invideat*  All  in  a  man,  body  and  soul,  and  everything  in  him,  there 
shall  not  be  a  toe  or  a  finger  that  is  not  heavenly,  and  there  shall  be  none 
of  these  but  shall  have  heavenly  objects  for  them.  Therefore  he  placeth 
us,  I  say,  in  the  midst  of  heavenlies,  as  he  hath  done  Christ  himself ;  for 
the  phrase  is  used  of  him,  chap.  i.  20,  '  He  hath  set  him  at  his  o\\ti  right 
hand  in  heavenlies  ;'  it  is  in  the  plural  there  too. 

But  then,  you  see,  our  translators  have  put  in  the  word  '  places,'  but  it  is 
not  in  the  Greek,  it  is  there  only  '  heavenlies ; '  but  this  was  taken  in  to 
answer  the  phrase  of  '  sitting  ; '  because  we  are  said  to  sit,  therefore  they 
have  made  up  the  sense,  and  added  '  places.'  But,  my  brethren,  it  is  not  to 
be  understood  only  of  places,  or  dignities,  or  thrones,  but  that  we  are  set  in 
the  midst  of  heavenly  things  ;  '  in  heavenlies,'  saith  he.  Even  as  earth  is 
*  Camer.,  torn,  ii.,  p.  326,  in  locum. 


EpII.  II.  C]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  2G1 

one  thing,  and  earthly  things  another ;  so  heaven  is  one  thing,  and  heavenly 
things  another.  You  shall  find  the  phrase  used  of  all  the  things  in  heaven,  be 
they  what  they  will,  in  Heb.  viii.  5  ;  '  who  serve,'  saith  he,  '  unto  the  example 
and  shadow  of  heavenly  things.'  All  the  things  of  the  gospel  are  called  s-ttou- 
edua,  heavenly  things  ;  and,  chap.  ix.  23,  you  have  the  same  :  '  It  was  neces- 
sary that  the  patterns  of  things  in  the  heavens  should  be  purified  with  these  ; 
but  the  heavenly  things  themselves  with  better  sacrifices.'  Heavenly  things 
themselves,  not  places  only.  So  that  to  sit  in  heavenlies  is  as  much  as  to 
say  that  you  shall  sit  there  as  a  man  sits  in  his  house  of  which  he  hath 
possession ;  sits  in  the  midst  of  all  that  is  there,  having  all  at  command. 
All  there,  I  say,  is  heavenly,  all  the  objects,  all  the  company;  yet  notwith- 
standing I  do  not  deny  but  that  to  sit  in  heavenlies  refers  also,  and  the 
metaphor  will  carry  it  necessarily,  unto  the  place  itself  and  the  dignities 
there. 

The  observations  which  I  shall  make  from  hence  are  these  : — 
Obs.  1, — That  all  your  places,  and  what  hapj)iness  you  shall  have  in  hea- 
ven, are  ready  for  you.  That  is  clear  and  plain  out  of  the  text,  for  you  are 
said  to  sit  now  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ.  It  may  be  these  observations 
would  have  come  in  better  afterwards,  but  being  mentioned,  I  will  go  on 
with  them  now.  In  2  Cor.  v.  1,  '  We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this 
tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  eternal  in  the  heavens.' 
He  speaks  in  the  present  tense  :  It  is  ready  for  me,  saith  he,  if  my  soul  were 
out  of  my  body.  I  told  you  before,  out  of  1  Sam.  xx.,  that  it  was  the  man- 
ner when  the  king  sat  at  meat,  every  nobleman  had  his  seat ;  and  if  he  came 
not,  no  man  took  up  his  place,  his  seat  was  empty;  for  it  is  said  that  David's 
seat  was  empty  :  the  place,  according  to  every  man's  rank,  was  left  empty. 
We  do  now  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  all  our  places  are  made  ready, 
and  they  do  but  wait  till  the  souls  of  men  come  thither,  and  till  the  latter 
day.  Therefore,  in  1  Peter  i.,  he  saith,  '  We  are  begotten  to  an  inheritance 
immortal,'  &c.,  '  reserved  in  heaven  for  us,  ready  to  be  revealed.'  It  is  kept 
for  you,  your  places  shall  never  be  taken  over  your  heads,  and  are  read}^ ; 
there  you  sit,  and  Jesus  Christ  possesseth  them  till  you  come  thither;  you 
sit  in  Christ  now,  and  when  you  come  thither,  you  shall  sit  with  Christ. 

Obs.  2. — You  see  that  we  are  all  here  upon  earth  but  strangers.  He  saith, 
we  now  sit  in  heaven  in  Christ,  our  places  are  there.  '  They  confessed  them- 
selves strangers,'  Heb.  xi.  13,  although  they  had  a  land  promised  them  here. 
There  is  a  house  of  peers,  a  kingdom  there,  and  the  places  are  made  ready 
for  them  ;  and  thou  that  art  a  believer  and  art  quickened  together  with 
Christ,  all  the  while  thou  livest  here  thou  art  out  of  thy  place ;  even  as  if  a 
star  should  be  fixed  here  in  the  earth,  it  is  out  of  its  place.  As  it  is  said  of 
Judas  that  when  he  died  he  went  to  his  own  place ;  hell  was  his  place ; 
though  he  lived  and  walked  here,  he  was  a  stranger  upon  earth.  Wicked 
men  are  so,  they  shall  not  live  here  in  this  world ;  though  they  carry  the 
world  before  them,  their  place  is  hell.  So  our  place  is  heaven,  and  there  our 
places  are  all  prepared  for  us.  Saith  the  Apostle  in  2  Cor.  v.  6,  '  Whilst 
we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord,' — hdri,u,(j\jtirig  iv  rj 
ooJaari,  ix5ri,tjbov/xiv  aTro  tov  Kvd'iov.  It  is  a  great  elegancy  in  the  Greek ;  the 
body  he  calls  our  home,  and  yet  we  are  strangers.  It  is  true  indeed,  the 
body,  saith  he,  is  your  natural  home,  according  to  the  language  of  nature  and 
of  the  first  creation  ;  but  yet  you  are  not  at  home,  for  you  are  absent  from  the 
Lord,  and  strangers  from  him  who  hath  enfranchised,  and  preferred,  and  made 
you  denizens  of  another  country.  We  are  absent,  we  are  out  of  home  from 
the  Lord ;  where  he  is,  that  is  our  home.     Now  though,  I  say,  he  calls  the 


262  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVIL 

body  our  lionie,  because  the  natural  condition  for  tlie  soul  and  body  was  to 
be  united  together ;  yet,  notwithstanding,  in  that  our  estate  by  Christ,  the 
Lord  is  our  home.  Therefore  our  body  is  called  but  the  tabernacle,  in  2  Cor. 
V.  1.  The  soul  is  at  home  in  the  body,  but  it  is  at  home  but  as  in  a  taber- 
nacle ;  it  is  heaven  that  is  called  the  house,  and  we  stay  here  but,  as  the 
Apostle  speaks,  ver.  5,  till  we  are  '  wrought  for  the  self-same  thing,'  tiU  we 
are  made  meet  for  that  place  which  is  made  fit  for  us. 

Obs.  3. — And  then,  thirdly,  that  we  are  said  to  be  set  in  heavenlies  now  with 
Christ,  it  argues  the  number  of  the  elect  is  set ;  they  are  all  before  God,  he 
hath  appointed  all  the  places  that  are  there.  As  he  knows  the  number  of  the 
stars  that  are  in  the  heavens,  so  he  knows  the  number  of  all  those  stars  that 
shall  fill  up  that  heaven  above.    I  wiU.  not  stand  to  enlarge  upon  these  things. 

There  are  yet  two  other  phrases  to  be  opened  ;  that  is,  in  Christ  Jesus, 
and  together.     I  shall  speak  something  to  each  of  these,  and  so  end. 

In  Chinst  Jesus. — When  the  Old  Testament  did  express  heaven  to  us,  or 
the  New  in  the  language  of  the  Old,  when  the  Old  was  in  force,  it  doth  ex- 
press it  thus,  *  to  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob ; '  or  else 
you  shall  have  walks  with  them  that  stand  by,  you  shall  have  the  happi- 
ness that  the  angels  have.  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  these  were  the 
chief  guests.  But  now,  when  the  New  Testament  comes  to  be  opened,  then 
it  is,  '  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Sit  down  with  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  Why  1  Because  God  made  the  clearest  promise  unto 
Abraham  that  ever  he  made  afterwards  to  any  man  in  the  Old  Testament. 
*  I  wiU  be  thy  great  reward,'  saith  he  ;  that  is,  I  will  be  thy  heaven  :  and 
you  know  that  God  is  all  in  all,  that  is  the  highest  expression.  And,  Gen. 
XV.  15,  thou  shalt  go  in  (or,  into)  peace,  and  be  gathered  to  thy  fathers;  ex- 
pressing the  state  of  soul  and  body  after  this  life  tiU  the  resurrection.  And 
Christ  used  the  phrase  of  sitting  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  be- 
cause the  Jews  would  not  so  much  as  eat  with  the  Gentiles.  Why,  saith  he, 
the  Gentiles  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  sit  down  with  your 
fathers,  seeing  you  will  not  come  in  to  me. 

Now  we  are  said  to  sit  in  Christ ;  they  in  the  Old  Testament  were  never 
said  to  sit  down  with  Abraham,  for  Abraham  did  not  represent  them  in 
heaven  ;  but  now  we,  till  we  shall  enjoy  heaven  personally,  and  sit  down 
there  with  Christ,  we  are  in  the  meantime  set  down  in  Christ. 

In  Christ, — I  may  run  over  all  that  I  said  before, — as  the  efficient  cause  of 
our  coming  thither.  It  is  the  law  of  nations  that  foreigners  cannot  inherit 
till  they  are  naturalised ;  no  more  could  we,  till  he  that  was  of  our  kindred 
and  nature  was  naturalised  to  heaven,  as  indeed  he  is,  for  it  is  his  natural 
place,  he  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.  He  is  the  cause,  I  say,  of  our  coming 
thither ;  mankind,  I  think,  had  never  come  there  else. 

In  Christ,  secondly,  as  the  exemplar}/  cause.  We  shall  have  the  same 
glory  that  he  hath.  '  As  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly,' 
1  Cor.  XV.  48.  My  brethren,  what  can  you  desire  more,  than  to  have  the 
same  glory  that  Christ  hath  1  John  xvii.  22,  '  The  glory  which  thou  gavest 
me,  I  have  given  them.'  And,  Rev.  iii.  21,  '  They  shall  sit  with  me  in  my 
throne.'  It  is  not  only,  where  I  am,  there  they  shall  be  also,  but  they  shall 
have  the  same  glory  I  have ;  they  shall  sit  like  nobles,  sit  about  me,  even 
as  I  am  set  with  my  Father  in  his  throne.  Only  with  this  difference,  when 
the  Apostle  had  spoken  of  Christ's  sitting  iu  heavenly  places,  in  chap.  i.  20, 
he  expresseth  it  thus,  '  He  hath  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly 
places  ;'  there  he  is  '  at  his  own  right  hand.'  But  when  he  comes  to  make 
the  reddition  in  this  chapter,  of  what  we  are  in  Christ  and  through  Christ, 


Ern.  11.  G.J  to  the  ephesians.  2G3 

he  leaves  out,  *  his  ovm.  right  liand.'  No  ;  '  To  which  of  all  the  angels  said 
he,  Sit  thou  at  God's  riglit  hand  ] '  Or  to  -which  of  all  the  saints  ]  Yet 
notwithstanding,  he  as  a  king,  and  we  as  nobles  and  fellows  with  him,  and 
co-heirs  of  the  same  kingdom  with  him,  shall  have  the  same  glory  and  the 
same  pleasures.  As  God  will  be  all  in  all  to  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  so 
he  will  be  to  us ;  we  shall  have  the  same  glory  that  Christ  hath,  for  the  kind 
of  it,  though  not  for  the  degree.  1  John  iii.  2,  '  When  he  shall  appear,  we 
shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is.'  This  is  it  that  makes 
heaven  heaven,  that  you  sit  together  with  Christ,  that  you  have  his  company, 
that  he  is  the  cause  and  the  example  of  all  your  happiness.  Therefore  the 
Apostle,  in  1  Thess.  iv.  17,  18,  when  he  would  have  them  '  comfort  one  an- 
other ■R'ith  these  words,'  what  Avere  they  1  '  And  so,'  saith  he,  *  we  shall  ever 
be  Avith  the  Lord  ; '  for  it  is  he  that  makes  heaven.  We  sit  in  Christ  now, 
and  we  shall  sit  with  Christ  then,  or  else  sitting  in  heaveuUes  alone  would 
not  make  us  happy. 

Lastly,  We  sit  in  him,  as  a  person  representing  us;  he  is  gone  thither  and 
entered  as  a  forerunner  to  prepare  the  place  for  us.  I  could  give  you  many 
places  for  it,  that  Jesus  Christ  being  a  high  priest  is  entered  into  heaven, 
not  only  bearing  our  sins,  for  so  he  did  upon  the  cross,  but  bearing  our 
names  and  persons ;  for  so  the  high  priest  did  in  a  peculiar  manner  when  he 
•went  into  the  holy  of  holiest.  He  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree, 
and  it  is  true  he  bore  our  persons  too ;  but  more  eminently,  the  Scripture 
speaks  of  bearing  our  persons  in  heaven.  And  as  he  is  said  to  prolong  his 
days  upon  earth,  while  saints  are  upon  earth,  so  the  saints  are  said  to  sit  in 
heaven  while  he  is  there. 

It  is  in  Christ  Jesus;  let  me  say  something  to  that,  for  here  is  not  an  idle 
word.  I  take  it,  we  have  in  him  a  double  right  to  heaven  :  in  Christ,  as  he 
is  a  common  person ;  and  in  Jesus,  as  he  is  a  common  person  too. 

First,  .45  he  is  Christ;  take  him  simply  as  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  that  is  a 
head  to  a  church  as  his  members.  The  Apostle  argues  the  glory  that  we 
shall  have  after  the  resurrection  from  this,  in  1  Cor.  xv.  4C,  47  :  Because, 
saith  he,  he  is  the  Lord  from  heaven,  and  as  is  the  heavenly  such  are  they 
also  that  are  heavenly ;  that  is,  to  whom  God  hath  appointed  him  as  a  head 
of  union  to,  as  he  is  considered  as  a  heavenly  man,  as  he  is  Son  of  God,  hav- 
ing taken  up  our  nature,  and  so  is  become  a  head  to  all  that  are  members  of 
him.  So  we  come  to  heaven  by  virtue  of  him,  and  not  only  by  virtue  of  his 
death.     And  then — 

Secondly,  There  is  not  one  drop  of  glory  but  he  did  purchase  it  as  he  is 
Jesus.  The  high  priest  entered  into  the  holy  of  holiest  with  blood,  so  did 
Jesus  Christ ;  he  went  to  heaven,  and  he  sprinkled  it  with  his  blood,  because 
blood  purchased  all  the  degrees  of  glory  the  saints  shall  have  in  heaven.  And 
though  after  the  day  of  judgment  God  shall  be  all  in  all,  yet  still  the  ground 
and  right  of  our  union  with  God,  and  God's  communicating  himself  to  us,  is 
in  Christ. 

In  a  word,  I  say,  our  sitting  in  heavenly  places  in  and  with  Christ  for 
ever  is  by  virtue  of  his  being  Christ ;  that  is,  he  as  being  head  to  so  many 
members  was  chosen  to  that  happiness  with  those  members  which  they  shall 
have  in  heaven.  And  they  having  fallen  into  sin,  this  Christ  is  become 
Jesus,  a  Saviour,  to  save  them  out  of  sin,  and  by  being  Jesus  purchased 
heaven  anew.  This  is  plainly  the  meaning  of  it  according  to  my  sense.  I 
Bomewdiat  opened  it  when  I  handled  the  third  verse  of  the  first  chapter. 

I  will  add  but  this  one  notion  about  it.  We  have  two  sacraments. 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.     In  both  there  is  a  representation  of  Christ 


2G4  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMOTI  XVII. 

held  forth  to  us,  as  a  person  representing  us.  But  these  two  eminently  share 
these  two  things  betwixt  them.  Baptism  doth  more  eminently  hold  forth 
his  death  and  resurrection,  and  Jesus  Christ  as  a  common  person,  who  was 
baptized  with  that  baptism,  and  in  token  of  it  we  are.  You  have  this  ex- 
pressed in  Eom.  vi  We  are  baptised  into  Christ,  and  so  into  the  likeness 
of  his  death  and  resurrection  :  yea,  and  because  he  died  and  liveth  too,  God 
reckoneth  yourselves  to  be  dead  and  to  live  unto  God,  sealed  up  to  you  in 
baptism.  And  then  you  have  the  Lord's  Supper;  and  truly,  to  me,  Christ 
seemeth  to  hold  forth  therein  our  sitting  with  him  in  heavenly  places. 
When  he  had  sat  at  table  and  eaten  and  served  them,  he  takes  occasion  from 
thence  to  tell  them  that  one  day  they  shall  sit  at  his  table,  and  eat  and  drink 
with  him  in  the  kingdom  of  his  Father,  and  should  sit  upon  twelve  thrones, 
judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  But  their  sitting  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  at  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  eating  and  drinking  of  that  body  and  blood, 
did  hold  forth  to  them  their  state  in  glory.  And  therefore  in  all  the  Evan- 
gelists, you  shall  find  that  the  disciples  understood  some  such  thing  about  a 
kingdom,  though  they  misapplied  it ;  they  fell  out  amongst  themselves  who 
should  be  greatest  in  that  kingdom.  This  sittmg  and  eating  in  that  king- 
dom was  imported  to  them  in  that  great  supper. 

There  is  now  only  one  phrase  remaining;  and  that  is,  together:  'raised 
together,  and  sit  together.'  There  may  be  some  question  about  it,  whether 
it  refers  to  the  persons  of  believers,  or  whether  it  refers  to  Christ  %  whether 
that  we  believers  shall  all  sit,  or  do  aU  sit  together,  with  Christ ;  or  whether 
we  sit  together  with  Christ  1 

It  is  evident  that  when  he  saith,  he  hath  '  quickened  us  together  with 
Christ,'  that  there  it  refers  to  Christ,  the  particle  with,  and  together,  doth ; 
md  so  our  translators  have  rightly  rendered  it,  '  quickened  us  together  with 
Christ.'  But  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  the  resurrection  and  of  sitting  in 
heaven,  which  yet  are  to  come,  he  doth  not  put  in  any  particle,  as  to  say, 
'together  with  Christ;'  neither  doth  he  content  himself  to  say,  'we  sit  to- 
gether;' but  he  addeth,  'in  Christ.'  And  indeed,  together  with  Christ,  and 
in  Christ,  as  I  shewed  in  the  last  discourse,  import  two  distinct  things  :  one, 
when  we  personally  come  to  enjoy  the  same  things  that  Jesus  Christ  did  for 
us  ;  when  we  come  to  heaven,  then  we  sit  together  with  Christ ;  but  in  him, 
in  the  meantime.  So  that,  in  a  word,  that  which  '  together '  here  refers  to, 
is  to  the  persons ;  we  all  together,  we  that  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses, 
we  Jews  and  Gentiles,  apostles  and  all,  we  all  together  are  raised  in  Christ, 
and  sit  in  heavenly  places  in  him,  as  a  common  person  rejiresenting  us  all.  If 
it  should  refer  to  Christ,  as  the  other,  then*  being  quickened  together  with  him, 
doth,  it  would  have  been  redundant  here,  for  '  in  Christ '  is  enough  to  relate 
to  his  being  a  common  person  ;  therefore  it  must  here  have  a  special  eye,  and 
relate  to  the  persons  that  sit  and  are  raised.     Now  what  persons  are  these  ? 

First,  We  Jews  and  Gentiles  :  that  is  evident,  for  he  had  carried  that 
along  through  the  whole  first  chapter,  and  this  second  also,  speaking  of  their 
misery  and  of  their  redemption  and  the  like.  The  Gentiles  shall  sit  down 
in  heavenly  places  as  well  as  the  Jews,  for  so  Christ  tells  us,  '  they  shaU  come 
from  the  east  and  from  the  west,  and  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  my 
Father.'  Because  the  desire  of  all  nations  is  now  come,  in  Jesus  Christ,  all 
shall  sit  down  together.  And  therefore,  as  God  promised  to  Abraham  and 
the  patriarchs  a  city,  so  the  Apostle  saith,  '  We  are  fellow-citizens  with  the 
saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God.'  But  I  shall  have  occasion  to  speak 
more  of  it  when  we  come  to  the  latter  part  of  the  chapter,  wliich  shews  the 
union  between  Jew  and  Gentile,     We  together,  we  apostles  and  all  saints 


El'U.  II.  C]  TO  THE  EPIIESIANS.  2G5 

else ;  for  thougli  the  apostles  are  said  to  liave  twelve  thrones  to  sit  upon 
more  eminently,  because  there  are  degrees  of  glory,  yet  read  Rev.  iii.  21,  and 
there  it  is  said  that  *  to  every  one  that  overcomes,  to  him  will  I  grant  to  sit 
in  my  tlirone.'  Therefore  I  say,  all  the  saints,  apostles  and  all.  What  saith 
the  Apostle  for  this,  in  2  Cor.  iv.  14  ?  it  is  an  excellent  place  to  this  purpose  : 
'  Knowing  that  he  which  raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus,  shall  raise  up  us  also  by 
Jesus,  and  shall  present  us  with  you.'  He  had  spoken  of  the  labours  and 
sufferings  that  he  and  the  rest  of  his  fellow-apostles  had;  but  that  which 
comforts  me  is  this,  I  shall  be  raised  up  together  with  you,  and  presented 
together  with  you  to  God.  God  will  present  you  and  me  and  all  of  us  to 
himself  in  and  by  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  a  good  observation  that  one  makes 
upon  it :  he  doth  not  say  he  will  present  you  with  us,  but  us,  us  apostles, 
with  you ;  for  the  saints  have  the  same  right  to  heaven  that  the  apostles  have, 
and  they  sit  together  in  heavenly  places,  therefore  it  follows,  '  All  things  are 
for  your  sakes.' 

Lastly,  It  relateth  to  the  general  assembly.  For  there  is  a  special  rea- 
son why  '  together '  here,  when  he  speaks  of  raising  and  sitting  in  heaven, 
should  refer  to  the  persons  of  all  the  elect;  for  at  the  resurrection  all  shall 
come  together,  and  be  raised  together,  and  in  heaven  aU  shall  sit  together; 
that  is  the  glory  of  it,  and  that  is  the  state  of  it,  that  is  it  which  makes 
heaven  heaven,  the  company  of  Christ  and  of  the  saints  when  they  are  all 
together.  And,  my  brethren,  God,  though  we  are  poor  sinners  here  upon 
earth,  yet  in  his  eternal  decree,  and  likewise  in  Christ,  he  considers  us  aU 
raised,  and  all  sitting  there  in  him.  '  All  live  unto  God,'  as  Luke  saith, 
speaking  of  the  resurrection  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob. 

There  is  this  difference  between  Adam's  being  a  common  person  and 
Christ's,  because  they  were  decreed  who  should  come  of  Adam  if  he  had 
stood,  yet  in  a  manner  it  needed  not  to  have  been,  though  God  decrees  and 
purposeth  everything.  But  it  is  otherwise  now;  it  is  by  a  special  decree 
of  predestination  that  all  are  in  Christ,  therefore  God  hath  them  all  before 
him;  he  hath  them  aU  in  his  eye,  and  he  will  bring  them  all  together  with 
him — there  will  be  the  general  assembly  of  all  the  saints ;  therefore  it  is  called 
the  gathering  of  the  elect  from  all  the  four  corners  of  the  world.  You  have 
an  excellent  place  for  this  in  John  vi.  39,  and  if  you  mark  it,  there  is  an 
emphasis  upon  it :  '  This  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of 
all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up 
again  at  the  last  day.'  He  wiU  not  have  a  corn  wanting  whereof  he  is  the 
first-fruits.  Heaven  is  the  general  collection  of  all  the  saints,  therefore  in 
the  meantime  till  we  come  thither,  Christ  being  a  common  person  for  us, 
we  are  all  together,  all  the  saints  are  at  once  raised  up  in  him.  We  are  not 
all  quickened  together  in  him,  one  is  quickened  in  one  age,  and  another  in 
another,  but  we  are  raised  together  in  him,  and  the  resurrection  shall  find 
us  all  together,  and  the  judgment  shall  find  us  all  together;  therefore  the 
state  of  these  two  days  are  represented  by  Christ's  being  a  common  person, 
and  we  are  '  raised  up  together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  him,' 


266  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVIII. 


SERMON  XVIII. 

That  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in 
his  Jcindness  toward  vs  in  Christ  Jesus. — Ver.  7. 

This  chapter,  as  I  have  told  you,  sets  out  the  proceedings  of  God,  and  the 
contrivements  of  his  decrees,  to  magnify  that  rich  grace  which  is  in  himself 
in  the  salvation  of  poor  sinners :  how  wdien  they  were  fallen  into  that  dead 
and  damnable  estate,  '  dead  in  sms  and  trespasses,'  and  '  children  of  wrath,' 
that  God  being  rich  in  mercy,  and  bearing  so  great  a  love  to  them,  took  an 
advantage  of  that  condition  to  magnify  his  love  so  much  the  more ;  not  only 
delivered  them  out  of  it,  but  with  an  addition  of  an  infinitely  greater  ad- 
vancement. And  the  Apostle  shews  by  what  degrees  God  doth  proceed  to 
bring  salvation  to  its  accomplished  perfection.  He  begins  with  our  souls 
first  here,  they  being  dead  in  sins,  and  he  quickeneth  them ;  and  he  hath 
besides  that  done  this  for  us  now,  that  in  Christ  he  hath  raised  up  our  souls 
and  bodies,  the  whole  man  I  mean,  and  he  hath  set  us  in  heavenly  places 
in  him.  The  first  we  received,  and  have  received  in  our  own  persons,  to- 
gether with  Christ,  here  below.  The  other  two  are  indeed  received  for  us 
by  Christ,  and  in  Christ ;  they  are  made  sure  to  us,  but  yet  they  are  not 
accomplished  and  perfected;  and  of  these  the  Apostle  had  spoken  in  the 
4th,  5th,  and  Gth  verses.  Now  in  the  words  that  I  have  read  to  you  he 
comes  to  that  which  was  God's  end,  or  indeed  which  is  itself  the  end  of  all, 
the  perfection,  the  conclusion  of  all;  it  is  contained  in  this  7th  verse;  that 
which  God  had  in  his  eye  as  the  perfection  of  salvation,  as  the  utmost  ac- 
complishment of  all  that  he  had  done,  the  crown,  as  I  may  so  say,  of  all 
the  former.  And  that  the  Apostle  tells  us  is,  *  that  in  the  ages  to  come  he 
might  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward 
us  in  Christ  Jesus.' 

In  expounding  every  verse  I  have  taken  this  course.  Before  I  have  given 
a  particular  explication  of  every  word  apart  by  itself,  with  observations,  I 
have  first  endeavoured  to  fetch  out  the  general  scope,  and  to  fix  that ;  the 
general  scope  in  every  text  being  that  which  is  the  measure  of  the  interpre- 
tation of  every  particular.  And  yet,  notwithstanding,  in  doing  of  that  I  am 
oftentimes  enforced  to  expound  each  word,  to  shew  how  it  agrees  to  that 
general  scope.  I  shall  now  be  enforced  to  take  this  course,  there  being 
indeed  a  very  great  difficulty  in  these  words,  such  as  I  could  not  have  ima- 
gined to  have  been  in  them. 

Now  the  words  which  occasion  this  difficulty  are  these,  in  the  ages  to 
come.  For  otherwise  if  these  words  had  not  been  put  in,  the  sense  would 
have  run  currently  and  been  easy  and  plain,  that  the  end  that  God  aimed 
at  in  his  permitting  man's  fall,  that  he  should  be  dead  in  sin,  and  then  he 
should  be  thus  quickened,  raised,  and  the  like,  in  Christ,  that  all  this  was 
done  '  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,'  as  in  chap.  i.  7,  you  have 
it  simply  and  absolutely,  and  there  is  an  end;  there  would  have  been  no 
more  question,  but  the  words  would  have  been  simply  and  solely  so  taken. 


Ern.  11.  7.]  to  the  ephesians.  267 

But  these  words,  '  in  the  ages  to  come,'  or  '  in  the  worlds  to  come,'  coming 
in,  they  have  occasioned  two  streams  of  interpretations,  whereof  if  the  one 
should  be  exclusive  of  the  other,  and  if  botli  should  not  stand  together,  as  I 
hope  they  ma}',  the  truth  is  I  should  hardly  know  which  to  prefer. 

I  lay  this  for  a  premise  to  the  opening  of  these  words,  that  they  must 
needs  have  a  most  vast  and  comprehensive  meaning ;  and  that  not  only 
because,  as  Chiysostom  saith,  his  eloquence  riseth  here  in  'the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace,'  which  is  an  epithet  given  nowhere  else  in  the  Scripture 
to  the  grace  of  God,  but  because  it  is  evident  that  these  words  are  the  con- 
clusion, the  close,  the  period  of  the  longest  continued  entire  discourse  that  I 
know  in  the  whole  book  of  God.  The  Apostle  had  begun  in  ver.  1 8  of  the 
first  chapter,  and  prayed  there  for  them,  that  they  might  know  what  are  the 
riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  and  the  exceeding  great- 
ness of  his  power,  (fee.  And  he  never  made  his  discourse  fully  complete  till 
the  end  of  this  verse.  So  as  indeed  this  ver.  7  is  another  design  like  that  in 
ver.  10  of  the  first  chapter,  which  contains  as  it  were  the  perfection  of  God's 
decrees  about  us ;  and  this  is  the  summary  conclusion  of  the  execution  of 
God's  decrees,  as  I  take  it. 

All,  my  brethren,  do  acknowledge  this,  that  here  is  contained  God's  end 
in  saving  man,  to  magnify  the  '  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  ;'  but  then  the 
question  is  of  the  time,  what  should  be  meant  of  these  '  ages  to  come,'  and  of 
the  manner  and  kind  of  the  demonstration  of  these  riches  1  There  are,  I 
say,  two  interpretations. 

1.  Some  say  that  this  shewing  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace  here  intended, 
is  that  dispensation  and  communication  of  the  riches  of  his  grace  under  the 
gospel  in  after  ages;  God  holding  forth,  in  that  kindness  which  he  had 
shewn  to  these  Ephesians,  and  to  the  Jews,  and  all  those  primitive  Chris- 
tians, whom  he  had  converted  out  of  so  desperate  and  damnable  a  condition, 
an  assurance  in  these  words  of  a  communication  of  the  like  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace,  in  all  ages  to  come,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  whereof  they  were 
the  patterns  and  examples.  I  find  most  of  the  Protestant  writers  run  this 
way,  and  the  most  judicious  of  the  Papists. 

2.  Others  say  that  this  shewing  forth  or  demonstration  of  the  riches  of 
his  grace  in  ages  to  come,  is  to  eternity,  after  the  resurrection,  which  he  had 
spoken  of  in  the  words  immediately  before  ;  and  that  these  words  do  contain 
the  utmost  accomplishment,  the  manifestation  and  breaking  up  of  the  hid- 
den treasure,  which  shall  be  expended  in  the  world  to  come,  and  requires 
an  eternity  to  be  spending  in ;  besides  the  riches  of  grace  which  he  hath 
shewn  us  here  in  quickening  us ;  besides  what  he  doth  for  us  representa- 
tively, in  setting  us  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  and  the  like.  And  I  find 
this  latter  to  be  the  sense  that  all  the  ancient  interpreters  run  upon,  not  one 
exempted,  and  some  of  our  Protestant  writers,  and  most  of  the  Papists. 
And  of  these  two  interpretations,  I  confess  the  reasons  on  both  sides  are  so 
strong  that  I  do  not  know  which  to  exclude;  and  I  believe  it  will  be  found 
to  be  the  truth,  that  this  being  the  conclusion  and  winding  up  of  the  Apostle's 
discourse,  he  had  them  both  in  his  eye.  The  reasons  for  this  I  shall  give 
you  anon. 

Now  I  shall  do  this.  I  shall  first  give  you  a  fair  account  of  the  reasons 
on  both  sides,  either  which  I  find  in  others,  or  which  God  hath  suggested  to 
me;  reasons  taken  from  the  coherence  and  the  aspect  of  the  words  of  the 
text,  both  backward  and  forward,  and  the  opening  of  the  phrases  therein. 
And  then  I  shall  lay  open  to  you  what  I  conceive  to  be  clearly  and  fully  the 
scope  of  the  Apostle  in  them. 


268  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVIII. 

I  ■will  begin  witli  that  first  interpretation,  and  that  is  this,  that  God  in 
bestowing  so  much  grace  upon  these,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  in  converting 
them,  and  in  doing  so  much  for  them,  aimed  to  hold  them  forth  therein 
as  patterns  to  all  ages  to  come,  who  may  expect  the  like  grace  in  all  ages, 
and  that  he  will  dispense  the  like  grace  to  all  ages  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
And— 

First,  The  phrase  here,  in  ages  to  come,  hath  a  relation  comparatively 
to  the  times  of  the  old  law  which  were  past.  Now  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, when  Christ  was  not  ascended,  nor  was  sitting  in  heaven,  so  as  the 
saints  then  could  not  be  said  to  sit  in  heaven  in  Christ,  he  being  not  per- 
sonally there  as  God-man,  the  riches  of  grace  were  not  revealed,  or  but  to  a 
few.  But  now  that  Jesus  Christ  hath  possessed  heaven  for  us,  he  hath  dis- 
persed the  gospel  over  all  the  world ;  and  the  doing  this  in  the  primitive 
times  is  a  pawn  and  pledge  that  he  will  continue  to  break  up  those  exceed- 
ing riches  of  his  grace  in  all  ages,  one  after  another,  to  the  end ;  and  the 
example  of  these  Ephesians  is  a  real  demonstration  of  this  :  and  so  now 
'  ages  to  come'  should  respect  ages  past.  And  therefore  this  interpretation 
is  confirmed  by  that  in  chap.  iii.  5,  speaking  of  the  mystery  of  the  gos- 
pel, which,  saith  he,  '  in  other  ages  was  not  made  known,' — that  is,  in  ages 
past, — but  now  being  made  known  to  these  Ephesians,  and  to  other  Gentiles 
in  their  conversion,  God  did  shew  that  for  the  ages  to  come  he  would  break 
ojjcn  also  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  as  he  had  done  comparatively  to 
what  was  done  before.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  time  of  the  gospel  is  called 
the  day  of  grace,  the  day  of  salvation,  as  in  2  Cor.  vi.  2;  and  Tit.  ii.  11, 
'  The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  a^jpeared  unto  all  men.' 

And  they  give  this  reason  why  they  are  the  ages  of  this  world  that  are  here 
intended.  Because  they  are  the  ages  that  do  follow  one  upon  another,  which 
do  supervenire, — the  word  is  £V£s;J/o,a£^o/:,* — they  do  one  come  and  follow 
upon  the  neck  of  another,  succeed  one  another,  as  one  wave  doth  another : 
whereas  if  it  refer  to  the  time  after  the  resurrection,  say  they,  this  would  not 
be  so.  And  hence  it  is  that  he  calls  them  '  exceedmg  riches  of  grace,'  an  epi- 
thet which  he  gives  nowhere  else.  He  calls  them  '  riches  of  grace'  elsewhere, 
but  here  '  exceeding  riches  of  grace.'  Why?  Because  God  had  broken  open 
such  a  mine  as  should  never  be  dra-\vn  dry,  no,  not  to  all  generations,  though 
he  meant  to  dispense  the  gospel,  and  to  gather  souls  out  of  all  the  corners 
of  the  world.     And — 

Secondly,  To  confirm  this  interpretation  further,  they  say  that  the  con- 
version of  these  Ephesians  hath  something  of  a  pattern  and  exemplar  to 
confirm  posterity  in  it ;  and  to  that  end  they  urge,  and  truly,  that  the  word  iv- 
bi'ic,riTui,  wliich  is  here  translated  '  to  shew,'  is  to  shew  forth  as  in  a  pattern  or 
example;  it  is  not  simply  to  hold  forth,  but  to  give  an  example  of  it,  to  evi- 
dence it  notoriously,  by  a  token,  or  by  a  sign,  as  it  were.  The  word  is  some- 
times so  used,  as  in  Rom.  ix.  17,  speaking  of  Pharaoh,  saith  he,  'For  this 
same  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  uj),  that  I  might  shew  my  power  in 
thee,'  might  make  thee  an  example,  for  he  is  brought  in  there  as  an  ex- 
ample of  all  rebels.  It  is  not  simply  and  barely  to  make  him  an  example  of 
justice,  but  an  example  to  all  ap;es ;  for  so  it  follows,  '  that  my  name  may  be 
declared  throughout  all  the  earth.'  And  to  cut  short  other  places,  for  I  could 
give  you  many,  as  that  in  2  Cor.  viii.  24,  I  shall  only  instance  in  that  famous 
place  which  is  parallel  with  it,  in  1  Tim.  i.  16,  where  Paul  speaks  of  his  con- 
version, as  here  he  doth  of  himself  and  the  Jews  and  these  Ephesians.     Hav- 

*  'El'  ToTg  Ui(^ai  roTg  I'jTi^^o/xhoig. 


EpU.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  269 

ingsaid  the  gospel  is  a  fiuthful  saying,  he  confirms  it  by  this  ;  'For  this  cause 
I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first  Jesus  Christ  might  shew  forth  all  long- 
suffering,' — it  is  the  same  word  that  is  used  here, — '  for  a  pattern  to  them 
which  should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life  everlasting.'  Every  word  is 
emphatical,  to  shew  that  Paul  was  an  example.  'To  me  first,'  saith  he;  and 
then,  'shew  forth,'  as  making  me  an  example,  the  word  implies  so  much;  and 
then,  '  as  a  pattern.' 

And  to  this  end,  in  the  third  place,  the  words  that  follow — in  his  kind- 
ness toward  us  in  Christ  Jesus — do  fitly  and  in  a  natural  way  serve  this 
interpretation,  for  they  seem  to  bear  and  carry  this  clear  sense,  that  in  this 
kindness  which  God  had  shewn  to  them,  in  quickening  them  when  they  were 
dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  and  in  setting  them  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
who  represented  them,  he  hath  manifested  and  held  forth  what  he  means  to 
do  unto  others,  and  what  they  may  expect.  The  word  kindness  here  being 
taken,  as  they  would  have  it,  both  for  the  manner — that  is,  by  shewing  and 
seeing  how  liberally,  and  bountifully,  and  graciously  God  had  dealt  with 
these  Ephesians,  in  quickening  them,  and  saving  them,  who  were  heathens 
and  served  idols — and  also  for  the  effect;  as  oftentimes  both  in  Scripture 
and  in  our  ordinary  phrase  it  is ;  we  usually  say,  I  thank  you  for  your  kind- 
ness,— that  is,  for  the  love  that  you  have  bestowed.  In  those  benefits  fore- 
mentioned,  in  the  verses  before,  saith  he,  he  hath  held  forth  a  pattern  of 
that  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  which  he  meaneth  to  communicate  to 
others,  even  as  he  had  done  to  them. 

And  then,  again,  this  is  confirmed,  in  the  fourth  place,  by  this  :  that  it  is 
the  manner  of  God  to  make  the  first  in  any  kind  examples  to  others.  Thus 
he  made  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  old  world,  as  Peter  hath  it,  to  be 
examples,  to  confirm  all  his  threatenings,  and  to  shew  how  just  a  God  he 
would  be  under  the  Old  Testament,  and  so  under  the  New  too,  to  them  that 
continue  in  the  same  sins  against  the  same  means.  So  now  under  the  New 
Testament,  it  being  RegniLm  Gratice,  he  makes  these  primitive  Christians  to 
be  patterns  and  examples  of  the  exceeding  abundant  riches  of  his  grace,  as 
the  other  were  of  his  justice,  which  he  meaneth  afterwards,  under  the  New 
Testament,  to  communicate  in  all  ages  to  the  end. 

Lastly,  There  is  this  also  to  confirm  it :  that  God  in  after  ages  meant  to 
have  a  Church  catholic  in  all  the  world ;  and  the  converts  of  the  primitive 
Christians,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  being  the  first-fruits,  they  should  be 
examples  unto  us,  to  confirm  that  promise  both  to  Jews  and  Gentiles.  And 
this  is  exceedingly  strengthened  by  this,  that  the  Apostle,  throughout  the 
former  part  of  this  epistle,  both  in  the  first  chapter  and  also  in  this  second, 
had  stiU  carried  equally  both  Jew  and  Gentile  in  his  eye.  In  the  first  chap- 
ter, when  he  speaks  of  the  benefits  we  have  by  Christ,  election  and  the  like, 
and  applies  them  to  men  whom  they  belong  to  :  first,  he  applies  them 
to  the  Jews,  chap.  i.  11,  12,  'In  whom  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance, 
who  first  trusted  in  Christ.'  '  In  whom  ye  also  trusted,'  ver.  13  ;  that  is, 
ye  Gentiles.  When  he  comes  to  lay  open  the  state  of  nature,  chap.  ii.  1, 
Ye  were  '  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins ; '  that  is,  ye  Jews.  Then,  ver.  3, 
'  Among  whom  also  we  had  our  conversation,' — that  is,  we  Gentiles, — '  and 
were  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.'  And  so  now,  when  he 
comes  to  speak  of  their  conversion,  he  tells  them  that  God  had  quickened 
them  all  both  together  :  both  ye  Gentiles,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved ; '  and  us, 
he  hath  '  quickened  us.'  And  he  hath  herein  made  us  patterns  of  that  mercy 
and  good- will  which  he  means  to  bestow  upon  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  the  ages 
to  come.     '  Wherefore,'  it  follows,  ver.  1 1, '  remember,  that  ye  being  in  time 


270  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVIIL 

past  Gentiles  in  tlie  flesh,  ye  were  then  without  Christ,'  &c.  And  he  would 
have  all  posterity  remember  Avhat  their  forefathers  were. 

The  only  objection  against  this  interpretation,  and  which  I  confess  is  a 
strong  one  too,  is  this  :  that  the  Jews  were  not  an  example  of  the  like  grace 
to  be  communicated  to  their  posterity  that  followed  ;  for  we  see  that  hitherto, 
in  the  '  ages  to  come,'  it  hath  not  yet  fallen  out  that  any  of  the  Jews  are 
called  and  converted  unto  God,  but  even  in  the  Apostle's  time  they  were 
broken  off. 

But  let  me  tell  you,  that  in  the  latter  days,  in  the  ages  to  come,  they  shall 
be  called ;  and  although,  indeed,  they  were  broken  olf  for  many  ages,  yet  in 
the  latter  days  there  shall  be  the  greatest  breaking  open  of  the  riches  of  free 
grace  of  any  other.  '  He  shewed  mercy  unto  me  first,'  saitli  Paul.  That 
same  Ji)-st,  as  many  think,  is  spoken  in  relation  to  his  own  countrymen,  the 
Jews,  who  should  be  found  injmious,  blasphemers,  persecutors,  as  he  himself 
was  ;  and  should  also  be  converted  in  that  manner,  namely  extraordinary,  as 
he  was.  And,  my  brethren,  the  '  riches  of  grace '  here  in  the  text,  serveth 
to  illustrate  this  exceedingly ;  for  when  is  it  that  the  riches  of  God's  grace 
and  his  mercy  are  held  forth  in  the  Scripture,  but  when  the  calling  of  Jews 
and  GentUes  is  mentioned?  Rom.  x.  12,  'There  is  no  difference  between 
the  Jew  and  Greek ;  for  the  same  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call 
upon  him.'  Therefore  now,  when  he  speaks  of  the  breaking  up  of  that  grace 
which  should  continue  both  to  Jew  and  Gentile  in  ages  to  come,  whereof 
these  were  jjawns  and  pledges  and  the  first-fruits,  he  calls  it  the  shewing 
forth  of  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace.  And  in  Rom.  xi.  12,  the  conver- 
sion of  the  Jews  is  called  '  the  riches  of  the  world.'  For,  my  brethren,  there 
were  ages  indeed  between  the  Apostle's  days  and  this,  in  Avhich  the  free  grace 
of  God  was  clouded  exceeding  much,  though  in  all  ages  the  saints  have  had 
recourse  to  it ;  but  in  the  latter  days,  when  the  Jews  shall  be  converted  and 
brought  in,  God  wUl  break  open  those  manifestations  of  it  which  yet  we 
know  not ;  for  they  are  the  daj^s  of  free  grace. 

And  so  now  I  have  given  you  the  reasons  for  that  first  opinion ;  and  the 
observations  out  of  it  are  of  infinite  moment  to  us,  and  infinitely  to  our  com- 
fort :  as,  That  the  days  of  the  gospel  are  the  days  of  grace ;  and.  That  all 
the  grace  and  mercy  that  God  hath  shewn  in  the  ages  past,  to  the  apostles 
themselves,  and  those  primitive  Christians,  for  the  quickening  of  men's  souls, 
and  the  like,  we  that  live  in  these  sixteen  hundred  years  after  may  even 
expect  the  very  same ;  and.  That  God,  in  his  kindness  to  these  Ephesians 
and  to  the  Jews  that  were  then  converted,  hath  confirmed  to  the  world,  both 
to  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  shall  have  the  like  grace  that  their  fore- 
fathers had.  There  are,  I  say,  these  and  many  more  observations  that  are 
natural  to  this  interpretation ;  and  the  interpretation  itself  seems  to  be  ex- 
ceeding natural  also. 

But  I  shall  not  stand  upon  these  now,  but  go  on  to  the  second  interpre- 
tation, which  I  shall  be  more  large  in  because  it  is  laid  aside ;  and  indeed 
I  think  it  to  be  as  much  the  scope  of  the  Apostle  here,  if  not  more,  than 
this  I  have  now  mentioned.  And  if  both  cannot  stand  together,  I  shaU 
rather  cast  it  to  exclude  the  other,  and  take  this ;  but  I  confess  I  am  in 
Paul's  strait  in  it,  as  he  saith  in  another  case.  For,  my  brethren,  to  inter- 
pret it  of  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  to  after  ages,  that  they  hereby 
shall  have  a  confirmation  that  God  will  shew  them  as  much  grace  as  to  these 
primitive  times,  is  exceeding  comfortable  to  us.  But  to  interpret  it  of 
heaven,  and  of  that  world  to  come,  and  the  breaking  up  of  that  riches  uf 
grace  there,  as  the  final  close  of  ail;  this,  I  say,  is  best  of  all. 


EpH.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  271 

Now,  then,  for  this  second  interpretation  :  that  in  ages  to  come  should 
refer  to  the  other  world  also,  and  to  the  breaking  up  of  those  riches  of  grace 
there ;  that  after  God  hath  thus  gone  on  in  manifesting  his  free  grace  under 
the  gospel,  in  quicliening  and  gathering  his  elect  together,  and  that  when  the 
time  comes,  that  they  shall  sit,  not  only  in  Christ  as  now,  but  with  Christ  in 
heavenly  places ;  that  then,  as  the  close  of  all,  he  will  manifest  and  shew 
forth  an  unknown  treasury,  a  treasury  that  shall  be  answerable  to  the 
thoughts  of  the  mercy  and  grace  that  is  in  the  great  God,  and  answerable  to 
that  dignity  of  being  conformed  unto  Jesus  Christ,  and  made  like  unto  him. 

For,  to  confirm  this  interpretation  to  you,  I  shall  lead  you  along  through 
these  several  reasons  put  together.     And — 

First,  I  will  begin  with  the  phrase,  in  the  ages  to  come;  that  that,  I  say, 
should  respect,  not  only  the  ages  and  times  of  this  world,  but  also  respect 
the  world  to  come,  and  the  ages  of  eternity.  For,  my  brethren,  first,  in 
opposition  to  this  present  world,  and  these  ages  now,  you  know  the  Scripture 
calls  the  next  the  world  to  come,  or  eternity  to  come ;  for  aJo}v  here,  which 
is  translated  ages,  is  called  the  world  to  come  often  in  the  Hebrew,  and  it  is 
the  very  same  word,  *  ages  to  come,'  I  say,  in  opposition  to  this  present 
world,  as  the  Apostle  calleth  this  in  Gal.  i.  4.  You  have  the  very  phrase  in 
the  first  chapter  of  this  epistle,  ver.  21,  which  I  shall  anon  make  further  use 
of;  he  saith  there,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  set  far  above  all  principality  and 
power,  '  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come,'  iv  rw  uluvi. 
The  word  translated  there  '  world  to  come '  is  the  same  that  is  used  'here 
for  '  ages.'  And  in  Heb.  vL  5,  they  are  said  to  have  tasted  of  the  powers  of 
the  '  world  to  come ; '  it  is  the  word  which  is  here  used  for  '  ages.'  It  is 
true,  indeed,  in  Heb.  ii.  5,  the  state  of  the  gospel  is  called  a  '  world  to  come,' 
oix.ovfMsvrj,  but  that  in  Heb.  vi.  5  is  aim,  the  word  that  is  used  here,  though 
in  the  singular  number — tjAXXovrog  aiumg. 

But  it  will  be  objected,  are  ages  in  the  plural  taken  for  the  times  after  the 
day  of  judgment  to  eternity,  where  there  is  no  flux  of  time? 

For  that,  my  brethren,  the  Scripture  often  expresseth  in  the  plural  also. 
You  read  of  the  phrase  '  for  ever  and  ever,'  you  have  it  in  the  Revelation 
again  and  again.  '  We  shall  reign  with  Christ  for  ever  and  ever ;'  it  is 
'  for  ages  and  ages,'  if  you  will,  or  for  evers,  for  eternities  ;  you  have  the 
same  in  Rom.  xvi.  27.  If  you  wUl  but  look  into  the  third  chapter  of  this 
epistle,  ver.  21,  you  shall  find  that  it  is  in  the  plural  as  well  as  here.  '  Unto 
him  be  glory  in  the  church  by  Christ  Jesus,  throughout  all  ages,  world  with- 
out end.'  He  means  not  only  this  world,  but  the  world  that  is  to  come  too; 
and  why  1  Because  that  to  come  is  the  age  of  ages,  it  is  the  secula  seculorum, 
it  hath  all  ages  within  the  circumference  of  it.  The  days  of  darkness,  they 
are  many ;  and  the  days  of  glory,  they  are  many  too.  And  God  hath  so 
much  riches  of  grace  to  shew  forth,  which  is  the  conclusion  of  all,  as  it  re- 
quires an  eternity  to  do  it  in,  therefore  he  hath  taken  time  enough  to  do  it 
in.     '  In  the  ages  to  come,'  saith  he,  '  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace.' 

And  then,  s'7:io-^y^tn,'i\u\i  is  not  only  ages  succeeding  one  another,  but  to 
come  upon ;  and  yet  if  so,  why  should  there  not  be  succession  in  the  world 
to  come  ?  There  is  not  a  variation  distinguished  as  ours  is,  by  births  and 
deaths  of  men,  as  we  make  ages.  But  it  is  no  more  but  this,  the  ages  that 
shall  come  upon  us ;  for  time  of  duration  is  extrinsical,  it  is  an  external 
thing  to  us  :  as  the  phrase  in  Dan.  iv.  16  imports,  *  Let  seven  times  pass 
over  him.'  So  that  time  of  eternity  doth  pass  over  us,  come  upon  us,  it  is 
an  eternal  flux  of  time.  And  although  there  be  not  a  variation  such  as  ours, 
yet  there  is  a  succession  of  duration  :  and  though  there  be  no  sun,  or  moon, 


272  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVIII. 

or  years,  and  we  shall  not  there  measure  time  by  the  same  glass  or  by  the 
same  clock  as  here ;  yet  it  is  a  continued  flux  of  time,  an  eternal  succession, 
that  must  needs  accompany  creatures ;  for  it  is  God  only  that  gathers  all 
time  in  one  moment,  and  in  his  vast  being  encircles  it,  and  contracts  all  to 
one  centre  and  moment.  It  is  a  foolish  dispute  the  school-men  have,  that  there 
shall  be  no  such  succession  in  eternity  ;  the  wisest  of  them,  Scotus,  and  the 
holiest  of  them,  Bonadventure,  are  of  another  mind.  Indeed  in  Rev,  x,  6 
it  is  said,  '  time  shall  be  no  longer;'  but  that  is  meant  of  the  time  of  the  per- 
secution of  the  church  of  God. 

The  phrase  then  not  being  averse  to  this  sense,  let  me  now  shew  you  the 
strength  of  this  interpretation,  for  indeed  nothing  wiU  greaten  heaven  to  us 
more  than  this.     I  shall  argue  all  sorts  of  ways. 

First,  I  shall  argue  this  sense  and  meaning,  and  in  arguing  open  the  words, 
and  see  how  all  give  up  themselves  with  parallel  scriptures  to  this  interpre- 
tation. 

In  the  first  place,  do  but  consider  that  here  is  God's  ultimate  and  highest 
end  that  he  hath  in  the  salvation  of  man  held  forth.  All  in  a  manner  ac- 
knowledge this.  He  that  is  rich  in  mercy  in  his  own  being,  as  ver.  4 
here,  the  final  cause  that  moved  him,  or  which  he  aimed  at,  is,  that  he 
might  manifest  to  the  utmost  those  riches  of  mercy.  And  as  it  is  the 
final  cause,  so  the  utmost  of  his  design  concerning  man's  salvation  is  held 
forth ;  he  mentions  it  therefore  in  the  close  of  all,  in  the  language  of  a 
final  event,  '  that  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace.'  Now  then  consider  but  these  two  things  ;  it  is  evident  that  the 
Apostle  had  in  this  chapter  two  things  in  his  eye.  He  had,  first,  the  mag^ 
nifying  and  setting  forth  the  kindness  of  God  towards  these  Ephesians  and 
other  the  elect  of  God  ;  and  this  grace  set  forth  in  their  salvation,  in  all  the 
parts  of  salvation.  And  by  shewing  the  greatness  of  this  salvation  in  all  the 
parts  of  it,  he  comes  to  magnify  the  greatness  of  this  grace,  as  well  as  by 
the  depth  of  misery  that  men  were  taken  out  of.  The  sum  of  all  is  clear  to 
be  this,  to  magnify  grace,  and  to  magnify  salvation,  as  the  utmost  perfection 
of  what  God  meant  to  bring  men  to.  This,  I  say,  is  clearly  his  scope.  If 
then  his  scope  be  to  magnify  the  riches  of  grace  in  the  height  of  it, — and 
therefore  he  useth  the  highest  expression ;  he  speaks,  you  see,  the  highest 
thing  of  it,  *  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,'  because  it  contains  the  utmost 
of  his  ends  moving  him,  or  issue  of  his  design  intended, — that  must  needs  rest 
in  nothing  but  in  the  utmost  manifestation  of  that  grace  ;  and  where  is  that  1 
In  heaven  ;  nowhere  else.  The  gospel  revealeth  infinite  grace  to  us,  but  the 
exceeding  riches  of  grace  shall  be  broken  up  in  the  world  to  come  ;  there  is 
a  reserve  of  it  fijr  eternity  such  as  we  cannot  now  comprehend.  Therefore 
now  here  is  intended  the  actual  enjoyment  that  those  saints  whom  God  hath 
now  quickened  and  set  in  heaven  in  Christ,  shall  have  in  the  ages  to  come, 
of  those  exceedhig  riches  of  grace  Avhich  Christ  hath  taken  possession  of  for 
them  m  heaven.  The  utmost  of  God's  designs  in  man's  salvation,  namely, 
to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  is  not  attained  tiU  heaven 
come  :  therefore  these  words,  '  That  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  shew  forth 
the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,'  shew  the  actual  enjoyment  of  that  which 
Christ  hath  now  taken  the  possession  of  for  us. 

And  then  let  me  also  argue  from  this.  Observe  his  order  in  discoursing 
of  our  salvation,  which  is  the  second  thing  that  he  sets  himself  here  to  set 
out  to  us,  and  the  exceeding  riches  of  the  grace  of  God  therein.  He  sets  out 
salvation  in  aU  the  gradual  accomplishments  of  it,  till  it  is  made  fuUy  perfect 
and  complete.     As  his  scope,  in  shewing  our  misery,  was  to  shew  it  in  the 


EPH.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  273 

utmost  extent  of  it,  in  all  the  degrees  of  it ;  so  in  laying  open  our  salvation 
also  lie  takes  the  same  course.  First,  he  shews  what  is  begun  upon  our 
own  persons  in  quickening  of  us.  He  tells  us,  secondly,  how  heaven  and 
resurrection  is  made  sure  to  us,  though  we  do  not  yet  enjoy  it :  ver.  6,  '  He 
hath  raised  iis  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ.'  Now  then  here  in  the  7th  verse,  as  tlie  close  of  all,  to  perfect  that 
salvation  and  to  fill  up  what  Jesus  Christ  hath  taken  possession  of,  he  shews 
how  that  God  will  spend  to  eternity  tlie  exceeding,  the  utmost  riches  of  that 
grace ;  there  he  will  shew  it,  and  then  he  will  bring  it  forth.  God's  utmost 
end  is  not  attained  till  you  come  to  this ;  and  our  salvation,  as  I  may  so 
speak,  though  it  is  made  sure  in  Christ,  is  yet  uncomplete ;  but  in  those  ages 
of  etcrnit)^,  in  the  world  to  come,  he  will  bring  forth  all  his  rich  treasure, 
and  then  shall  salvation  be  complete,  and  there  shall  be  the  utmost  demon- 
stration of  it.  So  that  the  Apostle,  take  but  his  scope,  doth  clearly  hold 
forth  both  God's  utmost  design,  of  magnifying  free  grace,  which  is  not  till  in 
heaven  we  have  had  all  the  riches  of  it  broken  open  and  spent  upon  us  there ; 
it  is  not  only  by  quickening  of  us  and  setting  us  in  heaven  in  Christ,  which 
is  done  already,  but  it  is  by  spending  an  eternity  in  heaven  with  God,  and 
sitting  with  Christ  for  evermore.  And  now  then,  saith  he,  though  you 
Ephesians  see  a  world  of  grace  in  what  God  hath  done  for  you  already, — he 
hath  quickened  you  through  his  grace,  he  hath  set  you  in  heaven  together 
in  Christ, — he  hath  yet  a  further  and  a  greater  thing  for  you,  which  is  the  end 
and  issue  of  all  whereof  these  are  the  preparative,  and  that  is,  that  he  may 
in  ages  to  come,  which  quickening  and  all  tendeth  unto,  shew  forth  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  his  grace ;  the  real  performance  cometh  then,  which  these 
went  before  to  make  way  for. 

And  so  now  having  argued  from  the  general  scope  of  v/hat  is  in  this  chap- 
ter, I  shall  proceed  in  opening  every  part  of  the  verse,  and  every  word 
therehi,  and  shew  you  that  they  all  do  give  up  themselves  to  this  interpre- 
tation. 

In  the  first  place,  do  but  take  the  coherence  with  the  words  immediately 
before.  He  tells  us  that  God  hath  'set  us  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  that 
in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  shew  forth,'  &c.  The  meaning  is  to  me  clearly 
and  plainly  this,  as  if  the  Apostle  had  said,  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ 
hotli  taken  up  your  rooms  for  you  in  heaven  ;  there  he  sits,  and  that  degree 
of  glory  which  you  shall  have  at  the  resurrection  and  for  ever  there  he  hath 
taken  it  up  for  you  ;  but  know  withal  that  he  hath  taken  up  so  much  at 
once — for  he  perfects  everything  he  doth,  as  done  in  him  for  us,  at  once — 
as  it  requires  an  eternity  of  time  for  you  to  receive  that  which  Christ  hath 
received  for  you.  Jesus  Christ,  my  brethren,  in  Heb.  x.  is  said  to  perfect 
our  salvation  at  once,  and  so  he  hath  received  perfectly  all  the  glory  we 
shall  have  at  once  :  but  as  what  he  did  at  once  purchase  by  his  death  he 
hath  ages  to  come  for  to  accomplish,  so,  saith  the  Apostle,  his  having  taken 
possession  for  you  in  heaven,  it  requires  ages  to  come  for  God  to  give  forth 
what  Christ  hath  now  taken  possession  of,  and  for  what  he  sitteth  in  heaven 
representing  you,  to  that  end  that  one  day  you  may  have  it.  In  those  im- 
perfect notes  of  Mr  Baines  printed,  which  I  believe  in  a  great  part  are  his, 
I  observe  he  hath  this  expression:  'God,'  saith  he,  'did  draw  the  lineaments 
which  he  would  be  perfecting  of  for  ever ; '  that  is,  in  Jesus  Christ  he  hath 
laid  out  your  line  in  heaven,  the  place  and  compass  of  glory  you  shall  have, 
and  there  you  have  possession  of  it  in  Christ,  there  is  a  model  of  it  in  him, 
that  even  to  eternity  and  in  ages  to  come  God  might  build  upon  this,  and 
might  spend  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  bestowing  that  which  Jesus 
VOL.  II.  s 


274  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVIII. 

Christ  liath  now  taken  up  for  us.  This,  I  say,  is  a  natural  and  full  cohe- 
rence, which  holds  forth  a  sense  of  a  great  deal  of  glory.     So  I  proceed. 

It  answers  to  the  parallel  that  the  Apostle  did  intend  to  make  between 
Christ  and  us  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  epistle.  He  tells  us  there  that  the 
same  power  works  in  us  who  believe  that  wrought  in  Christ  when  he  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  heavenly  places : 
and  here  you  see  in  the  6th  verse,  the  verse  just  before  the  text,  he  brings 
in  the  parallel.  He  hath  '  quickened  us,'  saith  he,  '  and  hath  raised  us  up, 
and  made  us  sit  in  heaven,  in  him.'  Now  mark  it,  what  is  it  that  is  said  of 
Christ  sitting  in  heaven  1  That  he  sits  there,  '  far  above  all  j)rincipality, 
and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also,'  saith 
he,  '  in  that  which  is  to  come.'  To  make  up  this  reddition  now  on  our  parts, 
he  shews  us  in  this  chapter  that  Christ  not  only  sits  in  heaven  for  us  and  in 
onr  stead,  but  as  he  hath  a  world  to  come  in  which  he  shall  reign  and  sit 
for  ever,  so,  saith  he,  have  you ;  you  have  worlds  to  come — for  it  is  the  same 
word,  only  one  is  the  plural  and  the  other  is  the  singular — for  to  sit  with 
Christ,  and  you  shall  have  all  the  riches  of  God's  grace  bringing  in  joys  and 
happmess  to  you  to  feast  you  with  unto  eternity.  And  so  by  adding  this 
now,  the  Apostle  hath  made  the  reddition  full;  this  world  is  to  come  here 
on  our  parts ;  sitting  with  Christ  in  heaven  answers  to  that  sitting  of  Christ 
for  ever  over  principalities  and  powers  in  his  world  to  come,  with  this  dif- 
ference, that  he  sitteth  at  God's  right  hand,  which  we  are  not  said  to  do. 

Then  again,  the  phrase  shew  forth  will  exceedingly  fit  this  interpretation 
also,  and  comes  in  clearly  to  this  sense,  (I  shall  shew  you  by  and  by  that 
this  word  doth  not  only  import  to  hold  forth  in  an  example,  but  to  hold 
forth  gloriously,)  for  these  Ephesians'  hearts  might  thmk  thus,  and  they 
might  say.  You  tell  us  of  a  great  deal  that  God  hath  done  for  us,  he  hath 
set  us  yonder  in  heaven,  and  raised  us  up  together  in  Christ,  but  when  shall 
this  be  accomi^lished ?  "When  shall  it  be  performed  to  us?  We  see  none  of 
this,  it  is  yet  hidden  to  us.  Why,  saith  the  Apostle,  you  sit  now  in  Christ; 
but  God  hath  placed  you  there  but  to  this  end,  that  in  a  world  to  come  he 
might  there  shew  forth  to  you,  and  upon  you,  sitting  together  with  Christ, 
that  glory  which  now  is  hid;  as  the  word  shewing  forth  imports.  It  hath 
relation  to  what  is  now  liid,  what  they  saw  not.  For  we  do  not  see  now 
otherwise  than  by  faith  the  glory  of  Christ;  much  less  do  we  see  otherwise 
than  by  faith  that  he  hath  taken  up  heaven  for  us,  nor  do  we  see  that  riches 
of  glory  which  he  hath  taken  possession  of  in  our  stead.  But,  saith  he,  after 
the  resurrection,  when  the  world  to  come  shall  come,  and  in  those  ages  and 
evers  to  come,  he  will  shew  forth,  he  will  make  an  open  demonstration  of 
those  riches  which  Jesus  Christ  hath  taken  possession  of  And  so  it  is  a 
parallel  place  with  that  in  Col.  iii.  3,  4,  where  he  had  said,  ver.  1,  that  we 
are  risen  with  Christ,  even  as  he  here  saith  that  we  are  raised  in  Christ,  and 
sit  in  Christ  in  heaven,  and  he  addeth,  '  Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God ; 
but  when  Christ,  who  is  your  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with 
him  in  glory.'  So  because  that  these  riches  of  glory  which  Jesus  Christ  hath 
taken  possession  of  are  now  hidden,  therefore  he  doth  purposely  use  the  very 
word  here;  he  will  shew  forth  what  is  now  hidden,  he  will  break  open  that 
hidden  treasure  which  shall  last  even  to  eternity. 

And,  my  brethren,  to  shew  forth  in  an  example  is  not  the  only  force  of 
this  word,  it  doth  not  always  import  that  alone,  but  sometimes  to  shew 
forth  in  a  notorious,  in  a  manifest  and  glorious  way,  to  the  view  of  all.  I 
shall  give  you  a  place  for  it :  it  is  in  Rom.  ix.  22,  where  the  same  word  that 
is  here  used  for  shewing ;  it  is  not  there  to  shew  as  in  a  way  of  example  to 


EpH.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  275 

others  to  come,  for  it  is  spoken  of  shewing  his  wrath  upon  .all  the  reprobates 
of  theworkl  and  that  shall  be  found  at  the  day  of  judgment;  and  it  is  there 
used  only  for  this,  to  make  known.  Mark  the  words  :  '  What  if  God,  will- 
ing to  shew  his  wrath,' — it  is  the  same  word, — 'and  make  his  power  known.' 
So  that  now,  '  that  he  might  shew  in  the  ages  to  come,'  or  '  in  the  world  to 
come,'  is  but  this,  what  follows  afterward,  in  that  Rom.  ix.  23,  '  that  he 
might  make  known  the  riches  of  his  grace,'  which  there  he  calls  '  the  riches 
of  his  glory.'  And  the  truth  is,  this  Rom.  ix.  23  is  as  clear  a  parallel  to 
this  in  the  text  as  1  Tim.  i.  16  is  a  parallel  to  it  in  the  other  sense  before 
mentioned.  I  could  give  you  other  texts  wherein  the  word  here  used  is  not 
only  to  shew  by  way  of  example  that  God  will  do  the  same  to  others,  but 
that  God  will  do  it  openly  and  gloriously,  as  in  2  Thess.  ii.  4,  and  in  Heb. 
vi.  1 1 ;  but  I  AviU  not  stand  to  quote  and  heap  up  places. 

This  word  likewise,  exceeding  riches,  agrees  excellently  well  with  this 
sense.  For  what  is  the  manner  of  a  great  treasure  ?  It  useth  to  be  hid. 
Isa.  xlv.  3,  '  I  will  give  thee  the  treasures  of  darkness,  and  hidden  riches  of 
secret  places.'  So  because  these  treasures  which  God  means  in  the  ages  to 
come  to  bring  to  light  are  now  hidden,  he  puts  these  two  together,  that  he 
might  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace.  Where,  my  brethren, 
doth  he  use  the  addition  of  the  '  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  1 '  Nowhere 
that  I  know  of  but  here ;  and  why  ?  Because  he  speaks  of  the  utmost  mani- 
festation, demonstration,  and  accomplishment  of  the  height  of  the  riches  of 
his  grace,  which  shall  not  have  their  accomplishment  tUl  then. 

And  then  there  is  another  confirmation  also  of  this  interpretation,  and  that 
is  this :  I  told  you  at  first  that  the  Apostle  had  continued  a  discourse  begun 
at  the  18th  verse  of  the  1st  chapter.  It  is  the  longest  continued  discourse 
that  is  in  all  the  Scripture.  Now  liow  begins  that  18th  verse  of  that  1st 
chapter?  He  prays  there  that  they  might  'know  what  are  the  riches  of  the 
glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,'  and  so  he  goes  on,  and  it  is  a  continued 
discourse  to  this  very  verse,  which  is  the  coiiclusion  of  it,  and  the  only  con- 
clusion, and  he  was  not  come  to  a  period  till  now.  And  then  here  he  comes, 
and  with  that  he  concludes  all,  and  saith,  there  is  a  world  to  come  which  is 
the  design  and  end  of  all,  wherein  God  wHl  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace  to  come.  And  so  now  you  have  the  beginning  of  the  Apostle's 
sentence  and  the  end  of  it  meeting  in  one  circle  of  glory,  as  I  may  so  ex- 
press it.  '  Riches  of  glory '  he  began  with,  and  the  expense  of  the  riches  of 
grace  to  procure  that  glory  and  to  work  that  glory  is  his  conclusion.  And 
such  a  glorious  circle,  that  involves  summarily  all  things  concerning  our  sal- 
vation, even  heaven  and  all,  I  know  not  in  the  whole  book  of  God.  He 
begins  his  sentence  with  '  riches  of  glory,'  and  ends  with  the  '  riches  of 
grace '  to  be  shewn  forth  in  the  world  to  come,  as  the  accomplishment  of 
our  perfection  and  of  God's  design.  The  Holy  Ghost  did  stretch  the 
Apostle's  mind  to  the  utmost  expanse  to  enclose  in  this  discourse  of  his  all 
the  great  and  glorious  things  that  concern  our  salvation. 

But  you  will  say,  Why  doth  he  use  the  expression,  '  riches  of  his  grace,' 
if  he  intends  the  bestowing  of  glory  in  the  world  to  come,  and  the  accom- 
plishment of  our  salvation  %  why  doth  he  not  use  the  phrase  '  riches  of 
glory,'  as  he  had  done,  chap.  i.  18,  and  Rom.  ix.  23  ? 

The  answer  is  ready,  and  it  confirms  my  interpretation.  For  in  the  first 
place  his  scope  here  is  to  shew  the  fountain,  which  he  would  magnify,  of 
those  riches  of  glory  spoken  of,  chap.  i.  18.  His  scope  is  here  to  magnify 
God,  as  rich  in  mercy,  and  as  having  in  his  eye  to  shew,  before  he  had  done, 
the  exceeding,  the  abundant,  all  the  riches  of  his  mercy  and  of  his  goodness. 


276  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XVIII. 

Now  then,  riclies  of  grace  being  the  cause  and  fountain  of  all  the  glory  we 
have  in  heaven,  therefore  when  he  comes  to  magnify  and  glorify  it,  that 
being  all  his  scope,  he  speaks  here  in  the  language  of  the  cause.  He  doth 
not  say,  God  will  shew  forth  the  riches  of  glory,  but  the  'exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace.'  How?  In  bestowing  so  much  glory  as  a  God  that  is  rich  in 
mercy,  and  hath  nothing  but  love  in  him  to  his  saints,  and  sets  himself  to 
love  them,  can  bestow ;  that  look,  what  riclies  of  glory  in  God,  such  riches  of 
grace  in  him,  can  procure,  you  shall  have  them  all.  It  is  the  greatest  argu- 
ment to  shew  the  greatness  of  glory  in  heaven  that  could  be  imagined.  My 
brethren,  grace  is  at  all  the  cost,  it  is  purser  of  all  his  expenses,  there  is  the 
mine  of  all :  therefore  he  would  have  us  now  gather  and  collect  what  a  riches 
of  glory  must  needs  be  there,  when  God  shall  begin  to  shew  forth  such 
a  treasure  as  the  gospel  is  almost  mute  about  it,  tells  us  of  it,  but  cannot 
speak  a  word  of  it,  but  shall  then  be  shewn  forth,  and  requires  an  eternity 
of  time  to  manifest  it  in. 

But  it  will  be  further  said.  If  it  be  meant  of  the  shewing  forth  of  his  grace 
in  the  accomplishment  of  our  salvation  in  heaven,  why  doth  he  add,  in  his 
kindness  toivafd  us  1 

Those  words,  you  shall  find  that  they  will  suit  as  much  and  as  fully  God's 
dispensation  in  heaven,  as  they  will  suit  the  other  sense  of  making  the  Ephe- 
sians  the  example  of  his  grace  to  the  ages  to  come.  I  shall  make  this  plain 
and  manifest  to  you,  and  thereby  I  shall  fully  open  every  word  of  this  text. 
And — 

First,  It  is  not  '  in  his  kindness'  in  the  original,  for  the  word  his  is  not 
there,  but  is  inserted  by  our  translators,  as  leaning  to  the  other  sense.  Now 
there  are  two  reasons  why  these  words  are  added,  to  shew  the  riches  of  his 
grace ;  still  keeping  this  interpretation,  that  it  is  meant  of  the  accomplish- 
ment of  our  salvation  in  heaven. 

1.  That  reason  which  Grotius  gives,  who  indeed  carries  it  in  this  sense 
■we  are  now  lapon.  He  adds,  saith  he,  this  word,  'in  his  kindness,'  unto 
grace,  because  he  knoAvs  not  how  to  use  words  enough.  And  it  is  the  man- 
ner of  the  Scriptures,  when  they  would  magnify  anything,  to  inculcate  with 
variety  of  words  the  same  thing  again  and  again,  and  especially  in  magnifying 
of  grace  and  gifts  thereof :  the  blessed  a^sostlcs,  and  other  writers,  the  pro- 
phets, have  done  so.  There  is  that  famous  instance  in  Isa.  Ixiii.  7,  where, 
speaking  to  magnify  the  love  of  God  in  all  the  benefits  he  bestows  upon  us, 
see  how  he  multiplies  phrases  :  '  I  will  mention  the  loving-kindnesses  of  the 
Lord,' — that  is,  the  benefits  which  proceed  from  his  loving-kindness, — '  and 
the  praises  of  the  Lord,  according  to  all  that  the  Lord  hath  bestowed  on  us, 
and  the  great  goodness  toward  the  house  of  Israel  which  he  hath  bestowed 
on  them  according  to  his  mercies,  and  according  to  the  multitude  of  his 
loving-kindnesses.'  You  see  here  how  he  heaps  up  loving-kindnesses  to  mercy, 
and  great  goodness  to  loving-kindness,  and  multitude  of  loving-kindness  to 
great  goodness ;  he  can  scarcely  fill  it  up  with  words  enough  :  the  holy 
prophets  did  so  abound,  and  truly  so  doth  the  Apostle  here.  To  magnify 
the  greatness  of  the  grace  of  God,  he  contents  not  himself  to  say,  '  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  his  grace,'  but  he  adds,  '  in  his  kindness  towards  us.' 

There  is  a  second  matter  contained  in  this  '  kindness'  in  the  reddition, 
if  it  be  referred  to  heaven.  For  the  word  kindness  superaddeth  to  grace. 
I  told  you  in  opening,  the  difference  of  mercy,  and  love,  and  grace;  that 
there  is  a  diiference  in  all  these  three,  something  expressed  by  the  one  which 
the  other  did  not.     My  brethren,  here  is  kindness,  which  the  Apostle  puts 


EpH,  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAKS.  277 

in,  and  puts  in  in  a  very  good  place,  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  grace  be- 
stowing heaven  upon  lis.  It  is  the  fullest  Avord  that  can  be  :  it  doth  not 
only  import  grace  and  free  favour,  it  doth  not  only  import  mercy,  but  it  is  a 
sweet  word,  it  imports  sweetness  of  dispositi(jn,  it  imports  friendliness  in 
it ;  it  is  a  familiar  word,  a  condescending  word ;  it  is  an  overplus  to  love, 
and  to  mercy,  and  to  grace  and  all.  For  grace  imports  a  sovereignty  in  God 
to  shew  favour,  that  he  doth  it  freely  like  a  lord,  and  the  great  king  of  the 
world ;  for  great  persons  are  properly  said  to  be  gracious.  And  mercy, 
that  is  a  good  Avord  too,  but  it  is  a  disposition  to  shew  pity  and  to  relieve 
one  in  misery ;  but  yjiT,6-(,7rr-,  the  word  here,  implies  all  sweetness,  and  all 
candidness,  and  all  friendliness,  and  all  heartiness,  and  all  goodness,  and  good- 
ness of  nature.  And  he  superaddeth  this,  to  manifest  tliereby  both  the  root 
of,  and  also  the  way  of  God's  shewing  love  to  his  people ;  and  the  meaning 
is,  that  God  doth  not  now  dispense  heaven  and  glory  and  happiness  merely 
out  of  grace,  and  out  of  his  prerogative,  merely  to  shew  forth  his  own  glory 
and  riches,  as  the  first  importeth ;  and  it  is  well  for  us  he  doth  so,  for  that 
argi:es  it  to  be  the  greater  happiness  ;  but  further,  saith  the  Apostle,  he  doth 
it  "with  the  greatest  kindness  that  can  be,  with  a  benignity,  with  a  rejoicing, 
■with  a  heartiness.  My  brethren,  all  these  sweet  words  that  are  put  for 
goodness  and  sweetness  and  the  like,  the  Septuagint  uses  this  very  word  for 
them  all  throughout  the  whole  Old  Testament.  To  give  you  one  instance  ; 
it  is  in  1  Pet.  ii.  3,  that  you  may  taste  how  good  the  Lord  is;  it  is  the 
same  word  that  is  here ;  how  sweet  he  is.  All  dispositions  of  sweetness 
and  friendliness  are  implied  in  this  word  '  kindness.'  '  How  great  is  thy 
goodness  which  thou  hast  laid  up  for  them  that  fear  thee  ! '  The  Septua- 
gint reads  it,  '  How  great  is  thy  kindness  ! '  It  is  distinct  from  mercy,  and 
superaddeth  to  mercy :  Eph.  iv.  32,  '  Be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  and  tender- 
hearted,' (I'c.  It  is  distinguished  from  long-suflFering  in  2  Cor.  vi.  6.  It  is 
made  the  root  of  mercy  and  all  in  God,  in  Tit.  iii.  4.  Saith  he,  we  are  thus 
and  thus  ;  '  but  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  tow^ards 
man  appeared,'  then  so  and  so.  Kindness  there,  as  one  Avell  observeth,  is 
the  root,  his  native  sweetness  of  disposition  which  incUneth  him  to  love, 
which  as  the  efi'ect  thereof  follows.  Therefore  the  Apostle  goes  to  the  bottom 
of  God's  heart  when  he  adds  this,  '  his  kindness  toward  us  in  Christ  Jesus.' 

It  implies  this,  that  God  is  glad  of  all  the  glory  he  bestows  upon  us,  that 
he  rejoiceth  over  us,  as  the  phrase  is  in  Jer.  xxxii.  41,  'I  Avill  rejoice  over 
them  to  do  them  good,'  saith  he  ;  so  God  will  rejoice  over  you  in  glorifying 
of  you.  It  imports  that  he  will  not  do  it  merely  to  shew  his  riches,  as 
Ahasuerus  made  a  feast  and  invited  all  his  nobles,  to  shew  the  riches  of  his 
glorious  kingdom.  God  indeed  will  bring  us  to  heaven,  and  shew  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  his  grace ;  and  that  is  the  chiefest  end  he  aims  at.  But 
now  Ahasuerus,  he  did  not  do  this  in  kindness ;  it  was  more  to  shew  his 
riches  and  glory  than  his  kindness ;  but  God,  as  he  will  there  shew  forth 
the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  for  the  glorifying  of  it,  so  he  will  do  it  in 
all  the  sweetness  and  kindness  that  your  souls  can  desire  or  expect. 

My  brethren,  it  is  well  for  us  that  the  proportion  of  glorifying  us  will  be 
answerable  to  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  own  grace  and  the  glory  that  he 
shall  have  from  thence ;  and  that  that  shall  be  the  measure  of  our  happi- 
ness. But  to  add  this  to  it,  for  the  manner  of  it,  that  he  will  do  it  with  all 
affection,  with  his  whole  heart,  and  in  all  kindness ;  this  infinitely  sweetens 
it  to  us.  It  is  therefore,  I  say,  a  good  word  indeed,  and  comes  in  well,  '  in 
kindness  to  us,'  the  word  his  not  being  in  the  Greek.     The  phrase  fitly 


278  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVIIL 

serves  to  shew  the  manner  of  his  dispensing  to  be  thus  in  a  bountiful  way, 
and  in  a  benign,  kind,  and  willing  way ;  and  so  interpreters  carry  it :  Quam 
liheraliter,  quam  magnijice,  &c. 

And  then  '  in  kindness '  may  be  added.  He  will  then  '  shew  forth  the 
exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward  us ; '  that  is,  in  the 
same  kindness  wheremth  he  hath  begun  to  quicken  us.  You  may  see  how 
kind  he  will  be  in  heaven  by  findmg  how  kind  he  is  now ;  by  the  very  same 
kindness  he  will  dispense  all  glory  to  you  in  the  world  to  come.  And  so 
much  now,  why  that  '  in  his  kindness '  is  added  to  the  manifestation  of  the 
riches  of  his  grace. 

The  next  thing  is,  toward  us.  You  know  the  former  interpretation 
carries  it  thus,  that  he  made  these  Ephesians  instances  of  the  grace  he  will 
then  shew  forth  in  the  ages  to  come.  But  if  you  refer  it  to  heaven,  there 
is  more  in  it ;  for  when  the  Apostle  tells  them  that  God  would  make  them 
patterns  of  his  grace  to  others,  the  comfort  will  be  to  others,  not  so  much  to 
themselves  ;  but  when  he  saith,  God  will  shew  forth  towards  them  all  glory 
in  the  world  to  come,  this  falleth  personally  upon  themselves  and  comforts 
them  immediately.  And,  my  brethren,  this  could  not  but  mightily  raise 
their  hearts  indeed.  For  when  we  shall  hear  that  God  intends  in  heaven  to 
lay  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace,  that  may  be  supposed  to  be  meant  indefi- 
nitely as  the  common  condition  of  all  the  saints ;  but  when  he  shall  add, 
'  in  his  kindness  toward  you,'  you  are  the  men  that  shall  be  the  objects  of 
all  this  kindness  and  of  all  this  grace,  how  wonderfully  will  this  affect  our 
souls  !  And  to  this  purpose,  to  comfort  and  raise  their  hearts,  doth  the 
Apostle  here  bring  in  this,  '  in  his  kindness  toward  us.'  And  in  that  they 
are  examples  to  all  believers  that  follow ;  for  the  us  here  is  not  the  Ephe- 
sians alone,  but  all  the  saints  and  elect ;  even  as  when  he  shewed  that  we 
were  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  he  sjjeaks  in  the  person  of  the  Ei^hesians, 
but  he  Avould  have  all  mankind  to  apply  it  to  themselves.  So  that  indeed 
they  need  not  be  examples  in  this,  but  it  being  the  common  condition  of  all 
believers,  it  is  carried  fully  enough  in  them.  And  the  meaning,  in  a  word, 
is  this,  that  God  will  not  only  shew  forth  riches  of  glory  in  heaven  indefi- 
nitely, but  he  hath  chosen  out  you ;  you,  out  of  a  special  kindness  which  he 
hath  borne  towards  you,  out  of  which  he  will  glorify  you ;  and  you  are  the 
vessels  of  that  mercy  upon  which  he  will  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace. 
Therefore  now  he  brings  in  '  toward  us '  again,  though  he  had  mentioned  it 
before,  to  affect  their  hearts  the  more. 

But  why  is  this  word,  in  Christ  Jesus,  added,  which  he  had  used  so  often 
before,  again  and  again  ? 

Not  only  because  he  would  have  us  never  to  leave  Jesus  Christ  out.  I  do 
not  know  who  can  set  up  without  Christ,  or  continue  without  Christ,  for  I 
am  sure  the  Apostle  never  leaves  him  out ;  no,  not  in  election  and  adoption, 
nor  in  anything,  so  not  now,  when  he  comes  to  heaven ;  but  still  whatso- 
ever he  speaks  of,  Christ  cometh  in.  But  I  say,  this  is  not  all ;  his  mean- 
ing is  this  likewise,  that  all  the  glory  that  the  saints  shall  have  from  the 
exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  heaven  shall  all  be  in  Christ.  He  had  told 
them,  chap.  i.  3,  4,  that  God  had  blessed  them  with  all  heavenly  blessings 
in  Christ.  If  as  heavenly,  and  all  such  that  then  we  have  upon  earth,  we 
have  them  all  in  Christ,  much  more  then ;  the  more  heavenly,  they  are 
more  in  Christ.  Indeed,  out  of  Christ  God  could  not  love  any  creature,  nor 
would  love  any  creature,  much  less  would  suffer  any  creature  to  be  so  near 
him,  but  that  he  hath  blessed  them  and  will  continue  kind  to  them  in  Christ. 

But  then,  in  the  second  place,  it  comes  in  to  a  greater,  I  mean  to  a  more 


EpH.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  279 

empbatical  purpose, — for  a  greater  cannot  be  than  this  mentioned, — and  that 
is,  to  shew  that  all  that  God  will  bestow  upon  us  in  he.aven,  it  shall  be  out 
of  the  same  kindness  which  he  bcareth  to  Jesus  Christ  himself.  He  will  use 
you  kindly  when  you  come  thither.  Do  but  think  how  kindly  he  used  his 
Son,  how  welcome  he  made  him  ■when  he  came  to  heaven,  when  he  said.  Sit 
thou  here,  till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool.  Why,  the  same  kind- 
ness he  bears  to  Christ  he  bears  to  us ;  and  out  of  that  kindness  he  bears  to 
Christ  he  will  entertain  us  there  for  evermore,  and  heartily  and  freely  spend 
his  utmost  riches  upon  us ;  for  he  will  glorify  the  head  and  members  with 
the  same  glory.  '  Therefore  the  Apostle  shewed,  in  the  first  chapter,  that  he 
set  up  Jesus  Christ  as  the  head,  and  that  the  same  power  that  wrought  in 
him,  and  raised  him  up,  and  set  him  in  heaven,  works  in  us  and  shall 
accomplish  it  in  us.  Here  he  shews  that  it  is  the  same  kindness  ;  the  same 
kindness  wherewith  he  embraced  Jesu3  Christ  as  the  head,  he  embraceth  the 
■whole  body  also,  and  out  of  that  kindness  will  entertain  them  everlastingly, 
as  he  hath  done  Jesus  Christ.  As  we  and  Christ  make  but  one  body,  so 
God's  love  to  Christ  and  us  is  but  one  love.  There  is  one  Father,  one 
Spirit,  and  one  love,  and  indeed  one  Christ ;  for  both  body  and  head  make 
one  Christ.  I  need  not  stand  upon  this,  you  have  it  in  John  xvii.  23,  '  Thou 
hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast  loved  me;'  and,  ver.  22,  'The  glory  which 
thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them.'  And  Avhat  can  be  said  more  to  shew 
us  what  great  glory  that  in  heaven  will  be,  whenas  Jesus  Christ  is  not  only 
a  pattern  and  example  of  it,  but  when  it  proceeds  out  of  the  same  kindness 
that  God's  heart  is  set  upon  towards  Jesus  Christ  himself? 

And  thus,  my  brethren,  I  have  opened  to  you  this  text,  and  indeed  everj^ 
■word  in  it,  and  that  to  two  senses  of  as  great  moment  as  can  be  found  in 
any  place ;  so  great,  and  so  comprehensive,  that  they  are  well  worthy  to  be 
the  conclusion  of  so  glorious  a  discourse  as  the  Ajjostle  had  prosecuted,  even 
himself  out  of  breath,  if  we  may  so  speak,  from  the  ISth  verse  of  the  first 
chapter,  until  now ;  the  words  that  follow,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  are  but 
a  resuming  of  one  particular  which  he  had  scattered  by  a  parenthesis  in  this 
grand  discourse,  which  he  explaineth  a  little  further,  but  otherwise  here  is 
the  close. 

I  need  not  tell  you  which  of  the  senses  I  lean  to.  The  truth  is,  if  they 
will  both  stand  together,  I  can  hardly  tell  which  to  take ;  but  I  incline  to 
the  latter,  as  that  which  is  most  worthy  to  be  the  conclusion  of  so  magni- 
ficent and  glorious  a  discourse  as  the  Apostle  had  made. 

I  have  gone  by  this  rule  ever  since  I  began  to  open  this  Epistle  to  you — 
that  is,  to  take  in  all  the  senses  in  any  scripture  that  will  consist  and  stand 
together ;  and  I  think  the  excellency  and  glory  of  a  scripture,  as  of  all  say- 
ings of  weight  and  moment  of  wise  men,  lies  in  this.  Take  a  wise  saying  of 
a  wise  man,  and  the  more  depth  of  senses  can  be  fetched  out  of  it,  the  more 
aspects  of  meanings  it  hath,  the  more  several  ways  it  looks,  the  deeper  is  the 
sentence,  and  the  fuller  of  wisdom,  as  in  sayings  of  wit  also ;  and  so  it  is  in 
the  sayings  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now  oftentimes  there  are  senses  cannot 
stand  together,  but  I  hope  it  will  prove  that  both  these  may,  and  then  the 
sum  of  it  is  but  thus.  The  Apostle's  intent  is  to  hold  forth  God's  great 
design,  whereof  he  had  given  these  Ephesians  instances  and  examples,  and 
of  his  grace  to  them  in  their  salvation  ;  and  saith  he,  he  hath  intended,  and 
doth  confirm  to  all  the  world  by  what  he  hath  done  to  you,  that  for  all  the 
ages  to  come,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  he  will  shew  forth  the  like  grace,  to 
call  in  a  world  of  his  elect,  whereof  you  are  the  first-fruits  and  forerunners. 
And  when  he  hath  thus,  by  shewing  forth  that  exceeding  riches  of  grace, 


280  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XVIII. 

quickened  all  his  elect  and  gathered  ttem  to  Jesus  Christ,  then  begins  another 
world  in  ages  to  come,  in  which  he  will  break  open  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
which  is  the  utmost  accomplishment  of  our  salvation,  and  the  utmost  design 
of  free  grace,  and  where  he  will  shew  so  much  glory  as  to  hold  proportion 
with  the  exceeding  riches  of  the  grace  of  the  great  God,  and  of  his  loving- 
kindness.  And  this  I  take  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  words,  which  dotli 
comprehend  both  the  senses  and  interpretations. 


EpH.  II.  7.  J  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  281 


SERMON  XIX. 

That  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in 
his  kindness  toward  ics  in  Christ  Jesus. — Ver.  7. 

The  words  that  I  have  read  to  you,  as  I  told  you  in  the  List  discourse,  are 
the  conclusion  both  of  God's  design  of  man's  salvation,  and  of  all  the  con- 
trivements  of  the  execution  of  it ;  and  they  are  the  conclusion  also  of  the 
longest  continued  discourse  that  I  know  of  in  the  whole  book  of  God ;  the 
Apostle  having  indeed  begun  at  the  18th  verse  of  the  first  chapter,  and  not 
ended  till  now.  And  there  are  of  these  words  three  interpretations,  where- 
of I  mentioned  two  in  the  last  discourse  :  all  which,  I  believe,  will  be  fully 
comprehended  in  the  intent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  them. 

The  first  of  them,  which  I  then  mentioned  not,  is  general  to  the  other  two, 
and  takes  in  all,  and  it  is  this  :  that  here  the  Apostle  propounds  the  end  of 
God  in  the  salvation  of  men  simply,  as  it  reflects  and  respecteth  his  own 
glory,  and  especially  of  his  grace.  He  holds  forth  here  the  highest  end  as 
it  respects  the  glory  of  God,  which  is  '  to  shew  forth  in  the  ages  to  come  the 
exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ 
Jesus.'  That  look  now,  as  in  the  first  chapter  he  had  made  this,  as  it  were, 
the  close  and  the  burden  of  all,  '  to  the  glory  of  his  grace,' — thus,  ver.  6, 
ha^ving  spoken  of  election,  he  saith,  '  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace  ; ' 
having  spoken  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  ver.  7,  '  according  to  the  riches  of 
his  grace;'  having  spoken  of  faith,  and  of  the  work  of  faith,  ver.  12,  'that 
we,'  who  have  foith  wrought  in  us,  '  should  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory,' — so 
likewise  here  ;  only  because  that  this  is  the  close  of  all,  when  he  meaneth  to 
part  with  it,  he  adds  a  heightening  expression ;  he  riseth  in  his  epithets  of 
it,  and  he  saith  here,  '  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace.' 

Now  that  which  confirms  this  interpretation,  as  I  told  you  what  proves 
the  other,  are  these  particulars  : — 

First,  That  God's  glory  made  known  is  the  supreme  end  of  all,  and  in  God, 
the  glory  of  Ms  grace  ;  and  therefore  seeing  here  he  bringeth  in  a  close,  a  con- 
clusion of  all  about  man's  salvation,  he  should  therefore  intend  this  most 
chiefly  and  principally;  namely,  that  God's  end  was  to  manifest  the  riches 
of  his  grace,  and  the  glory  of  his  grace,  as  it  respecteth  his  own  glory. 

And  this,  secondly,  cohereth  with  the  words  which  go  before,  and  follow 
after.  He  had  shewn  in  the  words  before  the  causes  of  our  salvation  ;  and 
he  begins  thus,  '  God,  that  was  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he 
loved  us.'  He  mentioneth  there  riches  of  mercy  in  God,  as  the  cause  'Tr^orj-yov- 
f/'ivri,  the  inward  disposition  inclining  him  in  his  own  heart  thereunto.  Here 
now  he  mentioneth  the  final  cause  to  be  the  making  known  of  those  riches 
of  grace  and  mercy  laid  up  in  himself  unto  mankind,  and  that  God  being  so 
rich  in  his  nature,  and  so  full  of  love,  hath  contrived  all  to  shew  forth  the 
riches  of  his  grace  to  the  uttermost. 

And  then  again,  in  the  third  place,  this  being  made  the  final  cause  of  aU, — 
namely,  the  glorifying  the  riches  of  the  grace  of  God, — is  mentioned  here, 


282  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIX. 

after  the  description  of  so  great  a  siufnlness  in  the  persons  saved,  and  after 
so  great  a  salvation  in  all  the  parts  of  it,  described  in  the  verses  before,  to 
that  end  to  make  this  salvation  credible.  The  next  words  are,  '  for  by  grace 
ye  are  saved,  and  that  through  faith.'  His  scope  is  to  make  men  believe 
that  God  indeed  had  done,  and  would  do,  so  great  things  for  sinners  that 
had  deserved  nothing  at  his  hands,  yea,  the  contrary;  and  therefore  gives 
you  the  bottom  reason  that  was  in  God's  heart,  to  take  off  the  wonddT ;  and 
it  is,  saith  he,  merely  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  own  grace ; 
and  to  that  end  it  was  that  he  contrived  this  depth  of  misery,  and  this  great- 
ness of  salvation,  to  set  forth  the  riches  of  grace  in  himself  so  much  the  more. 
My  brethren,  when  men  hear  of  so  great  a  God  that  hath  done  so  great  things 
for  the  salvation  of  his  own  sinful  creatures,  either  they  are  apt  to  think  that 
there  is  something  in  themselves  for  which  he  should  do  it,  or  else  indeed 
and  in  truth  their  hearts  believe  it  not.  Now  therefore  the  Apostle  doth 
give  a  plain  account  of  it,  to  work  belief  in  them,  and  he  discovereth  the 
supreme  end,  which  he  inculcateth  again  and  again,  that  all  was  to  manifest 
the  glory  of  his  own  grace  to  the  full.  So  although  you  see  no  reason,  and 
God  himself  did  not,  why  he  should  thus  save  them,  yet  saith  he,  he  saw 
full  reason  in  his  own  heart;  he  had  a  full,  adequate  motive  in  his  own 
breast  to  do  all  this,  which  in  itself  is  so  incredible. 

And  then,  fourthly,  the  words  themselves  do  give  up  themselves  readily 
to  this  sense  also. 

First,  The  words,  to  shew  forth,  is  the  antecedent  put  for  the  consequent, 
as  oftentimes  in  Scripture  it  is.  The  meaning  is  this :  he  puts  that  which 
shall  be  the  occasion  of  glorifying  of  him  for  glorifying  of  him.  The  occa- 
sion and  the  way  of  glorifying  of  him  is  shewing  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace : 
so  that  indeed  the  meaning  comes  to  this,  that  his  scope  and  intent  was  that 
men  should  glorify  him  by  his  shewing  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace ; 
it  being  known  to  that  end  that  it  might  be  glorified.  And  in  Rom.  ix.  22, 
these  two  are  made  equivalent,  '  to  shew  forth  his  wrath,'  and  '  make  his 
power  known  : '  so  here,  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace,  or  to  make  it 
known,  to  that  end  it  may  be  glorified. 

Secondly,  The  phrase,  ages  to  come,  imiDlies  thus  much,  take  it  as  it  re- 
spects simply  the  glory  of  God,  that  it  is  such  riches  of  grace  which  God 
manifesteth  in  the  salvation  of  men,  as  deserveth  in  all  times,  in  this  world 
and  in  the  world  to  come,  to  be  celebrated,  to  be  magnified,  and  glorified, 
even  by  all  creatures,  and  shall  be  laid  open  to  the  full  at  the  day  of  judg- 
^nent  by  Jesus  Christ  himself;  and  deserveth  especially  to  be  magnified  and 
glorified  and  celebrated  even  to  eternity,  by  the  persons  themselves  who  are 
the  subjects  of  this  grace. 

Thirdly,  In  his  kindness  toward  us,  doth  suit  even  to  this  sense  also.  It 
hath  been  questioned  by  some  whether,  yea  or  no,  the  first  moving  cause  to 
move  God  to  go  forth  to  save  men  was  the  manifesting  of  his  own  glory,  or 
his  kindness  and  love  to  men  which  he  was  pleased  to  take  up  towards  them  ? 
I  have  heard  it  argued  with  much  appearance  of  strength,  that  however  God 
indeed  in  the  way  of  saving  men  carries  it  as  becomes  God,  so  as  his  own 
glory  and  grace  shall  have  the  pre-eminence ;  yet  that  which  first  moved 
him,  that  which  did  give  the  occasion  to  him  to  go  forth  in  the  manifesta- 
tion of  himself,  which  else  he  needed  not,  was  rather  kindness  to  us  than 
his  own  glory  :  yet  so,  as  if  he  resolved  out  of  kindness  and  love  to  us  to 
manifest  himself  at  all,  he  would  then  do  it  Hke  God,  and  he  would  so  shew 
forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  as  that  that  alone  should  be  magnified. 
Now  the  truth  is,  this  text  compounds  the  business,  and  doth  tell  us  plainly 


EpH.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  283 

and  truly  tliat  the  chief  end  is  that  God  should  glorify  his  own  grace,  for  I 
assent  not  to  that  which  I  mentioned.  It  puts  the  chief  and  original  end 
upon  the  shewing  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace ;  yet  so  as  he  hath 
attempered  and  conjoined  therewith  the  greatest  kindness,  the  greatest  lov- 
ing affection,  for  the  way  of  manifesting  of  it,  so  as  in  the  way  of  carrying  it, 
it  shall  appear  it  is  not  simply  to  glorify  himself,  but  out  of  kindness  toward 
us  ;  he  puts  that  in,  as  that  which  shall  run  along  with  all  the  manifestation 
of  his  own  glory.  And  therefore  now  he  makes,  in  the  4  th  verse,  mercy  and 
great  love  to  us  to  be  as  well  the  fountain  and  foundation  of  our  salvation,  as 
the  manifestation  of  the  riches  of  his  grace  here. 

And  then  likewise  those  other  words,  toward  ns,  come  in  here,  to  shew 
also  thus  much,  that  God,  in  pitching  upon  glorifying  his  free  grace,  did  not 
do  it  upon  men  in  the  general,  as  some  have  conceived  the  counsels  of  God 
first  lay, — viz.,  that  he  resolved  first  in  himself  to  glorify  his  free  grace  upon 
some  in  the  general  and  indefinite,  and  then  he  thought  of  persons ;  and 
seeing  he  had  laid  that  conclusion,  it  was  all  one  to  him,  say  they,  whom  he 
should  have  chosen  ;  some  he  must  have  if  he  would  accomplish  that  decree, 
and  so  he  pitched  upon  those  he  did.  'Now,  to  shew  the  contrary,  that  even 
from  the  first,  that  all  along  when  he  first  pitched  upon  manifesting  the 
riches  of  his  grace  in  the  salvation  of  men,  he  had  the  persons  in  his  eye 
whom  he  would  manifest  this  upon,  and  that  it  was  not  an  after-thought,  a 
thought  of  indiflerency,  therefore  the  Apostle  here  saith,  '  in  his  kindness 
toward  vs.'  That  general  and  indefinite  way  is  derogatory  from  that  special 
love  and  kindness  which  he  beareth  toward  us  in  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  Apostle 
here  speaks.  He  joins,  you  see,  a  respect  toward  us,  as  having  ^ls  in  his 
eye  in  particular,  together  wdth  the  utmost  end  he  had  in  respect  to  himself, 
which  was  the  glorifying  of  his  own  love.  He  never  had  a  purpose  of  glori- 
fying himself,  but  he  had  withal  a  purpose  at  the  same  instant  to  make  us 
the  vessels  and  objects  of  his  love. 

Lastly,  In  Christ  Jesus  is  added,  for  he  is  adequate  to  all  God's  counsels. 
God  shews  not  one  dram  nor  casts  one  beam  of  favour  upon  any  soul  but  in 
Christ.  He  hath  chosen  us  in  him,  and  never  considereth  us  out  of  him, 
nor  him  without  us ;  no,  nor  his  own  glory  neither,  but  as  involving  kind- 
ness; he  loved  us  altogether.  And  so  now  you  have  a  summary  inter- 
pretation of  these  words  to  that  more  general  meaning,  which  indeed  doth 
comprehend  the  other  two  I  gave  in  the  last  discourse. 

I  confess  this  interpretation  I  now  have  given, — that  is,  that  these  words 
should  respect  the  design  God  had,  as  aiming  at  his  own  glory,  the  glory  of  his 
grace, — it  was  that  w^hich,  when  I  looked  upon  the  words  afar  off,  I  thought 
had  been  the  only  meaning  of  them,  and  he  that  runs  may  read  this  to  be 
the  general  scope  of  them ;  but  when  I  approached  nearer  to  them,  there 
were  two  other  more  narrow  (let  me  say  so)  interpretations — yet  glorious 
ones  too — which  did  further  appear  to  be  of  them,  which  I  spake  to  largely 
in  the  last  discourse.     And — 

The  first  of  them  is  this,  I  shall  repeat  it  briefly :  that  besides  this  general 
end  that  God  had,  as  it  respects  himself  simply,  he  made  the  salvation  of 
these  Ephesians,  and  of  those  primitive  Christians,  to  be  patterns  and  ex- 
amples of  Avhat  grace  and  mercy  he  would  shew  forth  to  posterity,  in  all 
ages  to  come,  under  the  times  of  the  go.spel.  And  by  shcAA^ng  that  he  then 
converted  idolatrous  heathens  all  the  world  over,  he  did  thereby  give  a  pawn 
and  a  pledge  of  that  riches  of  grace  which  he  had  broken  up  under  the 
times  of  the  gospel,  and  meant  to  go  on  to  dispense  in  after  times  both  to 
Jews  and  Gentiles,      And  to  this  sense  also  doth  everything  in  the  text. 


284  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XIX 

as  I  shewed  you  in  the  last  discourse,  give  up  themselves,  to  make  these 
primitive  Christians  patterns  of  grace  to  all  ages  to  come. 

The  word,  to  sheiu  forth,  here,  is  to  give  proof,  it  is  to  give  assurance  by  a 
pattern  ;  as  in  2  Cor.  viii.  24,  and  1  Tim.  vi.  15,  and  especially  in  1  Tim. 
i.  IG,  '  He  set  me  up  as  a  pattern,'  saith  he,  'that  in  me  he  might  shew  forth' — • 
it  is  the  same  word — '  all  long-suffering,'  (fee.  And  so  now  this  second  sense, 
as  the  other  is  for  the  glory  of  God,  so  this  is  mightily  for  our  comfort  and 
encouragement,  and  all  our  posterity  that  shall  live  in  after  ages,  to  bring  in 
what  mercies,  what  sa\dng  mercies  God  vouchsafed  to  these  Ephesians  and 
other  Christians,  as  a  pattern  and  pledge  of  what  grace  we  might  expect. 
And  there  is  no  reason  to  exclude  this,  and  it  comes  well  in  under  that 
general  I  mentioned  even  now. 

There  is  also  a  second  sense  I  then  named,  a  third  sense  indeed,  and  all  in 
the  text  gives  itself  up  to  it  likewise  ;  for  these  words  being  the  conclusion 
of  so  long  a  discourse,  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  the  greatest  summing  up  of  all 
in  them  concerning  man's  salvation  that  is  included  in  any  scrij^ture.  And 
that  third  sense  is  this :  that  whereas  the  Apostle  had  set  out  our  salvation 
as  begun,  '  He  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,'  he  hath  set  Christ 
in  heaven,  and  there  he  hath  given  him  our  portion ;  that  is,  he  hath  put,  as 
into  the  hands  of  a  feoffee  in  trust,  all  the  glory  we  shall  have  for  ever;  he 
hath  in  him  raised  us  up,  and  in  him  set  us  together  in  heavenly  places ;  all 
the  glory  we  shall  have  in  the  other  world,  which  we  are  to  possess,  is  now 
put,  saith  he,  into  the  hand  of  Christ.  To  what  end?  '  That  he  might  shew 
forth  in  ages  to  come,'  even  to  eternity,  the  riches  of  that  grace  which  he 
hath  intended  lis  in  Christ,  which  he  hath  already  given  us  in  Christ  repre- 
sentatively, which  Christ  hath  taken  possession  of;  which,  saith  he,  is  so 
great  a  glory,  as  it  requires  ages  to  come,  an  eternity  of  time,  for  to  spend 
that  treasure  which  is  thus  given  us  in  Christ ;  it  requires  h  ruT;  aluci  rcTg 
'fTri^y^^'juhoi;,  as  the  word  is,  ages  of  ages,  to  spend  them  and  to  manifest 
them ;  which  when  those  times  shall  begin,  then  shall  begin  the  accomplish- 
ment of  our  salvation,  and  so  it  shall  be  complete.  And  because  he  would 
shew  how  great  that  salvation  is,  he  describes  it  to  us  first  by  the  fountain 
of  it.  Look  what  riches  of  grace  in  Christ  he  hath  to  bestow  upon  them 
he  loves  in  his  Son  ;  look  what  will  require  an  eternity  of  time  for  to  ex- 
haust so  great  a  glory  he  hath  designed  unto  them  whom  he  hath  placed 
in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  this  sense  I  shewed  you  to  be  as 
genuine  as  any  of  the  other.  I  wUl  not  stand  to  repeat  anything  of  that, 
because  I  mean  to  spend  the  rest  of  the  time  in  observations  upon  these  inter- 
pretations. 

Only,  in  a  word,  I  shall  first  give  you  an  account  why  I  take  in  all  these 
interpretations.  I  lay  this  for  a  ground, — which  I  do  not  know,  through  so 
many  instances  in  Scripture,  how  any  man  shall  beat  me  from  it, — namely, 
that  all  those  senses  that  can  stand  together,  especially  that  are  subordinate 
one  to  another,  and  may  be  included  one  under  another,  how  to  exclude  any 
such  senses,  but  to  take  them  all  in.  I  confess,  if  I  meet  with  so  many  senses 
in  Scripture  whereof  one  cannot  stand  with  the  other,  then  of  necessity  we 
must  take  that  which  is  evident  to  be  the  principal  aim  and  scope,  and  ex- 
clude the  other.  But,  my  brethren,  all  these  three  are  no  way  contradic- 
tory one  to  another;  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  penned  the  words  in  so  vast  and 
comprehensive  a  meaning  as  to  involve,  and  include,  and  grasp  in  all  the 
three.  For  indeed,  that  God  should  aim  at  the  manifestation  of  the  riches 
of  his  grace,  to  magnify  himself,  that  that  should  be  the  meaning,  no  man 


EpH.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPIIE3IANS.  285 

can  deny.  And  that  the  other  two  I  mentioned  in  the  last  discourse  may 
"well  come  under  that,  be  subordinate  thereunto  and  stand  together,  is  easy 
to  imagine  also ;  because  it  is  but  two  accomplishments  of  the  demonstra- 
tion of  that  grace.  He  that  intended  to  glorify  his  rich  grace,  he  hath  two 
accomplishments  of  it  :  the  one  is,  from  the  ascension  of  Christ  until  the 
day  of  judgment,  when  he  will,  in  the  conversion,  through  all  ages  and 
through  all  nations,  of  his  elect,  more  abundantly  than  under  the  law  shew 
forth  the  riches  of  his  grace,  the  truth  of  which  he  hath  held  forth  in  the 
example  of  these  Ephesians  and  other  primitive  Christians ;  and  then  at  the 
day  of  judgment,  when  that  execution  and  manifestation  of  his  free  grace 
shall  have  an  end,  at  the  gathering  in  of  his  elect,  then  he  hath  a  new  trea- 
sure, as  the  ultimate  design  of  all,  for  to  break  up.  Though  God  had  spent 
so  much  grace  in  the  conversion  and  calling  in  of  these,  and  quickening  of 
them,  and  giving  Jesus  Christ  as  their  portion  beforehand ;  yet,  saith  he, 
know  this,  that  there  is  a  hidden  treasure  which  will  ask  an  eternity  of  time 
for  them  to  spend,  and  for  to  exhaust  the  riches  of  grace  he  hath  laid  up  for 
them  in  the  Lord  Jesus. 

Now  then  I  shall  come  to  such  observations  as  shall  be  made  out  of  all 
these  senses,  for  they  may  all  stand  together;  and  I  shall  begin  with  that 
first  sense  I  delivered  in  this  discourse. 

The  first  observation,  which  belongs  to  that  first  sense  given, — namely, 
that  it  holds  forth  the  highest  end  of  God,  the  manifestation  of  his  own 
glory  and  grace, — is  this  : — 

Obs.  1. — That  God's  utmost  end  in  man's  salvation  is  the  shewing  forth 
of  what  is  in  himself,  and  the  making  of  it  known  that  it  may  be  glorified, 
especially  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace.  This  is  the  natural  cohe- 
rence of  these  words.  My  brethren,  God  is  glorified  by  being  made  known, 
and  that  was  it  that  moved  his  will  to  shew  forth  what  was  in  him.  You 
have  an  express  place  for  it  in  Kom.  ix.  22,  'What  if  God,  willing  to 
make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory  ? '  What  the  nature  of  God  is  none  can 
know  in  itself;  therefore  it  must  be  set  forth  in  effects.  In  1  Tim.  vi.  15, 
the  Apostle  there  shewing  us  the  reason  why  Jesus  Christ  shall  one  day 
come  and  appear  in  glory  and  in  the  glory  of  the  Father,  as  himself  tells  us, 
saith  it  is  this :  '  Which  in  his  times,'  saith  he,  '  he  shall  shew,' — speaking  in 
the  words  before  of  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — '  who  is  the 
blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords ;  who  only 
hath  immortality,  dwelling  in  the  light  which  no  man  can  approach  unto; 
whom  no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can  see :  to  whom  be  honour  and  power  ever- 
lasting. Amen.'  I  take  the  meaning  of  the  words  to  be  this.  God,  saith 
he,  is  in  himself  a  God  blessed,  infinitely  blessed  in  himself;  he  is  a  sove- 
reign, one  that  may  choose  Vi'hether  he  will  communicate  this  blessedness  to 
any  creature,  yea  or  no ;  he  dwells  in  light  inaccessible,  which  no  eye  can 
see.  There  must  therefore  be  a  shewing  forth,  some  way  or  other,  of  this 
glory  of  his,  if  that  ever  we  come  to  know  it,  or  be  partakers  of  his  blessed- 
ness. He  hath,  saith  he,  sent  his  Son,  and  he  means  to  send  him  princijjally 
again  at  the  latter  day,  to  this  end,  that  he  that  is  the  blessed  God  in  him- 
self, that  is  the  only  potentate,  the  sovereign  Lord,  that  doth  dwell  in  light 
no  man  can  see  into,  that  in  his  Son  we  may  behold  him,  that  he  may 
manifest  himself,  that  he  may  make  known,  that  he  may  shew  forth  and 
communicate  that  blessedness  which  is  in  himself.  Now  as  this  is  the  rea- 
son why  Jesus  Christ  shall  appear  at  the  latter  day,  so  this  is  the  reason 
also  why  God  hath  shewn  forth  anything  of  his  grace  or  of  his  goodness 


286  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SePvMON  XIX. 

before  tlie  latter  day  unto  tlie  sons  of  men ;  and  becaiise  tliat  God  cannot 
manifest  himself  to  the  full,  he  hath  therefore  invented  so  many  several 
ways,  he  hath  therefore  taken  an  eternity  of  ages  to  do  it. 

Obs.  2. — A  second  observation  is  this  :  That  of  all  things  in  God  the 
chief  and  utmost  thing  he  desireth  to  shew  forth  is  the  riches  of  his  grace. 
And  the  reason  of  it  is  clearly  this,  because  it  is  his  riches, — that  is,  it  is  his 
excellency.  The  word  here,  v-i^lSaXXovTa,  which  we  translate  '  exceeding,' 
it  is  attributed  to  power  in  the  19th verse  of  the  1st  chapter;  'the  exceeding 
greatness  of  his  power.'  But  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  grace  he  saith, 
'  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,'  because,  I  say,  it  is  his  excellency. 

And,  my  brethren,  because  it  is  the  manifestation  of  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
it  argues  also  that  his  end  of  manifesting  himself  was  not  wholly  for  him- 
self, but  to  communicate  unto  others.  Why  1  Because  grace  is  wholly 
communicative;  there  can  be  no  other  interpretation  of  shewing  riches  of 
grace  but  to  do  good  unto  others.  If  he  had  said  that  the  supreme  end 
had  been  the  manifestation  of  his  power  and  wisdom,  it  might  have  im- 
ported something  he  would  have  gotten  from  the  creature,  not  by  communi- 
cating anything  imto  them,  but  manifesting  these  upon  them.  He  could 
have  shewn  his  power  and  wisdom  upon  them,  as  he  hath  done  upon  men 
he  hath  cast  into  hell,  and  yet  communicated  no  blessedness  to  them.  No, 
saith  God,  my  highest  and  chiefest  end  is  not  so  much  to  get  anything  from 
you,  but  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  my  grace  towards  you.  That,  look  as 
faith,  which  is  the  highest  grace  in  us,  is  merely  a  receiving  grace  from  God : 
so  take  grace,  which  is  the  chief  thing  God  would  exalt,  what  is  it  from 
God  1  A  mere  bestowing,  communicating  propert)^  and  attribute ;  it  im- 
ports nothing  else  but  a  communication  unto  us.  It  is  well,  therefore,  for 
us  that  God  hath  made  that  to  be  the  highest  end  of  our  salvation  in  him- 
self, when  he  will  aim  at  himself  too,  to  be  that  which  sliall  communicate 
all  to  us ;  it  is,  saith  the  text,  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace. 

And  then  again,  the  thii'd  observation  from  this  interpretation  is  this.  I 
told  you  the  Apostle  did  it  to  give  an  account,  so  as  to  strengthen  all  men's 
faith  in  the  matter  of  salvation ;  he  was  fain  to  bring  forth  the  bottom  rea- 
son in  God's  heart.  Men  would  never  believe  that  the  great  God  should 
ever  do  so  much  for  men,  and  sinners  too.     The  observation  is  this : — 

Ohs.  3. — That  this  should  be  the  great  strengthener  and  upholder  of  our 
faith,  to  believe  that  God  hath  done,  and  will  do,  such  things  for  sinners ; 
namely  this,  because  the  supreme  end  of  saving  us  is  the  glorifying  of  the 
riches  of  his  own  grace.  It  comes  in  on  jiurpose  to  take  off  the  wonder  of 
unbelief,  after  he  had  told  this  strange  story  of  God's  love  and  man's  salva- 
tion ;  and  to  this  end  to  strengthen  our  fiiith,  that  by  grace  we  are  saved,  as 
the  words  following  have  it.  If  God  had  told  us  how  much  he  had  done 
for  us  out  of  love  unto  us  merely  or  chiefly,  the  truth  is,  we  could  never 
have  believed  it  when  we  are  once  humbled,  for  we  could  never  have  seen 
that  proportion  between  us  and  God  in  any  kind  that  should  have  moved 
him  for  to  have  saved  us  and  pardoned  us  so  much  as  he  hath  done.  But 
when  he  shall  tell  us  that  the  utmost  thing  that  moved  him  was  the  mani- 
festing of  the  riches  of  his  own  grace,  and  that  he  accounteth  the  riches  of 
his  grace  his  chiefest  riches,  and  the  greatest  glory  he  affects  is  to  be  gra- 
cious, this  lets  a  man  see  so  far  into  God's  heart  as  the  soul  resteth  satisfied, 
sees  a  reason  why  God  may  save  sinners,  such  a  reason  as  the  heart  must 
needs  rest  and  acquiesce  in  it.  And  the  truth  is,  tumble  up  and  down  from 
one  doctrine  to  another,  there  is  no  other  doctrine  will  satisfy  the  guilty 
heart  of  a  sinner  in  the  point  of  salvation  but  only  this,  that  ''od's  utmost 


Eph.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  ErnEsiAXS.  287 

end  was  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace,  ily  brethren,  this  takes  off 
all  objections,  and  the  stronger  the  objections  are  (give  me  leave  to  say  it) 
it  gives  a  man  the  more  hope;  he  is  the  apter  to  believe  it  when  once 
faith  begins  by  the  beams  of  the  Spirit  to  enlighten  him.  Why  ]  Because 
all  objections  become  but  matter  for  God's  free  grace  to  shew  forth  more 
riches  of  grace  upon  him.  Therefore  you  know  the  Scripture  runs  upon 
that  altogether:  Isa.  xliii.  25,  '  I  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions 
for  mine  own  sake.'  I  do  it  for  myself,  not  for  anything  in  you.  And  God 
speaks  this  not  only  that  his  own  glory  should  be  advanced,  but  that  our 
hearts  should  be  settled  and  satisfied,  and  see  reason  why  we  should  be 
saved,  in  that  God's  end,  and  highest  end  he  could  have,  runs  along  with 
our  salvation. 

Obs.  4. — The  next  observation  is  this :  You  may  see  here  the  greatness 
and  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace.  I  remember  when  I  handled  the  4th 
verse,  I  made  a  reserve  when  I  spoke  of  riches  of  mercy  in  God,  to  handle 
and  speak  further  of  that  riches  when  I  came  to  this  text,  '  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace.'  I  handled  it  then  causally;  that  is,  as  riches  of  mercy 
were  the  efficient  cause  in  God  :  I  shall  handle  it  now  demonstratively  or 
manifestatively ;  namely,  that  God  intended  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his 
grace  to  the  utmost.  You  may  see,  ray  brethren,  how  that  here  the  expres- 
sions of  the  Apostle  rise.  He  begins  first  low :  '  God,'  saith  he,  '  that  was 
rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  hath  quickened 
us,'  <tc.  But  when  he  comes  to  shew  forth  the  utmost  end  God  had  in 
saving  of  men,  his  style  swells  higher  :  '  exceeding  riches  of  grace.'  Let 
me  tell  you  this,  when  thou  wert  first  turned  to  God,  and  when  thou  wert 
quickened,  thou  didst  find  him  to  be  rich  in  mercy  unto  thee;  he  pardoned 
thy  sins  beyond  all  that  thou  couldest  imagine,  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  Paul  saith  of  his  own  conversion,  was  exceeding  abundant  to  thee : 
why,  as  the  Apostle  here,  the  farther  he  goes  on,  the  more  he  riseth  in  his 
expressions,  from  'rich  in  mercy'  to  'exceeding  riches  of  mercy;'  so  shalt 
thou  find  goodness  be ;  the  farther  thou  goest  on,  still  the  more  gracious ;  and 
thou  wilt  still  find  that  all  God's  contrivements  and  ways  toward  thee  are 
but  to  spend  still  more  riches  of  grace  upon  thee,  until  he  hath  exceeded. 
If  he  shewed  rich  mercy  in  converting  thee  at  first,  he  will  shew  exceeding 
riches  till  he  hath  done  saving  of  thee,  he  will  spare  no  cost,  no  mercy,  to 
procure  all  sorts  or  any  kind  of  blessings  for  thee :  whatever  riches  of  grace 
he  hath  they  shall  all  serve  for  the  saving  of  thee,  until  such  time  as  thou 
shalt  say  as  the  Psalmist  doth,  '  The  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifaUy  with  me, 
he  hath  indeed  dealt  exceedingly  richly  with  me.'  That  grace  which  sprung 
at  first  in  thy  conversion  was  a  little  spring ;  but  the  longer  it  goes  on  to 
eternity,  the  more  the  banks  widen,  till  it  grows  into  a  great  sea. 

Now,  my  brethren,  give  me  leave  to  speak  a  little  to  the  exceeding  riches 
of  grace  that  are  in  God,  and  that  in  our  salvation. 

The  riches  of  mercy  and  grace,  in  respect  of  abundance  and  variety,  I 
shewed  you  when  I  shewed  you  that  God  was  rich  in  mercy.  But  I  reserved 
then  something  to  speak  to  this  point ;  namely,  the  excelling  properties  of 
this  grace,  and  the  excellencies  thereof,  which  the  word  exceeding  hints,  to  me. 
The  word  b-ipSd/.'/.w/,  which  is  here  applied  unto  '  riches,'  and  which  we 
translate  '  exceeding,'  rather  signifies "supereminent,  excellent  riches  of  grace. 
Whenever  that  word  is  used,  it  notes  the  excellency  of  that  thing  in  its  kind 
to  which  it  is  applied.  You  have  it  applied  to  Ms  power  in  the  1 9th  verse 
of  the  first  chapter  :  •JTaj.SaAXojsi,  that  is,  the  supereminent  greatness  of 
power  that  is  in  him.     If  it  be  applied  unto  glory,  as  in  Scripture  it  is,  it 


288  Aif  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIX 

implies  a  superexcellent  glory:  in  2  Cor.  iii.  9,  'the  glory,'  saith  he — 'JiPis- 
Ci-j-i — '  that  excelleth  ; '  it  is  a  word  of  affinity  with  this.  And  the  Apostle, 
speaking  of  the  love  of  Christ  in  the  3d  chapter  and  19th  verse  of  this 
epistle,  useth  the  same  word  :  v'jripSdXXovsav  rri;  yvwcsw;  dydwri'j,  '  a  love,' 
saith  he,  '  which  passeth  knowledge,'  which  excelleth  knowledge.  I  say,  this 
word  notes  out  the  excellency  of  everything  in  its  kind  which  it  is  applied 
unto.  Here  you  see  it  is  apjjlied  to  riches  of  grace.  Now  then  let  me  speak 
a  little  to  that. 

You  shall  find  that  the  Apostle,  in  1  Cor.  xii.  31,  speaking  of  the  love  that 
man  ought  to  have  to  man,  calls  it  a  more  excellent  way — xaff  Ii'zspISoXtiv 
odciv — a  word  that  hath  affinity  with  this  in  the  text,  a  way  of  an  excellency  ; 
and  then  the  13th  chapter,  from  the  4th  verse  to  the  8th,  you  have  him 
reckoning  up  the  excellent  properties  of  that  love.  '  Charity,'  saith  he, 
'  suffers  long,  envies  not,  behaves  not  itself  unseemly,  rejoiceth  not  in 
iniquity,  heareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,'  &c.  You  see  when  he 
would  set  out  the  excellency  of  that  love,  he  doth  it  by  these  and  these 
quahfications.  Now,  my  brethren,  I  shall  do  the  like ;  I  shall  mention  some 
two  or  three  of  the  j^roperties  and  qualifications  of  excellencies,  of  super- 
eminent  excellencies,  that  are  in  the  grace  of  God,  which  he  manifesteth  in 
our  salvation,  and  I  will  do  it  briefly;  and — 

First,  They  are  supereminent  riches,  in  respect  of  the  bounty  and  libera- 
lity of  God,  both  in  giving  and  forgiving.  In  2  Cor.  viii.  2,  they  are  called 
*  riches  of  liberality ; '  and  there  are  exceeding  riches  of  liberality  in  God, 
seen  both  in  forgiving  and  also  in  giving,  and  therein  he  hath  a  superex- 
cellent riches  of  grace.     And — 

1.  For  forgiving.  I  will  not  insist  much  upon  Micah  vii.  18,  '  Who  is  a 
God  like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  transgression 
of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage  1 '  and  that  because  '  he  delighteth  in  mercy,' 
— mercy  pleaseth  him.  In  Exod.  xxxiv.  G,  7,  he  is  said  to  be  '  The  Lord, 
The  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious  ; '  and  what  follows  1  '  Forgiving  ini- 
quity, transgression,  and  sin.'  He  heaps  up  words  as  lawyers  use  to  do, 
when  they  would  be  sure  to  take  in  all  things  and  exclude  nothing,  that 
there  may  be  no  exception  ;  so  doth  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  is  not  content  with 
saying,  '  forgiving  iniquity,'  but  he  adds,  '  transgression  and  sin '  also.  Yea, 
God  therefore,  to  shew  the  superexcellency  of  his  grace  in  forgiving,  hath 
ordered  in  his  providence  that  some  elect  child  of  his  or  other  shall  fall  into 
aU  sorts  of  sins ;  there  shall  be  found  among  the  elect  all  sorts  of  sins,  of 
what  nature  and  degree  soever,  saving  that  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Every 
blasphemy,  every  sin,  saith  our  Saviour  Christ,  Matt,  xii.,  shall  be  forgiven; 
he  not  only  saith  it  may  be  forgiven,  but  he  expressly  saith  it  shall  be  for- 
given. But  I  say,  I  will  not  insist  upon  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  forgiving, 
for  that  belongs  more  properly  to  mercy. 

2,  He  is  as  rich,  and  exceeding  rich,  in  giving.  1  Tim.  vi.  1 7,  '  Trust  in 
the  living  God,  who  giveth  us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy.'  The  truth  is,  the 
Apostle  speaks  there  of  the  common  mercies  which  the  elect  partake  of  here 
in  the  world,  and  yet  he  saith  he  giveth  us  all  things  richly.  My  brethren, 
was  it  not  a  rich  gift  to  give  the  sun  to  enlighten  this  world  1  Vv'^hat  a 
mighty  gift  was  it !  Was  it  not  a  mighty  gift  to  give  this  earth,  which  is 
full  of  so  much  riches  1  Go  take  the  common  things,  which  are  pawns  to 
the  peojile  of  God  of  what  they  shall  have  in  heaven,  how  doth  God  give  all 
things  to  them  richly  !  My  meaning  is,  that  all  those  benefits  which  poor 
and  rich  enjoy,  how  rich  are  they  !  The  Apostle  instanceth  in  them  to  he\-p 
their  faith;  and  know,  saith  he,  this  God  is  the  living  God,  and  he  hath  a 


El'll.  11.  7.J  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  289 

world  of  riches  to  shew  you  in  ages  to  come,  -which  there  he  speaks  of  after- 
wards. It  is  said  in  Isa.  xxxii.  8,  that  '  the  liberal  man  dcviscth  liberal 
things.'  Go,  take  a  man  that  is  of  a  liberal  heart,  and  his  wisdom  will  bo 
inventing  of  magnificent  works,  and  he  will  consult  with  his  power  and  with 
his  riches  what  he  is  able  to  do,  and  what  he  is  able  to  bestow.  But,  my 
brethren,  when  the  great  God,  the  liberal  God,  shall  devise  liberal  things, 
what  great  things  think  you  there  will  then  be  given  1  In  1  Chron.  xvii.  19, 
saith  David,  '  According  to  thine  own  heart  hast  thou  done  all  this  greatness, 
in  malcing  known  all  these  great  things.'  David  speaks  of  the  mercies  which 
God  vouchsafed  to  him :  *  0  Lord,  for  thy  servant's  sake,'  saith  he ;  so  we  read 
it:  the  Septuagint  reads  it,  'for  thy  Word's  sake,' — namely,  Christ, — 'and 
according  to  thine  own  heart.'  When  God  means  to  give,  and  to  shew  forth 
his  grace  in  giving,  what  doth  he  consult  withal  1  He  consults  with  his 
Christ,  and  he  consults  with  his  own  heart ;  and  when  he  gives,  he  gives 
like  the  great  God  :  for  so  it  follows  there,  ver.  20,  '  0  Lord,  there  is  none 
like  thee,  neither  is  there  any  God  besides  thee.'  My  brethren,  think  with 
yourselves  now,  when  infinite  wisdom,  that  is  able  to  invent  and  devise  what 
is  best  and  to  study  libera]  things  ;  when  that  shall  meet  with  a  power  an- 
swerable to  do  whatsoever  it  can  devise ;  and  both  these  shall  be  set  in  a 
heart  full  of  all  largeness,  full  of  all  bounty  and  generosity,  that  resolves  to  be 
gracious  to  the  utmost  of  his  wisdom  and  power  ;  what  may  you  expect  from 
such  a  heart  ?  Thus  it  is  with  God,  who  is  God  blessed  for  ever,  who  is  the 
only  potentate  that  hath  a  heart  to  give  out  of  the  riches  of  his  grace  what- 
soever he  can  think  of,  who  is  able  to  do  not  only  above  all  that  we  can  ask 
or  think,  but  he  is  able  to  do  whatsoever  he  himself  thinketh  and  conceivetn, 
— hath  a  heart  to  give  according  to  his  own  thoughts ;  so  saith  David, 
when  he  viewed  with  the  eye  of  faith  the  covenant  made  with  him  and  with 
his  sons. 

The  Apostle,  you  see,  in  the  19th  verse  of  the  first  chapter,  and  in  this  7th 
verse  of  this  second  chapter,  joins  two  exceedings  together,  the  one  of  his 
power,  and  the  other  of  his  mercy  :  UTrso^dXKov  fx,iysdog  rris  bwdiMiug,  and  tov 
ii'^tii^aXkovTOL  'zXouTov  Tr\c.  ■^doiros.  Why?  Because  whatsoever  power  can 
procure  and  do,  that  his  heart,  through  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  is 
willing  to  bestow.  Saith  the  Psalmist,  in  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11,  '  He  wiU  give 
gi'ace  and  glory,  and  no  good  thing  will  he  withhold.'  For  certain,  God 
knows  all  the  good  things  that  are,  he  is  inured  to  blessedness,  the  height  of 
it ;  now  he  plainly  tells  us  that  he  wiU  not  withhold  any  good  thing,  or  he 
hath  a  heart  to  bestow  whatsoever  is  good,  to  bestow  all  the  good  he  can 
think  of  If  then  there  be  anything  better  than  other,  you  will  find  that 
God  will  bestow  it.  Consider  but  a  little  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  giving, 
for  that  indeed  is  proper  unto  grace. 

He  hath  a  Son  to  give.  He  deviseth  with  himself ;  I  will  give  him,  saith 
he,  and  I  will  give  him  in  the  best  manner  to  make  a  gift  of  him,  I  will  give 
him  crucified,  I  will  give  him  in  aU  the  relations  he  can  bear  to  you,  and  I 
will  give  him  for  you  besides.  Is  not  here  riches  of  grace  1  And  when  you 
have  him,  you  shall  have  all  freely  with  him ;  and  there  are  unsearchable 
riches  given  with  him,  for  God's  Son  must  needs  bring  a  great  portion. 
There  is  one  gift. 

He  hath  a  Spirit,  and  he  '  poureth  him  forth  richly,'  so  saith  the  text  in 
Titus  iii.  6,  for  so  the  words  are  in  the  origmal.  He  will  not  give  half  king- 
doms ;  no,  he  will  give  whole  kingdoms  or  none ;  and  he  will  not  give  king- 
doms only,  but  worlds,  and  he  will  give  them  freely. 

He  hath  a  heaven  to  bestow,  and  he  will  bestow  it ;  and  that  heaven 

VOL.  II.  X 


290  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XIX. 

shall  be  to  exhaust,  if  it  were  possible,  the  exceeding  riches  of  grace  that 
are  in  him  to  eternity. 

Secondly,  As  the  excellency  of  his  grace  is  shewn  thus,  both  in  forgiving 
and  in  giving ;  so  also  in  this,  that  he  giveth  freely  eveiy  way.  And  you 
must  know  that  freeness  is  the  superexcellency  of  grace ;  the  freeness  of 
grace  is  the  riches  of  grace.  Now  his  grace  excels  in  freeness,  and  that  in 
these  things  : — 

The  fewer  motives  that  there  are  to  move  him,  the  more  eminent  his 
grace  is  in  respect  of  the  freeness  of  it.  In  2  Thess.  i.  11,  all  that  God  doth 
is  said  there  to  be  the  fulfilling  of  the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness.  Oh, 
it  is  a  good  phrase  that !  All  that  he  doth  for  his  children,  it  is  but  the 
fulfilling  of  his  good  pleasure ;  he  doth  but  act  his  own  heart,  he  doth  but 
please  himself  in  it,  he  doth  but  please  his  oivn  goodness  in  it.  It  is  the 
fulfilling,  saith  he,  of  the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness.  j\Iy  brethren,  let 
me  say  this  to  you  :  mercy  and  love  may  have  something  to  move  them  in 
the  things  loved,  or  the  things  pitied*  These  things  in  God,  I  confess,  im- 
port not  anything  out  of  God  to  move  him ;  but  in  the  nature  of  the  things 
themselves,  as  amongst  men,  they  do.  But  take  grace,  that  always  imports 
such  a  freedom  as  is  moved  with  nothing,  but  it  is  merely  out  of  the  good 
pleasure  of  one's  own  goodness ;  that  is  properly  grace.  For  misery  now 
will  move  to  pity,  and  some  good  in  the  creature  may  move  to  love ;  but  to 
move  to  be  gracious  and  to  shew  riches  of  grace,  that  denotes  and  imports 
merely  the  good  pleasure  of  his  own  will. 

Now  then,  that  there  are  no  motives,  that  grace  is  every  way  free,  do  but 
consider  these  particulars, — 

1.  There  is  no  worth  in  any  that  God  respects  when  he  shews  mercy, 
tvhen  he  pitcheth  his  favour  upon  them.  In  Deut.  ix.  4,  5,  saith  he,  '  Speak 
not  thou  in  thine  heart,  after  that  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  cast  them  out 
from  before  thee,  saying.  For  my  righteousness  the  Lord  hath  brought  me 
in  to  possess  this  land ;  but  for  the  wickedness  of  these  nations,  the  Lord  thy 
God  doth  drive  them  out  from  before  thee.'  Not  for  thy  righteousness,  saith 
he, — that  is,  not  for  any  outward  righteousness  ;  or  for  the  uprightness  of  thy 
heart, — that  is,  for  any  inward  grace  or  holiness  that  is  in  thyself,  any  habi- 
tual grace ;  for  under  those  two  he  comprehends  all  that  is,  or  may  be  sup- 
posed to  be,  in  man :  for  neither  of  both  these  dost  thou  go  to  possess  their 
land.  The  truth  is,  saith  he,  that  which  moveth  me  to  throw  them  out  of 
the  land — and  aU  this  is  spoken  in  a  type — is  their  wickedness ;  but  on  the 
other  side,  come  to  thee,  and  there  is  nothing  of  righteousness  in  thee, 
nothing  of  worth  to  move  me.  My  brethren,  that  God  should  be  moved 
to  punish  and  condemn  men  and  throw  them  into  hell,  as  he  hath  motives 
within  himself,  anger,  and  wrath,  and  justice,  and  hatred  of  sin  ;  so  external 
motives  in  the  creature,  out  of  himself,  to  stir  up  these.  But  for  his  grace, 
there  is  nothing  but  what  is  solely  in  himself,  that  grace  doth  terminate  it- 
self upon.  Hatred  in  him  hath  sin  in  us  to  terminate  itself  upon  ;  but  grace 
hath  nothing  in  the  creature,  but  merely  that  the  creature  is,  and  that  is 
from  God,  for  it  was  nothing ;  and  when  it  is,  that  it  is  capable  of  God's 
favour  and  of  being  loved  ;  nothing  else  in  it.     Yea — 

2.  The  freedom  of  grace,  and  so  the  excellency  of  it  in  that  particular,  is 
shewn  in  this,  that  there  is  not  only  no  worthiness,  but  nothing  but  un- 
worthiness.  You  may  read  so  in  that  of  Deut.  ix.  6.  When  he  had  not 
only  stripped  them  of  aU  worth  in  themselves,  he  adds,  '  Thou  art  a  stiflF- 
necked  people.'  Mercy,  my  brethren,  respects  misery  properly;  but  it  is 
grace  only  that  respects  stiff- neckedness,  obstinacy.     Why  ?     For  what  will 


EpII.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IAN3.  291 

mercy  say  1  I  pity  one  in  misery,  but  as  for  this  man,  he  is  wilfully  mise- 
rable, and  the  fault  lies  in  himself,  and  all  that  I  can  do  ■will  not  help  him. 
But  now  what  saith  grace?  Grace  comes  with  a  sovereignty,  and  saith. 
Though  he  be  stiff-necked,  though  he  be  obstinate,  yet,  as  you  have  it  in  Isa. 
Ivii  18,  *  I  have  seen  his  ways,  and  I  will  heal  him.'  I  see  he  will  never  be 
better,  I  must  mend  him  myself.  This  is  the  language  of  grace,  which 
shews  the  freedom,  and  so  the  excellency  of  it.     Yea — 

3.  The  excellency  of  grace  appears  in  this,  that  it  doth  subdue,  and  it 
shews  favour,  notwithstanding  all  abuses  of  favour  and  of  mercy  whatsoever. 
As  God  is  said  to  be  kind  unto  the  evil  and  unthankful,  so  he  is  said  to  be 
gracious  even  unto  them  that  abuse  his  gi-ace  :  and  herein  lies  the  superexcel- 
lency  of  his  grace.  In  2  Sam.  xii.  8,  when  David  had  run  into  those  great 
sins  of  murder  and  adultery,  what  saith  God  to  him  1  *  I  gave  thee  thy 
master's  house,  and  thy  master's  wives  into  thy  bosom,  and  I  gave  thee  the 
house  of  Israel  and  of  Judah ;  and  if  that  had  been  too  little,  I  would  more- 
over have  given  thee  such  and  such  things.  Wherefore  hast  thou  despised 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord?'  Why  hast  thou  despised  my  favour,  and 
abused  the  mercy  and  grace  I  have  shewn  thee  ?  And  yet  for  all  this,  ver. 
13,  'The  Lord  hath  put  away  thy  sin.'  Here  is  exceeding  riches  of  grace, 
that  even  pardoneth  turning  of  grace  itself  into  wantonness.  When  God'a 
heart  is  wounded,  broken  with  unkindness,  yet  he  healeth  such  a  soul; 
this  is  a  superexcellency  in  grace.  If  you  will  take  it  in  the  importance  of 
it,  it  is  a  strain  beyond  mercy,  it  is  grace,  it  is  the  exceeding  riches  of  grace. 
Again — 

4.  The  excellency  of  his  grace  lies  not  only  in  forgiving  and  in  giving, 
and  in  the  freeness  of  both,  but  in  a  condescending  also  to  the  nearest  and 
most  intimate  relations,  and  unions,  and  fellowship  with  those  whom  he 
hath  set  himself  to  love.  Were  not  this  supereminent  grace  in  a  king,  that 
not  only  forgives  murder  and  treason,  yea  obstinacy,  abuses  of  pardon  and 
grace  itself,  and  not  only  gives  gifts  to  the  half,  to  the  whole  of  his  kingdom, 
but  more  than  all  this  takes  up  him  whom  he  thus  favours  into  the  most 
intimate  familiarity  and  friendship,  into  his  bosom,  into  all  sorts  of  relation  ? 
God  doth-  so.  And  this  favour,  my  brethren,  is  more  than  all  he  giveth,  or 
than  all  he  forgiveth,  that  he  is  pleased  over  and  above  all  to  become  a 
father,  and  a  husband,  and  a  friend,  and  a  brother,  and  infinitely  more  trans- 
cendently  than  these  relations  are  found  to  be  amongst  men.  This  is  riches 
of  grace  indeed.  When  Saul  had  advanced  David  to  be  his  son-in-law,  to 
have  that  near  relation  to  him,  David  accounted  it  more  than  all  the  rest  of 
the  favours  shewn  him.  Now,  we  have  fellowship  and  communion  with 
God  under  all  relations  whatsoever,  '  Our  fellowship,'  saith  the  Apostle, 
'  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,'  1  John  i.  3 ;  and  there- 
fore, saith  he,  chap.  iii.  1,  '  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  be- 
stowed upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God  ! '  to  have  so  near  a 
relation  to  him.  This  is  exceeding  riches  of  grace,  this  is  more  than  heaven 
itself,  my  brethren. 

Lastly,  The  grace  of  God  is  so  eminent  and  superexceUent,  that  it  con- 
tents not  itself  in  giving  and  in  forgiving,  in  entering  into  all  these  relations, 
and  to  do  all  these  freely  too  ;  but  it  will  be  at  the  cost,  at  an  extraordinary 
cost,  to  purchase  all  that  which  it  means  to  give,  and  which  it  might  give 
without  that  purchase.  This  is  a  strain,  and  the  highest  strain  that  can  be 
thought  of  supereminent  and  superexceUent  grace ;  merely  because  he 
would  shew  forth  the  supereminent  and  superexceUent  grace.  V/hen 
Araunah  did  offer  unto  David  oxen  and  sheep  to  sacrifice,  in  2  Sam.  xxiv. 


292  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XIX. 

24,  saith  David,  '  Nay  ;  but  I  will  surely  buy  it  of  thee  at  a  price :  neither 
will  I  offer  burnt-offerings  unto  the  Lord  my  God  of  that  which  doth  cost 
me  nothing.'  He  spake  this  because  he  knew  that  would  be  more  accepted 
by  God  to  make  it  a  froe-wUl  offering,  not  to  offer  that  which  was  given 
him,  but  which  he  must  pay  for.  So  it  is  with  God  :  saith  God  with  him- 
self, I  could  have  saved  these  men  and  brought  them  to  heaven ;  I  could 
have  entered  into  all  these  relations  ;  I  could  have  given  them  my  Son  to  be- 
come a  Kedeemer,  and  a  head  for  them,  and  so  I  might  have  become  their 
Father ;  I  could  have  given  them  my  Spirit,  and  have  given  them  grace  and 
glory;  I  could  have  done  all  this  immediately  without  any  cost.  No,  saith 
he,  I  will  be  at  a  price,  I  will  not  shew  favour  unto  these  men  out  of  that 
which  shall  cost  me  nothing.  He  would  needs  give  his  Son  to  death  to 
purchase  all  that  which  grace  itself  could  have  bestowed,  and  bestowed  with- 
out the  death  of  his  Son.  And  this  he  did  merely  that  he  might  shew  forth 
the  more  grace.  Why  1  Because  it  is  his  own  proper  cost  and  charges  he 
doth  it  at ;  and  he  triumpheth  more  that  the  grace  he  bestoweth  cost  him 
thus  much,  than  in  the  gifts  themselves  which  he  casteth  out  of  favour  upon 
tlie  creature.  God  did  think  it  too  little  to  give  these  things  immediately. 
As  when  he  would  humble  the  creature,  to  have  the  creatures  humbled 
simply  as  creatures,  in  that  consideration,  in  the  disproportion  between  them 
and  him ;  the  creature  was  not  low  enough,  he  would  permit  them  to  be 
sinners  also,  he  would  have  them  laid  as  low  as  hell,  put  their  mouths  in 
the  dust :  so  when  he  would  advance  grace,  to  shew  grace  and  favour  im- 
mediately, and  to  give  so  out  of  grace  as  that  it  should  cost  him  nothing, 
this  was  not  to  shew  grace  enough.  No,  his  grace  must  be  supereminent 
grace,  it  must  needs  have  a  deep  dye,  a  higher  strain.  It  was  a  small  mat- 
ter for  him  to  give  grace  and  glory  to  us  as  unto  the  angels ;  he  must  be 
at  cost  to  purchase  it,  and  purchase  it  at  the  highest  rate,  by  that  which  is 
dearest  unto  him,  even  his  Son.  He  is  not  only  contented  that  he  bestows 
on  us  all  things  for  nothing,  but  he  will  not  do  it  simply  for  nothing  in 
himself,  he  will  have  his  Son's  blood  for  it.  The  death  of  Jesus  Christ  is 
so  far  from  derogatmg  from  grace,  or  that  God  hath  received  a  price,  that 
because  it  is  his  own  price,  and  he  himself  set  the  price,  and  he  would  be 
at  the  cost,  and  he  would  have  his  Son  die  in  obedience  to  him,  that  here 
comes  the  u-ri^^dXAuv,  the  exceeding  riches  of  it.  It  is  grace  dyed  in  grain, 
if  I  may  so  express  it,  grace  dyed  in  the  blood  of  Cluist.  And  the  truth  is, 
if  I  should  speak  of  it  never  so  largely,  I  could  say  no  more  to  commend 
the  supereminent  riches,  the  i/T£^/3aXXwv,  the  exceeding  riches  of  this  his 
grace,  than  to  take  it  in  the  superexcellency  of  it,  as  considered  as  grace.  I 
may  truly  say  of  it,  even  as  David  saith,  when  he  stands  admiring  at  the 
grace  of  God  towards  him,  in  that  place  of  Samuel  I  quoted  even  now, 
'  What  can  thy  servant  say  more?'  Indeed  there  is  but  this  more  to  be  said, 
that  there  is  an  eternity  of  time,  and  the  riches  of  his  grace  doth  require 
that  eternity  of  time  to  exhaust  these  riches  of  grace  laid  up  in  him,  and  t(^ 
spend  them  in. 

The  fifth  observation  that  I  make  out  of  this  first  interpretation  is  this : — 
Obs.  5. — That  all  the  good  that  God  bestows  and  bears  us,  though  he 
aimeth  at  the  glory  of  his  own  grace,  yet  it  is  in  kindness  towards  us.  My 
brethren,  mark  what  I  shall  say  unto  you.  The  Lord  requires  th^t  you 
should  love  -him  in  a  proportionable  way,  as  he  hath  loved  you,  and  loved 
himself  in  loving  you :  therefore  do  but  see  the  reason  how  just  it  is  that 
you  should  set  up  God  above  all ;  for  mark  the  analogy,  when  God  requires 
j'ou  should  love  him,  and  love  him  above  yourselves,  yet  he  so  orders  it 


EpU.  II.  7.j  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  293 

that  you  have  the  greatest  self-love  that  you  can  bear  to  yourselves,  whilst 
you  do  love  him,  and  love  him  above  yourselves.  You  could  never  be  happy 
if  that  your  happiness  lay  not  in  this,  to  love  God,  and  so  to  delight  in  his 
happiness  more  than  your  own.  Now,  though  God  requires  that  you  should 
love  him  above  yourselves,  yet  he  doth  allow  you  in  the  uttermost  latitude 
to  love  yourselves  also.  And  all  the  motives,  all  the  ends  the  Scripture 
runs  upon,  they  run  upon  self-love.  He  would  have  you  so  in  your  hearts 
advance  the  riches  of  his  grace  as  still  to  be  kind  to  yourselves.  So  now, 
when  God  did  seek  his  own  glory,  what  doth  he  do?  It  is  true  as  he  would 
have  your  love  above  yourselves,  so  he  did  aim  at  himself  above  your  salva- 
tion. The  chief  thing  here  is  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace,  but  yet 
so  as  it  is  in  kindness  towards  you;  '  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace,'  saith  he,  '  in  his  kindness  toward  us.  And  look,  as  he  alloweth 
us  to  love  ourselves  in  a  subordination  to  loving  of  himself;  so  he,  in  plotting 
our  salvation,  had  a  subordinate  proportionable  love  unto  us  concurring  in 
his  heart  with  aiming  at  his  own  glory.  '  To  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  toward  us,'  saith  the  text. 

The  sixth  observation  I  make  out  of  this  interpretation  is  this  : — 
Obs.  6. — That  the  shewing  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace  unto  any  soul  is  so 
glorious  a  thing,  as  it  desen-es  to  be  remembered  to  all  ages  by  the  parties 
themselves  and  others.  '  That  he  might  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace,' 
saith  he,  '  in  the  ages  to  come.'  The  Lord,  saith  the  Psalmist,  in  Ps.  cxi.  4, 
'  hath  made  his  wonderful  works  to  be  remembered,'  especially  his  works  of 
grace ;  for  so  it  follows  in  the  next  words,  '  The  Lord  is  gracious  and  full  of 
compassion.'  Wherefore,  'Remember,  and  forget  not,'  saith  Moses,  having 
spoken  of  the  grace  of  God,  in  Deut.  ix.  7.  If  God  had  saved  but  one  man, 
to  praise  him  for  that  grace  and  riches  of  grace  shewn  in  that  one  man's  sal- 
vation, it  had  been  worthy  to  have  taken  up  the  tongues  of  men  and  angels 
to  eternity.  '  That  he  might  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  the  ages 
to  come.'  And  because  that  the  ages  to  come  of  this  world  are  not  sufficient 
to  magnify  his  grace  unto  men,  therefore  Jesus  Christ  will  come  on  purpose, 
when  he  will  break  up  and  tell  the  story  of  free  grace,  as  he  will  at  the 
latter  day.  And  as  he  will  come  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly  of  their 
ungodly  deeds,  which  they  have  ungodlily  committed,  as  Jude  saith ;  so  he 
will  come,  as  to  tell  the  story  of  your  sinfulness,  so  to  lay  open  the  riches  of 
his  grace  in  pardoning.  It  is  the  great  work  which  Christ  will  do  then ;  and 
all  the  grace  which  God  shews  men  here  is,  that  in  those  ages  to  come  there 
may  be  matter  laid  up  to  magnify  that  grace  when  our  Lord  shall  come. 
When  God  did  cast  off  Pharaoh,  the  text  saith  in  Ptom.  ix.  17,  that  it  was 
'  that  his  nam.e  might  be  declared  throughout  aU  the  earth.'  So  now,  God 
saved  those  primitive  Christians,  Paul  and  the  rest  of  them,  that  all  ages 
might  ring  of  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  towards  them.  Grace  de- 
serveth  to  be  so  much  celebrated  there.  The  whole  earth,  saith  he,  shall 
be  filled  with  his  glory,  speaking  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  the  conver- 
sion of  the  GentUes  to  it,  in  Ps.  Ixxii.  1 9. 

Lastly,  Here  is  in  Christ  Jesus  added,  for  all  God's  kindness,  and  all  his 
grace  towards  us,  is  i7i  Christ.  It  is  an  infinite  magnifying  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  that  he  alone,  being  in  heaven,  is  able  enough  and  worthy  enough  to 
take  into  his  possession  all  the  glory  and  all  the  grace  that  ever  God  means 
to  bestow  upon  his  children.  He  hath  done  it,  my  brethren.  Had  not  he 
been  a  person  answerably  glorious,  we  could  not  have  been  said  to  sit  in  hea- 
venly places  in  Christ  Jesus,  or  that  the  riches  of  his  grace  should  be  shewn 
in  his  kindness  toward  us  in  him.     But  so  great  a  person  is  Jesus  Christy 


294  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XIX. 

God  and  man,  that  look  as  the  sun,  if  there  wore  ten  hundred  thousand 
stars  more  to  be  created,  and  the  heavens  to  be  filled  with  them  all,  there 
is  light  enough  in  the  sun  to  enlighten  them  all ;  so  there  is  in  Christ.  And 
therefore,  my  brethren,  never  think  to  set  up  without  this  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Do  not  think  that  he  only  serveth  to  bring  you  unto  God,  and  there  to  leave 
you.  No,  he  will  never  leave  you  to  eternity.  All  the  kindness  that  God 
shews  you  to  eternity  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 


EpU.  II.  7.]  XO  TUB  JiPHiitilANS.  2*Ji) 


SERMON  XX. 

That  in  the  oges  to  come  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in 
his  hindness  toward  us  in  Christ  Jesus. — Vee.  7. 

When  I  discerned  that  these  words  were  the  conclusion  of  that  large  and  long 
continued  discourse  about  man's  salvation,  first  and  last,  which  the  Apostle 
had  begun  at  the  1 8th  verse  of  the  first  chapter  and  continued  until  now, 
and  that  the  scope  in  these  words  was  to  hold  forth  God's  great  design 
therein,  I  conclucled  with  myself  thus,  that  these  words  must  necessarily 
have  the  most  vast  and  comprehensive  sense,  seeing  into  them  all  the  parts 
of  the  foregoing  discourse,  as  so  many  rivulets,  fall  and  determine,  as  into  a 
great  sea.  Now  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  grace,  that  that  should 
be  God's  design  is  universally  acknowledged,  and  the  words  themselves  do 
hold  it  forth.  But  then  this  design  of  God's,  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace,  is  said  by  interpreters  to  look  three  several  ways. 

First,  Immediately  to  God  himself,  and  to  hold  forth  his  utmost  end,  as 
it  relates  to  himself  and  liis  own  glory — namely,  to  set  forth  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace  in  mans  salvation ;  and  that  unlimitedly  and  generally, 
only  exemplified  in  his  kindness  towards  these  Ephesians ;  the  glory  of  his 
grace  and  riches  of  his  grace  to  be  such  as  is  worthy  in  all  ages  to  be  cele- 
brated :  even  as  in  the  first  chapter  the  Apostle  had  made  the  end  and  the 
burden  of  all  in  our  salvation  to  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory,  and  to  the 
glory  of  his  grace,  as  you  often  read  it  there. 

Secondly,  This  design  of  God  to  magnify  his  grace  is  said  to  have  a  respect 
to  all  mankind  in  future  ages,  both  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  God  having 
shewn  so  much  mercy,  and  so  much  grace,  and  so  much  kindness  to  these 
Ephesians,  in  converting  them,  whenas  they  lay  in  that  miserable  and  inex- 
tricable condition  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  his  saving  such  as  these  with  so 
great  a  salvation,  is  a  pattern  and  an  example — as  the  words  to  shew  forth 
oftentimes  signify — what  a  treasury  of  rich  grace  God  had  to  bestow  upon 
after-ages,  which  then  he  did  begin  to  break  up,  and  to  give  example  of  in 
these  primitive  converts. 

Thirdly,  It  is  also  said  that  the  design  of  God's  shewing  forth  his  grace 
here  in  the  text  doth  respect  these  Ephesians  and  primitive  Christians  them- 
selves, to  have  been  added  to  raise  up  their  expectations  by  what  God  had 
already  done  for  them  in  themselves,  (he  had  quickened  them,  when  they  were 
dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  together  with  Christ,)  and  what  he  had  done  for 
them  in  their  head  Christ,  (he  had  in  him  raised  them,  and  set  them  together 
in  heavenly  places,  as  the  w(jrds  before  are  j)  that  so  by  this  their  expectations 
might  be  raised  w'hat  an  exceeding  riches  of  grace  God  had  yet  to  be  shewn 
to  all  eternity;  that  is,  in  all  ages  to  come,  in  the  world  to  come.  So  that 
the  accomplishment  of  our  salvation  in  heaven  and  after  the  day  of  judg- 
ment,— whereto  the  words  before  arc  but  a  preparation  and  a  foundation, — 
is  the  meaning  of  these  words. 


296  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XX. 

I  shall  give  you,  in  a  word,  tlie  differences  of  all  these  senses,  and  com- 
pare them  one  with  another. 

The  first  sense  makes  the  design  to  respect  immediately  the  glory  of  God, 
to  have  a  respect  to  him  in  all  that  he  hath  done  about  our  salvation,  to  shew 
forth  the  riches  of  his  grace. 

The  second  makes  the  words  to  be  intended  for  the  comfort  of  future 
ages,  in  the  mercy  shewn  to  these. 

The  third,  to  be  intended  for  the  further  personal  comfort  of  these  be- 
lievers; by  what  God  had  done  already,  from  thence  to  collect  what  infinite 
riches  of  mercy  they  were  to  expect  in  the  world  to  come. 

The  first  sense  makes  the  words  to  be  a  doctrinal  conclusion,  holding  forth 
God's  whole  and  utmost  design  and  contrivement  about  man's  salvation, 
worthy  to  be  celebrated  in  all  ages. 

The  second  makes  the  words  to  be  as  it  were  a  note  of  encouragement, 
brought  in  by  the  way,  as  an  inference,  for  the  comfort  of  us  that  were  to 
come  and  live  after,  that  we  may  gather  from  his  dealing  with  these  Ephe- 
sians.     And — 

The  third  doth  make  them  a  use  of  application, — if  I  may  so  speak, — 
and  to  be  a  further  enlargement  upon  what  he  had  said  of  our  salvation 
already,  in  the  words  before,  of  what  great  things  afterwards  were  to  be  ex- 
pected. 

I  have  gone  over  all  the  words,  and  shewn  you  how  that  the  coherence 
of  the  words  before,  and  all  the  words  in  the  text,  will  naturally  and  genu- 
inely give  themselves  up  to  every  one  of  these  senses  :  so  as  indeed 
these  words  being  the  conclusion  of  the  whole,  I  shall  be  exceeding  loath 
to  exclude  any  of  them,  if  the  one  may  consist  with  the  other,  as  knowing 
by  much  experience  how  that  the  Scriptures  have  a  various  and  comprehen- 
sive meaning. 

But  if  you  ask  me  now,  which  of  all  these  senses  I  do  in  the  first  place 
refer  to  1 — 

I  answer,  clearly  the  first  sense  of  all  the  rest;  namely,  that  in  these  words 
Is  intended  God's  design,  as  it  immediately  respects  the  shewing  forth  or 
making  known — which  is  all  one,  as  Eollock  well  observeth — the  glory  of 
nis  grace.     And  my  reasons  are  these  : — 

First,  Because  it  is  the  most  unlimited  sense,  and  the  most  general. 

Secondly,  Becaiise  it  is  evident  his  scope  is  to  set  forth  the  final  cause  of 
man's  salvation,  and  that  in  the  heart  of  God.  It  is  therefore  to  be  prefer- 
red before  the  other  two  ;  for  the  second  sense  doth  not  make  immediately 
God's  glory  to  be  the  thing  here  so  much  shewn  forth,  as  to  be  a  note  of 
encouragement  to  after-ages,  that  God  would  shew  them  the  like  grace. 
And  the  third  sense  doth  not  make  it  so  much  the  final  cause  in  the  heart 
of  God,  as  the  event,  the  issue,  the  upshot,  the  conclusion  of  all  that  God 
pitched  upon,  the  shewing  forth  of  the  riches  of  his  grace.  And  then  again, 
the  two  latter  are  more  narrow  and  limited  :  the  one  is  limited  to  the  com- 
fort of  posterity;  the  other,  to  the  comfort  of  these  Ephesians,  in  the  ac- 
complishment of  their  salvation  in  heaven.  But  the  first,  which  respects 
immediately  the  glory  of  God's  free  grace,  is  general,  is  universal,  it  is 
the  whole  adequate  end  of  all  men's  salvation,  and  of  all  the  parts  of  it 
whatsoever. 

If  3'^ou  ask  me,  which  of  the  two  latter  I  prefer  1 — 

I  answer,  the  third.  I  shewed  you,  in  the  first  sermon  I  made  upon 
these  words,  my  reasons  that  this  interpretation  was  natural  and  genuine, 
viz.,  to  interpret  it  of  the  manifestation  of  the  riches  of  God's  grace  in  the 


ErU.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  297 

world  to  come.  Now  I  shall  give  you  my  reasons  why  I  prefer  that  rather 
than  the  second,  which  would  make  the  words  to  refer  only  to  an  encourage- 
ment to  posterity  that  God  in  ages  to  come  would  shew  tlie  like  grace  that 
he  had  done  to  these  Ephesians.     And  my  reasons  are  these  : — 

First,  Because  if  that  second  sense  should  be  the  only  or  the  chief  mean- 
ing, the  words  come  in  but  as  a  parenthesis,  or  note  of  inference  by  the  by  ; 
they  come  in  but  as  a  use  of  encouragement  from  the  former  narration  of 
what  God  had  done  for  these  Ephesians.  But  if  the  Apostle  should  go  on 
here  still  to  comfort  the  Ephesians  themselves,  and  in  them  all  believers, 
with  what  great  things  in  heaven  they  are  to  expect,  the  riches  of  his  grace 
to  be  manifested  there,  by  what  he  had  shewn  already  ;  so  the  words  come 
in  more  du-ectly,  they  do  not  come  in  by  the  by,  but  more  homogeneal,  and 
in  the  way  of  a  continued  discourse  made  to  the  same  persons,  (so  the  former 
words  were,)  and  concerning  them  also. 

And  then  again,  I  prefer  this  third  sense  to  the  second,  because  his  scope 
is  to  set  out  the  final  aim  of  God  in  man's  salvation,  as  the  words  '  that  he 
may  shew '  do  import,  and  the  greatness  of  man's  salvation  in  heaven,  on 
which  God  will  expend  such  riches  of  grace,  being  the  ultimate  issue  and 
cro'WTi  of  all  in  God's  intentions.  Therefore,  I  say,  this  should  be  rather 
intended  and  held  forth. 

Thirdly,  His  scope  would  seem  to  be  rather  to  magnify  the  thing — 
namely,  salvation  itself — which  he  is  speaking  of,  and  the  greatness  thereof, 
which  God  had  designed  us  in  the  world  to  come,  which  should  hold  a  pro- 
portion with  those  exceeding  riches  of  grace  which  we  had  in  this  world, 
whereof  God  had  given  assurance  in  Christ,  both  at  his  resurrection  and 
sitting  in  glory,  as  the  words  before  shew.  And  this  is  rather  the  meaning 
than  merely  to  shew  by  the  by  that  God  would  shew  the  like  riches  of  grace 
to  others  in  time  to  come.  My  brethren,  methinks  when  I  look  upon  that 
interpretation  only,  it  falls  too  low  and  too  flat,  in  comparison  of  the  other 
two,  to  come  in  to  the  end  of  a  discourse  which  had  contamed  the  greatest 
things  that  the  gospel  doth  afford  about  the  salvation  of  man ;  it  would 
rather  seem,  therefore,  to  heighten  the  greatness  of  salvation  itself 

Fourthly,  That  God  would  shew  the  like  riches  of  grace  unto  all  believers 
and  others,  is  sufficiently  implied  in  what  he  had  done  to  these  Ephesians, 
and  it  might  be  supposed.  For  these  Ephesians  are  made  the  standard  of 
all  mankind  for  their  natural  misery  and  condition,  in  ver.  1-3,  and  so  for 
their  salvation  in  these.  And  therefore,  although  their  example  had  not  been 
propounded  in  a  set  way  to  confirm  this  to  us,  yet  it  is  implied  in  the 
thing  itself. 

I  have  gone  over,  I  say,  all  these  senses,  and  I  have  shewn  you  that  they 
are  all  m  themselves  such  as  both  fully  stand  with  the  coherence,  and  do 
fully  stand  with  these  words  which  are  here  in  this  verse ;  and  I  have  inter- 
preted every  word  in  the  verse  to  each  of  all  these  senses.  For  my  part,  I 
plainly  and  truly  conceive,  to  deliver  my  own  opinion  of  this  and  many 
other  scriptures,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  a  comprehensive  meaning,  and 
he  hath  penned  the  words  on  purpose  that  all  these  might  be  taken  in.  If 
he  had  left  out  these  words,  '  in  ages  to  come,'  the  truth  is,  then  the  words 
had  plainly  referred  to  the  glory  of  God,  simply  the  shewing  forth  of  the 
glory  of  his  grace ;  but  putting  in  that,  and  '  in  his  kindness  toward  us,'  it 
makes  the  words  to  incline  and  to  lean  to  this  meaning,  that  he  intends  the 
comfort  of  posterity.  And  how  it  suiteth  also  with  the  perfection  of  salva- 
tion which  he  means  to  bestow  in  heaven,  I  shewed  you  in  a  whole  sermon 
at  large.     1  have  weighed  everything  to  the  full,  and  I  find  nothing  in  tho 


298  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEHON  XX. 

one  sense  that  will  exclude  the  other,  or  in  the  -words,  that  all  these  may 
not  stand  together.  Unto  all  these  three  senses  I  shall  now  spend  this  dis- 
course, in  giving  you  observations  thereupon,  a  story  of  observations.  I  gave 
you  observations  upon  the  first  sense  in  the  last  discourse,  and  I  shall  now 
give  you  such  observations  as  do  give  themselves  up  to  the  other  two,  which, 
for  my  part,  I  think  are  but  two  several  degrees  of  accomplishment  of  the 
demonstration  of  grace  :  the  one  here,  to  millions  of  elect  in  after  ages,  whilst 
this  life  lasts ;  and  the  other  to  all  his  children,  to  break  open  a  new  trea- 
sury of  grace  in  the  world  to  come,  and  the  one  to  succeed  the  other  :  even 
as  you  shall  find  many  prophecies  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  in  the  Revela- 
tions also,  to  have  several  accomplishments. 

iSTow  then,  to  begin  with  that  second  sense, — namely,  that  God  had  pulled 
these  Ephesians  and  those  primitive  Christians  out  of  that  condition  of  misery 
wherein  they  lay  by  nature,  and  had  quickened  them,  and  set  them  in  hea- 
venly places  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  they  might  be  examples,  holding  forth 
what  riches  of  grace  God  under  the  gospel  had  begun  to  break  up,  and  would 
shew  to  after-ages.  The  observations  that  do  arise  from  this  sense,  as  I  have 
opened  it  to  you,  are  these  : — 

First,  That  God  doth  give  examples  of  his  gi'ace  and  mercy  in  others,  to 
help  our  faith.  God  doth  bless  the  consideration  of  what  mercy  he  hath 
shewn  to  others,  for  the  helping  forward,  if  not  the  begetting  of  faith  in  us. 
There  are  promises  of  grace,  and  there  are  examples  and  patterns  of  grace ; 
and  the  examples  confirm  those  promises.  That  God  hath  riches  of  mercy 
in  his  own  nature,  there  is  one  foundation  of  our  faith ;  that  he  hath 
made  large  promises  of  mercy  and  grace  to  sinners  indefinitely,  and  so  put 
forth  those  riches  out  of  himself,  there  is  another  confirmation  and  ground 
of  our  faith;  and,  thirdly,  that  he  hath  shewn  riches  of  grace  to  others 
that  have  been  as  bad  as  we.  Look  now,  as  examples  use  to  confirm  rules, 
so  do  examples  of  mercy  confu-m  our  faith  in  promises.  That  he  may  shew 
forth,  saith  he,  shew  forth  as  in  an  example,  as  I  shewed  you  in  opening  1  Tim. 
L  15,  '  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
came  into  the  world  to  save  .sinners;'  there  is  his  rule.  '  Of  whom  I  am 
chief;'  there  is  his  example.  '  And  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in 
me  he  might  shew  forth,'  as  in  a  pattern,  '  aU  long-sufiering  unto  others 
which  should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  ev(»-lasting  life.' 

Secondly,  It  aftbrds  this  observation  also  :  That  the  primitive  Christians 
were  intended  as  patterns  of  grace  to  us.  He  had  shewn  this  mercy  to  these 
Ephesians,  that  he  might  shew  forth  in  them  the  riches  of  his  grace  to  aU 
posterity  afterwards.  God  did  set  them  up  as  the  great  lights  which  after-ages 
should  not  exceed ;  they  were  the  first-fruits,  and  after-ages  should  not  ex- 
ceed them,  but  be  like  to  them.  And  therefore,  you  see,  the  apostles  called 
upon  Christians  then  to  be  followers  of  them ;  and  so  those  thaft  were  first 
converted,  others  were  the  followers  of  them.  In  1  Thess.  i.  7,  '  You  were 
eusamples  to  all  that  believe  in  ^Macedonia  and  Achaia.'  Those  first  Chris- 
tians, God  poured  forth  abundantly  the  riches  of  his  grace  upon  them,  and 
set  them  up  as  lights  to  all  after-ages.  And  therefore,  my  brethren,  let  me 
exhort  you  to  this.  Read  the  story  of  the  life  of  religion  and  Christianity 
in  those  primitive  saints,  read  the  Epistles  of  the  apostles  written  to  them  ; 
and  there  is  nothing  more  effectual  or  more  powerful  to  quicken  your  hearts 
in  holiness  than  that.  Sit  down  and  view  their  graces,  and  those  sparldes  of 
light  and  holiness  which  break  forth  of  their  writings  and  of  their  examples, 
for  God  intended  them  as  patterns  unto  us.     But  then — 

Thirdlij,  God  did  not  intend  them  only  barely  a.s  examples  or  patterns. 


EpH.  IL  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  299 

but  as  pawns  and  pledges  that  he  would  go  on  as  he  had  begun,  in  after- 
ages,  to  pour  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace.  Paul's  conversion  was  not  only 
an  example,  but  it  was  a  pawn  and  a  pledge,  as  he  hath  it  in  that  1  Tim. 
i.  IG.     And  so  is  their  conversion  made  here. 

Now  from  hence,  that  it  is  not  only  a  pattern,  but  a  pawn  and  a  pledge, 
you  may  raise  these  meditations  to  yourselves,  viz. — 

First,  That  the  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  are  to  continue  in  all 
ages,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  to  be  read  and  minded  by  Christians. 
For  how  shall  God's  making  these  Ephesians,  and  those  primitive  Chris- 
tians, examples  of  his  grace,  and  pawns  and  pledges  of  it,  be  apprehended 
to  the  comfort  of  posterity,  unless  that  the  Epistles  themselves,  and  the  story 
of  these  Christians,  should  continue,  and  be  read,  to  the  end  of  the  world  1  It 
is  evident, — I  speak  it  to  those  that  wickedly  deny  these  truths,  and  make  them 
but  as  other  common  writings  that  we  see  are  lost  in  the  vast  gulf  of  time, 
— it  is  evident,  I  say,  that  before  a  word  of  this  New  Testament  was  written 
Christ  meant  it  should  be  written;  for  saith  he,  in  Matt.  xxvi.  13,  'Where- 
soever this  gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world,  there  shall  also  this 
that  this  woman  hath  done  be  told  for  a  memorial  of  her ; '  and  the  Evange- 
lists wrote  not  of  a  long  while  after.  Saith  Paul,  in  his  first  Epistle  to 
Timothy,  chap.  vi.  13,  14,  'I  charge  thee  that  this  commandment  be  kept 
until  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  If  the  Epistle  should  not 
have  continued,  how  could  this  commandment  thus  charged,  not  upon  Timothy 
personally  only,  but  upon  all  saints,  and  churches,  and  ministers  to  the  end 
of  the  world,  how  could  this  be  kept  1  And  so  likewise  here,  how  could  the 
conversion  of  these  primitive  Christians,  yea,  of  these  Ephesians,  be  intended 
by  God,  as  the  Apostle  here  writes  of  them  to  be,  as  examples  and  pledges 
of  his  grace  to  after  ages,  if  that  this  Epistle  was  not  ordained  by  God  to  be 
continued,  and  to  be  read  in  all  ages  throughout  the  Christian  world,  as  in- 
deed it  is  ? 

Secondly,  It  is  not  only  what  should  be  preached  in  all  ages,  but  the 
words  hold  forth  a  promise  that  God  would  do  the  like.  It  is  not  only 
what  we  may  comfortably  ask  at  God's  hands,  because  he  hath  shewed  the 
like  mercy  in  those  primitive  times,  but  it  holds  forth  what  we  may  confi- 
dently expect  from  him.  The  conversion  of  those  primitive  Christians,  they 
Avere  to  God  as  the  waters  of  Noah,  as  he  himself  speaks  in  the  prophet, 
that  he  would  convert  of  their  posterity,  as  we  see  he  hath  done;  for  the 
Christian  religion  hath  generally  held  its  interest,  though  with  much  cor- 
ruption, yet  in  the  fundamentals,  throughout  the  Christian  world  to  this 
day;  and  where  Jesus  Christ  did  set  in  a  foot  for  his  kingdom,  he  hath  kept 
that  footing  even  till  now.  They  have  had,  and  might  have,  those  that  have 
and  do  tyrannise  over  them,  as  the  Grecian  Christians  are  by  the  Turks,  but 
they  remain  Christians  still,  and  even  amongst  those  Grecians  the  funda- 
mentals of  Christianity  are  still  professed.  It  was  not  only,  I  say,  what 
should  be  preached,  but  what  God  would  do,  which  is  exceedingly  comfort- 
able to  us.  Therefore  those  primitive  Christians  were  called  the  first- 
fruits,  as  we  read  of  the  'first-fruits  of  Achaia;'  and  in  the  1st  chapter  of 
this  Epistle,  ver.  1 2,  there  is  mention  made  of  '  us  who  first  trusted  in 
Christ.' 

Fourth!]/,  Let  us  consider,  as  a  fourth  head  of  observations  out  of  these 
words,  wherein  the  primitive  Christians  are  patterns  unto  us,  and  that  for 
our  comforts. 

1.  They  are  patterns  to  us  in  respect  of  their  natural  condition.  The 
Apostle  had  said  they  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  that  they  v/ere  chil- 


300  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XX. 

dren  of  wrath,  that  they  were  slaves  of  Satan.  So  men  in  after-ages  should 
be,  and  yet  notwithstanding  shall  be  pulled  out  of  that  condition,  and  quick- 
ened together  with  Christ.  I  was  a  blasphemer,  saitli  Paul,  but  the  grace 
of  God  abounded  in  me,  as  a  pattern  of  long-suffering,  rrfog  {j'Trorvrruaiv;  so 
the  word  is  in  1  Tim.  i.  16.  It  had  not  been  a  pattern  of  long-suffering  if 
he  had  not  continued  in  that  estate,  as  many  of  God's  elect  do.  Here  is  our 
comfort.  And  it  may  speak  likewise  a  word  of  encouragement  to  those  that 
apprehend  their  natural  condition;  all  these  Ephesians  are  patterns  unto 
thee  even  in  that,  and  of  God's  dealing  with  them.  The  most  in  heaven 
were  once  as  bad  as  thou  art,  they  needed  as  much  grace  to  save  them  as 
thou  dost,  and  thou  needest  no  more  than  they;  the  same  sort  of  Christians 
that  were  then  are  now.  Not  many  vdse,  but  the  foolish,  and  poor  of  the 
world,  God  chose  then ;  so  he  doth  now,  he  keeps  to  his  pattern. 

2.  They  are  patterns  of  the  like  grace.  Whatever  might  advance  the 
riches  of  God's  grace,  therein  they  were  patterns  unto  us. 

3.  They  are  patterns  of  the  same  grace,  for  sanctifi cation,  and  pardoning, 
and  all  those  privileges.  We  receive  like  precious  faith  with  all  those  pri- 
mitive Christians,  yea,  with  the  Apostles  themselves ;  so  Peter  saith,  2  Peter 
i  1.  We  have  the  same,  or  may  have  and  obtain  the  same  fellowship  with 
the  Father  and  with  the  Son  which  those  primitive  Christians  and  the 
Apostles  themselves  likewise  had.  So  you  have  it  in  1  John  i.  3,  '  That 
which  we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have 
fellowship  with  us ;  and  truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ.'  In  Acts  xv.  11,  Peter,  speaking  in  reference  to  them 
that  were  saved  in  former  ages,  saith,  '  We  believe  that  through  the  grace  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they.'  And  so  likewise 
we,  even  in  these  ages,  we  believe  we  shall  be  saved  by  the  grace  of  God 
even  as  they.  It  is  said  even  of  the  Apostles  themselves,  in  Rom.  viii.  23, 
that  they  '  received  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit.' 

Yea,  let  me  add  this  to  it,  which  is  exceeding  considerable,  and  it  is  the 
observation  of  one  of  the  best  commentators,  Musculus.  Wherein,  saith  he, 
are  these  Ephesians  and  primitive  Christians  patterns  1  Why,  of  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  matter  of  salvation  :  in  being 
quickened,  in  being  converted,  in  having  the  same  faith  wrought  in  us,  in 
having  the  same  privileges,  that  we  shall  be  raised  iip  together  with  Christ, 
and  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  with  him.  But  he  doth  not  say  they  are 
patterns  for  their  gifts  in  all  things.  It  is  for  the  exceeding  riches  of  grace 
that  concerneth  salvation,  my  brethren,  that  these  Christians  are  held  forth 
as  patterns  to  us.  And  the  reason  is  clearly  this,  because  that  what  con- 
cerns salvation  is  substantial,  and  all  must  come  to  the  same  union  of  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God;  as  the  Apostle  saith,  Eph,  iv.  And  he  hath  there- 
fore given  pastors  and  teachers  in  all  ages,  and  he  hath  kept  his  promise,  for 
the  pastors  and  teachers  in  all  ages  have  kept  the  saints  to  the  fundamentals 
of  faith  generally.  But  if  the  promise  of  the  same  extraordinary  gifts  which 
the  Apostles  had,  as  the  gift  of  miracles  and  the  like,  which  you  have  reck- 
oned up  in  1  Cor.  xii.,  had  been  to  all  ages,  certainly  God  would  have  given 
men  in  some  age  or  other  faith  to  have  believed  it;  for  God  never  gave  a 
promise  ordinary,  that  is,  a  pi-omise  that  should  always  continue,  but  he 
gave  faith  ordinary.  If  therefore  he  had  intended  the  bestowing  of  those 
gifts,  and  the  promise  of  them  for  all  ages  to  come,  he  would  have  given 
faith  to  some  or  other.  Where  is  this  faith  of  miracles,  or  who  hath  it, 
or  who  works  them  by  virtue  of  that  faith  ?  Upon  whom  is  the  gift  of 
tongues  1     And  where  are  the  signs  of  apostles  as  were  then  1      No,  my 


EpU.  IL  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  301 

brethren,  it  is  for  graces,  it  is  for  the  substantial  privileges  of  salvation, 
herein  they  arc  patterns  indeed;  'that  he  might  shew  forth  in  ages  to  come 
the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,'  as  the  words  are.  And  let  me  add  this 
notion :  that  it  is  evident  these  extraordinary  gifts  were  given  for  testimonies 
to  settle  the  gospel  at  first.  The  Apostle,  in  Heb,  ii.  3,  clearly  saith,  that 
thus  in  the  beginning  of  the  gospel  God  did  confirm  it.  '  At  first,'  saith  he, 
'  it  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,  according  to  his  own 
will.'  But  now  thus  much  common  education  doth  do  in  the  Christian 
world  and  in  the  church  of  Christ  where  religion  is  professed;  for  miracles 
then,  what  did  they  serve  for  1  Not  to  beget  a  true  faith,  for  that  was  the 
word,  that  was  the  promise.  I  say  they  served  not  to  beget  a  true  faith, — 
that  is,  a  saving  and  justifying  faith, — but  to  make  men  to  attend  to  that 
word  and  to  receive  it,  as  that  which  might  have  truth  in  it.  Now,  I  say, 
common  education  serves  so  far;  it  stands  now  instead  of  what  miracles 
and  extraordinary  gifts  did  then. 

Fifthly,  Another  meditation  that  ariseth  from  the  interpretation  of  the 
words  in  this  sense  is  this :  You  see  the  Apostle  makes  these  Ephesians  and 
other  primitive  Christians  to  be  patterns  to  all  ages  to  come.  How  com- 
fortable is  it  to  see  how  God  hath  fulfilled  this  promise !  I  confess  this, 
that  the  reading  of  the  writings  of  men  in  all  ages  hath  always  filled  my 
heart  with  this  comfort,  that  not  only  I  see  that  God  in  all  ages  hath  kept 
the  fundamentals  of  Christianity  that  should  save  men,  but  that  in  all  ages 
he  hath  still  had  a  handful  who  have  professed  his  truth  and  held  forth  his 
name,  and  have  cleaved  to  the  doctrine  of  free  grace.  We  see,  my  brethren, 
how  this  promise  hath  been  fulfilled;  and  in  our  age  now  we  see  the  virtue 
of  this  very  promise  and  prophecy  which  the  Apostle  here  gives,  in  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  and  shining  forth  thereof  from  under  the  darkness 
of  Popery,  which  had  mingled  with  the  grace  of  God  abundance  of  corrup- 
tion, even  well-nigh  to  the  overthrowing  of  it;  I  mean  so  to  overthrow  it  as 
men  should  not  have  been  saved,  but  that  God  did  preserve  so  much  truth 
as  might  save  them,  even  under  those  corrupt  opinions,  whilst  not  held 
against  light.  We  that  Live  now  in  the  sixteen  hundred  years  or  fifteen 
hundred  years  after  Christ,  as  those  that  first  began  to  preach  the  gospel 
with  more  clearness  did,  see  this  very  promise  and  prophecy  here  fulfilled  ; 
God  engaged  himself  that  in  the  ages  to  come  the  riches  of  free  grace  should 
be  laid  open,  and  so  he  hath  performed  it. 

And  to  our  comfort  we  see  wherein  the  main  of  reformation  lies  :  it  lies  in 
opening  the  doctrine  of  the  substantial  of  salvation,  concerning  the  estate  of 
man  by  nature,  the  work  of  conversion,  the  privileges  we  have  in  Christ ;  it 
lies  in  clearing  the  doctrine  of  free  grace,  and  the  way  of  faith  which  lays 
hold  upon  it.  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved,  through  faith,'  as  it  follows  after- 
wards. We  see  the  truth  of  this  prophecy  riseth  up  more  and  more  to  the 
view  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  world,  and  we  enjoy  the  fruit  of  it  more 
clearly  and  fully  than  our  forefathers  did ;  and  God  will  never  leave  till  he 
hath  brought  his  saints  and  children  to  that  first  pattern,  to  that  doctrine  of 
grace,  in  the  purity  and  perfection  of  it,  which  was  then  taught. 

You  see  Likewise  wherein  the  riches  of  the  gospel  lies.  It  lies  in  the  doctrine 
of  free  grace,  and  therefore  those  that  first  preached  it  were  called  Evangelici, 
Gospellers,  and  their  preaching  was  cailed  a  new  gospel ;  because  they  did 
but  begin  to  sever  the  grace  of  God  from  what  was  in  man  in  point  of  salva- 
tion, which  was  abused  by  those  blind  guides  that  led  the  blind  in  those 


302  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XX. 

former  ages.  And,  my  brethren,  know  this,  that  by  vii'tue  of  this  j^rophecy, 
tlie  doctrine  of  free  grace  having  begun  to  be  cleared,  and  shining  so  abun- 
dantly upon  us,  it  shall  be  cleared  every  day  more  and  more  to  the  end  of 
the  world ;  and  as  the  Apostle  saith,  in  Rom.  xi.,  if  the  cutting  off  of  the 
Jews  be  the  riches  of  the  world,  what  shall  their  restoring  again  be  1  The 
doctrine  of  free  grace  hath  in  all  ages  been  oi^ened  and  still  cleared,  and 
cleared  more  in  these  latter  days  than,  as  we  find  by  the  writings  of  men,  it 
was  in  former  ages.  And  in  the  latter  days  it  shall  clear  up  more  and  more  ; 
the  nearer  we  come  to  the  kingdom  of  gloiy,  the  more  bright  will  the  king- 
dom of  grace  shine.  For  Antichrist  himself  shall  be  destroyed  by  the  bright- 
ness of  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  revelation  of  the  gospel  of  him.  God 
began  sparingly  in  the  world,  and  there  was  little  of  free  grace  taught ;  it  was 
veiled  and  under  types  and  ceremonies  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  before 
Moses ;  and  it  was  called  the  law  of  JMoses.  That  age  of  the  world  may 
rather  be  said  to  be  under  the  law  of  nature,  than  under  the  law  of  grace ; 
and  Christ  saith  the  law  and  the  prophets  were  until  John,  but  now  the 
gospel  is  taught.  God,  I  say,  began  sparingly,  but  he  reserved  to  the  ages 
to  come  the  breaking  open  of  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace.  As  now  he 
hath  multitudes  of  elect,  a  catholic  church,  and  samts  over  the  Christian 
world,  and  hath  had  in  all  ages;  so  he  also  breaks  up  the  doctrme  of  free 
grace  more  in  their  hearts. 

Sixthly,  Hath  God  engaged  himself  thus,  when  he  converted  these  primi- 
tive Christians,  to  shew  like  riches  of  grace,  exceeding  riches  of  grace,  not  to 
that  age  only  but  to  all  ages  to  come,  and  still  to  the  latter  ages  more  than 
to  the  former  ?  Then  let  this  help  your  faith,  and  that  in  respect  of  your- 
selves. Did  God  shew  grace  to  thee  when  he  first  turned  thee  to  him ;  did 
he  pardon  thee  then  the  sins  of  thy  age  past,  out  of  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace  ?  He  will  continue,  fear  not,  to  shew  mercy  and  to  contmue  his 
grace  m  pardoning  and  keeping  of  thee  for  the  residue  of  the  age  thou  art  to 
live.  Thou  seest  he  hath  done  it  unto  ages  past,  and  hath  promised  to  do  it 
unto  the  ages  to  come  to  the  end  of  the  world.  God  is  as  rich  as  ever :  and 
as  the  sun,  that  hath  shined  these  five  thousand  years  and  upwards,  hath  as 
much  light  in  it  now  as  ever ;  so  hath  God  of  grace  and  mercy  in  him.  Can 
God  shew  such  mercy  to  the  world  that  is  evil  and  unthankful,  to  the  world 
that  hath  persecuted  his  s.aints  and  children  in  all  ages,  that  he  still  continu- 
eth  to  shew  forth  his  grace  age  after  age,  as  he  doth,  and  cannot  he  shew 
mercy  to  thee  for  thy  Little  span  of  time,  having  shewn  thee  so  much  mercy 
ahead}'  ?  Certainly  he  will  go  on  to  do  it,  for  he  hath  exceeding  riches  of 
grace  for  ages  to  come ;  so  saith  the  Apostle  here. 

Lastly,  I  shall  only  add  this  meditation,  out  of  these  words  interpreted  in 
this  second  sense.  When  all  these  ages  to  come — that  is,  to  the  world's 
end — shall  be  run  out ;  O  my  brethren,  at  the  latter  day,  what  an  infinite 
riches  of  grace  will  appear  that  God  had  in  him,  which  had  saved  men  in  all 
ages  !  When  all  men  shall  meet  together,  when  all  the  accounts  and  reckon- 
ings of  the  world  shall  be  given  up,  what  a  great  expense  will  there  be  found 
that  God  hath  been  at,  that  in  all  ages  he  hath  taken  in  so  many  and  saved 
them ;  some  as  bad  as  these  Ejjhesians  were  !  And  let  the  consideration  of 
that  help  thy  faith.  If  thou  wert  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  sawest  all 
the  saints  brought  together  before  God,  and  all  saying,  We  have  committed 
these  and  these  sins,  and  God  hath  pardoned  us,  and  pardoned  us  all,  (for 
that  will  be  the  conclusion  of  the  accounts  of  the  world;)  when  thou  shalt  see 
such  riches  of  grace  spent  upon  the  saints  in  all  ages,  do  but  begin  now  and 


Em.  11.  7.]  •  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  303 

by  faith  think  of  tliis,  and  never  stand  distrasting  of  God,  as  if  thy  case  were 
worse  than  all  these. 

And  so  much  now  for  that  second  interpretation,  as  it  rcspecteth  i)0sterity, 
making  the  example  of  these  Ephesians  instances  to  posterity  of  the  like 
grace  and  mercy. 

I  come  now  to  the  tliird  interpretation  and  sense,  which  begins  to  take 
accomplishment  when  the  other  endeth ;  therefore  I  said  that  they  are  but 
several  accomplishments  of  the  same  design.  When  God  shall  thus  have 
shewn  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  unto  his  saints  in  all  ages,  in  pulling 
them  out  of  their  natural  condition,  in  converting  them,  in  quickening  them, 
and  they  shall  all  meet  at  the  latter  day  together,  and  be  gathered  unto  Jesus 
Christ ;  all  this  is  for  this  end,  that  to  the  ages  then  to  come  afterwards,  he 
may  shew  forth  a  hidden,  an  unknown  treasury  of  grace,  which  he  will  break 
up  in  heaven  and  at  the  day  of  judgment,  even  unto  eternity.  The  reasons 
for  this  interpretation  are  so  strong,  that  if  the  other  I  gave  last  and  this 
could  not  stand  together,  for  my  part  I  should  certainly  exclude  the  other, 
and  embrace  this.  I  gave  you  my  reasons  for  it  when  I  first  opened  it. 
The  phrase  here,  '  in  ages  to  come,'  doth  most  naturally,  according  to  what 
the  Scripture  saith,  import  the  time  of  eternity,  the  ages  of  eternity  in  the 
world  to  come.  Now  the  observations  that  flow  from  this  interpretation  I 
reduce  to  two  heads  : — 

I.  Such  as  set  out  to  us  something  about  heaven. 

II.  To  shew  how  great  that  salvation  must  needs  be,  according  to  the  scope 
of  these  words. 

Concerning  the  first  head,  I  give  you  these  several  particulars  : — 
First,  That  all  the  glory  that  God  bestows  upon  his  saints  in  the  ages  and 
world  to  come,  and  after  the  day  of  judgment,  it  is  only  grace  that  is  the 
fountain  of  it.  He  shews  forth  therein  his  grace,  yea,  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace.  It  is  not  only  grace,  but  it  is  the  perfection  of  grace,  it  is  the 
richness  of  grace  in  the  height,  and  the  highest  riches  of  it ;  it  is  the  highest 
graciousness  of  grace,  as  I  may  so  express  it,  to  bestow  heaven  upon  us. 
The  Papists  acknowledge  grace  in  conversion ;  though  they  mingle  much  of 
man's  will  with  it,  yet  they  acknowledge  a  preventing  grace.  But  when  they 
come  to  speak  of  his  going  to  heaven,  there  they  thrust  in  merit ;  they  do 
not  make  salvation  to  be  of  grace  so  much  as  conversion  itself.  But  it  is 
grace,  and  grace  to  eternity,  and  the  height  of  grace.  Rom.  ix.  23,  '  That 
God  might  make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy.' 
The  Apostle,  you  see,  when  he  speaks  of  salvation  and  riches  of  glory,  calls 
the  subjects  of  it  '  vessels  of  mercy.'  And  why?  The  coherence  of  the  text 
here  naturally  clears  it,  and  shews  you  why,  when  you  are  in  heaven,  you  are 
eternally  vessels  of  mercy,  and  all  the  riches  of  glory  is  therefore  converted 
into  the  riches  of  mercy  as  the  cause  thereof.  Why  1  Because  you  were  once 
by  nature  children  of  wrath,  and  considered  in  yourselves  you  are  ever  so. 
As  a  man  is  to  look  upon  himself  after  he  is  justified  as  ungodly  in  himself, — 
it  is  said  of  Abraham,  that  he  believed  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly, — 
so  he  is  in  himself  to  eternity.  We  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  we  were 
children  of  wrath  by  nature,  hell  was  our  place.  How  came  we  hither  then  ? 
It  is  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  that  pulls  men  out  of  that  miserable 
condition,  and  sets  them  upon  that  height  and  top  of  blessedness  and  happi- 
ness in  the  world  to  come.  It  is  thy  mercy,  say  they  in  the  Lamentations, 
that  we  are  not  consumed ;  thy  mercies  faU  not.  It  is  the  mercy  of  God 
that  we  are  not  in  hell ;  and  when  we  are  in  heaven,  it  is  mercy  that  hath 


304  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTIJ3  [SeRMON  XX. 

brought  us  tMtlier ;  and  because  we  were  once  thus  and  thus  in  ourselves,  it 
is  mercy  and  grace  that  continues  us  there  for  ever. 

There  are  two  treasuries,  to  which  there  are  continual  additions  by  men's 
sinnings.  Take  wicked  men;  they,  as  it  is  said  in  Eom.  ii.  5,  by  abusing 
the  goodness  and  long-suffering  of  God,  treasure  up  unto  themselves  wrath 
against  the  day  of  wrath.  Take  godly  men,  or  elect  men  rather  ;  though  in- 
deed they,  by  sinning  before  conversion,  considered  as  in  themselves,  did 
treasure  up  wrath  unto  themselves,  yet  aU  their  sins  did  but  serve  to  make 
room  for,  and  a  capacity  of  a  treasury  of  grace  the  greater,  when  salvation 
should  come  to  be  revealed  to  them.  And  aU  their  sins  after  conversion  stUl 
increase  this  treasury ;  they  need  so  much  more  of  the  riches  of  grace  to  save 
them.  And  therefore  saith  the  Apostle  here,  that  you  who  were  dead  in 
sins  and  trespasses,  that  you  should  be  quickened  and  sit  together  in  hea- 
venly places  in  Christ  Jesus,  this  shews  and  magnifies  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace  in  all  that  he  wUl  do  to  you,  and  for  you,  in  the  world  to  come.  If 
I  might  compare  heaven,  and  what  God  doth  bestow  upon  us,  and  the  glory 
there,  with  what  he  doth  for  us  at  our  conversion ;  then  certainly,  if  the  one 
must  be  acknowledged  grace,  as  the  Papists  themselves  do,  the  other  must 
needs  be  much  more,  or  as  much  every  whit.  We  are  as  passive  in  all  the 
glory  bestowed  upon  us  as  we  are  in  conversion.  Our  bodies  are  raised  again 
out  of  the  dust  by  that  power  that  subdues  aU  things,  and  they  are  raised  up 
spiritual,  glorious  bodies,  that  we  may  be  fitted  for  glory.  Therefore  the  re- 
surrection is  called  in  Scripture  a  regeneration,  even  as  well  as  conversion 
itself.  And  when  our  souls  are  filled  with  blessedness  in  heaven,  they  are 
passive  rather  in  it ;  nay,  they  are  more  passive,  if  it  may  be  consisting  witli 
a  liberty  of  will,  and  of  a  creature  rational,  and  of  understanding,  than  in  all 
the  actions  of  grace  that  here,  when  we  are  converted,  are  put  forth.  We  say, 
we  being  acted  by  God,  we  act,  and  it  is  true  in  aU  the  good  we  do  in  this 
life.  But  the  blessedness  put  upon  us  in  the  world  to  come  is  rather  a  thing 
bestowed  upon  us,  than  acted  by  us  ;  we  glorify  God  here,  we  are  glorified 
of  God  hereafter.  Therefore  it  must  needs  be  grace,  and  exceeding  riches 
of  gi-ace.  So  Christ  saith,  '  I  have  glorified  thee  upon  earth.'  He  speaks 
actively,  when  he  speaks  of  what  he  did  in  this  world ;  but  when  he  comes 
to  speak  of  the  world  to  come,  then  saith  he,  '  Glorify  me.'  Therefore  the 
Scripture,  when  it  speaks  of  heaven,  it  speaks  as  if  we  were  but  passive  there ; 
all  that  is  bestowed  upon  us  therefore  is  of  grace.  Mortality  is  said  to  be 
swallowed  up  of  life ;  and  we  are  satiated  with  the  river  of  liis  pleasure ; 
we  are  watered,  it  is  poured  upon  us,  as  the  word  signifies  in  Ps.  xxxvi. 
The  joy  that  the  Holy  Ghost  works  in  us,  which  is  the  earnest  of  heaven, 
we  are  recipients,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  rather  than  actors  in  it. 

O  my  brethren,  hate  Popery ;  it  is  a  cursed  doctrine,  that  that  wherein 
the  height,  the  top,  the  riches,  the  graciousness  of  grace  most  appeareth, 
they  should  not  only  mingle  works  with  it,  but  mingle  them  as  merits  too, 
as  the  cause  thereof.  That  he  might  shew  forth,  saith  the  Apostle,  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  his  grace,  in  that  world  to  come.  There  are  many  Papists 
that  do  indeed  interpret  these  words  of  heaven ;  but  how  do  they  mince  it 
to  salve  up  their  own  doctrine  of  merit  ?  What  do  they  say  ?  It  is  true, 
God  gives  glory,  say  they,  for  the  merits  of  men,  and  yet  it  is  grace.  Why  ? 
Because  that  God  doth  glorify  men  far  beyond  their  merits.  Thank  them 
for  nothing ;  so  men  are  thrown  into  hell,  and  there  punished  less  than 
they  merit  and  deserve ;  and  so  grace  is  as  much  seen  in  the  one  as  in  the 
other, 

A  second  observation  is  this  :  That  in  the  world  to  come,  there  are  ages, 


EpU.  II.   7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  305 

and  many  ages  to  corac,  in  eternity.  Unto  the  scriptures  I  gave  you  then, 
1  shall  only  add  that  in  1  Tim.  vi.  17,  and  compare  it  but  with  those  other 
scriptures  I  gave  you  then.  The  Apostle,  when  he  speaks  of  this  world  there, 
saith,  *  Charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this  world  ; '  so  we  translate  it  :  it  is, 
'  in  this  age,'  in  this  now  world.  He  expresseth  it  in  the  singular  number, 
and  he  speaks  it  plainly  in  opposition  to  the  world  to  come,  which,  in  ver. 
19,  we  translate  '  the  time  to  come,'  but  in  the  original  it  is  '  ages  to  come  ;' 
if  he  calls  the  one  an  age,  he  calls  the  other  an  age  of  ages.  In  Rom.  xvi. 
27,  we  translate  it  '  for  ever,'  but  it  is  indeed  '  for  ages,'  and  so  you  have  it 
in  Eph.  iiL  21,  My  brethren,  the  time  of  heaven,  the  eternity  there,  it  is  so 
vast  that  it  is  reckoned  by  ages,  and  by  ages  of  ages.  In  this  life  here,  time 
is  reckoned  by  days  and  by  years.  *  The  days  of  man,'  they  are  so  and  so  ; 
and,  '  Teach  us  to  number  our  days  ; '  and,  '  The  years  of  man  are  threescore 
and  ten,'  &c.  They  are  easily  immbered  ;  for  so  the  school-men  use  to  dis- 
tinguish the  time  that  now  is  from  that  to  come.  The  time  that  now  is,  is 
a  duration  that  may  be  numbered,  and  that  by  days  and  months  and  years, 
because  they  are  so  few  ;  few  are  the  days  of  man,  and  fewer  are  the  years 
of  man,  and  therefore  may  be  easily  numbered.  But  the  time  of  heaven  is 
reckoned  by  ages,  and  by  ages  of  ages,  not  by  days  and  by  years  ;  and  it 
passeth  away  so  that,  though  it  be  ages,  it  is  not  numbered  by  ages  of  years, 
as  our  ages  are,  they  are  numbered  in  the  lump  rather  ;  '  ages  of  ages.' 

There  is  also  this  difference  between  God's  eternity  and  ours.  In  this 
both  of  them  agree,  that  as  the  essence  of  God  is  the  same  in  all  ages  to 
eternity,  so  the  substance  of  our  souls  and  bodies  will  be  still  the  same 
without  alteration.  But  yet  there  is  this  difference  betwixt  his  eternity  and 
ours  :  his  eternity  is  not  divided  into  ages,  as  ours  is.  Why  1  Because,  as 
Anselm  well  saith,  spealdng  unto  God,  '  Thy  eternity,  O  God,  is  always 
present  to  thee.'  He  possesseth  the  joys  of  all  time  in  one  instant  continual; 
for  all  things,  past,  present,  and  to  come,  are  present  unto  him.  And  as  his 
immense  being  encompasseth  all  beings,  so  his  immense  duration  doth  all 
time,  and  there  is  but  one  now  of  eternity  to  him.  But  it  is  not  so  with  us. 
Nos  habemus  de  nostra  eteniitate  quod  semper  est  futurum.  We  have  of  our 
eternity  that  is  still  to  come,  for  we  can  take  in  but,  as  creatures,  one  thing 
after  another ;  and  that  is  the  reason  why  God  hath  appointed  ages,  eter- 
nity itself,  to  manifest  the  riches  of  his  grace  to  us,  for  less  will  not  serve 
the  turn. 

Thirdly,  Another  observation  from  this  interpretation  is  this  :  That  all 
our  time  spent  in  heaven  shall  be  but  passed  away  eternally  in  kindness.  *  To 
shew  forth,'  saith  he,  '  in  the  ages  to  come,  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace 
in  kindness.'  It  is  not  '  in  his  kindness,'  but  '  in  kindness,'  to  set  an  em- 
phasis on  it,  wholly  in  a  way  of  kindness ;  it  is  his  kindness  too,  for  it  is 
that  makes  heaven.  I  gave  you  an  account  of  the  addition,  and  the  mean- 
ing of  those  words,  when  I  opened  them  to  this  sense,  that  God  doth  not 
only  shew  his  prerogative  of  grace  for  his  own  glory  in  heaven,  but  he  doth 
all,  bestows  all,  with  the  greatest  heartiness,  with  the  greatest  kindness,  with 
the  greatest  sweetness, — for  the  word  implies  all  this, — with  the  greatest  com- 
municativeness of  himself  (rejoicing  over  us  to  do  us  good)  that  can  be.  As 
a  king  now  is  gracious  to  his  subjects,  but  if  he  be  of  a  loving  disposition,  he 
is  kind  to  kis  wife,  and  all  the  grace  he  shews  her  is  in  kindness ;  so  it  is 
between  God  and  his  saints.  All  the  converse  we  have  with  God  in  heaven, 
and  all  that  God  bestows  upon  us  there,  is  with  infinite  familiarity  and  kind- 
ness and  sweetness,  and  is  so  carried  on ;  and  therein  doth  lie,  as  to  us,  the 
height  of  blessedness.  In  Prov.  xxvii.  9,  Solomon  call  it  '  the  sweetness  of 
VOL.  II.  \S 


306  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XX. 

a  man's  friend,'  for  such  the  kindness  of  a  friend  is.  You  shall  observe 
therefore,  when  heaven  is  spoken  of,  it  is  still  spoken  of  in  terms  and  words 
of  kindness.  Our  Saviour  Christ  compares  himself  to  a  wooer,  and  that 
great  day  to  be  his  marriage-day,  and  the  church  to  be  his  bride,  and  he 
to  be  the  bridegroom ;  and  all  that  he  doth  there  afterwards  for  ever  is 
in  the  kindness  of  a  bridegroom,  in  the  heat,  in  the  highest  affection  of  love. 
He  acts  the  part  of  a  fresh  wooer  all  along.  When  the  new  Jerusalem  comes 
down  from  heaven,  the  bride  is  said  to  be  made  ready,  and  he,  as  a  bride- 
groom, rejoiceth  over  his  bride  for  ever,  as  the  prophet  speaks  in  Isa.  IxiL  5, 
which  indeed  is  a  promise  of  the  calling  of  the  Jews,  when  God  will  take 
that  people  again  into  his  marriage  bed,  yet  so  as  in  heaven  it  holds  much 
more. 

He  continually  acts  the  part  of  a  bridegroom  :  saith  he,  '  I  go  to  prepare 
a  place  for  you ;'  as  wooer^  do  for  their  brides,  to  bring  them  home  to  their 
father's  house :  it  is  spoken  in  the  language  of  kindness.  And  then  he  takes 
them,  and  brings  them  to  his  Father's  house.  '  In  my  Father's  house  are 
many  mansions,'  and  there  I  will  entertain  you,  saith  he ;  all  speaks  kind- 
ness. In  John  XX.  17,  when  Mary  would  have  come,  and  familiarly  have 
embraced  him,  whether  his  feet  or  otherwise,  saith  he,  '  Touch  me  not,  for  I 
am  not  yet  ascended.'  It  is  not  a  reproof,  so  much  as  a  staying  her  from  the 
present  enjoyment,  with  the  hint  of  a  time  wherein  kindness  was  to  be  shewn 
yet  to  come ;  and  is  as  if  he  had  said.  There  is  time  enough,  we  shall  be 
familiar  in  heaven ;  but  now  thou  art  to  go  about  thy  business,  now  tell  my 
disciples  that  I  am  risen.  This  I  take  to  be  the  best  meaning  of  that  place. 
In  Ps.  xxxvi.  7,  '  How  excellent,'  or  precious,  'is  thy  loving-kindness,  0  God  !' 
He  speaks  of  the  loving-kindness  which  he  shews  to  them  that  trust  in  him 
here,  having  compared  this  with  that  ordinary  favour  which  he  shews  to  man 
and  beast  in  the  words  before,  and  shewing  how  it  excels.  But  his  shewing 
kindness  indeed  is  yet  to  come,  whereof  this  here  is  but  the  love-token  ; 
for  what  follows  1  '  They  shall  be  abundantly  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of 
thy  house,  and  thou  shalt  make  them  drink' — it  is  a  passive  word,  as  I 
said  before — '  of  the  river  of  thy  pleasures.'  He  speaks  in  the  language  of 
kindness  shewn  us,  entertainment.  Jesus  Christ  brings  them  to  his  Father's 
house,  and  there  the  best  things  he  hath  he  brings  forth ;  there  they  shall 
have  a  banquet,  yea,  the  choicest  banquet,  that  which  God  himself  liveth 
upon.  '  Thy  pleasures,'  saith  he,  he  brings  them  all  forth,  because  he  spends 
the  time  in  loudness.  '  Henceforth,'  saith  Christ,  '  I  wiU  not  drink  any 
more  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  till  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's 
kingdom.'     This  is  aU  the  language  of  kindness  and  of  entertainment. 

And  this,  my  brethren,  is  it  which  makes  the  entertainment  so  sweet  in 
heaven,  all  the  cost  and  glory  there  so  sweet ;  it  is  the  kindness,  the  sweet- 
ness of  a  friend,  and  of  God  a  father,  and  of  Jesus  Christ  a  bridegroom, 
that  rejoiceth  over  us  to  do  us  good.  In  Prov.  xv.  17,  a  dinner  of  herbs 
with  love,  how  sweet  is  it !  How  much  more  to  be  at  a  continual  feast, 
with  the  river  of  God's  pleasures  to  drink  thereof,  and  to  be  fed  with  the 
fatness  of  his  house,  and  all  this  out  of  infinite  loving-kindness !  This  is 
better  than  life,  it  is  better  than  the  glory  and  happiness  itself,  simply  con- 
sidered, for  it  is  this  which  makes  it  to  be  blessedness.  When  you  were 
first  turned  to  God,  how  kind  perhaps  was  God  to  you  then,  or  have  you 
found  him  in  some  passages  of  your  lives  !  and  you  think.  If  God  should  be 
always  thus  kind  to  me,  how  would  it  ravish  my  heart !  Thou  shalt  have 
enough  of  it  in  heaven.  God  is  angry  sometimes  here,  and  seems  to  take 
things  unkindly  at  our  hands,  but  in  heaven  nothing  but  kindness.     It  is  an 


EpU.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  307 

.  excellent  place,  and  it  is  the  meaning  of  it,  in  Ps,  xxx.  5,  *  His  anger  en. 
duretli  but  for  a  moment,  but  in  his  favour  is  life.'  Life  is  there  opposed 
to  a  moment ;  it  is  life  for  ever,  eternal  life.     You  have  the  like  in  Isa.  liv.  8. 

My  brethren,  in  heaven  there  are  no  affections  but  love  and  kindness  on 
both  sides,  on  God's  part,  and  ours.  In  us  there  is  no  affection  else  stirring. 
There  is  no  sorrow  for  sin,  though  that  be  sweet,  for  all  tears  are  wiped 
away  from  our  eyes ;  there  is  no  fear,  for  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear ;  there 
is  no  desire,  for  there  is  continual  satisfaction. 

There  is  nothing  but  these  three  things  in  a  man, — the  knowledge  and 
sight  of  God,  the  love  of  God,  and  joy  in  God  ;  there  is  this  trinity,  if  I  may 
so  speak,  of  dispositions  in  the  soul.  On  the  other  side,  in  God,  though 
there  be  power,  and  justice,  and  all  attributes  in  him,  yet  they  all  have  a 
tincture  of  loving-kindness.  Therefore  God  is  not  said  so  much  to  be  wis- 
dom, in  respect  of  us,  as  love  ;  where  have  you  him  called  justice  or  power  1 
But  he  is  called  love.  And  though  God  is  all  in  all,  and  aU  in  him  is  ours, 
yet  ft  is  all  in  loving-kindness.  He  shews  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace,  in 
kindness  towards  us,  in  those  ages  to  come,  in  Christ  Jesus. 

I  might  add  this,  iii  Christ  Jesus  ;  for  though  God  be  all  in  all  in  heaven, 
yet  it  is  God's  love  in  Christ  to  us  that  doth  make  the  union  everlasting, 
and  is  the  foundation  of  it.  The  creature  could  not  stand  under  that  love 
of  God,  if  it  were  not  conveyed  to  us  in  Christ ;  it  would  be  too  weighty  for 
it.  God  chose  us  in  Christ  at  first,  when  he  ordained  us  this  glory  in  heaven, 
and  therefore  he  continues  to  shew  kindness  towards  us  in  heaven,  and  that 
in  Christ,  to  everlasting. 

The  second  head  of  observations  I  make  out  of  these  words,  upon  that 
third  interpretation,  is  this  :  to  shew  you  from  hence  how  great  a  glory 
heaven  is.     I  shall  do  it  exceeding  briefly. 

First,  You  see  it  is  called  riches.  When  the  Scripture  speaks  of  heaven, 
it  still  speaks  of  the  glory  there  under  the  notion  of  riches,  under  the  notion 
of  a  treasury,  1  Tim.  vi.  19,  '  Laying  up  in  store  for  themselves  a  good 
foundation  for  the  time  to  come.'  When  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ  speaks 
of  heaven,  stdl  he  expresseth  it  under  the  notion  of  treasure  and  riches. 
Matt.  vi.  20,  'Thou  shalt  have  treasures  in  heaven;'  and  Matt.  xix.  21, 
Luke  xii.  33,  Mark  x.  21,  and  Luke  xviii.  22.  It  is  the  familiar  language 
of  Christ,  and  still  he  calls  them  treasures,  in  the  plural  number. 

Secondly,  They  are  called  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  to  be  shewn  forth 
then,  in  comparison  of  what  God  hath  done  for  us  here ;  for,  in  the  clear 
natural  coherence  of  these  words  with  the  former,  the  scope  is  this.  God, 
saith  he,  hath  pulled  you  out  of  that  natural  condition  you  were  in ;  he  hath 
quickened  you  together  vdth  Christ  already ;  he  hath  in  Christ  representa- 
tively raised  you,  and  set  you  together  in  heaven,  Christ  having  taken  pos- 
session of  that  for  you  which  for  ever  you  shall  enjoy.  This,  saith  he,  is 
but  a  foundation,  it  is  aU  but  a  preparation  that  he  may  shew  forth  the  ex- 
ceeding riches  of  his  grace  in  the  ages  to  come.  He  had  said.  God  was  rich 
in  mercy,  in  quickening  them.  '  God,'  saith  he,  '  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for 
his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ,'  ver.  4,  5.  And  in  chap,  i  7,  that  our 
sins  are  forgiven,  he  saith,  it  is  '  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace.'  But 
what  doth  all  this  tend  to  that  is  done  here  in  this  life  ?  It  is  but  a  foun- 
dation, it  is  but  a  preparation  that  he  may  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace.  He  puts  that  in,  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  heaven,  that  al- 
though God  hath  done  much  for  us  already,  yet  he  hath  hidden  riches  to  shew 
forth  then.     Do  but  then  consider  with  yourselves,  my  brethren,  by  what 


308  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPIblLE  [SeRMON  XX, 

God  hath  done  for  us  here,  and  by  what  he  had  bestowed  and  expended 
upon  these  Ephesians,  what  a  world  of  riches  of  grace,  what  a  treasure  that 
is  that  must  be  then  broken  up  and  shewn  forth.  Did  it  cost  God  nothing 
to  pardon  your  sins  1  What  expenses  do  you  put  him  to  every  day  ?  What 
riches  of  grace  is  there  in  pouring  forth  of  his  Spirit,  in  justification,  in 
sanctification,  in  adoption  1 

And  yet  what  are  all  these  1  What  is  pardon  of  sin  to  heaven  1  It  is  but 
so  many  riches  buried  in  the  foundation.  What  is  the  Spuit's  pouring  forth 
here  1  It  is  but  the  earnest  of  that  riches  which  is  to  come.  All  that  he 
hath  done  here,  it  is  but  that  he  might  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of 
his  grace  on  us,  in  ages  to  come,  in  kindness  towards  us  in  Christ  Jesus.  All 
that  is  done  for  us  here,  it  is  but  like  a  lighter  metal ;  as  always  in  mines 
you  shall  have  a  lighter  metal  before  you  come  to  the  mine  itself  All  the 
riches  of  grace  expended  upon  us  here,  they  are  but  that  lighter  metal  to 
that  great  mine  that  is  then  to  be  broken  up.  'That  he  might  make  known,' 
saith  the  Apostle,  Rom.  ix.  23,  '  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of 
mercy,  which  he  had  before  prepared  unto  glory,'  All  that  is  done  here,  it 
is  but  a  preparation  to  those  riches  of  glory  that  are  to  be  made  known  on 
the  vessels  of  mercy.  As  the  sorrows  of  this  life  are  unto  the  wicked  but 
the  beginning  of  sorrows,  so  all  that  God  doth  for  his  saints  in  this  life 
is  but  the  beginning  and  the  sprinklings  of  those  riches  he  will  expend  to 
eternity,  and  which  he  hath  laid  up  for  them  in  heaven,  as  the  Apostle 
phraseth  it  in  Col.  i.  5.  Saith  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  xxiii.  6,  speaking  of  this 
love,  Mercy  and  loving-kindness  shall  follow  me  all  my  days.  Take  any  of 
the  elect  children  of  God,  what  a  world  of  mercy  and  loving-kindness  doth 
follow  him,  and  pursue  him  ?  Even  as  we  are  bid  to  follow  after  peace  and 
to  pursue  it,  so  doth  God  pursue  thee  with  loving- kindnesses,  one  after 
another  ;  but  when  thou  comest  to  '  ages  to  come,'  loving-kindness  shall 
overwhelm  thee,  swallow  thee  up. 

;My  brethren,  if  God  have  done  so  great  things  in  the  bringing  us  to  glory, 
as  the  preparation  to  it, — he  did  let  us  fall  into  sin,  delivered  us  out  of  it, 
sent  his  Son  to  die  for  us, — if  these  be  but  the  preparations,  what  will  the 
riches  be  1  And  yet  all  this  is  but  preparation,  that  he  might  shew  forth 
the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  the  ages  to  come,  in  kindness  towards  ua 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

TJiirdly,  What  is  it  that  God  will  expend  upon  us  in  heaven  ?  He  will 
expend  upon  us  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace. 

My  brethren,  the  exceeding  riches  of  God's  grace  must  be  laid  out  in 
something  which  shall  be  proportionable  to  it.  If  a  king  should  say,  Go 
take  all  the  riches  in  my  kingdom,  and  expend  it  upon  such  an  entertain- 
ment ;  if  the  maker  of  the  entertainment  be  faithful  and  wise,  the  entertain- 
ment shall  be  suitable  to  those  exceeding  riches  that  are  laid  forth  and  ex- 
pended. If  we  say  that  such  or  such  a  thing  doth  cost  a  man  so  much, 
we  reckon  it  folly  in  him  that  is  the  purchaser  or  procurer  of  it  at  such  a 
rate,  if  it  do  not  hold  some  proportion  to  the  cost.  Now  then,  if  God  will 
shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  that  happiness  and  glory  that 
must  hold  a  proportion  to  this,  and  come  up  to  it  and  be  worthy  of  it,  that 
entertainment  which  God  himself  is  the  maker  of,  and  therefore  he  wiU 
not  cast  away  any  whit  of  his  grace,  but  his  saints  shall  have  it  out  in 
glory,  how  great  must  that  glory  be  !  And  it  is  to  make  a  show,  on  pur- 
pose to  shew  forth.  Saith  God,  I  will  shew  how  great  a  God  I  am,  how 
gracious  I  am,  how  well  I  can  love  creatures,  and  how  kind  he  will  be  when 
he  roeaneth  to  be  kind.     If  Ahasuerus,  being  a  great  king,  will  make  a 


EpH.  II.  7.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  309 

feast  to  sliew  the  riches  of  his  glorious  kingdom,  how  great,  how  macni- 
ficcnt  shall  the  feast  be !  If  God  will  make  creatures  happy,  and  under- 
takes to  do  it,  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  and  this  before 
all  ages,  all  men,  when  all  the  world  is  gathered  together,  how  great  must 
this  glory  be  !  And  I  beseech  you  consider  who  are  the  stewards  of  all  these 
riches  that  are  in  God.  Here  is  grace  and  loving-kindness  ;  we  are  therefore 
like  to  be  well  entertained.  You  see  grace  is  at  the  cost,  and  gives  com- 
mission to  loving-kindness  to  spare  for  nothing.  If  it  be  to  shew  forth  the 
riches  of  grace,  grace  will  be  sure  to  provide  for  its  own  glory,  to  shew  itself 
to  the  utmost;  and  when  kindness  towards  us  shall  have  the  command  of 
grace's  purse,  that  will  be  sure  to  think  nothing  too  good  for  us.  If  a 
prince  should  employ  one  to  make  entertainment  that  is  of  a  profuse  and 
prodigal  spirit,  and  a  deep  observer  and  favourer  of  the  persons  to  be  enter- 
tained, he  will  be  sure  to  lay  on  cost  enough.  Especially  if  the  prince  set 
open  his  coffers,  and  bid  him  take  out  whatever  he  will  for  that  entertain- 
ment ;  what  an  entertainment  will  you  expect  shall  be  made  by  this  man  ! 
Saith  God  to  loving-kindness,  Here  is  all  my  riches,  take  whatever  you  please. 
And,  my  brethren,  to  be  sure  that  is  profuse  enough. 

And  then  again,  it  is  made  God's  ultimate  design  here  of  all  he  hath  done 
for  us ;  it  was  the  first  thing  in  his  intention  and  thoughts,  which  he  had  in 
his  eye  as  the  end  and  conclusion  of  all.  Therefore  he  did  let  us  fall  into 
sin,  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  '  children  of  wrath;'  therefore  he  sent  Jesus 
Christ,  therefore  he  quickened  us  in  him,  therefore  he  set  us  in  heavenly 
places  in  him.  What  is  the  design,  the  ultimate  end  in  God's  heart  of  all 
this  ?  That  he  might  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  the 
ages  to  come.  The  truth  is,  this  God  that  is  rich  in  mercy,  had  so  much 
riches  by  him  that  he  thought  of  all  profuse  and  expensive  ways  to  lay  it  out ; 
as  if  one  should  have  so  much  riches  by  him  that  he  knew  not  how  to  expend 
them.  God  might  have  brought  us  to  heaven  immediately,  but  he  let  us 
fall  into  sin,  to  draw  out  infinite  riches  in  pardoning,  and  yet  this  is  but  by 
the  way ;  what  then  is  the  goodness  of  God  that  is  laid  up  for  the  sons  of 
men  for  eternity ! 

Fourthly,  It  is  so  much  riches  of  grace  that  God  hath  designed  to  bestow 
upon  us  in  that  world  as  requires  ages  to  come  to  exhaust  it.  It  is  a  notion 
of  the  highest  comfort  to  us  that  God  hath  taken  up  so  much  love,  the  first 
moment  he  loved  us,  as  requires  eternity  to  manage  it.  Here  you  have  a 
scripture  for  it :  '  that  he  might  shew  forth,'  even  to  eternity,  '  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace.'  It  was  so  much  riches  as  required  an  eternity  to  mani- 
fest and  to  expend ;  so  much  riches  as,  though  we  shall  ever  be  spending, 
they  shall  never  be  spent. 

We  say  of  hell,  that  the  demerit  of  sin  is  such  that  therefore  hell  is  to 
eternity,  because  that  the  creature  cannot  in  a  short  time  undergo  all  that 
wrath  that  is  due  to  him  for  his  sin,  and  therefore  there  is  an  eternity  of 
time  for  him  to  suffer  in.  So  it  is  here  ;  we  may  truly  say  of  heaven,  of  the 
riches  of  God's  grace  which  he  hath  laid  up  for  us,  to  spend  upon  us,  it  is  so 
infinite  a  treasure  that  the  creature  being  not  able  to  take  it  in  at  once,  must 
liave  ages  to  come  to  take  it  in. 

My  brethren,  this  is  one  of  the  highest  exaggerations  of  the  glory  of  heaven 
to  us,  that  it  is  not  only  to  eternity  simply,  but  that  it  requires  eternity  to 
expend  that  which  God  hath  designed  to  us.  When  thou  comest  to  heaven, 
thou  mayest,  and  thou  mayest  now  by  faith,  say.  Soul,  take  thy  rest,  thou 
hast  goods  laid  up  for  many  years,  thou  hast  riches  of  grace  laid  up  for 
ages  of  ages ;  which  cannot  be  spent,  spend  as  fast  as  thou  canst. 


310  AN  EXPOSITION  OK  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XX 

In  Ps.  xxxvi.  9,  speaking  of  heaven  and  of  drinking  of  the  river  of  God's 
pleasures,  he  calls  God  there  the  fountain  of  life ;  and  why  the  fountain  of 
life  1  Because  the  fountain  is  continually  bubbling  up  new  fresh  water  ;  it  is 
ever  doing  of  it.  God  himself  hath  infinite  goodness  in  him  which  the 
creatures  cannot  take  in  at  once ;  they  are  taking  of  it  in  eternally.  All  that 
God  doth  for  us  for  ever  is  but  the  fulfilling  of  his  good  pleasure,  as  you  have 
it  in  2  Thess.  i.  11.  It  is  but  filling  up  that  good  pleasure  of  his  which  he 
hath  conceived  towards  us. 

There  are  two  things  in  God,  simplicity  of  being,  and  infiniteness  of  being. 
Now  although,  by  reason  of  the  simplicity  of  his  being,  we  see  God  at  once 
every  moment,  and  as  his  essence  is  simple,  so  that  beatifical  vision  is  one 
simple  act ;  yet  by  reason  of  the  infiniteness  of  his  being,  it  is  like  sailing 
over  an  eternal  sea,  where  you  see  nothing  but  sea,  and  yet  you  are  to  eter- 
nity sailing  it  over  ;  you  have  a  new  horizon  every  hour's  sail  you  sail.  So 
is  it  here  ;  therefore  they  are  called  rivers  of  pleasure,  because  in  God  and 
from  God,  by  reason  of  his  infiniteness,  they  are  continually  fresh.  The 
Papists  say  that  the  saints  in  heaven  see  all  tilings  here  below  in  God.  What 
do  our  divines  say  to  that  1  No,  say  they,  it  cannot  be  ;  though  they  see 
God,  in  whom  all  things  are,  and  in  whom  all  things  may  be  seen,  yet  they 
do  not  see  all  things  in  God  at  once.  The  saints — even  as  Aquinas  himself 
speaks,  and  reason  acknowledgeth  it  too — see  in  God  still  things  fresh, 
which  they  saw  not  in  the  beginning  of  their  blessedness.  The  angels  that 
see  God's  face  in  heaven,  yet  they  stretch  out  their  necks  to  learn  con- 
tinually even  of  the  churches  below  the  mysteries  of  Christ ;  much  more  in 
heaven. 

My  brethren,  it  is  for  ages  to  come  ;  the  infiniteness  of  this  being  of  God 
holds  us  seeing,  and  knowing,  and  viewing  over  afresh  even  to  eternity,  and 
yet  it  is  not,  it  cannot  be  comprehended  by  us ;  therefore  ages  to  come  are 
appointed. 

Fifthly,  It  is  in  kindness  towards  us.  My  brethren,  when  God  shall 
have  shut  out  all  the  world,  shut  up  all  wicked  men  in  hell,  when  he  and 
his  children  shall  be  alone,  and  all  the  world  besides  excluded,  and  none 
else  there  but  his  children,  and  they  all  together  with  him,  then  will  he 
break  up  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  and  he  hath  reserved  it  unto  that 
time. 

Lastly,  It  is  in  kindness  towards  us  in  Christ  Jesus,  loving  us  with  the 
same  love  wherewith  he  loved  Christ  Jesus.  Look  what  glory  he  hath  be- 
Btowed  upon  our  head,  the  same  he  will  bestow  upon  us,  and  with  the  same 
kindness,  and  how  great  must  that  needs  be  ?  Do  but  read  the  description 
of  that  glory,  which  the  Apostle  on  purpose  made  of  Christ,  in  the  first  chap- 
ter ;  out  of  the  same  kindness  he  will  bestow  the  same  glory  upon  us. 

And  so  much  now  for  observations  upon  that  last  sense  and  interpreta- 
tion j  and  so  I  have  done  with  this  verse. 


EPH.  II.  8-lO.J  TO  TUK  KrUESIANS.  311 


SERMON  XXL 

F(yr  hy  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith;  and  that  not  of  yourselvei :  it  is 
the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast.  For  we  are 
his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God 
hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them. — ^Ver.  8-10. 

These  words  wMch  I  have  now  read  unto  you  are  an  additional  piece,  added 
to  that  discourse  of  the  Apostle  before,  concerning  the  cause  and  parts  of 
our  salvation,  in  shewing  the  exceeding  riches  of  grace,  in  the  application 
of  salvation  to  us,  laid  forth  by  free  grace  from  everlasting,  and  purchased 
by  Christ. 

The  words  here  are  one  of  the  great  forts  of  the  Protestant  doctrine,  a 
place  which  all  our  divines,  in  handling  of  justification,  and  salvation  by 
faith  and  by  free  grace  and  not  of  works,  have  recourse  unto,  as  wherein 
salvation  by  faith  is  spoken  of  tanquam  in  propria  sede,  as  in  its  proper 
place.  And  therefore  it  is  reckoned  as  the  sum,  as  indeed  it  is,  of  all  the 
Apostle  had  said  concerning  this,  both  in  the  3d  and  4th  chapters  to  the 
Romans,  and  in  the  3d  to  the  Galatians. 

I  will  not  stand  to  repeat  anything  which  I  delivered  for  the  opening  of 
the  words  formerly,  until  I  am  over  the  10th  verse.  I  shall,  though  not 
much,  yet  somewhat  more  enlarge,  because  I  conceive  that  the  truths  deli- 
vered therein  are  of  exceeding  great  moment. 

To  begin  therefore  with  the  exposition  of  each  word  apart : — 
Here  is  the  Apostle's  main  assertion  laid  down,  and  that  is,  that  by  grace 
we  are  saved;  and  it  is  ushered  in  with  this  particle /or.   *  For,'  saith  he,  'by 
grace  are  ye  saved,'  which  is  a  particle  of  coherence  and  connexion,  and  so 
must  refer  to  the  former  words. 

The  word  is  sometimes  used  for  an  introduction  to  an  assertion,  or  further 
explication  of  a  thing  formerly  asserted;  sometimes  as  giving  a  reason  of 
what  had  been  said  before.  And  I  take  it  that  both  do  stand  here,  in  rela- 
tion to  two  several  references  that  these  words  have. 

1.  They  refer  to  what  he  had  said  in  the  5th  verse,  when  he  had  but 
begun  to  mention  the  application  of  salvation  to  us,  in  quickening  of  us;  his 
heart  being  big  with  it,  saith  he  there,  by  way  of  parenthesis,  '  By  grace  ye 
are  saved.'  He  lets  faU  there  a  brief  word,  which  yet  was  the  centre  that 
all  his  motions  and  rounds  about  the  text  were  directed  to.  Now  then,  he 
having  but  hinted  this  by  the  way  there,  when  he  had  made  an  end  of  that 
vein  of  discourse  which  he  had  in  hand  and  was  engaged  in,  he  now  comes 
to  reassume  that  which  he  had  before  but  scattered  by  the  way,  and  to  hold 
up  this  as  the  eminent  thing,  as  the  centre  and  the  upshot  of  what  he 
aimed  at  in  his  whole  discourse.  And  so  he  enters  upon  a  new  common- 
place of  matter,  to  shew  how  by  grace  we  are  saved,  in  the  application  of 
salvation  to  us ;  he  clears  it  by  way  of  several  short  theses.  And  so  now  the 
word  for  hath  relation  to  what  he  had  said  before  in  the  5th  verse,  'by  grace 
ye  are  saved ; '  and  it  is  a  note  of  reassuming  the  same  thing  again,  and  ush- 


312  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXI. 

ereth  in  a  further  clearing  and  explication  of  what  he  had  there  said,  as  if 
he  should  say,  '  For  you  must  know  that  by  grace  ye  are  saved  /  and  so  he 
goes  on  to  enlarge  upon  it. 

2.  If  you  take  the  words  in  reference  more  immediately  to  the  words 
foregoing  in  the  7th  verse,  so  they  are  a  reason  of  what  is  delivered  in  that 
7th  verse.  He  had  said  there  that  the  utmost  end  of  God  was,  in  the  ages 
to  come  to  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  to- 
wards us  in  Christ :  for,  saith  he,  by  grace  ye  are  saved.  One  interpretation 
I  gave  of  those  words  in  the  7  th  verse  was  this :  that  to  shew  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace  was  God's  utmost  end  in  the  salvation  of  men.  Now 
here  follows  a  demonstration  and  evidence  of  it.  '  For,'  saith  he,  '  by  grace 
ye  are  saved.'  This  being  the  fountain,  the  original,  the  Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  beginning  and  end,  the  contriver  of  all  the  salvation  of  man,  he  hath 
contrived  all  so  that  the  whole  shall  manifest  itself  to  be  by  grace.  And  to 
evidence  it  to  them  he  instanceth  in  the  salvation  we  have  in  this  life,  in  the 
application  of  salvation  to  us,  shewing  how  in  the  whole,  and  in  every  part 
of  it,  it  is  so  contrived  as  it  shall  eminently  appear  that  we  are  saved  by 
grace.  And  by  that  also,  says  he,  you  may  guess  that  even  to  eternity,  and 
in  all  the  ages  to  come,  God  still  drives  on  the  same  design,  even  to  shew 
forth  his  grace  and  the  riches  of  it  more  and  more;  and  by  what  you  have 
now  found  in  this  work  of  application, — '  for  ye  are  saved  by  grace,' — ^you 
may  estimate  what  riches  of  grace  in  the  world  to  come  (which  was  another 
interpretation  I  gave  of  the  words)  are  to  be  spent  upon  you.  This  as  to  the 
coherence  in  both  these  senses. 

I  may  add  this  :  I  told  you  likewise,  that  in  those  words  in  the  7th  verse, 
'  that  he  might  shew  forth  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  the  ages  to 
come,'  his  scope  was  to  shew  forth  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  converting  us, 
in  the  example  of  these  Ephesians.  Now  then  the  Apostle  comes  in  with 
this  word  for  as  by  way  of  exemplification,  '  for  by  grace  ye  are  saved;'  if 
ever  there  was  an  instance  of  the  riches  of  grace  to  after-ages,  it  is  in  you. 
Because  he  had  propounded  them  as  the  pattern,  as  the  model  of  like  kind- 
ness to  others  in  after-ages,  he  doth  now  enlarge,  and  shew  how  that  in 
them,  and  in  their  conversions,  men  that  were  so  eminently  wicked  and  sin- 
ful, God  had  shewn  forth  so  great  and  rich  a  grace  in  saving  of  them.  '  For 
ye,'  saith  he,  *  are  saved  by  grace.' 

Only  I  shall  make  this  observation  by  the  way.  In  that  the  Apostle  doth 
reassume  and  dilate  upon  it ;  viz. ,  salvation  by  grace,  and  that  through  faith, 
and  not  of  works,  &c.  ;  in  that  he  so  indigitateth  this,  and  insists  on  this, 
ha\4ng  let  it  fall  before,  and  now  again  prosecuting  of  it, — you  have  scarce 
the  like  in  any  epistle, — it  argues  that  this  is  the  great  point  of  the  gospel, 
salvation  by  grace,  through  faith,  and  not  of  works,  which  is  the  sum  of 
these  verses.  It  is  that  great  point  which  all  the  writings  of  the  apostles, 
and  of  the  prophets  before  them,  centre  in.  There  are  two  things  to  which 
all  the  prophets  are  said  to  give  witness.  And  the  one  is,  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  glory  which  shaU  follow  upon  his 
coming ;  which  you  have  in  Acts  iii.  31,  'As  he  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth 
of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began.'  And  it  is  called  in  Rev.  x.  7, 
the  mystery  which  shall  be  fulfilled,  which,  he  saith,  hath  been  spoken  of  by  his 
servants  the  prophets.  Now  the  other  point  that  all  the  prophets  have  tes- 
tified,— and  if  we  search  them  we  shall  find, — it  is  salvation  through  grace, 
and  through  Christ,  by  faith  alone.  You  have  it  in  one  place  of  Paul,  in 
Rom.  iii.  21,  'The  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested, 
being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets.'     And,  Acts  x.  43,  'To  him 


EpH.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  313 

give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that  through  his  name  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins,'  or  liave  justification  by  faith,  or  by  be- 
lieving, and  without  the  works  of  the  law ;  which  is  both  Paul's  scope  in 
that  Horn.  iiL  and  Peter's  scope  in  this  Acts  x.  This  is  a  point  which  all 
the  prophets  gave  witness  to,  and  therefore,  in  Rom.  i.  17,  the  sum  of  the 
gospel  is  delivered  to  us  by  this,  that  '  the  righteousness  of  God  is  therein 
revealed  from  faith  to  faith.' 

For  by  grace  ye  are  saved. — I  confess,  I  thought  I  should  have  found  no 
difficulty  at  all  in  this ;  for  when  I  viewed  the  words,  I  thought  the  Apostle's 
scope,  when  he  said,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  had  been  comprehensively  to 
mean  aU  the  benefits  we  have,  which  belong  and  appertain  unto  salvation, 
and  all  the  standing  works  of  God  upon  us,  calling,  and  quickening,  and 
sanctification,  and  whatever  else  that  are  all  by  grace.  And  so,  '  by  grace 
ye  are  saved,'  runs  currently  from  first  to  last,  both  because  these  are  all 
things  appertaining  to  salvation,  and  because  that  they  are  all  by  grace.  That 
grace  that  justifies  and  adopts  us  sons,  that  grace  it  is  that  also  calleth  us, 
sanctifieth  us ;  electing  grace  doth  the  one  as  well  as  the  other  :  and  all  pro- 
ceed immediately  from  that  grace  which  is  in  the  heart  of  God  towards  us, 
freely,  and  without  works.  And  that  which  did  incline  me  still  to  think 
this  should  be  his  meaning  is,  because  that  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved '  comes 
in  presently  after  quickening,  ver.  5,  and  so  it  would  seem  here  also  to  in- 
clude the  very  work  of  regeneration,  and  the  new  creature,  which  he  in  this 
very  paragraph  speaks  of,  ver.  10. 

Now  the  truth  is,  this  interpretation  would  run  currently  but  for  one 
thing,  and  that  is  this,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith.'  jNIarkit,  now 
this  addition  here  crosseth  it,  taking  salvation  here  for  the  whole  work  of 
God  in  us,  and  upon  us,  and  towards  us,  comprehensively.  Why  ?  Because, 
first,  faith  itself  is  a  part  of  salvation,  it  is  a  work  toward  salvation,  and  unto 
salvation  in  us.  And  though  it  is  true,  as  the  Aj^ostle  saith  in  Acts  xviii. 
27,  that  men  believe  through  grace,  as  the  efficient  cause  of  their  believing; 
yet  notwithstanding  we  cannot  be  said  to  have  faith  through  faith.  And 
therefore  at  least  here  faith  must  be  excluded  out  of  these  words,  when  he 
saith,  *  by  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith ; '  for  otherwise  there  were  a  jiro- 
cessus  ad  infinitum,  as  we  use  to  say. 

But  then  again,  I  thought,  as  the  Apostle  saith  in  another  case,  when  he 
saith,  '  all  things  are  put  under  him,'  it  is  manifest  that  he  is  excepted  which 
did  put  all  things  under  him ;  so  now  faith  is  excepted  here,  because  he  saith 
afterwards,  and  that  as  an  addition,  '  and  not  of  yourselves.' 

But  then,  on  the  other  side,  there  are  many  things  besides  faith, — if  you 
will  take  salvation  for  the  whole,  and  aU  that  God  doth  in  us  and  for  us, — 
that  though  all  is  by  grace,  yet  aU  is  not  conveyed  to  us  by  faith,  for  regene- 
ration itself  is  not.  A  man  doth  not  first  believe,  and  then  is  born  again  ; 
but  a  man  must  first  be  born  again  before  he  believeth,  as  you  have  it  in  1 
John  V.  1,  'He  that  believeth  is  born  of  God.'  It  is  true  indeed  that  regene- 
ration, whereof  one  principle  is  the  principle  of  faith,  is  not  of  works,  it  is 
whoUy  of  grace ;  for  the  new  creature  is  created  unto  good  works ;  but  yet 
stiU  it  is  not  through  faith,  (mark  it,)  unless  you  would  make,  as  some  do, 
which  to  me  is  unnatural,  that  the  first  act  of  faith  is  without  any  principle 
at  all  in  us ;  which  is  to  make  a  man  see  without  having  an  eye.  Now  it  is 
true,  I  say,  that  all  these  are  by  grace,  but  they  are  not  through  faith.  You 
must  give  grace  leave  to  go  further  than  faith  :  and  yet  notwithstanding 
here,  when  he  saith,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,'  he  makes  them 
adequate  and  commensurable  one  to  the  other. 


314  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMUN  XXI. 

Then  again,  that  wliich  narrows  the  words  yet  more  is,  that  take  all  the 
sanctification  and  new  obedience  that  is  wrought  in  us  after  we  are  bom 
again,  although  it  may  be  said  in  some  sense  it  is  through  faith,  yet  it  is 
not  through  faith  alone ;  but  the  salvation  which  he  speaks  of  here,  it  is  by 
grace  through  faith.  '  We  are  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  faith,'  &c. 
Now  oftentimes  in  Scripture  '  saved '  is  taken  strictly  for  justification ;  as, 
*  He  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins,'  in  Matt.  i.  21,  and  '  saved  from 
wrath  to  come,'  in  Rom.  v.  9.  And  many  like  instances  might  be  given, 
though  here  he  states  all  under  the  first  word,  '  saved.' 

But  then  methiuks  this  should  be  too  narrow  for  the  Apostle's  scope  here, 
whereas  we  find  that  salvation  may  be  taken  more  largely :  and  let  us  enlarge 
it  as  far  as  possibly  we  can,  so  we  make  these  two  meet  together,  '  by  grace 
ye  are  saved  through  faith,'  and  through  faith  only. 

I  do  lay,  for  the  interpreting  of  these  words,  having  shewn  you  wherein 
the  stress  lies,  these  three  things,  as  premises  to  assoil  this  difficulty  : — 

1.  That  only  that  of  our  salvation  is  here  spoken  of,  which,  as  it  is  given 
by  grace,  so  it  is  received  by  faith,  as  I  said  before ;  these  are  both  ade- 
quate. Therefore  we  must  not  extend  salvation  here  further,  or  think  any- 
thing is  included  in  it  further  than  what  is  conveyed  to  us  by  faith,  though 
aU  be  of  grace. 

2.  That  methinks  the  whole  of  our  salvation  should  be  here  meant, — how, 
I  shall  shew  you  by  and  by, — a  whole  and  a  complete  salvation.  '  Ye  are 
saved  by  grace,'  that  is,  ye  are  fully  saved,  or  else  the  Ajiostle's  scope  would 
not  be  here  satisfied,  and  made  fully  up,  unless  his  expression  should  reach 
to  this  ;  he  having  spoken  such  great  things  in  the  words  before  of  God's 
shewing  riches  of  grace  in  the  world  to  come,  and  making  this  as  a  proof  of 
what  he  had  said  before. 

3.  That  he  speaks  of  salvation  as  applied  in  this  life ;  it  is  not  the  posses- 
sion of  salvation  in  heaven,  that  must  necessarily  be  left  out :  for  he  speaks, 
I  say,  of  salvation  as  it  is  applied ;  and  it  is  manifest,  because,  saith  he,  it 
is  through  faith. 

Now  then,  to  assoil  this  difficulty  in  a  word,  that  I  may  make  this  clear  to 
you,  for  upon  it  depends  the  understanding  of  these  Avords  in  the  text ;  I 
conceive  that  salvation  imports  two  things,  or,  if  you  will,  salvation  hath  two 
parts  : — 

The  one  is,  of  such  benefits  as  do  consist  merely  in  the  actions  of  God 
upon  us  and  towards  us,  which  indeed  and  in  truth  are  properly  salvation,  in 
comparison  of  the  other,  as  making  us  sons  and  heirs,  pronouncing  us  just, 
redeemed,  reconciled,  gi-aciously  accepting  our  persons  in  his  Son,  giving  us 
a  right  to  heaven  and  to  life. 

And  the  other  is  of  the  workings  of  God  in  us,  which  are  unto  this  salva- 
tion, as  calling,  and  sanctification,  and  obedience,  &c. 

I  find  saved  is  thus  distinguished,  when  he  S2:)eaks,  as  here  he  doth,  of 
grace,  and  not  of  works.  And  that  text  which  we  have  often  occasion  to  re- 
cur to  in  the  point  of  free  grace,  is  an  opener  of  this  place  ;  it  is  in  2  Tim.  L 
9,  '  Whd  hath  saved  us  and  called  us,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  accord- 
ing to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Here, 
if  you  mark  it,  '  saved  us '  is  made  distinct  from  calling ;  he  hath  both  saved 
us  and  called  us,  and  both  by  grace,  and  not  of  works.  Now  if  you  take  in 
the  whole  work  of  calling,  God  doth  not  call  us  by  faith,  not  by  fciith  alone, 
for  calling  includes  sanctification  and  regeneration ;  we  are  saints  by  calling 
as  well  as  believers  by  calling ;  yet  we  see  that  he  distinguisheth  salvation 


Era.  II.  8-10.]  to  thje  EPHJisiANs.  31.5 

which  is  the  work  of  Qod  upon  us,  from  calling  which  is  the  work  of  God 
in  us. 

Or  if  you  will,  you  may  take  this  distinction  to  clear  it,  which  may  help 
your  understandings  more  in  it ;  and  that  is,  that  that  salvation  whicli  is 
applied  here  in  this  world,  for  we  exclude  heaven,  is  not  through  faith, 
not  through  faith  alone;  for  in  2  Thess.  iL  13,  we  are  chosen  to  salvation 
through  faith  and  sanctification  both  :  it  is  a  medium  through  which  he 
carries  us. 

Or  if  you  will,  we  may  also  distinguish  thus  of  salvation  itself ;  that 
there  are  two  sorts  of  degrees  of  the  application  of  it,  and  both  called  salva- 
tion : — 

1.  One  is  an  investmg  us  with  a  right,  a  title,  a  tenure,  an  interest  in  all 
benefits  of  stdvation,  be  they  what  they  will ;  to  give  us  a  formal,  sure,  legal, 
authentical  interest,  according  to  the  rules  of  the  word,  to  all  benefits  of 
salvation,  whether  in  this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come. 

2.  Or  in  the  second  place,  there  is  an  actual  possession,  or,  if  you  wOl,  rather 
call  it  an  accomplishment  of  all  the  parts  of  salvation  and  works  of  God  in 
us,  which  God  carrieth  on  in  us  by  degrees,  works  holiness  in  us  by  decrrees, 
whereof  quickening  is  the  beginning ;  works  glory  in  us  by  degreea,  first 
raising  us  and  then  filling  us  with  glory  in  heaven,  as  I  shewed  out  of  the 
6th  verse. 

Now  these  are  evidently  distinct,  and  yet  they  are  both  called  salvation. 
There  is  salvation  in  hope, — that  is,  having  the  title  of  it,  Eom.  vui.  24. 
And  there  is  auTr,^iac  rvyusi,  an  obtaining  of  salvation,  or  salvation  obtained; 
as  you  have  it  in  2  Tim.  ii.  10.  There  are  some  benefits  indeed  which  we 
have  not  only  a  right  to,  but  we  do  as  fuUy  possess  them  as  we  shall  do  in 
the  world  to  come ;  and  that  is  being  justified  :  we  are  as  much  righteous  as 
ever  we  shall  be  in  heaven,  and  have  as  full  a  possession  of  it ;  only  at  the 
latter  day  there  shall  be  a  fuller  enjoyment  of  it,  therefore  sins  are  said  to  be 
pardoned  in  the  world  to  come. 

This  distinction  of  salvation  thus,  in  the  right  and  title  of  it,  and  of  salva- 
tion in  the  full  accomplishment  of  it  by  degrees,  time  after  time,  is  evident 
in  Scripture.  1  John  iii.  2,  '  Now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,' — now  the  whole 
right  of  sons  is  ours,  and  God  himself  can  give  us  nothing  which  he  hath  not 
given  us  a  right  unto  ;  and  yet,  saith  he,  '  it  doth  not  appear  what  we  shall 
be.'  Look,  what  our  right  to  sonship  gives  us  a  title  to,  that  is  yet  to  be 
manifest ;  what  it  will  bring  with  it,  we  know  not.  '  It  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  we  shall  be ;  but  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him.'  So  take 
sanctification  itself;  you  are  not  perfectly  sanctified,  you  have  not  that  part 
of  salvation  completed  and  accomplished  as  it  shaLL  be  in  heaven ;  you  have 
as  much  right  to  aU  the  sanctification  that  you  shall  ever  have  now,  as  you 
shall  have  in  heaven.  AU  that  is  prepared  by  grace  in  election  from  eternity, 
the  whole  title  to  it  is  given  us  at  once,  and  God  doth  but  parcel  out  by  de- 
grees that  salvation  which  he  giveth  in  the  title  of  it  at  first.  I  wiU  not 
stand  to  enlarge  upon  this. 

Accordingly  now  you  shall  find  that  our  divines  do  distinguish,  and  ex- 
ceeding rightly.  Say  they,  when  we  are  said  to  be  translated  from  death  to 
life,  and  our  state  is  altered  from  the  state  of  nature  to  the  state  of  grace, 
from  damnation  to  salvation,  there  is  a  double  change  wrought  in  us. 

One  is  a  relative  change,  which  consisteth  merely  in  title.     And. — 

The  other  is  a  real  change,  which  consisteth  in  works  in  us. 

The  relative  change  in  us  consisteth  in  all  those  things  which  depend  upon 


316  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXL 

God's  accounting,  and  reputing,  and  actual  reckoning  as  such.  As  now, 
go  take  justification,  in  Rom.  iv.  5.  It  is  said  there  to  be  an  accounting 
and  reckoning  for  righteousness  to  us ;  therefore  it  is  opposed  to  condemna- 
tion, in  Rom.  viii.  32.  Reconciliation,  or  reckoning  us  friends,  it  lies  in 
accounting  us  so :  2  Cor.  v.  19,  'Reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  not  im- 
puting their  trespasses  unto  them,'  but  accounting  them  friends,  for  that  is 
the  position  of  it.  So  take  adoption,  it  lies  in  reputing,  in  God's  account- 
ing us  sons,  in  giving  us  the  right  and  title  to  it :  1  John  iii.  1,  'That  we 
should  be  called  the  sons  of  God;'  that  is,  reckoned  such  :  as  the  child  that  is 
in  the  cradle  hath  the  title,  and  interest,  and  right  of  a  barony,  or  of  a  king- 
dom. 

Now  all  these  benefits,  in  which  the  main  and  indeed  the  whole  of  salva- 
tion lies  in  this  life,  are  in  a  way  of  reputation,  and  consist  in  a  right,  in  a 
title,  before  the  possession  ;  such  a  right  as  will  bring  all  the  possession  after 
it.  And  therefore  to  see  the  wickedness  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  how  one 
absurdity  draws  on  another.  They,  to  maintain  that  we  are  justified,  not  by 
being  accounted  righteous,  but  by  being  inherently  righteous,  say  that  our 
adoption  doth  not  consist  in  a  relation  to  God  as  a  Father,  but  in  the  image 
of  God  wrought  in  us.  Why,  if  that  adoption  did  imply  a  real  change  in 
the  person  that  is  made  a  son,  it  must  make  a  real  change  in  the  father,  for 
father  and  son  are  relatives ;  and  so  when  God  becomes  a  Father  to  us,  you 
must  make  a  real  change  in  him,  for  always  for  things  that  are  relata  there 
is  the  same  reason,  as  we  use  to  say.  Therefore  now  being  a  son,  what  doth 
it  lie  in  1  It  lies  in  a  title,  in  an  authority,  in  a  charter,  in  a  commission, 
as  we  say ;  as  it  is  in  John  i.  1 2,  '  He  gave  them  power' — that  is,  he  gave 
them  a  charter,  a  commission — 'to  be  the  sons  of  God :'  as  the  king  gives  a 
man  a  charter  or  a  commission  to  be  a  nobleman  or  to  be  a  judge  ;  gives  him 
a  title  to  be  so.  In  1  Cor.  viii.  9,  and  in  1  Cor.  vii.  37,  the  same  word  is 
used  for  a  privilege  or  for  a  liberty. 

Now  take  salvation  thus,  as  it  is  endowing  us  with  all  the  title  and  inte- 
rest of  whatsoever  God  means  to  bestow  upon  us,  and  this  is  wholly  by 
grace,  and  wholly  through  faith.  These  three  are  adequate: — 1.  Such 
benefits  as  are  by  imputation  or  reckoning;  2.  by  grace,  out  of  us;  3.  re- 
ceived only  by  faith. 

Here  now  is  the  solution  of  the  text :  here  is  whole  salvation  in  the  very 
lump,  it  is  all  given  at  once,  given  at  first;  the  whole  of  it  as  it  lay  in  the 
womb  of  God's  decree  and  free  grace,  it  is  completely,  according  to  the  right 
and  title  of  it,  bestowed  upon  us  at  once,  and  it  is  received  through  faith. 
'  By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,'  saith  he ;  that  now  solves  all  the  diffi- 
culty. They  are,  I  say,  all  bestowed  upon  us  at  once;  all  that  are,  or  as 
they  are,  acts  of  God  upon  us;  that  great  salvation,  '  so  great  salvation,'  as 
the  Apostle  calls  it,  is  given  all  at  once :  and  by  grace  ye  are  thus  saved,  com- 
pletely and  fully,  and  this  as  soon  as  you  believe,  eodem  die,  as  Jerome 
speaks.  Here  is  the  greatest  gift  that  ever  was  given ;  '  not  of  yourselves,' 
saith  he,  '  it  is  the  gift  of  God.'  The  Apostle  hath  penned  the  words  so 
that  they  will  refer  as  well  to  salvation  as  to  faith.  It  is  not  of  yourselves, 
it  is  the  gift  of  God,  the  whole  lump  of  salvation  is.  And  by  grace  ye  are 
thus  saved;  salvation  in  the  lump  of  it,  it  is  given  to  you  by  grace,  and  re- 
ceived by  faith. 

Now  there  is  this  difference  between  these  two,  that  the  one  is  given  at 
once,  and  the  other  the  Lord  doth  give  by  degrees,  and  go  on  to  perfect  it 
one  after  another :  the  one  is  an  act  of  God  upon  us,  towards  us,  and  there- 
fore is  a  mere  act  of  free  grace,  immediately  residing  in  God,  and  doth  not 


EpH.   IT.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS,  317 

import  infusing  anything  into  us.  In  Rom.  iiL  22,  the  Apostle,  speaking 
of  justification,  (mark  his  phrase :)  '  Righteousness,'  saith  he,  '  unto  all  and 
upon  all  them  that  believe;'  not  in  all,  but  unto  all  and  upon  all. 

Now  then,  this  same  right  to  salvation,  and  to  the  whole  of  salvation,  and 
all  that  ever  you  shall  have,  it  is  truly  and  properly  called  salvation.  Why? 
You  were  once  sinners:  for  you  to  be  saved  from  your  sins,  saved  from 
wrath,  to  have  a  kingdom  added  to  it,  and  to  have  a  right  to  all  the  bless- 
ings that  ever  the  grace  of  God  means  to  bestow,  and  to  have  all  this  re- 
puted yours,  this  is  to  be  saved  truly  and  properly ;  it  is  to  be  saved  in  title, 
as  the  other  is  to  be  saved  in  execution.  You  know  the  word  '  saved,'  in 
our  ordinary  phrase,  is  taken  in  a  double  sense :  we  either  say  a  physician 
saveth  a  man's  life,  or  we  say  a  king  saveth  a  man's  life  if  he  pardons  him, 
and  especially  if  he  advanceth  him  to  any  great  place.  Now  when  he  saith 
God  saveth  us,  his  meaning  is,  he  saveth  us  as  a  judge,  as  the  sovereign 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  by  endowing  us  with  the  pardon  of  all  sin,  and 
righteousness,  and  adoption,  and  whatever  else;  which  are  all  forensical 
actions,  actions  of  a  judge,  without  us.  Therefore  now  when  he  saith,  '  by 
grace  ye  are  saved,'  he  means  these  acts,  which  indeed  are  properly  salva- 
tion. As  we  use  to  say  of  institution  and  induction  into  a  benefice,  the 
man  hath  the  whole  given  him  by  institution,  but  he  hath  not  possession 
but  by  induction;  so  here,  'by  grace  ye  are  saved;'  all  that  belongs  to  salva- 
tion comes  immediately  through  the  hands  of  free  grace,  and  is  communi- 
cated to  you  by  faith. 

And,  my  brethren,  salvation  taken  thus,  in  this  sense,  agrees  with  the 
scope  of  the  Apostle  and  the  words  of  the  text  every  way. 

First,  He  saith,  '  Ye  are  saved,'  completely  saved.  This  now  can  be  no 
way  meant  but  in  respect  of  the  whole  title  and  tenure  of  salvation.  He 
saith  not,  Ye  shall  he  saved,  but,  Ye  are  saved,  fully  and  completely  saved. 

And  then  again,  if  you  mark  the  words,  the  Apostle  doth  sever  this  sal- 
vation in  the  title,  conveyed  to  us  by  faith,  from  the  workings  of  God  upon 
us.  For  after  he  had  affirmed,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,'  he 
then  shews  how  over  and  above  all  that  is  wrought  in  us  in  this  life,  it  is 
by  grace  also.  He  severs  therefore  the  whole  of  salvation,  in  the  title  and 
in  the  right  of  it,  from  those  things  which  are  the  means  of  salvation,  as 
taken  from  the  possession,  which  are  both  faith,  and  the  new  creature,  and 
good  works,  and  the  like.  This,  I  say,  is  natural  to  the  text,  that  besides 
giving  salvation  by  grace  at  first,  which  faith  only  receiveth,  it  shews  that 
grace  doth  all  in  all  in  us  besides;  it  maketh  that  faith,  and  the  new  crea- 
ture, and  everything  else  in  us. 

And  let  me  add  this :  you  will  not  find  a  scripture  where  believing  or 
•where  sanctification  is  called  salvation  itself;  they  are  said  indeed  to  be  unto 
salvation,  and  they  are  means,  but  they  are  not  called  properly  and  strictly 
salvation.  And  accordingly  as  there  is  salvation  in  the  title  of  it  given  to 
us  in  one  lump,  and  the  works  of  salvation  wrought  in  us ;  so  you  shall  find 
that  the  Scripture  puts  the  same  distinction  between  grace.  There  is  either 
the  grace  that  brings  salvation,  in  the  offer  of  it,  as  it  is  called  in  Titus  ii. 
11,  that  is  big  with  it,  that  hath  all  salvation  in  the  lump  to  bestow,  and 
■which  it  offers  to  invest  us  with  when  we  are  called ;  and  there  is  grace 
also  taken  for  that  dispensatory  grace,  as  I  may  so  call  it,  which  doth  work 
grace  in  us,  and  gives  us  a  possession,  by  a  power  in  us  which  grace  sets  a- 
work.  And  this  is  called  grace  too,  in  1  Cor.  xv.  10,  '  Not  I,  but  the  grace 
of  God  which  was  in  me,'  or,  '  with  me.'  He  means  there  the  grace  of  God 
as  working  in  him,  or  with  him.     Therefore  let  me  tell  you  this,  though  it 


318  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SrUMON  XXI. 

is  grace  that  saveth,  and  grace  that  sanctifieth,  and  it  is  grace  that  glorifi- 
eth,  yet  grace  saveth  not  in  the  same  manner  that  it  sanctifieth  and  glorifi- 
eth.  For  how  doth  it  sanctify?  It  is  the  same  grace  efficiently  indeed, 
and  immediately;  the  same  grace  that  doth  justify  us  doth  adopt  us,  but 
how  doth  it  sanctify  us  ?  It  sanctifieth  us  by  infusing  grace  into  us ;  and 
there  is,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  the  grace  of  God  which  is  in  me,  and  which  is 
with  me ;  which  is  in  God  working  with  what  he  puts  into  me,  which  is  the 
grace  of  God  with  me,  or  in  me.  But  when  grace  is  said  to  save  or  to 
justify,  there  it  is  pure  grace ;  that  is,  it  is  not  by  working  anything  in  me, 
but  by  a  mere  act  that  resideth  in  God,  yet  entitling  me  and  investing  me 
to  the  whole  of  salvation.  And  this  is  said  to  be  received  through  faith; 
all  this  whole  salvation  is  so  received.  And  as  it  cometh  immediately  and 
purely  through  the  hands  of  free  grace,  and  doth  not  consist,  doth  not 
mingle  itself  -nith  any  workings  in  me ;  so  faith  is  that  Avhich  doth  immedi- 
ately receive  it,  receive  the  whole  of  salvation,  as  I  shall  shew  you  anon. 

As  now,  take  justification,  being  saved  from  wrath,  and  saved  from  sin, 
the  Scripture  is  clear  in  it  that  you  receive  it  by  faith,  '  Being  justified,' 
saith  he,  '  by  faith.' 

And  so  adoption  and  sonship,  being  made  heirs  of  life,  which  you  may 
in  some  sense  make  a  part  of  justification,  and  so  the  Scripture  doth,  yet 
notwithstanding  we  are  said  to  receive  it  by  faith,  Gal.  iv.  4,  5,  and  Gal. 
iil  26. 

Take  both  in,  remission  of  sins,  and  being  heirs  of  life,  you  receive  them 
both  through  faith,  and  through  faith  alone.  You  have  a  place  for  it  in 
Acts  xxvi,  18,  a  speech  of  Christ,  since  he  went  to  heaven,  unto  Paul. 
Saith  he  there,  '  That  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance 
among  them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  me,'  He  divides  the 
whole  of  salvation  into  these  two  things — into  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inhe- 
ritance among  them  which  are  sanctified;  he  cuts  off  from  these  two  faith 
and  sanctification ;  he  makes  sanctification  a  qualification  of  that  person  God 
means  to  save;  but  he  makes  faith  the  thing  that  receiveth  the  right  and 
title,  and  so  receiveth  salvation  completely,  both  the  one  and  the  other,  and 
this  from  the  hands  of  free  grace  immediately.  But  I  wiU  not  stand  to  en- 
large these  things,  being  clear  and  evident.  And  therefore,  although  I  might 
shew  you  that  faith  hath  a  great  hand  in  all  parts  of  salvation,  yet  I  could 
not  shew  you  that  it  had  a  sole  hand,  I  could  shew  you  how  it  causeth 
repentance,  how  it  is  the  spring  of  all  good  works,  of  all  obedience,  how  it 
is  that  which  goeth  out  unto  Christ  to  fetch  in  holiness  and  strength,  how 
it  sanctifieth  and  purifieth  the  heart,  how  it  brings  in  assurance  of  salvation, 
which  is  called  salvation :  aU  this  might  be  shewn  that  faith  doth ;  how  you 
are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  and  that  through  faith.  But 
none  of  these,  or  the  most  of  these  which  I  have  named,  are  through  faith 
alone;  they  are  not,  I  say,  communicated  to  us  through  faith  alone.  Faith 
alone  doth  not  sanctify  us,  as  the  Papists  would  slander  us,  though  faith 
alone  justifieth  us  and  saveth  us.  Now  here  the  Apostle  sheweth  what  faith 
alone  doth,  and  therefore  we  must  exactly  keep  to  that  whole  lump  of  sal- 
vation which  at  first  is  bestowed  upon  us.  And  so  now  you  have  the  mean- 
ing of  these  words,  '  for  ye  are  saved.' 

By  grace. — It  implies  the  principal  cause.  By  grace  is  meant  the  free 
favour  in  the  heart  of  God  out  of  us,  as  I  shewed  at  large  when  I  opened 
that  scripture,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved,'  ver.  5. 

And  therefore  to  add  but  a  confirmation  or  two  to  it.  In  Tit.  ii.  11,  where 
he  saith,  '  The  grace  of  God  hath  appeared  to  us ; '  in  chap.  iii.  4,  he  saith, 


EpH.  11.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  319 

*  The  kindness  and  love  of  God  hath  appeared.'  And  in  Ex.  xxxiii.  19,  that 
which  is  said  there,  '  I  will  be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and  I 
will  shew  mercy  on  whom  I  Avill  shew  mercy  :'  in  Rom.  ix.  15,  it  is,  *  I 
will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and  I  will  have  compassion  on 
whom  I  will  have  compassion ; '  implyuig  not  a  grace  in  us,  but  a  grace  that 
is  in  God. 

The  Papists  anathematise  those  qui  statuunt  gratiam  qud  justificamur, 
esse  tantum  favor  em  Dei.  (Cone.  Triden.,  Sess.  vi.,  c.  11.)  Now  when  we 
say,  '  by  grace,' — that  is,  the  favour  of  God  out  of  us, — the  question  is  not. 
Whether,  first,  grace  in  Scripture  be  taken  sometimes  for  the  gifts  of  grace 
to  us  1  We  grant  it.  Nor,  secondly,  is  the  question.  Whether  inherent  holi- 
ness, &c.,  be  joined  with  salvation,  or  to  flow  from  grace  1  but.  Whether  we 
are  saved  thereby  1  And  therefore  it  is  the  greatest  height  of  the  mystery 
of  iniquity  that  ever  was  among  the  Papists,  who  do  not  hold  that  we  are 
justified  at  all  by  the  grace  of  God  out  of  us  ;  no,  not  so  much  as  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  not  that  part  of  salvation.  Although  they  seem  to  pretend  to 
it,  and  talk  of  forgiveness  of  sins,  yet  in  truth  they  do  not  hold  forgiveness  of 
sins  to  consist  in  a  free  favour,  pardoning  as  one  man  pardons  another  ;  but 
they  make  remission  of  sins  to  be  nothing  else  but  the  deletion,  the  blot- 
ting out  of  a  man's  sins.  And  therefore  Vasques,  one  of  their  greatest  school- 
men, speaks  out ;  for  he  saw  it  is  that  which  must  necessarily  come  upon 
them,  according  to  their  tenets.  For  what  do  they  say  ?  They  tell  you  that 
there  is  but  one  cause  of  justification,  and  that  is  the  infusion  of  holiness 
into  us.  Now  mark  it,  if  they  held  a  forgiveness  of  sins  by  grace,  then  they 
must  hold  two  parts  or  two  causes  of  justification  ;  one  to  lie  in  remission 
of  sins  by  the  free  grace  and  favour  of  God,  and  the  other  in  God's  making 
us  righteous  inherently  in  ourselves.  And  so  our  justification  should  have 
two  heterogeneal,  two  uniform  parts,  which  were  not  like  one  to  the  other ; 
one  part  of  their  justification  must  lie  in  the  grace  of  God,  without  them 
wholly  and  merely,  and  the  other  part  must  lie  in  inherent  righteousness 
infused  into  them.  Now,  to  avoid  this  absurdity,  they  do  clearly  and  plainly 
say,  and  argue  for  it,  that  the  true  remission  of  sins  lies  in  the  blotting  out 
of  sin  ;  and  as  darkness  is  done  away  by  the  coming  in  of  light,  so  there  is  no 
other  pardon  of  sin  but  holiness  and  righteousness  infused,  which  doth  expel 
it.  And  this,  I  say,  their  greatest  school-man,  Vasques,  doth  expressly  and 
clearly  say.  I  do  not  say,  saith  he,  that  sin  is  pardoned  by  a  grace  and 
favour  out  of  ourselves,  but  it  lies  in  this,  (he  says  it  expressly,  without  an 
addition  of  a  new  favour,)  in  having  an  inherent  holiness  infused  into  us. 
What  a  damnable  and  desperate  doctrine  is  this !  (besides  the  derogation  that 
is  in  it  to  the  grace  of  God,)  for  no  man  then  can  believe  that  his  sin  is  par- 
doned until  he  see  it  expelled  out  of  him.  And  therefore,  my  brethren, 
hate  Popery,  for  this  is  the  tenet  of  it. 

'  By  grace  ye  are  saved,'  not  only  by  having  sin  pardoned,  but  being  ac- 
coimted  sons,  and  being  accounted  righteous.  When  you  come  to  have  the 
whole  of  salvation  bestowed  upon  you,  it  is  merely  the  grace  that  is  in  the 
heart  of  God  about  which  faith  deals  immediately. 

Now  there  is  the  grace  of  God  in  election,  which  is  the  original  grace ; 
and  there  is  the  grace  of  God  which  doth  make  application  of  all  to  us.  It 
is  for  substance  the  same  love,  only  I  make  this  distinction,  as  the  Scrip- 
ture also  doth.  I  say,  there  is  first  the  grace  of  God  in  election,  which  doth 
bestow  all  that  salvation  upon  us,  and  that  in  Christ ;  so  you  have  it  in 
2  Tim.  i.  9,  '  He  hath  saved  us  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace, 
which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  bejran.'     There  was  a 


320  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXI. 

grace  given  us,  and  bestowed  upon  us  in  Christ,  before  the  world  began  ; 
this  is  the  original  grace.  Now,  saith  he,  when  God  comes  to  save  you 
actually,  he  doth  it  according  to  that  grace.  Mark  that  phrase ;  it  is  used 
there,  and  it  is  likewise  in  Tit.  iii.  5,  '  According  to  his  mercy  he  saveth  us  : ' 
so  in  1  Pet.  i.  3,  '  According  to  his  abundant  mercy  he  hath  begotten  ua 
again ; '  that  is,  according  to  that  original  grace  which  from  everlasting  he 
bestowed  upon  us,  that  favour  which  he  did  cast  upon  us  in  his  Son, 
that  love  continued  now,  the  very  same,  according  to  the  model,  purpose, 
and  design  thereof,  is  salvation  bestowed  upon  us.  And  of  this  grace  he 
speaks  here,  a  dispensatory  grace,  as  I  may  so  call  it ;  that  is,  when  elective 
love  continued  to  us,  doth  upon  the  same  terms  out  of  which  he  first  chose 
us  bestow  all  that  salvation  upon  us.  The  use  of  this  distinction  you  shall 
see  afterwards  in  the  next  discourse. 

I  will  not  stand  to  lay  open  to  you  the  riches  and  greatness  of  this  grace, 
for  that  I  did  before.  I  shewed  how  all  of  salvation  depended  upon  it ;  I 
shewed  you  the  riches  of  this  grace ;  I  have  done  it  again  and  again. 

Now  when  he  saith,  '  by  grace,'  you  must  take  in  the  grace  of  all  the  three 
Persons,  the  favour  of  them  all.  He  doth  not  say  by  the  grace  of  God  only  ; 
he  doth  not  mention  Jesus  Christ  in  this ;  therefore,  I  say,  take  all  in,  the 
grace  of  the  Father,  which  is  called  the  grace  of  God,  who  is  said  to  be  the 
Saviour,  in  Isa.  xhii.  3,  '  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel, 
thy  Saviour :'  and  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ ;  it  is  his  favour  also  that  we 
arc  saved  by.  It  was  the  grace  of  God  that  gave  Jesus  Christ,  he  died  by 
the  grace  of  God ;  so  you  have  it  in  Heb.  ii.  9.  It  was  his  love,  or  a  grace 
in  the  heart  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  caused  him  to  become  the  author  and  pur- 
chaser of  aU  salvation  to  us.  '  You  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,' 
saith  the  Apostle  in  2  Cor.  viii.  9,  '  that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your 
sakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich.'  And, 
Gal.  i.  6,  it  is  called  the  grace  of  Christ.  And  then  it  is  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  likewise,  for  all  three  Persons  concur  in  it ;  and  because  the 
Apostle  doth  fasten  it  neither  upon  the  Father,  nor  upon  the  Son,  nor  upon 
the  Holy  Ghost,  let  us  take  them  all  in.  Rev.  i.  4,  '  Grace  be  unto  you  from 
the  seven  Spirits,' — that  is,  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  For,  to  say  that  grace 
should  be  wished  from  any  creature,  or  to  take  '  seven  Spirits '  for  created 
gifts,  or  for  angels,  as  some  have  done,  and  to  join  them  to  the  other  two 
Persons  wliich  he  had  spoken  of  before,  is  extremely  absurd  ;  therefore  he 
means  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  therefore  called  the  '  Spirit  of  grace,'  in  Heb. 
X.  29.  Now  it  is  grace  alone — that  is,  the  free  favour  of  God  the  Father, 
and  of  God  the  Son,  and  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost — that  bestows  all  salvation 
upon  us.  Why  1  Because  this  whole  of  salvation  consisteth  in  a  reckoning 
us  to  be  heirs  and  sons ;  now,  whatsoever  is  thus  by  way  of  reckoning  and 
account,  it  is  by  grace. 

"When  he  comes  to  bestow  salvation  upon  us,  is  it  not  an  infinite  thing, 
my  brethren,  that  that  God  who  loved  us  from  everlasting,  when  he  comes  to 
call  us  and  work  faith  in  us,  should  in  a  moment,  in  an  instant,  respecting 
nothing  in  us,  possess  us  of  all  salvation  1  Respecting  nothing  in  us,  it  is 
therefore  grace.  Rom.  iii.  24,  '  We  are  justified  freely  by  his  grace.'  The 
word  there,  freely,  is  to  shew  that  it  is  merely  grace  ;  it  is  without  cause,  it 
is  grace  dyed  in  grace,  as  I  use  to  say,  gracious  grace  :  for  so  that  phrase, 
'  freely  by  his  grace,'  will  warrant  such  expressions ;  prorsus  gratis,  as  Austin 
calleth  it,  that  bestows  all  of  salvation. 

And  as  it  doth  do  it  without  respecting  anything  in  us,  so  he  doth  do  it 
notwithstanding  all  that  he  seeth  in  us.     A  soul  may  say,  O  Lord,  thou  dost 


EpH.  IL   8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  321 

freely  give,  not  finding  something  why  thou  shouldest  save,  but  all  why  thou 
shouldest  damn,  and  yet  bcstowcst  the  whole  of  salvation  upon  us.  And 
what  an  infinite  gift  is  this  !  that  the  poorest  believer  that  is  hath  the  whole 
of  that  salvation  in  that  moment  that  he  bclieveth,  and  he  receiveth  by  it 
the  whole  of  salvation  !  It  may  not  only  be  said  of  him  that  he  shall  be 
saved,  but  that  he  is  saved.  It  is  made  sure  to  all  the  seed  of  grace,  as  the 
Apostle's  expression  is  in  Eom.  iv.  But  I  will  not  stand  to  enlarge  upon 
these  things  now. 

You  have  had  these  two  things  expounded  : — 

1.  What  is  meant  by  saved. 

2.  What  by  grace;  and  how  tlie  whole  of  salvation  is  given  to  us  by 
tbe  free  grace  of  God  towards  us. 

The  next  thing  now  that  I  should  come  to  is,  to  shew  you  how  all  this  is 
conveyed  to  us  by  faith;  that  the  whole  of  it,  I  say,  is  conveyed  to  us  by 
faith. 

In  the  opening  of  this  I  shall — because  it  is  the  main — spend  a  little 
time  upon  it  now,  and  in  the  next  sermon.  And,  first,  I  shall  open  to  you 
all  these  particulars  which  are  natural  and  proper  to  the  text — 

1.  That  as  the  whole  of  salvation  is  given  by  grace,  so  it  is  wholly  re- 
ceived by  faith,  and  by  faith  only ;  and  there  is  nothing  in  man  that  could 
have  received  this  whole  gift  of  salvation,  or  lay  hold  on  it,  or  apprehend  it, 
or  have  been  capable  of  it,  but  only  faith,  not  works,  nor  anything  else. 

2.  I  must  shew  you  what  this  faith  is,  and  that  out  of  the  text,  that  this 
faith  wliicli  hath  the  grace  of  God  and  the  grace  of  Christ  for  its  object,  and 
bath  salvation  for  its  aim,  this  faith,  and  no  other  doth  receive  and  doth  pos- 
sess us  of  the  whole  of  salvation. 

3.  I  must  likewise  shew  you  how  this  faith  doth  possess  us  of  all  this, 
that  it  is  conveyed  through  this  faith,  and  what  kind  of  consideration  this 
faith  should  have  in  our  being  saved  by  it,  whether  as  a  condition,  or  an  in- 
strument, or  what. 

I  shall  speak  to  all  of  these  things  briefly  ;  and  the  first  two  are  implied 
in  the  word  faith,  and  the  other  in  the  word  through  faith  ;  and  so  I  shall 
clear  it  to  you  what  is  meant  by  this,  through  faith,  and  shew  you  how 
through  faith  it  is  conveyed  to  us,  which  indeed  are  some  of  the  controver- 
sies and  agitations  of  these  times. 

That  which  I  shall  do  at  this  present  is  only  this, — for  I  see  I  cannot 
finish  it, — that  as  the  whole  of  salvation  doth  come  immediately  out  of  the 
hand  of  God  and  his  free  grace,  so  there  is  no  principle  in  man,  or  that  can 
be  supposed  to  have  been  in  man,  which  could  have  received  this  whole  of 
salvation,  but  only  faith.  As  grace,  I  say,  is  the  thing  that  gives  all,  so  this 
principle  in  man,  faith,  is  that  which  suits  this  grace  wholly  and  fully,  and 
nothing  else  could. 

You  read  in  Rom.  iii.  24  of  three  causes,  as  I  may  so  express  them,  but  I 
will  not  call  them  all  causes  ;  I  shall  shew  you  what  influence  faith  may  be 
said  to  have  into  our  salvation  by  and  by.  '  Ye  are  justified,'  saith  he, 
'  freely  by  his  grace  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood.'  You 
have  these  three — '  by  grace,'  '  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ,'  and 
'  through  faith  in  his  blood.'  Now  by  '  grace '  there  is  meant  all  the  favour 
in  God's  heart  toward  us,  which  did  contrive  and  intend  all  sort  of  benefits 
to  us,  to  the  praise  of  itself  But  yet  this  grace  that  was  in  the  heart  of 
God  needed  Jesus  Christ  as  a  Mediator  (if  you  wiU  have  me  so  speak)  in  re- 
spect of  compounding  it  with  justice  ;  therefore  it  is  added  there,  '  through 
VOL.  n.  X 


322  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXI. 

the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ.'  And  grace  pitched  upon  the  fittest 
instrument,  the  fittest  servant  it  could  have,  to  execute  all  its  will,  and  to 
derogate  nothing  from  itself ;  that  is,  Jesus  Christ.  Look  what  salvation 
you  do  design,  saith  Christ,  I  will  purchase,  and  notwithstanding  my  pur- 
chase you  shall  give  all  freely ;  for  though  it  be  given  through  the  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Chiist,  and  so  as  in  respect  of  Christ  it  is  not  free,  yet  as 
it  is  to  us  it  is  free :  and,  saith  he,  grace  shall  not  be  robbed  by  me  one 
whit,  but  advanced ;  the  revenue  of  it  shall  not  be  one  whit  impaired  by  me ; 
no.  the  gi'ving  of  me,  and  that  I  die  by  grace,  (as  the  phrase  is,  Heb.  ii.,)  shall 
magnify  grace  so  much  the  more,  and  make  it  double  grace.  So  that  now 
the  grace  that  was  in  God  hath  a  Saviour  for  us  fitted  to  his  own  heart. 
Well,  but  now  saith  God, — that  I  may  express  it  in  this  familiar  manner,— 
I  see  how  that  the  giving  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  redemption,  will  very  well 
stand  ^vith  my  grace  and  advance  it.  But  I  must  come  and  apply  this  sal- 
vation, the  whole  of  salvation,  out  of  mere  pure  grace,  respecting  nothing  in 
the  creature  ;  and  I  must  make  the  creature  sensible  of  this,  and  what  is  it 
that  I  shall  do  it  by  that  shall  magnify  both  my  grace  and  this  Christ  ?  If 
I  can  now  but  get  an  instnimcnt,  something  in  man's  heart,  that  doth  no 
more  derogate  from  grace  than  Christ's  redemption  doth,  then  grace  is  ad- 
vanced indeed.  Now,  my  brethren,  as  Jesus  Christ  was  so  fit  an  instrument, 
and  a  servant  to  all  free  grace's  ends  and  purposes,  the  truth  is,  so  is  faith 
every  whit ;  it  is  suited  to  the  very  spirit  and  strain,  it  is  according  to  free 
grace's  own  heart  too,  let  me  tell  you  so.  As  grace  is  the  eminent  thing  in 
God,  so  faith  in  us,  suited  to  it,  doth  serve  all  its  ends.  As  grace  gives  all 
that  is  in  God  without  us,  so  it  is  pure  faith  that  receives  it.  As  the  whole 
of  salvation  bestowed,  the  right  to  it,  is  out  of  us,  and  consisteth  in  God's 
reckoning  and  accounting  of  it  to  us,  so  this  faith  is  a  mere  going  out  of  a 
man's  self  to  grace  for  this  salvation;  it  is  conformed  to  all  the  contrivements 
of  grace,  to  give  glory  to  it.  As  it  is  not  of  a  man's  self,  so  faith  doth  not 
look  to  a  man's  self.  Even,  as  I  may  so  express  it,  as  the  marigold  opens 
and  shuts  with  the  sun,  and  turns  continually  round,  and  holds  a  correspond- 
ency with  it,  so  doth  faith  to  grace. 

The  Papists  say,  wickedly  and  wretchedly,  that  love  is  the  form  and  soul 
of  faith.  The  truth  is,  the  free  grace  of  God  is  as  the  form  of  fiuth,  if  we 
may  so  speak  ;  and  what  is  faith  in  a  man  1  It  is  just  like  the  first  matter 
God  created,  in  Gen.  i.  It  hath  no  form,  no  shape  in  itself  at  all,  but  capable 
to  take  in  and  to  receive  all  the  free  grace  that  is  in  God,  and  all  that  salvation 
which  he  hath  ^^roposed  to  bestow,  and  to  give  unto  free  grace  the  glory  and 
honour  of  it,  that  nothing  but  grace  shall  shine  and  be  as  the  soul  of  it.  It 
will  take  no  form  and  impression  but  what  free  grace  stamps  upon  it,  and  it 
will  return  its  own  impression  to  himself  again  in  glory.  Free  grace  can  say 
nothing  to  magnify  itself,  but  that  faith  in  the  heart  of  a  believer,  acted  by 
the  Spirit,  can  take  it  in,  and  give  him  the  glory  of  it  his  own  way.  The 
truth  is, — that  I  may  in  a  way  of  similitude  make  a  parallel  in  this  case, — 
as  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  being  united  to  the  Son  of  God,  had  that  in- 
stinct, and  that  law  in  his  heart,  as  it  is  called  in  Ps.  xL,  that  he  did  not  act 
as  a  person  by  himself,  he  had  not  a  v/ill  of  his  own,  but  was  resolved  wholly 
in  the  Godhead,  being  united  to  it ;  so  faith  doth  not  take  upon  it  as  a 
grace,  and  as  a  work,  or  any  of  these  things ;  it  loseth  itself,  it  resolves 
itself,  and  merely  takes  the  forms  and  impressions  that  the  free  favour  of 
God  moulds  it  into.  And  the  property  of  it  is  thus  to  advance  the  grace  of 
God,  and  that  is  the  reason — I  shall  give  you  a  scripture  for  it  by  and  by, 
than  which  to  me  nothing  is  stronger — that  grace  in  bestowing  the  whole  of 


EpH.  II.  8-lO.J  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  323 

salvation  ■will  brook  faith  well  enough.  It  will  go  and  save  through  faith  ; 
it  riseth  up  against  works  as  all  rebels.  Salvation,  saith  he,  is  of  grace, 
through  faith,  not  of  works.  And  free  grace  will  trust  ftiith  with  all  its 
glory  in  bestowing  of  salvation,  when  it  ■wdll  not  endure  wcrks  to  come  in 
sight,  not  in  point  of  giving  salvation  and  the  right  of  it. 

In  Rom.  iv.  4,  5,  and  compared  with  ver.  IG,  saith  the  Apostle,  *  Now  to 
him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt.'  Why, 
might  not  a  man  say,  I  wrought  it  1  But  works,  you  see,  will  not  stand 
with  grace,  and  grace  will  not  stand  with  works;  but  if  God  means  to  bestow 
salvation  out  of  grace,  by  way  of  reputation,  and  accounting  us  righteous, 
and  sons,  and  heirs,  <tc.,  faith  will  quickly  serve  the  turn  of  free  grace; 
therefore  it  follows,  '  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him 
that  justifieth  the  ungodly.'  But  there  is  a  more  fall  expression  in  the  16th 
verse,  which  is  more  clear  than  this,  and  truly  to  me  it  is  a  strange  one,  and 
I  wondered  at  it  when  I  considered  it.  '  It  is  of  faith,'  saith  he,  *  that  it 
might  be  by  grace,'  speaking  of  the  whole  inheritance  of  salvation  ;  for  as  he 
calls  it  '  saved'  here,  he  calls  it  an  inheritance  in  the  13th  and  14th  verses. 
I  take  the  meaning  of  the  words  to  be  this,  that  when  God  was  to  apply 
salvation,  and  to  give  the  right  of  it,  and  that  purely  and  merely  out  of 
grace,  he  did  as  it  were  consult  with  himself  what  in  man  he  should  take^ 
that  still  it  might  be  grace,  and  nothing  of  it  might  be  impaired,  and  so  he 
pitched  upon  faith  ;  for  that  is  clearly  the  Apostle's  scope  ;  he  ordained  faith, 
saith  he,  that  it  might  still  be  of  grace.  That  look,  as  it  was  merely  grace 
when  it  was  in  God's  own  heart  to  give,  so  when  he  works  faith  in  a  man, 
and  causeth  him  to  believe,  it  is  as  much  grace  as  it  was  before,  and  nothing 
is  derogated  from  grace  at  all.  It  is  therefore  of  faith,  saith  he ;  therefore 
God  chose  and  singled  out  faith,  that  still  it  might  be  by  grace,  that  grace 
might  stand  unimpaired,  and  be  as  fully  by  grace  as  if  there  were  no  faith, 
as  if  grace  had  saved  a  man  without  working  anything  in  him.  Though  God 
doth  work  faith,  which  is  an  act  of  his,  and  an  act  of  the  soul  too,  yet  it  i" 
as  much  by  grace,  saith  he,  as  ever. 

My  brethren,  although  we  hold  all  the  tenure  and  actual  right  to  aU  ot 
salvation  '  through  faith,'  (for  so  the  Scripture  speaks,  it  is  '  of  faith,'  and 
'through  faith,'  &c.,)  yet  still  it  alters  not  the  tenure  one  whit;  it  is  only 
and  merely  by  grace  still,  it  holds  as  much  upon  the  original  grace  as  before. 
And  faith  is  taught  to  cause  the  heart  to  do  so,  even  as  if  God  had  wrought 
no  faith,  nor  nothing  else  as  an  instrument,  but  had  saved  him  without  any 
act  of  his  at  all.  Thus  you  see  that  faith  suits  with  grace,  and  it  suits  with 
grace  in  bestowing  salvation. 

I  should  now  enlarge  upon  this,  giving  you  the  reason  why  by  faith.  And 
then,  secondly,  by  what  faith  :  the  faith  that  is  pitched  upon  grace,  this 
faith.  And  then,  how  through  faith,  and  how  that  nothing  is  derogated 
from  grace  by  it. 

As  the  whole  of  salvation  is  a  mere  free  gift  of  grace,  so  is  faith  a  mere 
receiver,  and  faith  only  could  receive.  For  if  there  be  anything  given  by 
grace,  and  grace  be  acknowledged  the  giver,  you  must  have  something  that 
must  receive,  and  in  receiving  must  give  aU  back  again  to  grace,  and  that  is 
nothing  else  but  faith; — for  now  I  am  shewing  you  the  reason  why  grace 
pitched  upon  fiiith  when  it  would  bestow  the  whole  of  salvation  upon  us ; — I 
say,  as  fiiith  suiteth  with  grace  only,  so  it  is  faith  only  that  can  receive ;  it 
is  that  grace  alone  that  can  receive  the  whole  of  salvation  from  God.  And 
therefore  you  shall  observe  in  the  Scripture,  how  that  still  receiving  is  put 
upon  faith,  as  giving  upon  grace.     '  They  received  abundance  of  grace,  and 


324  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXI. 

the  gift  of  righteousness.'  The  gift  of  righteousness,  the  whole  of  salvation 
is  of  grace  ;  now  what  in  the  Scripture  is  it  that  is  said  to  receive  it  1  Not 
your  love,  nor  your  works,  nor  your  holiness ;  no,  they  have  nothing  to  do 
with  it  in  the  point  of  salvation,  but  that  principle  of  faith  doth  it.  You 
shall  find  it  through  the  whole  Scripture.  *  As  many  as  received  him,' — and 
that  is  interj^reted  to  be  those  that  believed  on  him, — *  to  them  he  gave  power 
to  be  the  sons  of  God.'  Sonship  is  said  to  be  received  by  faith.  Gal.  iv.  5 
Remission  of  sins,  which  is  a  part  of  salvation  out  of  mere  grace,  is  said  to 
be  received  by  faith.  Acts  xxvi.  1 8.  The  inheritance  of  heaven  and  Hfe,  the 
whole  estate  of  it,  is  a  free  gift  of  God,  purely  and  merely ;  it  is  said  to  be 
received  by  faith,  in  the  same  place.  The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  called 
the  gift  of  righteousness,  in  E.om.  v.  17.  Faith  is  said  to  be  that  which 
apprehends  it ;  it  is  called  an  apprehension  or  laying  hold  of  righteousness. 

I  say,  run  throughout  the  whole  New  Testament,  you  shall  find  mention 
vf  this  act  of  receiving,  and  it  is  only  ascribed  unto  faith. 

And  how  doth  it  receive  1  It  merely  receiveth,  it  doth  not  give  to  God 
iinything,  it  doth  not  return,  as  love  doth.  It  was  a  speech  of  the  ancients, 
that  faith  only  is  the  apprehending  and  receiving  principle,  takes  all  in  ;  but 
charity  is  that  which  gives  out,  and  returns  something  to  God.  Now  God 
did  not  like  that ;  he  would  not  go  and  say  grace  should  save  us  by  that 
which  should  return  sometliing  to  him,  but  by  that  which  should  be  only  a 
receiver.  If  he  had  said  he  had  saved  us  through  love,  or  saved  us  through 
holiness,  and  given  us  the  whole  of  salvation  through  these,  or  any  part  of 
them,  or  the  right  unto  it,  what  would  love  have  said  1  I  have  given  you 
love  again  for  your  love.  God  doth  not  like  that ;  for  who  hath  given  unto 
him,  and  it  shall  not  be  recompensed  unto  him  again  1  But  God  takes  that 
which  is  but  a  mere  receiver,  that  returns  nothing  again;  and  that  is  faith. 

Therefore  though  you  would  say,  Is  not  faith  an  act  ? — 

It  is  true,  it  is,  in  a  grammatical  signification,  an  act ;  but  in  the  sense,  in 
the  true,  real  import  of  it,  it  is  merely  passive.  Faith  doth  not  give  any- 
thing to  God,  as  charity  and  love  doth,  but  it  only  suffers  God  to  be  good 
to  it ;  it  takes  in  that  salvation  which  grace  would  bestow  upon  it.  My 
brethren,  the  hands  of  all  other  graces  are  working  hands,  but  the  hands  of 
faith  are  merely  receiving  hands ;  now  saith  the  Apostle,  '  Not  to  him  that 
worketh,  but  believeth.'  So  that  this  faith,  as  it  beheveth  to  salvation,  it  ia 
not  reckoned  a  worker,  nor  doth  it  look  upon  itself  as  such,  but  a  mere  re- 
ceiver, a  mere  emi^tiness,  a  mere  first  matter  and  chaos,  the  form  whereof  is 
grace,  if  I  may  so  allude.  No  grace  could  have  been  chosen  in  the  heart  of 
man  suitable  thus  to  the  grace  that  giveth,  and  to  the  gift  itself,  as  this 
grace  of  faith  is. 

And  there  is  nothing  in  man  that  answers  the  promise.  For  this  grace 
hath  put  itself  out  into  promises ;  as  the  original  lies  in  the  heart  of  God, 
60  he  hath  made  a  copy  out  of  himself  in  the  promises,  and  nothing  answers 
this  but  faith. 

And,  indeed,  nothing  could  have  given  the  entire  glory  unto  grace  but 
only  faith.  It  is  just  as  a  mere  looking-glass,  when  the  sun  shines  it  is  a 
glorious  thing.  Oh,  how  glorious  is  that  looking-glass  when  it  shineth  !  But 
what  is  the  glory  1  It  is  nothing  else  but  the  very  sun's  shining  on  it :  so 
is  faith,  and  the  soul  believing  the  free  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  receiveth 
salvation  from  him. 


£PH.  II.  8-lQil  TO  THE  EFHESIAN&  325 


SERMON  XXIL 

For  hy  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  ts  the 
gift  of  God :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast.  For  we  are  his 
workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath 
before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them. — Ver.  8-10. 

These  -words  do  contain  the  great  contrivement  of  God's  free  grace  in  the 
application  of,  and  bringing  us  to  salvation  through  faith.  As  the  words 
before  had  spoken  of  the  manifestation  of  an  unknown  treasury  of  grace  to 
be  broken  up  and  spent  in  after-ages,  in  heaven,  for  ever ;  so  amongst  other 
coherences  of  these  words  with  the  former,  they  come  in  as  a  demonstration 
to  raise  up  their  minds  to  consider  how  infinite  God's  contrivements  will  be 
in  shewing  riches  of  grace  in  heaven,  and  when  that  time  is  come,  seeing  that 
in  the  way  and  in  the  foundation  of  it  laid  here  in  the  works  of  faith  and 
appHcation  by  the  Spirit,  he  had  shewn  forth  and  given  so  great  a  declara- 
tion of  the  riches  of  his  grace.  And  so  now  the  word  '  for,'  as  I  shewed  last 
discourse,  I  refer  even  to  the  words  immediately  foregoing  in  that  sense. 

My  brethren,  the  doctrine  of  the  free  grace  of  God  in  the  application  of 
salvation  to  us,  hath  been  in  all  ages  subjected  to  corruption,  and  a  derogat- 
ing from  that  free  grace,  either  by  denying  of  the  application  at  all,  or  not 
regarding  it ;  or  else  by  attributing  that  to  the  thing  wrought  in  us  which 
should  be  attributed  to  free  grace  itself  which  works  it. 

The  free  grace  of  God,  take  it  in  the  spring  and  fountain  of  it, — give  me 
leave  to  preface  this  by  the  way, — that  is,  as  it  was  in  God's  heart  from  ever- 
lasting, purposing  and  contriving  our  salvation,  as  it  resideth  in  God's  own 
breast,  it  is  most  pure  and  crystalline  :  for  as  so  considered,  it  had  no  other 
spring  but  only  the  pure  thoughts  of  his  own  love.  And  again,  consider 
this  grace  in  the  current  and  streams  of  it,  as  they  run  through  the  heart  of 
Christ,  and  are  manifested  in  the  works  of  his  mediation,  performed  by  him- 
self; although  there  they  are  mingled  with  a  fall  price  jDaid  for  all  that  free 
grace  hath  done  for  us,  yet  still  there  is  nothing  lost  of  its  glory,  nothing 
of  its  freeness,  but  ran  on  clear,  pure  grace  still,  notwithstanding  a  price  of 
Christ's  blood  mingling  with  this  grace  and  paying  a  satisfaction  to  it.  And 
the  reason  is  this,  because  still  it  was  in  the  hand  of  one  that  was  God,  who 
would  detract  nothing  from  it.  But  the  hazard  of  prejudicing  this  grace  is 
when  free  grace  shall  come  to  apply  and  bring  home  the  salvation  purposed 
by  God  and  purchased  by  Christ  to  our  hearts  ;  when,  through  grace  wrought 
in  us,  he  shall  endow  and  invest  us  with  the  whole  and  entire  title  to  salva- 
tion, in  our  own  persons,  through  faith.  And,  my  brethren,  as  it  runs 
through  our  hearts,  as  it  comes  there,  there  is  a  danger  of  contracting  mud 
from  the  mixture  of  man's  will,  and  self,  and  leaven  of  grace  wro\ight  in 
man,  with  this  free  grace  of  God  brought  home  to  man.  And  this  comes 
to  pass  through  the  pride  and  self-conceit  of  man,  which  is  apt  to  attribute 
those  works  of  grace  in  us,  without  which  salvation  cannot  be  applied  and 


326  AN  KXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XXII. 

made  ours,  to  something  or  other  that  shall  be  to  the  diminution  and  im- 
pairing of  that  grace  that  saveth  us  and  is  the  author  of  all. 

In  all  ages,  but  esi^ecially  in  these  latter  ages  of  the  world,  there  hath, 
been  many  attempts  and  devices  in  the  hearts  of  men  to  detract  and  dimi- 
nish from  the  sovereignty  of  free  grace  :  and  if  not  to  pull  down  that  sove- 
reignty, yet  to  weaken  it,  and  to  undermine  that  throne  which  God  hath 
invincibly  erected  for  it ;  and  it  is  evident  in  all  those  goings  forth,  in  all  the 
progresses  of  it  towards  our  salvation,  especially  in  these  of  application  of 
salvation  to  us,  whereof  the  text  speaks. 

Now,  although  in  God's  heart  grace  runs  pure  from  everlasting,  yet  not- 
withstanding, attempts  have  been  made  to  detract  from  that  grace,  even  from 
electing  grace,  either  by  making  it  universal,  or  making  faith  foreseen  to  be 
a  motive  to  God  of  this  grace,  or  to  make  Jesus  Christ's  merits  to  be  the 
foundation  of  his  love  to  us  ;  which  it  is  certain  they  were  not,  for  he  did 
give  his  Son  out  of  that  love.  Yet  all  these  attempts  have  been  to  corrupt 
even  that  very  grace  which  is  in  the  heart  of  God  towards  us  from  everlasting. 
Now  if  men  will  dare  to  defile  these  springs  of  grace,  as  residing  wholly 
in  God's  breast,  as  they  are  immanent  acts  contained  within  himself  and 
rising  out  of  himself,  if  they  will  go  and  mingle  their  dirt  and  dung,  for  so 
faith  and  works  and  all  things  else  are  in  comparison  of  this  grace, — give  me 
leave  to  use  the  comparison  that  Paul  doth,  speaking  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness in  relation  to  Christ's,  so  I  speak  in  relation  to  this  grace, — I  say,  if 
Bien  will  dare  to  mud  this  pure  spring  as  it  runs  in  God's  heart,  and  mingle 
faith  and  works  and  Christ's  merits  ;  how  much  more  the  streams  of  grace 
bringing  salvation  to  us,  when  they  shall  come  to  run  and  flow  into  the  heart 
through  faith,  and  run  through  holiness,  carrying  us  on  to  eternal  life,  till  it 
hath  made  us  possessors  of  it, — how  much  more  will,  I  say,  the  heart  of  man 
corrupt  the  doctrine  of  grace  here  1  The  danger  doth  specially  lie  when  it 
comes  to  this.  Therefore  the  Apostle  here  speaks  so  eminently  of  grace,  it 
being  the  controversy  of  those  times,  for  so  it  was.  It  was  the  great  con- 
troversy in  those  two  churches  of  Jerusalem  and  Antioch,  viz.,  about  works 
and  grace,  in  Acts  xv.  11  ;  where  Peter  before  the  whole  council  delivers 
his  opinion  :  '  We  believe,'  saith  he,  '  that  through  the  grace  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they.'  Mark,  '  through  the  grace  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  that  was  all  they  believed  to  be  saved  by.  It  was 
in  opposition  to  works.  This  controversy  likewise  troubled  the  church  of 
Galatia,  therefore  Paul  spends  whole  chapters  upon  them  concerning  it ;  it 
troubled  the  church  of  the  Komans  too,  and  he  spends  whole  chapters  in  his 
epistle  likewise  upon  them.  But  these  Ephesians  were  not  tainted  with  it ; 
but  yet,  to  fortify  them  against  it,  he  draws  in  this  piece  here,  '  By  grace  ye 
are  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God,' 
and  states  the  controversy  as  exactly  as  it  can  be  stated  for  the  exaltation  of 
free  grace. 

My  brethren,  many  of  those  who  have  kept  the  doctrine  of  God's  free 
grace  in  election  pure  and  unstained  with  any  thing  in  man,  yet  in  the  appli- 
cation of  grace  unto  us  they  have  miscarried,  attributing  more  to  faith,  or 
to  repentance,  or  to  the  new  creature,  than  the  free  grace  of  God  and  Christ's 
blood  will  bear.  Many  of  the  Papists  have  been  sound  in  free  grace  as  it 
hath  been  in  God's  election ;  yea,  they  are  as  right  as  can  be  in  the  business 
of  redemption,  take  it  as  it  hath  been  wrought  by  Christ :  they  give  as  much 
worth  to  his  merits,  and  value  to  his  satisfaction,  as  any  other,  and  cry  up 
both  as  much  as  we,  and  upon  the  same  grounds.  But  when  it  comes  to 
the  application  of  salvation,  and  to  this  '  ourselves,'  as  here,  and  when  it 


EpH.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHKSIANS.  327 

comes  to  what  salvation  shall  be  attributed  to,  whether  to  faith  or  works  or 
what  else,  in  this  they  miscarry,  tliis  is  the  great  stumbling-stone  they  all  fall 
upon,  and  which  multitudes  are  broken  to  pieces  with ;  and  so  it  hath  been 
in  all  ages.  When  it  comes  that  this  same  grace  and  Christ's  redemption 
shoidd  be  applied  to  us,  then  what  do  they  do  ?  They  set  up  the  new  crea- 
ture, this  workmanship  of  God  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  to 
be  made  our  righteousness,  and  not  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ.  They 
set  up  grace  within  us,  and  not  grace  without  us.  It  will  not  be  yielded  so 
much  that  Christ's  satisfaction  is  reckoned  ours  for  the  pardon  of  sin.  And 
with  others,  those  good  works  which  are  the  fruit  of  the  new  creature  must 
be  preferred  to  the  honour  and  title  of  merit,  to  procure  heaven  for  us.  And 
the  truth  is,  with  them  God's  free  grace  and  Christ's  righteousness  may  very 
well  think  themselves  satisfied,  if  they  be  remotely,  and  at  a  distance,  and  at 
second-hand  taken  notice  of.  It  is  enough  honour  to  Chiist's  merits  with 
them,  to  have  so  much  worth  in  them  as  to  merit  as  our  good  works  merit : 
and  so  free  grace  is,  they  think,  honoured  enough  if  it  be  faintly  acknowledged 
that  all  is  from  grace,  because  the  new  creature  and  all  is  from  grace  assisting  us. 

And,  my  brethren,  even  when  it  comes  to  the  work  of  the  new  creature, 
they  go  half-share  with  God.  They  say  it  is  of  ourselves  as  well  as  of  grace. 
Yea,  they  make  our  wills  the  lords  of  grace  therein ;  that  is,  that  grace  doth 
but  merely  like  a  servant  help  us,  either  to  choose  if  we  will,  or  we  may  re 
fuse  if  we  will ;  but  our  wills  are  the  masters. 

And  others,  that  of  late  years  seem  to  distinguisli  themselves  from  Popery 
by  denying  the  merit  of  good  works,  yet  in  the  meantime  teach  works  to  be 
for  justification  as  much  as  faith,  and  both  equal  and  alike  evangelical  con- 
ditions of  salvation. 

And  those  again  that  would  reject  works,  yet  notwithstanding  will  needs 
set  up  foith  even  whether  it  will  or  no ;  whereas  faith  is  the  most  modest 
grace  that  ever  was  in  this  point;  but,  I  say,  they  would  set  up  faith  or 
something  that  must  have  a  throne  and  share  with  Christ  and  grace.  Some 
would  have  the  very  habit  of  faith,  Avhilst  asleep, — a  miserable  thing;  they 
will  take  it  asleep,  when  it  hath  neither  done  good  nor  evil,  and  say  we  are 
saved  by  faith  in  that  senfie.  And  others  would  have  the  act  of  faith;  yea, 
and  in  so  doing  would  put  off  grace  with  this,  that  it  is  and  shews  the  more 
of  grace  to  take  so  small  a  thing  as  faith,  a  peppercorn,  and  they  think  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  enough  honoured,  and  all  is  for  his  sake. 

Thus  I  say,  in  the  way  of  application,  still  free  grace  hath  been  subject  to 
lose  its  right.  I  v/ill  not  stand  to  enlarge  upon  it.  The  Apostle  therefore, 
in  regard  of  this  aptness  that  is  in  the  heart  of  man  to  encroach  thus  upon 
the  grace  of  God,  doth  here  set  down  the  royalties  of  free  grace  in  this  re- 
spect, reduceth  all  that  is  wrought  in  man  to  their  due  place  or  bottom, 
there  to  keep  them  from  lifting  up  a  hand,  or  raising  up  a  thought,  or  taking 
in  above  what  is  meet  or  due  to  them.  And,  my  brethren,  it  is  a  matter  of 
as  great  concernment  to  preserve  the  doctrine  of  grace  in  its  sovereignty  in 
the  work  of  application,  as  it  is  to  attribute  a  sovereignty  to  it  in  election 
and  redemption.  And  our  comfort  is,  this,  that  God  hath  entrusted  one 
that  is  God  too  even  with  this  work  ^Iso,  who  will  be  sure  to  carry  it  on, 
and  work  out  all  mud  in  the  hearts  of  his  own  people,  if  they  mingle  any 
with  it ;  and  that  is  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  were  it  not  a  great  deal  of  pity, 
that  after  all  the  glory  of  God  which  grace  hath  in  election,  and  which 
Jesus  Christ  hath  in  redemption,  when  it  shall  come  to  dispensation  and 
application,  in  the  winding  and  closing  of  all,  he  should  be  robbed  of  it 
again  1     As  if  a  king  or  great  prince,  his  whole  and  entire  revenue  should 


328  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXIL 

be  truly  recorded  and  set  down,  and  by  bis  treasurer  faithfully  raised  and 
collected,  j'et  when  it  comes  to  be  expended  and  laid  out  in  his  family,  as 
it  goes  through  under-hand  officers,  he  should  be  cheated,  and  that  wasted 
and  spoiled  to  his  dishonour.  This  dishonour  is  the  grace  of  God  and  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  subject  unto.  It  concerned  therefore  both  God  and 
Jesus  Christ  to  look  to  this  back-door.  Therefore  they  have  shewn  as  great 
a  wisdom  in  its  kind  in  this  work  of  application,  as  in  the  contrivement  of 
the  work  of  election  or  redemption;  and  as  in  creation,  they  created  all  ia 
number,  weight,  and  measure,  so  they  ordered  all  here,  lest  they  should  lose 
anything;  that  though  they  had  it  given  them  in  the  lump,  in  that  work  of 
redemption,  they  should  by  retail  come  short  of  their  glory  and  honour :  that 
when  free  grace  should  come  to  be  minted  and  stamped  in  our  hearts,  it 
should  come  to  be  embased  and  lose  of  its  value.  The  Apostle  therefore  is 
vehement  in  it  in  all  his  epistles;  you  see  here  how  he  heaps  up  negatives 
one  upon  another.  Not  of  yourselves,  not  of  works,  saith  he.  It  is  one  of 
his  masterpieces,  and  indeed  the  masterpiece  of  God  himself,  for  to  set  down 
the  right  limits,  and  what  is  to  be  attributed  to  grace,  and  to  shew  how  that 
our  salvation  is  so  ordered  and  contrived,  that  nothing  of  grace  is  diminished 
or  impaired  at  all.  I  may  compare  this  free  grace  of  God  to  a  diamond;  as 
it  came  out  of  the  rock  it  came  pure  and  whole  and  fair,  and  it  was  as  curi- 
ously cut,  as  I  may  so  express  it,  by  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
that  all  the  lustres  of  it  might  have  their  utmost  advantage :  but  now  all 
the  hazard  is,  when  it  comes  to  be  set  in  the  rmg,  set  in  our  hearts,  set  in 
fiiith, — though  faith  be  gold, — lest  it  should  be  so  unskilfully  set  as  that  any 
of  the  lustres  of  this  diamond  should  be  impaired,  that  though  there  be 
never  so  much  in  us,  good  works  or  whatever  it  be,  yet  all  may  say, — faith 
speaking  in  the  name  of  all  the  rest, — We  do  but  serve  to  hold  forth  the 
glories  of  this  grace,  and  the  full  brightness  of  them,  without  obscuring  any. 
And  therefore,  I  say,  God  hath  entrusted  one  that  is  God,  and  that  is  his 
Spirit;  and  the  Spirit  hath  here  through  Paul's  hand  delivered  to  us  the 
truth  herein ;  and  the  Apostle  doth  prevent  all  the  corruption  of  the  hearts 
and  spirits  of  men  in  this  doctrine,  as  I  have  in  part  shewed,  and  as  in  the 
opening  of  it  will  appear.  And  so  now  I  come  to  the  opening  of  the  words, 
having  thus  given  you  by  way  of  preface  the  scope  of  them. 
Here  are  two  things,  which  I  spoke  to  in  the  hist  discourse  : — 

I.  What  is  meant  by  'grace.* 

II.  What  by  '  savecV     '  By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith.' 

By  'grace,'  as  I  said,  is  meant  the  free  favour  of  God  out  of  us.  He 
useth  no  less  than  four  words  to  express  it  by,  from  the  4th  verse  to  the 
words  I  have  read  to  you, — mercy,  love,  kindness,  grace.  You  have  all  the 
very  same  words  used  in  Titus  iii.  4-7.  You  have  kindness  and  love,  ver.  4; 
'after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  toward  man  appeared.'  You  have 
mercy,  ver.  5  ;  '  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us.'  And  you  have  grace, 
ver.  7  ;  'being  justified  by  his  grace.'  All  these  are  synonymous;  if  mercy, 
if  love,  if  all  these  be  things  out  of  us  in  God  himself,  grace  is  also. 

Only  there  is  one  c[uestion  which  I  did  not  speak  to  so  fully  in  the  last 
discourse,  and  that  is.  Whether  that  applying  grace, — as  I  may  call  it,  that 
being  the  subject  of  this  text, — dispensatory  grace,  that  applies  salvation  to 
us,  be  the  same  with  electing  grace,  yea  or  no  ? 

For  answer  to  this, — for  it  is  a  matter  of  moment,  and  the  want  of  consi- 
dering it  is  the  ground  of  mistakes  in  some, — I  take  it  that  there  is — 

First,  The  grace  of  God — that  I  may  give  you  the  distinction  the  Scrip- 
ture gives — purposing  of  salvation  and  all  things  to  us,  which  you  have  in 


EpH.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  329 

that  famous  place,  2  Tim.  i.  9,  '  Who  hath  saved  us  according  to  his  own 
purpose  and  grace.'     And  this  is  proper  to  the  Father. 

But  then  there  is,  in  the  second  place,  a  purchasing  grace,  which  we  are 
saved  by  too ;  and  that  is  the  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  as 
you  have  it  in  2  Cor.  viii.  9,  *  Ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,' 
saith  he,  '  that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became  poor,'  and 
thereby  did  purchase  all  that  God  did  purpose  towards  us. 

Then  again,  thirdly,  there  is,  as  the  Apostle  to  Titus  expresseth  it,  chap, 
ii.  11,  the  grace  which  bringeth  salvation ;  both  that  which  revealeth  it,  as 
in  1  Peter  i.  13,  '  Trust  in  the  grace  that  is  brought  to  light' — it  is  translated, 
to  be  brought  to  light — '  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,'  not  the  revelation 
of  Christ  to  come,  but  it  is  that  of  the  gospel.  And  then  again,  it  is  a 
grace  bringing  salvation ;  because  as  it  reveals  it,  so  it  actually  bestows  it. 

Now  if  you  ask  me,  ^Vhether  it  be  the  same  grace  that  electeth.  that  also 
doth  call  us  and  save  us  ? — 

I  answer,  first,  it  is  certain  it  is  the  same  love,  the  same  grace,  that  justi- 
fieth,  sanctifieth,  glorifieth,  and  electeth,  and  all;  it  is  the  same  love  con- 
tinued to  us.  In  the  4th  verse  of  this  chapter,  saith  he,  '  For  the  great  love 
wherewith  he  loved  us,  he  hath  quickened  us,'  Arc.  And  in  2  Tim.  i.  9, 
*  According  to  the  grace  given  us  in  Christ,  he  hath  saved  us,  and  called 
us,'  &c. 

Yet,  secondly,  you  must  consider  this,  that  this  grace  of  election  merely 
nihil  ponit  in  nobis,  it  wrought  no  alteration  at  all  in  the  men,  in  the  per- 
sons themselves ;  but  this  grace,  when  it  comes  to  apply,  it  works  an  altera- 
tion in  the  persons.  And  therefore  in  that  respect  it  may  truly  be  said  to 
have  a  difference  ;  a  difference,  namely,  between  electing  love,  and  that  which 
justifies  and  sanctifies,  though  it  is  but  the  same  electing  love  continued  to  us. 
As  it  imports  the  same  love  in  God  that  doth  elect  and  that  doth  justify,  so 
withal  it  imports  a  love  working  a  work  in  us,  even  in  application.  As  now 
by  way  of  parallel,  it  is  the  same  love  that  doth  sanctify  which  doth  justify  ; 
yet  in  the  work  of  justification  God  works  nothing  in  us,  but  only  reckons 
some  things  ours  ;  it  is  an  act  out  of  us,  in  God  himself ;  but  grace  sanctify- 
ing is  a  work  in  us.  So  likewise  is  it  here ;  electing  grace,  it  did  ponere 
nihil  in  nobis,  it  did  put  nothing  upon  us  at  aU,  for  we  were  not ;  only  we 
had  that  grace  given  us  in  Christ,  who  then  was  in  existence,  as  you  have  it 
in  that  2  Tim.  i.  9.  But  this,  I  say,  doth  ponere  aliquid.  We  are  saved  by 
grace  through  faith ;  and  though  not  of  works,  yet  there  is  a  workmanship 
created.  It  is  the  same  question  as  if  you  should  ask  me,  Whether  that 
love  of  God  which  was  from  eternity  was  the  same,  and  no  other,  that  gave 
Jesus  Christ  up  to  death  in  the  fulness  of  time  1  How  Avould  I  answer  it  1 
1  would  say,  it  is  the  same ;  for  that  God,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  did  in  the 
fulness  of  time  send  his  Son,  it  was  out  of  that  love  that  was  from  everlast- 
ing. '  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  sent  his  only-begotten  Son,'  &c. 
Yea,  and  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  Jesus  Christ's  coming  into  the  world  was 
but  the  manifestation  of  that  grace  which  was  given  us  before  the  world  was, 
as  you  have  it  in  2  Tim.  i.  9.  But  yet  withal,  for  all  that,  to  send  Jesus 
Christ  into  the  world  was  a  new  grace  too  ;  and  therefore  in  Heb.  ii.  9,  he  is 
said  to  be  put  to  death  by  the  grace  of  God.  And  so  now,  though  electing 
grace  is  the  same  with  that  which  justifies,  yet  when  the  Holy  Ghost  cometh 
to  work  and  to  apply, — for  aU  three  persons  must  have  a  like  honour, — it 
may  be  said  to  be  a  new  grace,  even  as  the  sending  of  Christ  into  the  world 
was ;  for  so  far  forth  as  there  is  a  newness  in  the  one,  there  is  a  newness  in 
the  other.     As  now,  it  is  a  grace  of  God  to  make  a  promise  long  before  of 


330  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXIL 

any  mercy  to  his  creature  ;  and  when  he  performs  it,  it  is  all  according  to  hia 
promise,  yet  it  is  a  new  grace  for  him  to  do  it.     So  it  is  here. 

And  therefore,  in  the  third  place,  I  desire  you  to  consider,  that  still  when 
the  Scripture  speaks  of  callmg  us,  it  useth  this  expression,  '  according  to  the 
grace  given  us  before  the  world  began.'  So  you  have  it  in  that  place  so  often 
quoted,  2  Tim.  i.  9,  which  indeed  is  a  place  parallel  to,  and  openeth  this. 
'  He  hath  saved  us,'  saith  he,  '  and  called  us,  according  to  the  grace  given  us 
in  Christ  before  the  world  began.'  That  place  sheweth — 1.  That  it  is  a  grace 
out  of  us,  for  it  was  given  us  before  the  world  began ;  2.  That  it  is  a  grace 
without  us ;  and,  3.  That  calling  likewise  is  a  grace,  the  Holy  Ghost  therein 
working  according  to  the  pattern  of  what  was  given  to  him.  Now  add  to 
this  that  in  Eom.  ix.  11,  12,  a  jjlace  pertinent  to  this  purpose, — the  end  why 
I  speak  this  you  shall  see  by  and  by, — '  The  children  being  not  yet  born,' 
speaking  of  Jacob  and  Esau,  and  of  the  prophecy  that  God  gave  out  of  them 
long  before,  '  neither  having  done  any  good  or  evU,  that  the  jDurpose  of  God 
according  to  election  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth.'  I 
quote  this  place  to  this  end. 

You  have  here,  first,  a  purpose  of  God  in  election,  which  was  towards 
Jacob. 

Secondly,  you  have  a  purpose  that  stood ;  the  very  same  when  Jacob  was 
in  the  womb,  it  did  continue  to  stand.  '  That  the  purpose  of  God  accord- 
ing to  election,'  saith  he,  '  might  stand,'  and  out  of  it  he  called  Jacob  in  the 
end  ;  and  that  is  called  the  '  foundation  of  the  Lord.'     But  yet — 

Thirdly,  if  you  mark  it,  he  addeth  these  M'ords,  '  that  the  purpose  accord- 
ing to  election  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth.'  Here  is 
grace  now  ;  when  it  comes  to  call,  it  hath  an  eye  to  that  purpose  which  was 
from  everlasting,  which  purpose  standeth  stUl,  and  out  of  it  calleth.  And 
as  the  grace  of  God  looked  not  at  works  in  election,  so  when  it  comes  to 
call,  it  looks  neither  to  good  nor  evil.  And  therefore  jirophesying  of  the 
calling  of  Jacob,  and  not  of  Esau,  he  saith,  it  is  '  that  the  purpose  of  God 
according  to  election  might  stand,  before  they  had  done  either  good  or  evU.' 

Therefore  I  conclude  thus  with  it,  that  as  speaking  of  Christ's  redemption 
we  would  use  this  phrase  of  speech,  '  that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to 
election  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  redeemed  us ;'  so  in  like 
manner,  when  he  speaks  of  application,  '  that  the  purpose  of  God  according 
to  election  might  stand,  not  of  works,'  saith  be,  '  but  of  him  that  calleth  us.' 
Look  therefore  now,  as  Jesus  Christ  did  act  the  work  of  redemption  accord 
ing  to  the  platform  laid,  and  so  it  was  according  to  that  grace  which  was 
given  us  in  him  before  the  world  began,  and  yet  it  was  a  new  grace  too ;  so 
when  the  Holy  Ghost  cometh  to  call,  he  acts  according  to  the  pattern  of  the 
grace  of  God  in  election. 

Now  then  here  lies  the  question.  Whether  that  God  did  love  us  with  the 
same  love  from  everlasting,  which  he  loves  us  withal  v.'hen  he  calls  us  ? 

My  brethren,  it  is  clear  that  it  is  the  same  love,  the  same  grace  continued ; 
yet  let  me  say  this  vsdthal,  that  there  is  a  new  grace  in  it.  The  instance  of 
Christ's  redemption  so  clears  it,  as  nothing  more  ;  for  it  was  according  to  the 
eternal  purpose  of  grace  that  Jesus  Christ  came  to  redeem  us,  yet  it  was  a 
new  grace.  Jesus  Christ  came  not  o^ly  to  manifest  the  love  of  God,  though 
he  did  that,  but  he  came  to  work  salvation  for  us.  So  likewise  here,  when 
the  Holy  Ghost  cometh  to  apply,  it  is  not  only  the  manifestation  of  this  grace 
of  the  Son  and  of  the  Father,  or  it  is  not  only  the  same  grace ;  it  is  a  new 
grace,  though  according  to  the  old  grace. 


EpH.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  331 

And  let  me  tell  you  this,  tliat  the  Holy  Ghost  is  as  great  a  person  as  the 
Son,  and  therefore  there  is  a  work  left  for  him  that  shall  have  a  new  grace 
in  it,  as  well  as  in  the  Son's  work.  It  shall  be  left  for  him  to  do  us  as  great 
a  favour  in  his  kind  as  Jesus  Christ  did  do  us  in  his  kind. — And  so  now  I 
pass  from  that,  '  by  grace.' 

Ye  are  saved. — I  told  you,  that  the  whole  right  of  salvation  was  here  in- 
tended by  '  saved,'  but  I  will  not  stand  upon  that.  Only  let  me  decide  this 
question  too  by  the  way,  which  follows  immediately  upon  the  other  : — 

Question. — Whether  is  a  man  saved  so,  when  the  work  of  application  begins 
through  faith,  as  he  was  not  before  ? 

I  answer  clearly,  that  it  may  be  said  of  him  that  he  is  now  saved  as  he 
was  not  before,  and  that  it  is  not  a  mere  manifestation  of  his  salvation.  The 
text  is  so  clear  for  it  in  the  coherence,  as  nothing  more  ;  for  do  but  mark  it, 
*  Ye  are,'  saith  he,  '  by  nature  children  of  wrath  ; '  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved  : ' 
there  is  an  opposition  between  these  two  words,  for  salvation  hath  relation  to 
■wrath,  as  you  have  it  in  Rom.  v.  9  ;  we  are  '  saved  from  wrath  through  him.' 
Now  if,  when  we  are  said  to  be  saved,  it  were  only  the  manifestation  of  salva- 
tion to  us,  then  when  we  are  said  to  be  children  of  wrath,  it  were  only  the 
manifestation  of  wrath  to  us  too  :  but  we  were  children  of  wrath  really,  and 
therefore  we  are  saved  really  now,  in  a  true,  real  sense.  And  if  it  were  a 
mere  manifestation  of  being  saved,  and  we  were  always  saved  in  a  true  and 
proper  sense,  then  we  were  children  of  wrath  metaphorically  and  not  really ; 
if  the  one  be  real,  the  other  is  real,  or  both  are  not  so  ;  and  if  so,  then  I  say 
this  was  not  a  real  truth,  that  we  are  children  of  wrath  by  nature. 

Now  then  if  you  say.  Did  not  God  love  us  ?  Doth  not  the  text  say, '  You 
hath  he  quickened,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us  ? ' — 

I  answer,  He  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  according  to  his  grace  given  u.g, 
as  he  saith  in  that  2  Tim.  i.  4.  It  was  given  us  in  Christ  indeed,  and  it  is 
out  of  that  love  he  now  calleth  us  and  saveth  us ;  and  yet  there  is  a  true 
sense,  in  which  respect  we  are  not  to  be  saved  till  now.  A  king  in  saving  a 
traitor,  privately  bears  a  good-will  to  him,  yet  there  must  be  a  legal  act  pass 
from  the  king  before  this  man  is  said  to  be  pardoned ;  not  till  such  time  as 
his  pardon  is  read  at  the  bar,  and  he  is  acquitted ;  yea,  though  the  king  had 
sealed  the  pardon  before,  yet  this  man  is  not  reckoned  pardoned  till  this 
legal  sentence  of  it.  And  therefore,  in  Rom.  v.  11,  we  are  said  '  by  Christ  to 
have  now  received  the  atonement.'  It  is  an  emphatical  expression.  And  in 
the  19  th  verse  of  that  chapter,  there  is  a  notable  variation  of  the  phrase, 
which  is  observable.  Speaking  there  of  the  parallel  of  Adam  and  of  Christ, 
saith  he,  '  By  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners ;  so  by  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.'  The  one  is  in  the  future, 
the  other  in  the  preterperfect  tense.  What  is  the  reason  of  the  variation 
of  the  phrase  1  Because  that  all  men,  as  soon  as  ever  they  are  made  men, 
— he  speaks  of  that  multitude, — in  Adam  they  are  all  sinners ;  but  there 
are  a  multitude  of  elect,  that  are  men,  and  do  exist,  that  shall  be  made 
righteous. 

My  brethren,  when  the  Scripture  saith  we  are  saved  by  faith,  and  justified 
by  faith,  and  not  of  works,  there  must  needs  be  more  meant  than  a  mani- 
festation. Why  1  Because  our  salvation  is  manifested  to  others  by  good 
works  as  well  as  by  faith ;  as  you  have  it  in  James  ii.  24.  But  what  shall 
we  say  to  all  those  places  ?  '  He  that  beKeveth  not  is  condemned  already,' 
John  iii.  36.  It  will  be  said,  '  he  shall  be  condemned.'  It  is  true,  but  yet 
you  see  that  text  speaks  further,  and  is  express  in  it,  that  he  is  '  condemned 


332  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [ISeRMON  XXII. 

already,  and  the  wratli  of  God  abideth  on  him.'  And  it  must  not  be  put 
oflf  with  this,  that  he  that  believeth  not  hath  the  apprehension  of  wrath ; 
but  he  is  really  under  wrath,  and  that  is  his  state. 

How  we  are  saved,  and  how  we  are  not  saved,  I  shall  give  you  a  distinc- 
tion by  and  by. 

The  Holy  Ghost  hath  left  unto  him  a  share,  as  we  say,  to  effect  about  our 
salvation,  as  really  as  the  Father  or  the  Son  had  before.  We  were  elected 
to  salvation  before  the  world  was.  I  ask  you  this,  When  Christ  came  to  re- 
deem us,  whether  did  he  save  us  by  his  redemption  ]  You  must  needs  say, 
Yes.  If  we  were  saved  before,  I  ask.  How  we  are  saved  by  Christ  1  Did 
Christ  only  save  us  manifestatively  1  Did  not  he  do  it  really  1  We  shall 
otherwise  make  Christ  an  improper  Saviour.  I  ask  again,  Was  not  God's 
love  as  much  to  us  before  Christ  died  as  after  1  Assuredly  his  love  was  as 
much  to  us  before  as  after.  Why  1  Because  he  did  out  of  that  love  give 
Jesus  Christ  for  us,  and  Christ  did  commend  his  love  to  us. 

If  it  be  said,  as  it  is  by  some,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  only  for  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  love  of  God  for  ever,  I  ask,  When  we  were  chosen  in  Christ 
before  the  world  began,  was  not  that  grace  then  given  us  for  ever  1  What 
needed  then  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  continuation  of  the  love  of 
God  1  Now,  my  brethren,  if  notwithstanding  God's  purpose  of  grace  from 
everlasting,  Jesus  Christ  be  really  a  Saviour,  and  he  saveth  his  people  from 
their  sins,  then  notwithstanding  grace  from  everlasting,  and  Jesus  Christ's 
dying,  there  may  be  still  left  a  true  sense  in  which  the  Holy  Ghost  saveth 
us  too,  when  he  cometh  to  apply  salvation  to  us ;  for  he  doth  run  an  equal 
share  in  honour  with  the  Father  and  with  the  Son.  Were  it  his  work  only 
to  make  manifest  what  the  Father  and  the  Son  hath  done,  his  share  were 
less.  So  that  whilst  men  set  up  free  grace  in  this  respect,  they  detract 
from  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ. 

As  Christ  became  the  author  of  salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  him,  it 
was  not  a  bare  manifestation  of  salvation  to  them,  but  an  alteration  of  their 
state  :  so  it  is  when  the  Spirit  savetlj  us. 

But  you  will  answer  me,  How  can  this  be,  that  we  should  be  children  of 
wrath,  and  yet  that  God  should  love  us,  and  out  of  that  love  call  us,  and  yet 
the  love  be  the  saiue  / 

If  they  will  answer  me  another  question,  I  will  answer  that ;  and  that  is 
tliis,  How  was  Jesus  Christ  beloved  and  a  curse  at  the  same  time  1  Do  but 
answer  me.  How  were  they,  in  Rom.  xL,  '  enemies '  and  '  beloved '  at  the 
same  time  1  Whether  did  not  God  actually  and  really  lay  the  sins  of  us  all 
upon  Christ,  who  yet  at  the  same  time  was  without  sin  ?  And  again.  Was 
not  Christ  when  on  the  cross  really  made  sin;  and  yet  now  he  is  in  heaven 
he  is  without  sin,  even  in  that  very  respect  wherein  before,  when  on  earth, 
he  was  sin  1  Was  not  Jesus  Christ  once  made  sin  in  a  true,  real  sense  ? 
Certainly  he  was.  And  is  not  now  Jesus  Christ  without  sin  in  the  same 
sense  1  So  the  Apostle  saith.  Now  then  answerably  we  may  be  enemies, 
and  yet  loved  of  God  :  we  may  be  children  of  wrath  and  condemned  already, 
in  respect  of  that  state  we  stand  in,  and  afterwards  saved  as  truly  as  once 
Jesus  Christ  was  made  sin.  '  He  will  appear  the  second  time  without  sin,' 
saith  the  Apostle,  Heb.  ix.  28.  Is  there  such  an  alteration  made  in  Christ's 
condition,  and  a  real  one  1  Certainly  there  may  be  the  like  in  ours.  In 
2  Cor.  V.  21,  the  parallel  is  exact.  Him  did  God  'make  to  be  sin  for  us 
that  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.* 
As  on  Christ's  part  there  was  a  time  when  God  laid  all  our  sins  upon  Christ, 
and  then  another  time  in  which  he  took  all  our  sins  off  from  him,  when  he 


EpH.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  333 

had  satisfied  for  them ;  so  on  ours  there  is  a  time  when  God  doth  lay  the 
righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ  upon  ns,  and  takes  off  that  state  of  wrath  that 
we  were  in  in  our  own  persons.  And  as  it  were  absurd  to  say,  as  some, 
that  our  sins  are  translated  upon  Christ  then  when  we  believe  ;  so  that  we 
were  then  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him,  before  we  are  called  and 
believe,  in  that  sense  that  the  Apostle  there  speaks.  The  parallel  then  lieth 
in  this,  that  as  there  was  a  time  when  God  laid  our  sins  on  Christ,  made 
him  sin  which  was  on  the  cross,  when  also  at  the  same  time  he  was  personally 
without  sin  ;  so  there  is  a  time  when  God  accounts  perso^lally  to  us  Christ's 
righteousness.  And  again,  as  there  succeeded  a  time  when  Christ,  that  was 
made  sin  and  remained  under  it  for  a  while,  is  without  sin,  as  now  for  ever 
he  is ;  so  there  was  a  time  when  we,  who  are  now  justified,  were  not  justi- 
fied, but  were  sinners  and  children  of  wrath,  and  that  truly  before  God,  as 
truly  as  that  now  we  are  saved  before  God.  And  that  is  certainly  to  me  the 
meaning  of  that  in  Eom.  viii.  4,  '  The  righteousness  of  the  law  is  fulfilled 
in  us.'  Do  we  fulfil  the  righteousness  of  the  law  1  No,  but  as  it  was  ful- 
filled in  and  by  Jesus  Christ  before,  so  the  same  being  applied  unto  us  when 
we  believe,  is  said  to  be  fulfilled  in  us ;  that  is,  is  made  good  in  us,  as  we 
may  so  express  it.  In  that  discharge  of  his,  we,  as  considered  in  him,  are 
made  the  righteousness  of  God. 

But  you  wdl  say,  How  are  we  saved  in  Christ  and  justified  in  Christ  upon 
believing,  when  we  were  justified  from  our  sins  in  Christ  when  he  rose,  &c., 
and  had  sin  taken  off  from  him  ;  did  not  he  represent  us  then  1 

Adam's  instance  will  clear  all.  Were  not  all  mankind  condemned  in  Adam  ] 
Yet  no  man  is  condemned  in  his  own  person  till  he  is  born,  yet  representa- 
tively in  Adam  all  died.  So  it  is  here.  So  far  as  we  take  Christ  as  a  common 
person  representing  us,  what  was  done  in  him  was  done  for  us  in  him,  and 
so  from  eternity,  before  Christ  died,  we  were  saved  in  him  in  that  sense. 
*  According  to  the  grace  was  given  in  Christ  before  the  world  began,'  saith 
he  in  2  Tim.  i.  9.  Christ  himself  purchased  it,  with  a  reserve  till  we  believe 
and  repent,  or  else  we  are  not  to  have  the  benefit  of  his  death.  The  bond 
lay  in  God  the  Father's  hand  till  we  should  come  in  to  him  for  it.  I  do 
not  know  that  the  Scripture  useth  the  word  *  saved  from  everlasting,'  but 
only  that  the  grace  was  given  us  in  Christ,  and  that  Christ  died  representa- 
tively. But  Avhen  we  come  to  exist  in  our  own  persons,  then  it  is  applied 
to  us,  and  we  are  saved  in  our  own  persons  by  that  grace  which  once  made 
Jesus  Christ  a  common  person  for  us. 

The  great  mistake  in  this  thing  to  me  is  this.  It  is  one  thing  what  God 
doth  in  his  own  breast  as  God,  simply  considered,  and  another  thing  what 
he  doth  as  a  judge,  as  he  will  come  forth  to  the  world,  and  proceed  by  a  rule 
in  the  eyes  of  aU.  mankind,  and  give  an  account  of  all  at  latter  day ;  what 
acts  are  in  his  own  breast,  and  what  are  in  his  breast  with  relation  to  the 
creature  externally.  Now  to  save  and  to  condemn,  these  are  acts  of  God  as 
a  judge.  Justification  and  salvation  is  a  forensical  act ;  it  is  an  act  where 
there  is  an  accusing  and  where  there  is  an  acquitting,  as  in  Rom.  viii.  you 
have  it,  and  often  in  other  places.  Now  though  God  as  God  hath  saved  us 
from  everlasting  in  his  own  breast,  yet  take  him  as  a  judge,  that  professeth 
therefore  to  go  by  a  rule,  and  so  we  are  not  saved,  according  to  that  rule, 
till  such  time  as  he  applieth  salvation  to  us  by  his  Spirit.  '  By  grace  ye  are 
saved  through  faith,'  saith  he. 

Take  the  instance  of  Jacob  and  Esau.  God  might  prophesy,  as  God,  that 
there  should  be  a  Jacob  and  Esau,  and  that  his  love  should  be  upon  Jacob, 
before  he  was  bom,  before  he  had  been  conceived ;  he  might  have  done  it, 


334  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXII. 

and  after  he  was  bom,  if  he  lived  in  an  unregenerate  condition,  by  way  of  pro- 
phecy he  might  have  said,  'Jacob  have  I  loved;'  yet  notwithstanding  still,  if 
he  will  proceed  as  a  judge,  according  to  that  rule  which  he  hath  set  in  his 
word,  Jacob  is  not  saved  till  Jacob  believe. 

The  ground  of  this  mistake  lies  in  this  :  men  do  not  distinguish  between 
the  grace  of  God  decreeing,  and  the  grace  of  God  executing  according  to  his 
decree.  Application  is  the  execution  of  God's  decree;  and  as  he  decreed 
our  salvation,  so  he  decreed  this  order  and  this  way  of  execution.  My  bre- 
thren, God  doth  not  save  us  ruerely  by  predestination,  he  doth  not  glorify 
us  merely  by  predestination.  Would  you  never  be  otherwise  glorified  than 
/low  you  are  in  God's  decree?  But  he  saveth  us  by  predestination  that 
■n  orks  faith.  *  By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith.'  The  mistake  lies  in 
this :  that  because  it  is  out  of  that  love,  and  because  that  when  God  begins  to 
work  it  is  out  of  that  grace  he  chooseth,  therefore  they  conclude  there  is  no 
other  grace,  there  is  no  alteration  of  the  state  of  a  man,  when  this  grace 
comes  to  apply  all  to  him. 

Again,  another  ground  of  the  mistake  is  this :  the  not  considering  of  this 
distinction, — I  speak  this  to  clear  it  as  far  as  I  am  able,  though  I  shall  do  it 
largely ; — it  proceedeth,  I  say,  from  the  ignorance  of  this  distinction,  that, 
first,  there  are  immanent  acts  which  lie  in  God's  breast,  as  we  call  them, 
abiding  in  himself  *  The  Lord  knoweth  who  are  his,'  and  this  is  called  '  the 
foundation  of  the  Lord;'  which  he  purposed  in  himself  And  then,  secondly, 
there  are  acts  which  though  they  do  reside  in  God's  breast,  wherein  yet  he 
doth  proceed  by  a  rule  external,  as  he  is  a  judge  ;  as  now  to  give  us  the  right 
of  salvation,  of  heaven,  and  glory,  and  happiness,  and  to  acquit  us  from  con- 
demnation, it  is  an  act  merely  in  God's  breast,  and  consists  in  his  account; 
yet  so  as  withal  it  is  an  act  relating  to  an  external  rule  given  forth,  by  which 
he  doth  this,  for  it  is  an  act  in  which  he  doth  go  by  a  rule  which  he  hath 
set  in  his  word.  But  then,  thirdly,  there  are  acts  of  God  which  are  out 
of  the  same  love  that  both  these,  and  yet  they  work  somewhat  in  us, 
as  glorification  and  sanctification.  Now  to  me  here  lies  the  pure  and  trae 
mistake,  that  men  do  not  distinguish  between  those  acts  that  are  purely  in 
God's  breast  as  God,  known  to  himself;  and  those  which  though  they  are  in 
his  own  breast,  and  work  nothing  in  us,  as  justification  and  adoption  do 
not,  simply  considered;  they  are  acts  towards  us  indeed,  but  are  not  acts  in 
us,  but  in  God  only,  yet  they  relate  to  an  external  rule,  they  are  in  God 
as  a  judge :  and  upon  that  respect  there  is  some  legal  act  passeth  in  our 
hearts  upon  which  the  Lord  doth  as  a  judge  acquit  us.     Of  which  by  and 

And  so  much  now  for  the  clearing  of  that,  '  by  grace,'  in  this  sense,  '  ye 
are  saved,'  of  which  I  have  given  you  my  thoughts  briefly. 

Now  then  to  proceed. — By  grace  ye  are  saved  throxigli  faith. 

What  is  the  reason  that  God,  when  he  came  to  apply  salvation  to  us,  chose 
out  faith  ]     I  shall  only  mention  the  reasons  in  the  text. 

1.  Because  there  is  a  special  sympathy  between  faith  and  free  grace;  so  as 
that  faith,  and  faith  only,  will  give  free  grace  all  its  due  and  honour.  So  that 
if  the  Holy  Ghost  must  have  a  work  upon  us,  by  which  we  must  be  saved, 
that  he  may  have  the  glory  of  salvation  as  well  as  Christ  and  the  Father, 
there  could  be  nothing  else  chosen  but  faith,  I  shewed  you  this  in  the 
last  discourse.  You  have  it  in  Bom.  iii.  and  iv.,  where  the  Apostle  saith 
plainly  and  clearly  that  it  was  of  faith  that  it  might  be  of  grace;  it  was  of 
grace  because  it  was  of  faith.  I  am  now  to  apply  this  salvation,  saith  he,  to 
this  soul,  and  I  would  have  my  grace  exalted  stiU,  therefore  I  will  have 


EpH.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESUN3.  335 

faith.  It  yras  of  faith  that  it  might  be  of  grace.  But  I  will  not  stand  to 
open  that 

2.  The  Apostle,  you  see,  maketh  salvation  a  gift,  for  those  words,  *  it  is 
the  gift  of  God,'  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  so  penned  them,  that  the  grammar  of 
them  may  refer  as  well  to  salvation  as  to  faith.  Now  if  that  salvation,  the 
right  to  salvation,  be  an  entire  gift  that  is  given  at  a  lump,  then  there  was 
no  grace  that  was  so  fit  in  the  heart  of  man  to  answer  tliis  gift  as  faith. 
For  faith  is  a  mere  receiver.  That  which  is  said  of  Lydia,  in  Acts  xvi.,  that 
God  opened  her  heart  '  to  attend,'  it  is  in  the  original,  '  to  take  them  to  her,' 
namely,  the  things  that  Paul  spake,  and  he  opened  her  heart  to  take  them 
in,  she  did  but  receive  them ;  so  elsewhere.  '  That  they  might  receive 
remission  of  sins  and  an  inheritance  through  faith,'  Acta  xxvi.  18.  I  could 
give  you  many  places  for  it.     jS"ow — 

(1.)  It  is  faith  of  all  graces  else  that  doth  first  receive;  and  it  receivethby 
a  revelation.  '  The  righteousness  of  God  is  revealed  from  faith  to  faith.' 
Love  and  joy,  that  are  other  graces,  do  but  flow  from  this.  It  is  faith  that 
gives  the  first  entertainment  to  that  grace,  and  salvation  brought  by  grace, 
and  others  take  it  in  by  faith. 

(2.)  It  is  faith  that  is  only  a  receiver ;  that  is,  it  doth  nothing  else  but  re- 
ceive ;  it  returns  not.  Doth  the  hand  of  a  beggar  that  takes  an  alms,  return 
anything  to  the  man  that  gives  1  No,  it  only  takes  it.  The  beggar  indeed 
doth  other  actions,  puts  off  his  hat,  he  bows  to  him  and  gives  him  thanks, 
and  in  these  there  is  a  return,  but  the  hand  that  takes  it  is  nothing  but  a 
receiver,  and  that  act  is  only  receiving.  Love  doth  reverence  to  God,  and  it 
is  officious  and  laborious,  the  labour  of  love  as  it  is  called;  but  faith  doth 
nothing  else  but  receive. 

(3.)  No  other  grace  could  receive  it  immediately  but  faith.  Fidei  cum  solo 
Deo  ex  Christo  res  est,  carifatis  cum  Deo  et  proximo.  Faith  worketh  by 
love;  love  therefore  ariseth  from  faith,  but  it  is  faith  only  that  immediately 
receiveth.  For  the  right  of  salvation  cometh  immediately  out  of  the  womb 
of  free  grace,  as  it  lay  there  from  everlasting,  purchased  by  Jesus  Christ; 
what  is  there  in  the  soul  that  immediately  receiveth  it  ]  Only  faith.  There 
are  two  acts  of  faith ;  the  one  is  upward  to  God,  and  the  other  is  downward. 
Actus  elicitus,  as  we  call  it,  and  actus  imperatus.  The  one  brings  forth 
without  the  help  of  any  other  grace, — that  is,  to  receive  the  grace  offered  in 
the  gospel, — and  the  other  works  by  other  graces.  It  is  faith  only  glorifies 
God  immediately;  other  graces  by  the  help  of  faith. 

(4.)  There  is  nothing  else  but  faith  could  have  taken  in  the  whole  of  sal- 
vation completely.  "We  are  sanctified  by  degrees,  we  shall  be  glorified  many 
years  hence ;  it  is  glory  reserved  to  the  latter  day ;  we  have  it  by  parcels  in 
the  possession.  "What  grace  is  there  that  could  take  in  the  whole  at  once  ? 
that  could  look  to  aU  that  is  to  come  and  to  all  that  is  past  ]  Nothing  else 
but  faith.  The  Apostle,  when  he  saith  here,  '  ye  are  saved,'  he  referreth  to 
what  he  had  said  before :  we  sit,  saith  he, '  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,'  and 
we  are  'risen  with  Christ;'  these  are  things  to  come,  if  we  respect  the  actual 
bestowing  of  them.  The  right  we  have  now,  what  can  take  this  right  in? 
Nothing  but  faith  can  make  me  see  myself  sit  in  heavenly  places  with  Christ, 
and  see  myself  risen  with  Christ.  Faith  can  take  in  all  that  was  done  before 
the  world  was,  can  take  in  all  that  God  means  to  do,  yea,  and  give  a  subsist- 
ence thereunto.  Love  cannot  do  this;  love  may  make  a  fancy  of  the  party, 
but  it  cannot  make  the  party  present;  but  faith  makes  all  these  things 
present. 

And  then  again,  the  Lord  hath  put  all  salvation  and  grace  that  he  means 


336  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXII. 

to  bestow,  in  the  promise:  notMng  else  in  us  answers  the  promise  but  faith; 
so  you  have  it  in  Rom.  iv.  13,  and  Gal.  iiL  22.  I  will  not  stand  to  enlarge 
upon  this. 

By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith. — Ye  were  children  of  wrath  before, 
ye  are  saved  by  faith.  I  told  you  there  was  an  alteration  of  the  state  of  a 
man,  from  being  a  man  condemned,  according  to  the  rule  of  the  word,  which 
God,  as  a  judge,  avlU  go  by;  and  it  is  upon  believing. 

Now  what  of  salvation  doth  faith  then  receive,  which  we  had  not  before, 
and  to  which  works  add  nothing  ?     '  Not  of  works.' 

I  answer,  The  whole  right  of  salvation.  This  is  clear  out  of  the  words, 
when  he  saith,  '  through  faith,  and  not  of  works.'  Upon  believing,  or  with 
believing,  (I  shall  explain  it  by  and  by,)  the  whole  right  of  siilvation  is  given 
us;  but  aU  the  holiness  and  works  we  have  do  not  serve  for  the  right,  but 
only  we  are  led  through  them  to  the  possession  of  it.  You  have  it  said  in 
2  Thess.  ii.  13,  that  we  are  saved  through  faith  and  sanctification.  But  tho 
Apostle  here  orders  them,  how  through  faith,  and  how  through  sanctifica- 
tion. He  speaks  in  common  of  both  there;  here,  so  through  faith  as  not 
througli  sanctification.  '  Not  of  works,'  saith  he.  How  shall  we  solve  that? 
This  is  the  clear  distinction  of  it.  We  are  saved  through  faith,  as  that  which 
gives  us  the  present  right,  or  that  which  God  doth  then  give  as  a  judge, 
when  we  believe,  before  faith  hath  done  a  whit  of  work  else ;  but  we  are  led 
through  sanctification  and  good  works  to  the  possession  of  salvation.  Dis- 
tinguish the  right  and  the  possession,  and  you  have  clearly  the  Apostle's 
meaning ;  for,  saith  he,  '  he  hath  ordained  good  works,  that  we  should  walk 
in  them,'  as  being  already  '  saved  through  faith,'  which  he  speaks  beforo 
that. 

But  had  not  we  the  right  before,  you  will  say  1  Truly,  my  brethren,  aa 
copyholders  have  the  right  to  their  land  when  their  fathers  die;  but  yet 
they  must  take  it  up  at  the  court  of  the  chief  lord  before  they  enter  upon 
the  actual  possession :  so  it  is  here.  We  enter  into  rest  by  faith,  as  the 
Apostle  saith.  It  is  a  mighty  expression  that  in  Acts  xxvi.  1 8,  '  By  faith 
we  receive  remission  of  sins,  and  an  inheritance.'  Let  any  one  now  go  and 
interpret  those  words.  How  is  a  man  by  faith  said  to  receive  an  inherit- 
ance 1  He  doth  not  receive  the  possession  of  heaven  by  faith ;  for  vision, 
not  faith,  gives  him  that  possession.  How  doth  he  receive  it  then  1  I 
answer,  in  the  right  of  it.  For  upon  believing,  God,  as  a  judge,  doth  pro- 
nounce this  man  an  heir  of  eternal  life,  and,  as  a  judge,  he  will  own  him  to 
be  so  at  the  latter  day.  He  had  before  bequeathed  him  an  inheritance  by 
the  will  of  Christ,  who  died  to  make  a  testament;  he  had  a  right  bequeathed 
him  from  everlasting,  but  the  actual  possession  he  enters  upon  by  faith.  It 
is  called  an  inheritance,  when  he  giveth  the  reasons  why  it  is  by  faith.  In 
Rom.  iv.  you  shall  find  that  he  useth  that  expression  of  an  inheritance. 
Abraham,  saith  he,  was  justified  by  faith,  that  the  inheritance  might  be  by 
promise;  and  in  John  i.  12,  'to  them  that  believe  he  gave  power.'  The 
word  is,  he  gave  '  dignity,'  as  a  king  doth  create  a.  baron ;  it  is  a  legal  form 
and  act.     He  gives  them  a  dignity,  and  then  bestows  it  upon  them. 

Therefore  clearly  to  me,  those  that  say  that  faith  only  serveth  for  the 
manifestation  of  justification  or  salvation  are  mistaken.  Saith  Paul,  in 
Gal.  ii.  16, — and  he  spake  it  as  guided  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  name  of 
all  the  apostles, — '  Even  we  believed,  that  we  might  be  justified  by  the 
faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the  law.'  If  faith  be  only  the  mani- 
festation of  justification  itself,  then  they  beUeved  that  they  were  justified  to 
be  justified;  but,  says  he,  '  We,  knowing  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the 


Ei'H.  II.   8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  337 

works  of  the  law,  lieUeved,  that  we  iniglit  be  justified.'  Did  they  know 
only  that  justification  would  never  be  manifested  by  the  law  ]  No,  they 
knew  that  they  could  never  have  a  real  justification  by  the  law,  and  there- 
fore, 'We  believe,'  saith  he,  'that  we  might  be  justified;'  that  is,  really,  as 
the  opposition  carries  it,  Acts  xiii  39, — which  being  added  to  the  other, 
clears  it, — 'By  liim  all  which  believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which 
ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses;'  as  really  by  the  one,  as  we 
could  not  really  by  the  other. 

Again,  that  opmion  must  needs  make  all  faith  assurance,  and  so  condemn 
a  multitude  of  the  generation  of  the  just ;  for  if  faith  be  only  the  manifesta- 
tion of  justification,  every  man  that  belie veth  hath  his  justification  made 
manifest  to  him,  and  so  is  assured  of  his  salvation.  And  it  makes  justifica- 
tion also  an  improper  thing,  as  I  shall  shew  you  by  and  by. 

"When  the  Scripture  speaks  of  our  being  justified,  it  doth  not  mean  a  justi- 
fication manifested  to  us  only.  Read  but  the  3d,  4th,  and  5th  chapters  of 
the  Romans,  and  mark  the  coherence.  "When  he  had  proved  that  we  are 
justified  by  faith,  and  that  before  God — it  is  not  only  in  our  own  consciences 
— in  chap,  iv.,  he  doth  by  this  prove  that  Abraham  was  not  justified  by 
works,  because  then  he  had  not  been  justified  before  God,  and  he  would 
have  had  wherewith  before  God  to  have  boasted.  If  he  had  not  spoken  of 
a  justification  before  God,  and  but  of  the  manifestation  of  it  to  us,  this  had 
not  been  a  good  argument  of  the  Apostle's.  And  that  he  clearly  distin- 
guisheth  between  justification  really  given  to  us  when  we  believe,  and  the 
assurance  of  it,  is  clear  by  chap.  v.  1,  compared  with  the  former:  'Being 
justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God,'  saith  he  :  'by  whom  also  w-e 
have  access  by  faith,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  glory,'  &c.  So  that  he  makes 
peace  with  God,  and  assurance  of  salvation,  and  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad 
in  our  hearts,  and  joy  in  God,  &c.,  to  be  the  fruit  of  faith.  Now  this  could 
not  have  been,  if  our  salvation  and  justification  had  been  only  the  manifesta- 
tion of  our  justification,  and  of  the  love  of  God  to  us. 

The  truth  is,  this  opinion,  first,  makes  our  justification  a  mere  trope  and 
figure  in  rhetoric,  whereas  glorification  is  not ;  these  would  not  be  glorified 
by  a  trope  only.  '  "Whom  he  hath  predestinated,  them  he  also  justified;  and 
whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.'  "Why  should  not  justification  be 
taken  in  a  real  sense,  as  well  as  glorification,  or  calling? 

It,  secondly,  makes  all  faith  to  be  assurance,  as  was  said. 

Thirdly,  If  you  will  say  that  there  may  be  any  kind  of  manifestation  of 
election  and  salvation  by  signs,  be  it  but  probable ;  and  so  far  all  grant,  and 
a  use  of  them  all  do  grant,  after  the  revelation  of  justification  by  the  Spirit, 
which  is  immediate  :  then  if  justification  be  only  the  manifestation  of  salva- 
tion, so  far  as  they  may  serve  to  concur  to  the  manifestation  of  justification, 
we  must  needs  hold  that  we  are  justified  by  works ;  but  the  text  saith 
clearly  that  we  are  justified  by  faith,  and  not  of  works.  *  By  grace  ye  are 
saved  through  faith.' 

Next  you  will  inquire.  How  through  faith  ? 

First,  some  say,  by  it  as  an  instrument.  The  truth  is,  when  you  resolve 
that  phrase  into  its  right  logic,  it  is  the  habit  of  faith  is  the  instrument, 
rather  than  the  act  of  faith. 

Many  queries  may  be,  How  through  faith  1     As — 

First,  "Whether  it  be  to  be  considered  as  an  instrument  of  God's  justifying 
of  us? 

The  truth  is,  when  you  resolve  that  assertion  into  its  right  logic,  it  is 
the  habit  of  faith,  rather  than  the  act,  must  be  called  the  instrument  of 

VOU  II.  Y 


338  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXII. 

eitb,er.  And  thus  the  most  judicious  divine  I  know  iu  that  point,  and  in 
the  point  of  justification,  acknowledgeth  it.*  There  is,  saith  he,  the  prin- 
ciple of  faith,  and  there  is  the  act  of  faith  ;  now  properly  it  is  the  principle 
of  faith  that  must  be  called  the  instrument,  the  act  is  the  way  or  means 
thereof.     And  if  so,  then  more  is  attributed  to  the  habit  than  the  act. 

Then  again,  Wliether  through  faith  as  a  condition,  or  not  1 

I  would  have  this  word  laid  aside ;  I  see  both  parties  speak  faintly  about 
it.  Perkins  upon  the  Galatians  will  hardly  acknowledge  it  a  condition ; 
another,  in  a  book  called  l^he  Triumph  of  Faith,  saith  it  is  improperly  a  con- 
dition.    If  it  be  not,  why  do  they  use  the  word  1     There  is  a  danger  in  it. 

First,  A  condition  may  be  pleaded.  I  may  go  and  plead  this,  I  have 
believed,  &c.  Will  any  man  make  this  a  condition  between  the  giver  and 
receiver,  I  will  give  you  an  alms,  if  you  will  receive  it  1  It  is  not  a  con- 
dition. 

Secondly,  All  those  expressions,  If  a  man  believeth,  he  shall  be  saved,  &c., 
import  that  he  that  doth  so  shall  be  saved  in  the  event,  which  the  elect  only 
are,  to  whom  he  giveth  faith.  And  it  is  a  phrase  that  imports  a  pleading. 
A  prisoner  is  not  pardoned  unless  he  plead  his  pardon,  or  hath  his  pardon 
read  at  the  bar ;  will  you  say  this  act  of  his  is  the  condition  of  his  being 
pardoned  1  It  is  that  without  which  he  is  not  legally  pardoned,  he  doth 
not  stand  absolved  else.  '  Wash,  and  be  clean.'  He  could  never  have  been 
cleansed  if  he  had  not  washed  ;  was  his  washing  a  condition  1  No,  he  did 
not  stand  upon  a  condition  with  him  in  it.  It  Avas  indeed  a  duty,  it  was 
likewise  a  means  or  a  manner  by  which  God  did  cleanse  him. 

My  brethren,  the  nature  of  faith  is  modest,  it  never  makes  a  plea  for  itself, 
it  wholly  pleadeth  grace,  and  nothing  else.  The  truth  is,  if  it  were  a  condi- 
tion, a  man  might  i>\ea,d  it  before  God,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  Rom.  iv. 

That  it  is  called  the  law  of  faith,  and  therefore  this  must  be  the  condition, 
it  follows  not.  It  is  the  duty,  and  it  is  the  command  of  the  gospel,  without 
which  God  saveth  no  man ;  and  is  not  that  enough  1  It  seems  to  me  to  im- 
port as  if  there  were  a  universal  grace,  and  that  it  is  the  condition  termi- 
nateth  it  to  this  man,  and  not  to  that. 

Then  again,  Whether  it  be  the  act  of  faith  that  justifies,  or  that  is  ac- 
counted a  man's  righteousness,  when  we  are  said  to  be  saved  through 
faith? 

Surely  no,  for  God  might  have  taken  works  as  well ;  if  he  would  have 
taken  it  as  an  act,  he  might  have  taken  any  act,  love  itself. 

There  is  this  reason  lies  in  the  bottom  of  my  spirit  against  it,  besides  all 
that  else  the  Scripture  saith  against  it  :  that  if  when  I  go  to  God  to  be  jus- 
tified, I  must  present  to  him  my  believing  as  the  matter  of  my  righteousness, 
and  only  Christ's  death  as  the  merit  of  it,  what  will  follow  1  Two  things 
clearly  to  me  :  first,  that  the  heart  is  taken  off  from  looking  upon  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ  whoUy,  and  diverteth  to  its  own  righteousness,  in  the  very 
act  -of  believing,  for  righteousness,  and  presenteth  that  to  God  which  the 
Scripture  is  clear  against.  I  say,  it  doth  take  the  heart  off  from  the  righte- 
ousness of  the  Lord  Jesus,  or  the  eyeing  of  that,  and  causeth  it  to  divert  into 
itself,  and  present  its  own  faith  to  God.  Secondly,  every  man  that  will  be- 
lieve to  be  justified,  and  go  to  God  and  say,  Lord,  justify  me,  he  must  have 
an  evidence  that  he  hath  faith,  for  how  else  can  he  present  that  as  the  mat- 
ter of  his  own  righteousness  1  Now  millions  of  souls  cannot  do  this  ;  they 
were  in  a  poor  case  if  they  should  be  put  to  it. 

*  Vide  Gerard  Loc.  Com.  de  Justif.,  p.  1325  : — '  Habitua  est  instrumentuiu,  actus, 
ratio,  et  modus/  &c. 


EpH.  II.  8-10.  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  339 

The  Apostlo  saith,  it  was  '  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  sure.'  If  justifica- 
tion had  been  founded  on  the  act  of  faith,  it  had  been  as  sure  on  works  as 
faith ;  for  that  faith  that  draws  out  an  act  of  love  is  as  apt  to  faU  as  that 
act  of  love.  But  hero  is  no  uncertainty,  while  I  believe  to  be  justified  by 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  but  my  faith  is  swallowed  up  there ;  though  I 
may  doubt  of  my  faith  relying  on  him,  yet  I  have  a  sure  object,  I  have  a 
sure  matter  to  represent  to  God  for  me ;  whereas  if  believing  was  that  I  had 
to  represent  to  God  to  be  justified  by,  suppose  my  faith  fail  me,  I  have  not 
a  sure  matter  of  righteousness  to  represent  to  God. 

The  very  object  faith  believes  on  is  a  contradiction  to  this,  that  the  act  of 
faith  should  be  the  matter  of  my  justification.  I  yield  this,  when  God  doth 
justify,  he  takes  notice  of  the  act  in  its  kind,  of  the  degree  of  it.  Abraham 
was  strong  in  faith,  but  in  the  point  of  justification  he  takes  notice  of  Christ 
in  the  heart.  The  truth  is,  boasting  would  be  as  much  of  faith  as  of  works, 
if  I  were  justified  by  the  act  of  faith ;  whereas  the  Apostle  saith,  '  Not  of 
works,  lest  any  man  should  boast.' 

But  how  shall  we  understand  this  thing,  through  faith  ? 

It  is  not  for  faith,  it  is  through  faith.  This  word  denotes  out  causality, 
then  it  notes  out  a  way.  What  is  faith  ?  It  is  the  way  he  saves  us  by. 
'  Prepare  the  way,'  Matt.  iii.  3.  It  is  also  aptly  expressed  by  entering  in  at 
the  strait  gate.  Matt.  vii.  13. 

How  are  we  saved  by  grace  through  faith  1 

Faith  lets  in  that  salvation,  lets  in  that  grace  whereby  we  are  saved,  aa 
the  sun  comes  in  at  the  window  when  the  shuts  are  open,  and  the  soul  re- 
ceives that  grace  by  faith,  and  take  John's  expression,  John  xx.  31,  *  that  be- 
lieving you  might  have  life,'  by  grace  you  are  saved,  and  that  through  faith  ; 
because  faith  lets  Christ  into  the  soul,  and  he  comes  to  dwell  in  the  soul ; 
God  sees  Christ  there,  and  he  so  justifies  us  and  saves  us  in  and  through 
Christ,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves.  This  word,  and  that,  refers 
to  faith,  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  that  is  a  diminutive  phrase ;  he  saith,  he  saves 
through  faith,  and  this  little  thing  faith  is  the  gift  of  God ;  he  magnifies 
grace,  he  took  the  least  thing  in  us,  whereby  to  account  us  saved,  which  is 
our  faith.  If  Christ  were  now  to  appear,  what  is  the  least  thing  you  could 
do,  or  could  be  expected  that  you  would  do  1  You  will  say,  it  were  to  look 
up  to  see  him,  and  to  hope  for  salvation  from  him.  Isa.  xlv.  22,  '  Look  unto 
me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  :'  I  require  nothing  else ;  by  grace 
you  are  saved,  it  is  but  a  look,  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  and  you  shall  be  saved 
by  that  grace.  How  much  of  self  is  against  faith  I  have  shewn  j  his  scope  is 
here  to  magnify  grace  in  application.  There  is  a  great  controversy  in  the 
world,  which  is  the  greater  grace  ;  this,  or  for  God  to  vouchsafe  a  man  that 
he  should  go  and  make  a  universal  grace  and  love  to  mankind,  and  give  every 
man  means  to  assist  him  by  degrees,  so  that  if  he  will  not  refuse  those  means, 
he  shall  be  saved,  his  own  grace  having  a  share  with  God  in  it.  And  he  shall 
be  copartner  with  God,  so  it  shall  be  of  his  free-will ;  this  puts  much  on  the 
spirits  of  men,  and  it  serves,  say  some,  greatly  for  the  clearing  of  God. 
Though  I  think,  to  clear  God  there  need  not  be  this  doctrine ;  but  we  say, 
it  is  not  in  him  that  wills,  or  runs,  but  in  God  that  shews  mercy;  he 
works  the  will  and  the  deed,  and  by  grace  you  are  saved,  and  you  are  saved 
through  faith,  and  the  working  of  this  faith  is  of  God,  not  of  yourselves ;  he 
carries  on  the  wUl  of  man,  opens  the  understanding  by  a  spiritual  light, 
which  the  common  works  of  the  Spirit  give  not. 

The  question  is,  which  of  these  two  magnifies  grace  more  1  Sure  the 
latter.     If  the  way  of  salvation  had  been  through  faith,  partly  of  ourselves. 


340  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeKMON  XXII. 

and  partly  of  free  grace,  all  mankind  would  have  fallen  every  day  one  after 
another.  There  is  the  greatest  instance  that  can  be,  that  of  the  old  world. 
Noah  "was  a  preacher  of  righteousness;  the  Spirit  of  Christ  preached  unto 
those  souls  of  men  that  are  now  in  heU.  And,  says  God,  '  My  Spirit  shall 
not  always  strive  with  man,'  Gen.  vi.  3.  The  Holy  Ghost  did  strive  Avith 
man,  gave  him  assisting  grace ;  there  was  not  a  man  saved  by  that  grace. 
It  is  the  highest  instance  that  can  be  ;  only  one  man  saved  and  his  family, 
when  all  mankind  thus  fell,  and  every  one  fell,  one  after  another.  How 
came  he  to  be  saved  1  It  was  not  with  that  common  grace ;  it  is  said, 
*  Noah  found  grace  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,'  Gen.  vi.  8.  By  grace  he  was 
saved,  nc>t  of  himself,  it  was  by  a  special  grace  that  gave  him  faith ;  it  was 
not  of  himself.  When  all  the  rest  fell  away  by  that  common  grace  men 
plead  for,  he  was  saved  by  the  special  grace  of  God.  The  text  hath  another 
instance ;  by  faith  ye  are  saved,  you  that  were  without  God  in  the  world, 
without  the  promise,  led  away  with  dumb  idols,  in  Avhom  the  devil  ruled, 
you  were  remote  from  faith ;  if  you  had  been  left  to  free-will,  what  would 
have  become  of  j'ou  ?  How  comes  it  to  pass  that  j^ou  are  saved  who  are 
Gentiles,  when  the  Jews  are  cast  off?  If  common  grace  would  have  got  it, 
the  Jews  had  the  advantage  :  but  '  by  grace  you  are  saved,  not  of  yourselves.' 
What  is  the  reason  that  Christ  when  he  came,  said  that  after  his  ascension, 
then  the  world  should  come  in,  and  that  God  should  say  in  ages  to  come  he 
would  save  men  through  this  grace  1  It  is  merely  his  free  grace.  By  grace 
you  are  saved,  and  that  through  faith,  which  is  the  gift  of  God.  It  is  given 
to  you  to  believe,  you  are  not  able  to  think  a  good  thought  of  yourselves ; 
'  to  you  it  is  given.'  Salvation  is  a  gift,  Christ  a  gift,  and  faith  is  a  gift ; 
when  I  have  found  out  a  Christ,  I  must  find  out  a  faith  to  lay  hold  on  him; 
all  our  whole  salvation  goes  by  gift.  The  grace  given  before  the  world  be- 
gan gives  Christ  for  us,  and  us  to  Christ.  Thus  Christ  is  a  gift,  and  faith 
also  is  a  gift ;  God  gives  that  to  us.  'By  grace  you  are  saved  through  faith; 
and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is  the  gift  of  God.' 


Em.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIAWa  341 


SEKMON  XXm. 

For  hi/  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is  the 
gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast.  For  we  are  his 
workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath 
before  ordained  that  we  shottld  walk  in  them. — Ver.  8—10. 

I  SHALL  proceed  still,  as  I  propounded  in  the  opening  tlie  nature  of  that 
faith  which  saves  and  justifies  us,  and  never  ceases  till  it  hath  put  us  into 
the  hands  of  Christ.  I  handled  something  of  it  in  the  last  discourse.  I 
shewed  you  what  a  glorious  grace  this  is,  and  how  it  will  of  all  graces  else 
be  found  to  the  praise,  honour,  and  glory  of  Christ,  1  Peter  i.  7. 

I  shall  now  demonstrate  the  greatness  of  it  in  respect  of  its  workings,  and 
shall  also  discover  the  vast  disproportion  that  is  between  ourselves  and  our 
hearts  in  which  it  is  wrought,  and  this  grace  itself;  how  hardly  it  is  attained, 
and  that  it  is  fetched  out  of  the  rock  by  an  almighty  power.  To  that  end  I 
have  chosen  this  text,  and  it  is  the  particular  head,  *  that  not  of  yourselves, 
it  is  the  gift  of  God,'  which  I  will  by  way  of  commonplace  explain  to  you. 

Only  in  general,  take  the  scope  of  the  Apostle  before  in  this  chapter.  His 
scope  is  to  magnify  the  free  grace  of  God  as  the  sole  author  of  our  salvation, 
which  he  magnifies  in  two  respects : — 

1.  By  shewing  that  misery  which  man  lay  in,  when  God  first  set  his 
heart  upon  him :  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,  deserving  a  thousand  deaths, 
children  of  wrath,  as  you  have  in  ver.  1,  2,  and  yet  that  God  had  provided  a 
salvation,  and  a  great  salvation,  for  such  a  forlorn  creature. 

2.  He  magnifies  it  in  respect  of  the  way  of  bringing  us  to  salvation,  and 
imports  thus  much  to  us,  that  since  free  grace  was  the  contriver  of  our  sal- 
vation, its  great  end  was  to  magnify  itself,  and  being  to  make  its  own  laws, 
it  would  be  sure  to  order  man's  salvation  so,  that  though  of  necessity  some- 
thing was  to  be  wrought  in  man,  or  else  he  could  not  be  saved,  yet  it  would 
pitch  on  something  that  should  have  an  ingredience  into  salvation,  and  yet 
so  that  as  little  as  could  be  should  be  attributed  to  man,  and  aU  should  be 
ascribed  to  grace. 

There  are  two  things  required  of  us,  faith  and  works.  He  puts  a  differ- 
ence between  these  two,  in  that  faith  is  taken  up  into  commission  with 
grace,  '  by  grace  you  are  saved  through  faith;'  which  works  are  not,  'not  of 
works :'  the  works  are  required  as  well  as  faith,  yet  God  saith  he  wiU  not 
own  you  in  commission  with  his  grace ;  *  not  of  works.'  The  reason  is,  this 
faith,  as  I  shewed  you,  is  that  grace  which  so  glorifies  God,  that  he  was  not 
jealous  to  put  it  into  commission  with  himself.  Now  when  God  required 
but  as  little  as  could  be,  yet  he  must  require  that  we  should  know  his  grace 
and  lay  hold  on  it,  since  otherwise  free  grace  will  be  lost,  but  yet  in  this 
laying  hold  on  it  faith  will  give  all  to  free  grace.  But  you  will  object,  May 
not  a  man  step  in,  and  say,  I  have  faith,  and  I  have  contributed  something 
by  faith  to  my  salvation  1  'No,  saith  the  Apostle,  it  is  '  not  of  yourselves,' 
but  it  is  '  the  gift  of  God;'  and  this  is  enough  for  the  opening  of  the  words. 


342  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XXIII. 

I  shall  now  manifest  this  to  ycfu^  that  saving  faith  is  not  of  yourselves ; 
there  is  nothing  in  you  that  contributes  to  faith.  My  end  in  it  is  this  :  to 
open  the  nature  of  faith  to  you,  that  you  may  see  that  aU  in  yourselves,  and 
all  you  can  do,  can  no  way  help  you  anything  unto  the  attainment  of  it. 
By  what  the  Apostle  denies,  that  they  have  anything  of  it  in  themselves, 
you  vnil  see  the  false  ways  men  take,  and  you  will  see  in  the  negative  clearly 
what  the  way  of  believing  is,  and  what  the  nature  of  faith  is ;  you  wUl  like- 
wise see  what  the  inability  of  man  is  to  attain  it.  It  will  empty  you  of  your- 
selves, and  you  will  be  convinced  not  only  that  you  are  not  able  to  believe 
on  free  grace,  but  you  will  be  forced  to  come  to  God,  who  vdll  enable  you 
to  believe  on  him  and  on  his  free  grace ;  and  when  you  also  see  how  you 
are  lost,  and  that  though  God  only  requires  siacere  faith,  yet  you  are  not 
able  to  do  anything  towards  it,  you  will  see  what  you  are,  and  of  what  weak 
abilities,  and  you  will  be  thankful  to  God  for  what  little  faith  you  have,  as 
being  his  gift,  not  from  yourselves,  and  you  will  go  on  to  perfect  fiiith  in  a 
way  of  dependency  on  him ;  those  therefore  that  think  faith  is  so  easy  to 
be  had  may  be  convinced  they  have  no  faith. 

When  I  shall  pursue  the  proving  these  words  to  you,  it  is  not  of  your- 
selves, I  shall  not  go  about  to  shew  you  the  greatness  of  conversion  in  general, 
that  it  is  not  of  yourselves  ;  but  I  shall  keep  close  to  the  point  of  believing. 
And  therein  I  shall  not  speak  so  much  to  the  workings  of  the  habit  of  faith, 
as  bring  you  to  the  acts  of  faith,  as  clearly  renouncing  a  mans  self,  &c. 

I  shall  perform  these  particulars  by  shewing  you  that  all  that  is  in  man, 
or  fi  om  man,  can  no  way  help  a  man  to  this  faith ;  yea,  all  that  is  in  man, 
and  from  man,  is  against  it;  therefore  certainly  it  is  '  not  of  ourselves,'  but 
it  is  '  the  gift  of  God.'  These  two  heads  shall  be  the  particulars  I  aim  at : 
that  only  in  the  general  I  will  premise  this,  which  I  will  but  touch  on ;  that 
is,  that  if  we  take  our  nature  in  innocence  in  Adam,  to  believe  such  things  as 
we  beUeve  would  have  been  above  such  a  nature.  I  will  not  stand  to  dispute 
whether  Adam,  yea  or  no,  had  that  habit  or  principle  which  we  have;  only 
this  is  that  I  say,  that  if  he  had  that  same  principle  of  faith  we  have,  yet  to 
believe  those  things  which,  when  we  believe  to  salvation,  we  do  believe,  it 
was  infinitely  above  what  his  faith  was  put  to  believe.  If  that  the  wheels 
be  the  same,  yet  if  there  be  a  new  spring  put  in,  that  turns  all  the  wheels 
another  way.  So  whereas  Adam  sought  salvation  by  doing,  and  continu- 
ance in  well-doing,  and  the  faith  he  had  set  aU  the  wheels  going  that  way ; 
here  to  us  under  the  gospel  comes  a  new  spring  that  turns  all  the  wheels 
another  way,  and  is  as  a  new  instinct  and  genius  to  carry  the  heart  to  Christ 
to  be  saved,  different  from  what  the  genius  and  instinct  of  Adam's  faith 
carried  him  to.     The  law  of  faith  is  different  from  the  law  of  works. 

A.dam  believed  that  God  made  him,  and  that  he  made  the  world,  for  he 
did  not  see  it  was  made.  I  will  not  dispute  whether  his  faith  may  be  re- 
solved to  sense,  or  sanctified  reason,  yea  or  no.  But  this,  I  say,  was  an  easy 
thing  for  him  to  believe,  that  all  that  was  made  was  by  him  that  said.  Let 
us  make  the  world.  But  if  he  had  this  same  principle  of  faith,  yet  I  believe 
it  was  so  low  that  he  could  not  try  it  further  without  new  principles.  In- 
deed, for  him  to  believe  that  '  the  soul  that  sins  shall  die,'  and  that  he  should 
die  that  day  he  did  eat ;  it  was  easy  for  him  to  believe  this,  because  he  found 
that  by  doing  the  will  of  God  he  lived  ;  therefore  he  might  believe  the  con- 
trary, that  if  he  transgressed  he  should  die.  But  what  if  God  had  said  to 
him  that  God  himself  should  die,  and  that  he  should  be  '  made  sin  who 
knew  no  sin  1 '  If  such  a  thing  as  this  is  should  have  been  propounded  to  his 
faith,  and  the  devil  should  have  come  and  contradicted  it,  it  would  have  put 


EpH.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHKSIANS.  343 

liis  faith  to  it.  For  Adam  to  believe  that  while  he  pleased  God  in  all  things, 
he  should  continue  in  his  favour,  it  was  easy  for  him  to  believe  it ;  because 
he  had  a  princii^le  in  his  conscience  which  told  that  he  should  have  peace  if 
he  did  it.  There  was  the  justice  of  God,  whereof  he  had  the  image  in  his 
own  bosom,  that  might  assure  him.  But  to  believe  that  God  wOl  justify  the 
ungodly,  and  to  apprehend  myself  ungodly,  and  yet  to  believe  that  he  will 
justify  me ;  to  believe  that  God  will  account  an  ungodly  person  as  godly  and 
righteous  as  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  this  would  have  posed  his  faith.  Fur- 
ther, when  that  ungodly  person  justified  shall  continue  holy,  and  yet  not  have 
a  dram  of  power  in  himself,  but  he  must  go  and  fetch  it  from  another, — '  With- 
out me  you  can  do  nothing,' — all  these  would  have  been  paradoxes,  and  those 
too  great  even  for  Adam  to  believe.  Therefore  well  may  it  be  said,  '  Faith 
is  not  of  ourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.' 

But,  besides,  a  second  consideration  may  be  this  t  that  in  the  beginning,  if 
Adam  had  power  to  do  all  these  things,  yet  now  it  is  above  ourselves,  for  we 
all  have  lost  it,  and  have  so  lost  it,  that  of  all  things  else  we  are  weakest  in 
the  point  of  beUeving.  Beside  the  general  reason  which  is  common  to  all 
grace,  there  is  a  special  reason  why  that,  in  losing  that  which  he  had,  we  are 
utterly  disenabled  for  ever,  of  ourselves,  as  to  any  power  of  believing.  For 
consider  where  was  it  that  the  temptation  entered  in  1  It  was  certainly  in  a 
way  of  unbelief.  The  devil  first  destroyed  Adam's  faith,  and  through  that 
breach  wounded  him  to  death  :  '  Hath  God  said.  Thou  shalt  not  eat,'  &c.  If 
a  man  be  killed  with  a  shot  in  his  eye,  though  that  shot  piercing  the  eye,  it 
kills  the  whole  man ;  it  must  be  almighty  power  to  raise  that  man  to  life ; 
yet  there  is  a  further  power  required  to  raise  that  eye  than  to  raise  the  man  : 
so  it  is  with  us,  Eom.  xi.  32.  We  are  said  there  to  be  '  shut  up  in  unbelief, 
that  he  may  have  mercy  upon  all.'  God  hath  concluded,  or  hath  shut  them 
up  altogether, — that  I  may  fit  it  to  that  thing  I  have  in  hand, — namely, 
that  we  are  disenabled  to  faith  of  all  things  else. 

He  compares  unbelief  to  a  special  prison ;  suppose  this  man  had  life  that 
he  could  help  himself,  yet  if  he  be  shut  up,  he  is  utterly  disenabled.  It  im- 
ports, in  the  first  place,  that  God  hath  in  a  special  manner  shut  up  aU  in 
unbelief;  other  sins  are  the  sins  for  which  God  imprisons  us,  but  that  we 
may  be  surely  imprisoned,  he  makes  unbelief  the  gaol ;  we  are  shut  up  with 
a  door  of  unbelief  on  us,  and  therefore  he  makes  the  greatness  of  the  mercy 
of  God  to  he  in  giving  faith.  God  hath  shut  up  all  in  unbeUef,  that  so  he 
may  have  mercy :  he  hath  shut  them  up  in  unbelief  over  and  above  all  other 
sins.  Gal.  iii.  22,  he  saith  there,  that  the  Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under 
sm,  that  he  might  have  mercy  upon  all ;  there  are  outward  prisons  of  all 
men's  other  sins,  but  here  he  makes  unbelief  the  inner  prison  ;  so  God  shews 
a  further  mercy  in  giving  faith  than  any  other  grace.  So  that  I  may  ex- 
press it  thus  to  you  :  the  Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the 
promises  by  Christ  might  come.  The  promises  may  come,  and  knock  at  the 
prison  doors,  and  say.  We  have  come  to  all  other  sins,  and  may  come  and  say 
to  a  poor  sinner,  Beheve,  and  tell  him  thus.  If  you  will  come  and  but  beHeve, 
do  but  come  out  of  your  dungeon  you  are  in,  and  you  shall  be  set  at  freedom 
and  be  saved.  Now  saith  the  poor  soul,  if  all  other  prisons  be  open,  though 
there  be  free  access  to  God  from  all  other  my  sins,  yet,  saith  the  poor  soul,  I 
cannot  come  out  of  this  prison ;  I  am  shut  up,  I  cannot  believe.  The  pro- 
mise of  faith  in  Christ  is  given  to  them  that  beUeve,  and  as  the  promise  is 
given  to  them  that  believe,  so  the  text  saith  here,  faith  is  the  gift  of  God ; 
aU  the  promises  may  knock  at  the  prison  door,  but  m  vain,  unless  God 
open  the  door,  as  there  the  expression  is,  in  Acts  xiv.  27.    We  are  in  a  special 


344  A.N  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXIII. 

manner  shut  up  in  this  estate  of  unbelief;  it  is  not  therefore  of  ourselves  to 
believe. 

Now  the  course  I  shall  take  to  demonstrate  it  shall  be  this,  to  go  through 
some  of  the  particulars.  I  might  manifest  this  to  you  by  going  through  all 
the  pieces  iu  you ;  take  your  understanding,  will,  and  affections,  you  shall 
,  J  find  all  these  cannot  help  your  faith  in  the  truth  ;  all  that  is  in  us  is  against 
this,  all  that  is  in  us  will  still  under-work  all  its  workings,  unless  the 
power  of  God  come  with  it.  There  is  nothing  in  the  heart  that  is  conduc- 
ing to  it ;  and  all  that  is  in  a  man,  or  comes  from  him,  of  duties,  endeav- 
ours, &c.,  cannot  attain  to  true  faith.  Faith  is  not  of  ourselves.  I  might, 
I  say,  go  through  all  the  faculties  of  a  man's  soul,  and  discover  how  little 
they  can  contribute  to  faith;  but  at  present  I  shall  only  instance  in  his 
understandmg. 

First,  we  will  begin  with  our  understandings.  All  the  parts  of  wit  and 
wisdom  that  all  the  men  of  the  world  have  had,  or  shall  have,  if  they  were 
all  in  one  man's  heart  or  head,  they  could  not  help  him  to  look  up  to  a 
Saviour.  1  Cor.  ii.  5,  '  That  your  faith  should  not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of 
men,  but  in  the  power  of  God;'  and  in  1  Cor.  i.  18,  he  there  prosecutes  it 
to  the  end ;  he  saith,  God  hath  a  design  by  setting  up  faith  in  the  hearts  of 
men,  to  save  them  thereby,  and  to  confound  all  the  wisdom  of  the  world ; 
saith  he,  *  The  preaching  of  the  cross  is  to  them  that  perish  foolishness,  but 
unto  us  that  are  saved  it  is  the  power  of  God.'  '  It  pleased  God  by  the 
foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  beUeve.'  He  shews  that  as  God 
had  in  man's  redemption,  as  appears  in  that  in  Genesis,  an  eye  to  confound 
the  devil ;  and  so  chooseth  out  that  which  is  the  most  excellent  thing,  faith. 
Saith  he,  I  will  do  it  by  the  most  foolish  means,  as  by  that  man  that  is  cru- 
cified, and  by  the  foolish  means  of  faith  and  preaching,  which  all  the  wisest 
men  shall  not  attain  to ;  he  doth  not  say  he  wUl  confound  the  wise  men,  but 
the  wisdom  of  men.  Some  vase  men  are  saved,  but  he  saith  he  will  con- 
found wisdom,  for  they  must  lay  their  wisdom  aside  when  they  come  to  be- 
lieve ;  he  useth  two  or  three  words  :  he  saith  in  the  19th  verse,  he  will  make 
no  use  of  wisdom  ;  then  he  saith  he  hath  made  it  foolishness,  he  hath  put  a 
scorn  upon  it ;  as  in  the  20th  verse  he  shews  that  the  wisdom  of  men  is  the 
foolishest  thing  in  the  world. 

Then,  my  brethren,  if  you  would  know  the  reason  why  God  does  so,  and 
know  the  reason  why  that  wisdom  in  man  cannot  thus  attain  to  faith ;  the 
reason  why  he  doth  it  is,  that  he  may  confound  that  which  is  in  man,  the 
chiefest  excellencies,  and  that  it  may  be  in  his  power  to  save  whom  he  will, 
and  that  it  may  be  in  his  power  only  to  raise  men  up  to  what  degrees  of 
grace  he  himself  shall  please.  This  he  doth  while  he  makes  not  use  of  wis- 
dom, because  foolish  men  he  can  make  believe  as  much  as  the  wisest  men  ; 
nay,  he  usually  raises  faith  up  to  a  greater  degree  in  the  foolishest  men  than 
the  wisest  in  the  world,  than  what  by  their  learning  they  can  attain  to. 

Let  me  not  only  tell  you  that  wisdom  falls  short  of  it,  and  is  not  able  to 
do  it,  but  natural  wisdom  is  in  itself  a  hindrance  to  it,  and  all  the  wisdom 
and  reason  in  a  man  is  against  the  way  of  faith.  Saith  wisdom,  I  think  by 
my  brains  and  wit  to  attain  this,  which  a  foolish  soul  shall  not  do.  Pride 
is  opposite  to  faith,  and  knowledge  puffs  up  pride.  No  man  is  more  oppo- 
site to  faith  than  he  whose  heart  is  lifted  up  in  him.  '  The  just  shall  live 
by  faith,'  Hab.  ii.  4.  He  whose  heart  is  lifted  up  in  him  is  not  right :  there- 
fore nothing  so  opposite  to  faith  as  pride  and  wisdom.  And  knowledge, 
since  it  puffs  up,  when  the  wisest  men  in  the  world  and  great  men  in  the 
world  come  to  believe,  faith  lays  them  as  low  as  the  poorest  man  in  the 


EpH.  II.   8-10.]  TO  THE  KPHESIANS.  3i5 

■world ;  such  a  soul  will  say,  I  would  not  care  if  I  were  a  fool,  the  poorest 
beggar  in  the  world,  so  I  had  a  dram  of  faith. 

Then  reason,  which  is  also  joined  with  wisdom,  being  the  form  of  a  man, 
as  he  is  a  man,  it  is  it  that  constitutes  the  man,  and  so  it  is  the  highest  thing 
till  faith  comes,  and  then  fiiith  opposeth  it,  subdues  it,  as  reason  subdues 
Bense  ;  and  then  reason  riseth  up  against  faith,  when  it  comes  to  be  put  from 
its  kingly  power  and  dignity,  which  it  hath  had  all  its  days.  When  a  stran- 
ger comes  and  tells  reason  of  a  strange  thing  in  another  world  which  reason 
never  took  in  before,  and  on- the  new^s  of  this  he  must  lay  down  his  reason 
at  the  feet  of  this  same  testimony,  and  take  the  law  at  his  mouth;  reason, 
which  hath  been  the  supreme  principle  in  man's  heart,  will  never  do  this. 
Saith  faith,  I  will  have  all  these  reasonings  and  principles  put  from  you. 
Eeason  stands  on  them,  Eom.  iv.  19:  saith  reason,  Consider  your  dead  body ; 
Abraham  being  not  weak  in  faith,  considered  not  his  dead  body.  Eeason 
would  have  put  in  many  objections,  but  he  considered  not  his  dead  body, 
biit  gave  himself  up  to  faith. 

In  the  third  place,  the  stronger  reason  any  man  hath,  when  he  comes  to 
believe  he  wiU  find  the  harder  pull  of  it.  Men  of  parts,  the  larger  their 
knowledge  is,  they  are  against  believing  the  more.  Why  ?  Because  they 
will  find  out  arguments  against  themselves ;  and  all  a  man's  reason  and  parts 
will  but  serve  to  make  his  indictment  more  against  himself,  and  the  more 
shrewdly  a  man  will  argue,  and  '^specially  being  a  man  of  strong  reason,  he 
wUl  reason  against  himself,  to  the  amazement  of  all  men,  and  as  before  faith, 
you  will  never  believe  till  you  see  your  lost  condition.  What  makes  men 
say  that  conscience  tells  them  so,  but  they  will  not  acknowledge  themselves 
to  be  in  such  a  state,  but  because  carnal  reason  useth  all  the  strength  it  hath 
to  build  up  high  towers,  and  plods  how  to  get  plausible  shifts  and  pretences 
how  to  flatter  a  man's  soul  1  And  a  natural  man  thinks  he  is  in  a  good  con- 
dition, therefore  all  the  reason  a  man  hath  is  mainly  exercised  in  this  dispute 
of  his  conscience,  and  reasoning  in  his  heart,  about  the  goodness  of  his  estate. 
But  when  a  man  comes  to  be  humbled  and  believes,  all  these  reasonings  turn 
on  the  other  side,  and  use  as  much  strength  to  object  why  he  should  not 
have  mercies,  and  that  he  must  do  thus  and  thus  before  he  comes  to  believe. 
Never  any  comes  to  believe,  if  he  will  go  the  way  of  reasoning,  while  he  con- 
siders his  dead  soul ;  as  Abraham,  if  he  had  considered  his  dead  body,  would 
not  have  believed.  Self-flattery  in  a  man  is  the  general  reason  that  leads 
him  on  in  a  way  contrary  to  faith,  for  he  thinks  he  is  in  a  good  estate;  for 
he  must  lose  such  opinion  of  himself  before  he  can  believe ;  then  when  self- 
flattery  is  killed,  and  faith  comes  to  lead  up  all  her  forces,  then  comes  unbe- 
lief and  fires  conscience,  and  turns  all  the  word  another  way ;  that  there  is 
more  ado  to  raise  a  man  up  to  bottom  his  heart,  and  to  rest  in  Christ,  than 
to  humble  a  man  and  to  let  him  see  his  natural  condition.  You  see  that 
wisdom  and  reason,  all  of  it,  conduceth  not  to  faith,  but  is  all  against  it. 

You  have  another  principle  in  you ;  there  is  a  great  deal  of  hope  from 
that  which  is  a  good  principle,  and  that  is  your  conscience ;  it  is  indeed  the 
best  thing  in  a  man.  But  take  natural  conscience,  though  never  so  much 
enlightened,  let  it  remain  still  in  that  estate  which  by  nature  a  man  was  in, 
and  it  conduceth  nothing  to  believing  ;  nay,  it  is  the  greatest  enemy  to  faith 
that  a  man  hath.  Conscience,  I  confess,  is  a  good  principle,  it  hath  goodness 
in  it ;  though  it  is  defiled,  yet  there  is  a  moral  goodness  in  it ;  it  tells  him 
of  his  sinfulness,  but  it  will  not  help  him  a  whit  to  believe.  Come  to  con- 
science, it  will  set  you  on  doing  the  clean  contrary,  and  put  you  out  of  the 
way,  and  it  will  not  direct  you  one  foot  of  the  way  of  faith.     What  the  law 


346  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXIII. 

Bays,  it  hatli  an  ear  to  tliat,  but  it  is  deaf  to  what  the  gospel  saith ;  as  for 
Moses  we  know  him,  but  this  man  we  know  not.  Nay,  which  is  more,  your 
conscience,  enlightened,  will  help  to  discover  all  sorts  of  sin,  but  conscience 
alone  will  never  discover  unbelief  to  you  in  the  bottom  of  it ;  of  other  sins 
conscience,  enlightened,  will  tell  a  man  roundly,  but  not  of  unbelief,  John 
xvi.  8.  It  is  the  Spirit  that  convinceth  of  sia.  Two  sins  there  are  which, 
the  truth  is,  are  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  conscience  to  set  home  on  the  heart. 
Ordinarily,  one  is  the  guUt  of  Adam's  first  sin.  Here  a  man's  conscience 
alone  cannot  help  him ;  it  is  through  spiritual  discerning  he  must  see  the 
corruption  of  nature.  The  other  is  the  vanity  of  thoughts.  What  comes  in 
the  compass  of  the  law,  that  the  heart  and  conscience  wUl  tell  a  man  of. 
But  come  to  a  man  that  is  troubled  in  conscience,  he  will  make  no  conscience 
of  believing,  as  if  there  were  no  command  for  it.  They  think  they  do  well 
to  argue  against  themselves,  and  refuse  the  promises  ;  it  is  ordinary  for  them 
to  do  so.  Men  will  cavil  at  the  promises,  but  to  look  on  faith  as  the  great 
comfort,  and  to  have  a  heart  discerning,  and  to  have  unbelief  set  home  on 
a  man's  soul,  and  to  say  that  I  must  of  necessity  believe,  conscience  will  not 
do  ;  it  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  on  our  hearts  that  must  do  it. 

This  is  a  great  truth  ;  nothing  will  help  you  so  to  know  the  nature  of  faith 
as  this  thing.  I  am  to  speak  of  conscience  not  subordinate  to  faith,  as  in 
man  it  is  not :  it  is  the  greatest  enemy  to  faith  as  can  be,  it  is  the  greatest 
hindrance  of  believing,  in  respect  of  the  guilt  of  sin.  What  is  a  great  hin- 
drance to  you  in  the  way  of  believing  1  It  is  the  greatness  of  your  sins,  your 
hearts  misgive  you.  I  shall  not  shew  you  how  to  take  it  away,  for  that  is 
another  thing.  But  this  is  all,  I  intend  to  shew  you  the  guilt  of  sin  as  on 
the  conscience  ;  which  conscience  is  it  that  raiseth  it  up,  and  conjures  it  up. 
It  is  conscience  is  the  subject  of  it.  It  is  called  an  evil  conscience  that 
represents  to  a  man  that  sin  is  good,  yet  it  is  called  evil  also  because  that 
the  state  of  man  is  evil.  What  keeps  men  from  believing  1  The  greatness 
of  their  sins.  When  conscience  is  awake, — what  presents  their  sin  still  to 
them  is  conscience, — all  your  discouragement  is  from  your  conscience  un- 
sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Christ.  Conscience  hath  not  learned  the  lesson 
from  faith ;  it  hath  not  dipped  itself  in  the  blood  of  Christ.  If  it  had,  it 
would  be  quiet  and  not  be  suggesting  sin,  so  as  to  discourage  a  poor  soul 
when  he  looks  on  sin  so  sinful,  and  when  he  looks  on  sin  so  as  to  discourage 
him.  When  conscience  doth  this,  he  bids  Christ  depart  from  him ;  for  he 
is  sinful,  Heb.  x.  22,  ix.  14.  A  man  must  have  his  heart  sprinkled  from 
an  evil  conscience.  What  is  it  that  sprinkles  it  1  It  is  faith  that  doth  it  by 
taking  the  blood  of  Christ.  The  Holy  Ghost  in  the  soul  by  faith  sprinkles 
the  conscience,  and  that  quiets  it ;  Heb.  ix.  1 4,  that  he  may  '  purge  your 
conscience  from  dead  works.'  Now  then  there  is  nothing  that  will  satisfy 
your  conscience  in  respect  of  the  guUt  of  sin,  but  only  the  blood,  death,  and 
resurrection  of  Christ.  While  conscience  shall  be  suffered  to  speak  louder 
than  faith,  it  wiU  cry  the  blood  of  Christ  down,  as  in  Isa.  lix.  9,  12.  Say 
they,  '  Salvation  is  far  off ;  as  for  our  iniquities,  we  know  them.'  Slight 
thoughts  of  sin  further  presumptions,  but  sin  discovered  of  itself  hinders 
faith  ;  you  all  feel  it.  But  there  is  a  second  way,  wherein  conscience,  if  it 
be  not  subordinate  to  faith,  hinders  faith  both  secretly  and  closely,  and  draws 
all  your  hearts  its  way;  that  I  say,  o  f  aU  that  is  in  man,  there  is  not  a  greater 
enemy  to  faith. 

This  I  will  say  in  the  general  to  you  :  there  are  two  covenants,  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  and  the  covenant  of  works,  and  these  two  are  incompatible 
one  with  another.     Take  the  law  as  it  is  a  covenant,  it  is  incompatible  with 


ErU.  II.  8-10.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS,  347 

the  covenant  of  grace.  These  two  are  two  vicegerents  in  man'a  heart ;  the 
law  hath  natural  conscience  in  men's  hearts  to  keep  its  courts,  and  the  gospel 
hath  faitli  in  the  heart  to  keep  Christ's  court.  Now  all  men  in  the  world, 
let  them  be  never  so  much  enlightened,  and  have  not  saving  grace,  they  are 
under  the  law ;  therefore  conscience  is  the  supreme  principle  in  them :  all 
men  that  are  godly  are  under  grace,  Rom.  vii.  1,  vi.  14 ;  therefore  they  are 
under  fiiith.  Now  here  lies  the  great  mystery  of  it :  that  still  conscience 
would  be  the  supreme  principle,  it  would  act  according  to  the  tenor  of  the 
law  in  a  man's  spirit,  it  would  keep  a  man  under  the  law ;  for  it  is  true  to 
its  master  which  naturally  it  is  appointed  to  serve,  and  doth  oppose  the  dig- 
nity of  faith,  and  therefore  only  God  can  so  subdue  conscience  unto  faith,  as 
the  law  ought  to  be  subdued  to  the  gospel 


348  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XXIV, 


SERMON"  XXIV. 

Wherefore  rememher,  that  ye  being  in  time  past  Gentiles  in  the  flesh,  who  are 
called  Uncircumcision  by  that  which  is  called  the  Circumcision  in  the  flesh 
made  hy  hands. — ^Ver.  11. 

I  SHALL  not  open  these  words  by  way  of  exposition ;  but  shall  only  single 
out  a  point  which  is  of  great  use,  and  which  I  shall  handle  and  finish  at  this 
time.  And  it  is  this,  What  use  and  advantage  and  improvement  believers 
should  make  of  their  having  been  in  the  state  of  nature,  as  you  know  all 
once  were,  whether  converted  sooner  or  later.  '  Wherefore,'  saith  the  Apostle 
here,  '  remember  that  ye  were  once  Gentiles  in  the  flesh.' 

There  are  two  ways  of  handling  this  doctrine  : — 

The  one  is  by  shewing  the  end  that  God  hath  in  leaving  his  children  in 
such  an  estate  and  condition  ;  and  with  that  I  will  not  at  all  meddle  here  at 
this  time. 

The  second  is  the  use  and  improvement  that  is  to  be  made  of  that  condi- 
tion by  them.  And  what  use  or  improvement  may  be  made  of  a  man's  sin- 
ful condition,  while  he  was  in  the  state  of  nature,  the  same  also  may  withal 
be  made  of  those  sins  a  man  hath  fallen  into  since  he  was  in  the  state  of 
grace. 

The  Holy  Ghost  here,  you  see,  doth  exhort  us  to  remember.  '  Wherefore 
remember,'  saith  he.  He  had  discoursed  at  large  of  the  state  of  nature  in 
the  former  verses,  and,  saith  he,  Let  this  for  ever  stick  with  you,  let  it  be  ever 
in  your  eye  :  '  Wherefore  remember.' 

And  we  may  make  the  following  improvements  of  what  the  Apostle  en- 
joins to  these  Ephesians  : — 

First,  It  should  serve  us  to  this  end,  to  magnify  the  greatness  and  free- 
ness  of  God's  grace  to  us.  Do  but  see  what  Paul  saith — for  I  shall  give  you 
his  instance  and  example — in  1  Tim.  i.  12.  I  thank  Christ,  saith  he,  for  put- 
ting me  into  the  ministry.  Why  so  1  Because  I  was  '  a  blasphemer,  a  per- 
secutor, and  iujurious ; '  but,  saith  he,  '  I  obtained  mercy,  because  I  did  it 
ignorantly  through  unbelief ;  and  the  grace  of  our  Lord  was  exceeding  abun- 
dant with  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.'  If  a  man  had  been  but  in 
Paul's  heart,  and  but  seen  when  he  considered  that,  '  I  that  was  a  blasphemer, 
<fec.,  obtained  mercy,'  how  he  brought  blasphemer  and  mercy  together,  and 
what  a  mixture  of  affections  it  wrought  in  his  heart  !  My  brethren,  that  is 
that  which  God  aims  at,  to  bring  contraries  at  once  into  a  man's  soul,  and  by 
them  to  work  the  most  glorious  mixture  of  affections  in  us,  both  of  con- 
fusion in  ourselves,  and  of  triumph  in  the  freeness  of  his  grace.  To  that 
end,  he  brings  in  and  preserveth  the  sense  both  of  his  own  free  grace  and  of 
our  own  vileness,  to  work  this  mixture  of  affection  in  us.  In  this  same  2d 
of  the  Ephesians,  where  the  Apostle  had  discoursed  of  their  having  been 
in  this  natural  condition,  you  shall  find  that  he  saith  twice,  '  by  grace  ye  are 


EpH.  11.  11.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  349 

saved  ; '  he  contents  not  himself  to  have  said  it  once,  but  he  said  it  again  : 
so  you  have  it,  ver,  5,  '  by  grace  ye  are  saved  ; '  so  you  have  it  again,  ver. 
8,  'for  by  grace  ye  are  saved.'  If  thou  hast  acknowledged  it  once,  ac- 
knowledge it  again.  You  know  that  rule, — which  is  an  infallible  one, 
and  everlastingly  holds  true, — that  of  the  Apostle  in  Rom.  v.,  where  sin 
hath  abounded,  there  grace  aboundeth  much  more.  I  will  not  stand  to 
enlarge  any  more  upon  that.  For  it  is  one  of  the  ends  that  God  had, 
■which  I  will  not  now  insist  upon,  for  which  he  did  suffer  his  children  to  lie 
in  such  a  condition. 

Secondhj,  You  may  improve  it  too  for  a  help  to  your  faith.  Though  the 
guilt  of  sin  is  in  itself,  take  it  in  a  direct  way,  one  of  the  greatest  opposites 
to  faith  that  can  be,  yet  God  improves  it  in  the  heart  of  a  believer  to  be 
the  greatest  help  to  faith  many  ways  that  could  have  been.     As — 

1.  It  helpeth  our  faith  in  respect  of  a  sense  of  our  own  emptiness.  There  is 
nothing  that  doth  move  a  man  to  self-emptiness  more,  or  gives  him  a  greater 
experience  of  it,  than  the  consideration  of  that  condition  he  was  once  in  by 
nature.  For,  to  be  sure,  then  thou  hadst  not  the  least  power,  not  the  least 
ability,  not  the  least  faculty,  to  think  one  good  thought,  or  to  put  forth  one 
holy  aim  towards  God,  to  do  anything  that  might  help  forward  thine  own 
salvation,  or  magnify  and  advance  the  glory  of  God.  There  was  but  one 
mean  to  salvation,  and  that  was,  to  believe.  God  provided  a  remedy  in 
Jesus  Christ,  a  remedy  without  us  which  requireth  nothing  "within  us  but 
faith.  Take  any  man  that  was  in  his  natural  estate,  let  him  but  remember 
that,  and  he  must  needs  remember  this,  that  he  had  not  the  least  power  to 
believe;  for  he  was  dead,  he  was  empty  of  all  grace,  and  abilities  to  exercise 
grace.  And  therefore  the  Apostle  saith  here  in  ver.  8  of  the  2d  of  the  Ephe- 
sians,  '  By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,'  and  that  not  of  yourselves 
neither,  '  it  is  the  gift  of  God.'  He  makes  this  a  corollary  from  this,  that 
they  had  been  '  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses,'  that  they  had  formerly  been 
in  an  unregenerate  state  and  condition.  A  man  by  the  consideration 
thereof  hath  experience,  that  though  God  provided  a  remedy,  yet  he  had  not 
a  hand  nor  a  heart  to  lay  hold  upon  it,  but  he  should,  if  left  to  himself, 
have  perished  everlastingly;  and  that  as  God  found  him  a  Christ,  so  he  must 
find  him  hands  to  lay  hold  upon  him,  or  he  had  been  undone. 

2.  It  helps  forward  this  persuasion  in  faith,  which  is  the  spirit  of  faith,  that 
a  man  can  never  be  justified  by  any  works  of  his  own  :  and,  I  say,  this  doth 
naturally  rise  from  the  consideration  of  his  once  being  in  the  state  of  nature. 
It  is  the  strongest  argument — I  will  not  much  insist  upon  it,  only  so  much 
as  may  now  clear  it — to  persuade  or  convince  the  soul  that  he  can  never  be 
justified  by  his  own  righteousness,  though  he  hath  never  so  much  given  him 
afresh  and  anew  by  God.  Why?  Because  he  was  once  in  the  state  of  nature. 
'  He  hath  saved  us,'  saith  the  Apostle,  in  Tit.  iii.  3-5,  '  not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  we  have  done;'  why?  by  what  doth  he  prove  it?  'Be- 
cause we  were  sometimes  ourselves  foolish  and  disobedient,'  &c.  (he  men- 
tioneth  their  natural  condition  in  the  verses  before.)  Our  once  having  been 
in  the  state  of  nature,  it  spoils,  it  disenableth  all  holiness  wrought  in  us  by 
Christ  ever  to  justify  us  before  God.  My  brethren,  the  argument  why  we 
cannot  be  justified  by  our  own  works  doth  not  only  lie  in  this,  that  our 
works  are  imperfect ;  for  know,  they  shall  be  perfect  one  day,  and  God  if  he 
pleased  might  make  them  perfect  here  :  but  suppose  he  had  made  us  per- 
fectly holy  in  this  life,  yet  notwdthstanding  stdl  we  should  not  be  justified  by 
it.     Why  ?     Because  we  were  once  in  the  state  of  nature,  ungodly  persons, 


350  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XXIV. 

and  this  rigMeousness  which  we  have  now  is  a  borrowed  righteousness,  by 
virtue  of  a  new  covenant,  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  therefore  it  can  never 
avaU  to  justify,  as  works  under  the  covenant  of  works  did,  for  I  say  it  is  but 
borrowed.  And  therefore  see  what  the  Apostle  saith,  in  this  Eph.  ii.  9, 10. 
Do  but  mark  the  scope  of  those  two  verses;  it  is  punctual  to  what  I  drive 
at,  and  now  have  mentioned.  We  are  not  saved  by  works,  saith  he,  lest 
any  man  should  boast.  Why  are  we  not  saved  by  works  ?  Have  believers 
no  works?  Yes,  but  they  can  never  be  saved  by  works.  Why?  'For,' 
saith  he,  '  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  to  good  works.' 
Here  is  his  reason,  and  his  scope  is  manifestly  this  :  saith  he.  There  was  a 
time  when  you  had  no  grace,  no  holiness,  nor  nothing  in  you,  you  were 
utterly  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses ;  so  he  saith  in  the  former  verse. 
Well,  now  you  have  holiness  wrought  in  you,  you  are  a  workmanship  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  to  good  works,  but  because  it  is  newly  created  in  Christ 
Jesus,  hence  therefore  you  can  never  be  saved  by  it.  This  is  a  manifest  and 
clear  corollary  and  deduction  from  this  truth,  that  once  they  were  in  a  natural 
condition,  as  we  all  Avere.  For  if  we  receive  a  new  workmanship  created  to 
good  works  in  Christ  Jesus,  it  is  then  merely  by  grace;  and  we  therefore 
receive  it  by  Christ  Jesus,  because  once  we  were  dead  in  sins  and  trespasses; 
we  were  in  our  natural  condition,  hence  therefore  these  works  that  flow  from 
this  new  workmanship  can  never  save  or  justify  a  man. 

3.  It  doth  teach  us  in  the  way  of  believing  one  lesson,  which  we  should 
never  have  learned  but  only  for  the  consideration  that  we  were  once  in  the 
state  of  nature.  It  is  the  highest  lesson  in  faith's  school, — so  I  may  call  it, 
— and  it  is  this  :  that  whensoever  a  man  comes  to  Christ  for  justification,  he 
should  look  upon  liimself  as  an  ungodly  person ;  that  although  he  have  never 
so  much  grace  in  him,  yet  because  he  once  was  in  the  state  of  nature,  and 
an  ungodly  person,  he  is  to  consider  himself,  as  in  himself,  so  for  ever. 
There  is  that  clear  place  for  it,  in  Rom.  iv.  5.  The  Apostle  had  proved,  and 
he  doth  prove  there,  that  we  are  justified  only  by  faith;  and  he  proves  it 
from  the  example  of  Abraham  our  father,  and  he  takes  the  example  of 
Abraham  after  he  had  lived  long  in  the  state  of  grace ;  for  he  quoteth  that 
scripture  in  Genesis,  '  He  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for 
righteousness,'  ver.  3.  Now  what  saith  he,  '  Not  unto  him  that  worketh,  but 
to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,' 
— he  works  this  out  from  Abraham's  example, — '  his  faith  is  accounted  for 
righteousness.'  So  that  now  Abraham  when  he  did  come  to  believe  twenty 
thirty  years  after  he  was  converted  unto  God,  he  still  believed  upon  that 
God  that  justifieth  the  ungodly.  Saith  Abraham,  I  was  an  ungodly  person 
once,  and  an  idolater,  and  whatever  grace  I  have  now  in  me,  whatever  I  have 
done  since,  that  goes  upon  another  account ;  but  still  as  in  myself,  when  I 
come  to  look  for  justification  and  for  righteousness,  I  look  upon  myself  as 
an  ungodly  person,  as  if  I  had  no  works  at  aU.  And  that  is  the  meaning  of 
it,  '  To  him  that  worketh  not,' — that  is,  that  regardeth  not  in  the  point  of 
justification,  that  is,  as  if  he  wrought  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justi- 
fieth the  ungodly, — '  is  his  faith  accounted  unto  him  for  righteousness.'  This 
is  the  faith  that  is  the  faith  of  righteousness,  and  we  should  never  have  had 
occasion  for  such  a  faith  as  this,  had  not  it  been  for  that  condition  in  which 
we  all  lay  in  by  nature. 

4.  It  may  help  us  against  temptations  of  all  sorts.  Thou  that  livedst  in 
thy  natural  condition,  it  may  be  many  years,  and  didst  begin  to  see  thyself 
a  lost  man  without  the  Lord  Jesus,  it  was  a  very  bold  adventure  of  thee 


EpH.  11.  11.]  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  3J1 

when  thou  didst  first  put  forth  thy  hand  to  lay  hold  upon  Jesus  Christ. 
Thou  earnest  then  trembling  to  Chnst  for  pardon  of  sin,  when  thou  sawest 
nothing  in  thyself,  nothing  at  all,  there  was  not  any  suspicion  of  grace  to  be 
in  thee,  nothing  but  the  contrary ;  and  yet  thou  didst  believe  then.  It 
may  be  God  fell  upon  thy  soul,  assured  thee  of  his  love  too,  upon  thy  be- 
Ueviug  and  throwing  thyself  upon  hhn.  Mark,  thou  canst  never  be  put 
more  to  it — take  thy  whole  course  to  thy  dying  day — than  thou  wast  then; 
for  the  worst  temptation  that  can  befall  thee  is  that  thou  art  in  such  a  state 
and  condition.  Why,  when  thou  didst  first  begin  to  believe,  thou  wert  in 
that  condition,  that  is  certain  ;  therefore  now  it  is  but  putting  forth  such  an 
act  of  fiiith  now  in  the  midst  of  such  a  temptation  as  thou  didst  put  forth  at 
first,  or  as  all  believers  do  put  forth  at  first ;  it  is  but  to  live  by  that  faith  at 
worst  which  thou  didst  at  first  begin  to  live  by.  My  brethren,  men  use  to  ease 
their  faith  by  looking  to  what  is  in  themselves  :  but  look  upon  yourselves  as 
ungodly ;  suppose  yourselves  so,  suppose  the  worst, — I  do  not  say,  take  it 
for  granted  that  your  state  is  such,  in  yourselves  you  are  such ; — but  suppose 
it ;  it  is  but  making  that  venture  upon  Christ  which  you  made  at  first.  So 
that  now  that  first  act  of  faith  thou  puttest  forth  upon  the  consideration  of 
thy  former  state  and  condition,  doth  but  teach  thee  and  prompt  thee  what 
faith  thou  art  to  live  by  in  all  temptations  whatsoever. 

5.  It  is  a  great  help  to  strengthen  a  man's  faith  for  perseverance.  Thou 
wentest  on  perhaps,  as  many  of  the  saints  have  done,  many  years  in  a  way 
of  sin  ;  thou  canst  not  be,  nor  art  now,  in  a  worse  condition  than  thou  wert 
then  in ;  the  Lord  did  then,  when  thou  wert  broke,  set  thee  up  again.  Why, 
he  will  do  so  again  though  thou  art  fallen  into  sin  :  all  the  sins  of  thy  whole 
life  lay  upon  thee  then,  and  thou  earnest  to  God  for  the  pardon  of  them. 
What  doth  the  Apostle  say  in  Rom.  v.  1  It  is  a  use  he  makes  of  this  very 
thing.  '  K  when  we  were  enemies,'  saith  he,  ver.  10,  'we  were  reconciled 
unto  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son.'  Did  God  pardon  you,  saith  he,  when 
you  first  came  to  him,  having  lain  in  your  natural  condition  all  your  days 
before,  being  enemies  unto  him  1  Now,  saith  he,  being  reconciled,  being 
now  entered  into  an  estate  of  covenant  and  friendship  with  him, '  much  more,' 
saith  he,  '  being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life  ; '  that  is,  he  putteth 
the  emphasis  both  by  comparing  the  effectualness  of  Christ's  death  and 
Christ's  life  in  us,  as  I  have  elsewhere  shewn.  But  what  I  quote  it  now  for 
is,  that  if  God  pardoned  you  then,  when  you  were  enemies,  and  came  to  him 
out  of  your  natural  condition, — therefore  remember  but  that  condition, — 
surely  now  having  reconciled  you  to  himself,  you  shall  be  saved  by  the  Kfe, 
by  the  intercession  of  Christ.  My  brethren,  if  we  should  remain  in  a  mixed 
condition  of  sinning,  such  as  we  have  here  in  this  life,  even  to  eternity,  God 
could  pardon  us,  and  he  would  do  it.  But  relieve  your  hearts  thus,  make 
but  a  comparison  of  what  you  were  in  your  former  estate  before  you  were 
converted,  and  make  the  comparison  thus  :  I  went  on  many  years  in  such  a 
way  of  sin,  I  knew  not  God ;  God  all  that  while  loved  me,  his  heart  was 
upon  me,  and  he  relieved  himself  all  that  while  with  this :  I  will  let  him  alone, 
for  I  shall  have  him  come  to  me  in  the  end ;  and,  my  brethren,  it  is  certain 
that  God  did  so.  Before  ever  Paul  was  converted,  God  had  an  eye  upon 
him  all  that  while  ;  he  had  appointed  the  time  in  which  he  would  turn  him. 
Answerably  now,  thou  hast  still  sin  in  thee  w'hich  breaks  out  again  and 
again,  and  thou  thinkest  it  will  undo  thee.  How  doth  God  relieve  himself 
now  ]  There  is  a  time,  saith  God,  that  I  wiU  take  this  soul  up  into  heaven, 
free  him  from  all  sin,  and  it  is  but  bearing  with  him,  and  pardoning  of  him 


352  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  [SeRMON  XXIV. 

till  then ;  I  did  it  before,  I  did  but  bear  witb  him,  and  forbear  him  till  my 
Spirit  turned  him  to  me ;  now  it  is  but  bearing  with  him  so  much  the 
longer,  till  such  time  as  my  Spirit  shall  fully  sanctify  him,  and  he  be  taken 
up  unto  myself  Thus,  I  say,  help  thy  faith  :  and  the  consideration  of  God's 
love  to  thee  and  to  his  children  before  they  Avere  converted,  is  an  evident 
strengthening  of  our  faith. 

6,  And  lastly,  it  may  help  our  faith,  by  moving  us  to  take  the  fister 
hold  upon  Christ.  My  brethren,  though  it  is  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
that  doth  help  us  to  believe,  and  gives  us  strength  to  believe,  yea,  every  de- 
gree of  strength, — that  we  take  a  faster  hold  upon  Christ  every  day  than  other, 
it  is  from  the  Holy  Ghost, — yet  the  Holy  Ghost  useth  motives  and  consi- 
derations, he  deals  with  a  man  herein  as  with  a  reasonable  creature.  Now, 
when  a  man  shall  look  back  upon  his  whole  life,  and  consider  the  sins  of  his 
unregenerate  condition,  and  all  his  sins  since ;  may  that  man  think  with 
himself.  If  all  these  sins  should  now  be  mine,  and  I  should  answer  for  them 
myself,  what  a  condition  should  I  be  in  !  But  here  is  my  Lord  and  Saviour 
Christ,  who  frees  me  from  them  all.  This  moves  a  man  still  to  run  to  him 
as  to  a  city  of  refuge,  to  lay  faster  hold  upon  him,  to  renew  stronger  acts  of 
faith  every  day  than  other.  And  remember  it  for  that  end.  If  a  man  hang 
upon  the  top  of  a  pinnacle,  as  I  may  so  express  it,  the  further  off  the  ground 
it  is,  and  the  more  danger  he  sees  in  falling,  the  faster  hold  he  will  be  sure 
to  take  ;  so  is  it  here.  And  that  is  the  reason,  my  brethren,  why  poor  souls 
when  they  come  first  out  of  their  natural  condition,  make  so  eagerly  and  de- 
sirably after  Christ,  and  after  faith  ;  it  is  because  they  have  all  the  sins  of 
theii'  unregenerate  condition  at  once  before  them,  which  doth  drive  them  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  to  him  they  run  as  unto  a  city  of  refuge,  the  cry  of 
their  bloody  transgressions  pursuing  them.  Therefore  now  that  faith  should 
grow  every  day  stronger  and  stronger,  we  have  a  greater  motive  unto  it,  for 
we  have  every  day  before  us  a  greater  prospect  of  sins.  And  so  in  all  these 
respects  it  may  serve  to  help  forward  faith.  '  Wherefore  remember,'  saith 
the  Apostle,  &c. 

Thirdly,  Another  benefit  is,  love  unto  Jesus  Christ.  These  advantages 
which  I  mention,  many  of  them  may  arise  from  sins  committed  since  God 
called  you,  as  well  as  before,  and  so  may  this.  You  know  that  Mary  loved 
much  because,  it  is  said,  '  much  was  forgiven  her.'  I  will  give  you  an  in- 
stance of  Paul,  in  that  place  I  quoted  even  now,  1  Tim.  i.  13,  though  not  to 
that  purpose  I  now  quote  it.  I,  saith  he,  before  was  '  a  blasphemer,  and  a 
persecutor,  and  injurious,  but  I  obtained  mercy,'  &c. ;  '  and,'  saith  he,  *  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  was  exceeding  abundant  with  faith  and  love  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.'  "What  means  he  here  by  faith  and  love  1  Doth  he  mean  the 
faithfulness  and  love  of  Christ  unto  him  1  No,  but  faith  and  love  in  him- 
self wrought  toward  Jesus  Christ ;  and  his  meaning  is  this,  that  look  as  I, 
having  been  a  persecutor,  and  a  blasphemer,  and  injurious,  as  I  had  abounded 
in  all  these  before,  now  when  God  did  turn  me,  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ 
did  make  this  advantage  of  it,  it  made  me  love  him  the  more.  '  The  grace  of 
our  Lord  was  exceeding  abundant  in  faith  and  love.'  And  remember  this  : 
the  love  God  shewed  thee  when  he  first  turned  thee  to  him,  all  the  time 
before,  as  I  said  even  now,  his  heart  and  eye  was  upon  thee,  himself  had  ap- 
pointed a  time,  a  fulness  of  time,  in  which  he  resolved  to  turn  thee ;  and  as 
he  set  a  fulness  of  time  for  Christ  Jesus  his  Son  to  come  into  the  world  and 
to  take  our  nature  upon  him,  so  he  hath  set  in  his  eternal  purpose  and 
decree  a  fulness  of  time  in  which  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  into  every  man's 


EpH.  II.  11]    '  TO  THE  EPHE8IANS.  353 

heart  to  turn  him,  and  he  faileth  not  a  moment  of  the  time ;  as  Christ  failed 
not  a  moment,  but  he  came  in  due  time,  as  the  text  saith,  Rom.  v.  I  say,  all 
the  while  before  still  his  heart  was  upon  thee ;  and  as  he  saw  Nathanael 
under  the  fig-tree,  so  he  saw  thee  when  thou  wast  in  such  and  such  courses, 
and  he  thought  with  himself.  Well,  this  sinner  will  come  home  one  day,  and 
oh,  as  the  projihet  Jeremiah  speaks,  when  shall  it  once  be  1  He  longed  for 
that  time,  for  that  time  in  which  thy  soul  should  actually  be  married  unto 
Jesus  Christ  by  his  Holy  Spirit;  and  when  that  time  was  come  which  he  longed 
for  so  much,  when  that  thou  didst  but  begin  to  think  of  turning  to  him,  and, 
as  it  is  said  of  Ephraim,  in  Jer.  xxxi.  20,  didst  but  smite  upon  thy  thigh, 
when  thou  begannest  first  to  express  but  the  least  affection  to  God,  the  least 
purpose  of  turning  to  him,  his  bowels  stirred  witliin  him :  '  I  do  remember 
nim  still ;  I  will  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the  Lord.' 

Fourthly,  It  likewise  may  be  a  treasury  to  thee  for  matter  of  godly  sor- 
row. My  brethren,  it  is  a  very  great  error  that  we  may  cease  mourning  for 
sin  when  it  is  once  pardoned.  No,  it  is  the  fittest  season  then  to  mourn ; 
and  of  all  graces  else  take  your  fill  of  that.  As  I  heard  one  once  say,  when 
he  was  upon  his  deathbed,  a  day  or  two  before  he  died, — and  as  he  did  indeed 
spend  the  time  before, — saith  he,  '  I  shall  not  mourn  in  heaven,'  and  so  he 
took  his  fill  of  mourning,  out  of  the  sense  of  the  love  of  God  for  the  sins  he 
had  committed  here.  Therefore  now  be  humbled  for  sin,  mourn  for  it ;  if 
not  in  order  to  the  pardon  of  it,  which  thou  art  assured  of,  yet  to  the  further 
manifestation  of  that  pardon ;  if  not  in  relation  to  that,  yet  because  it  is 
pardoned ;  as  you  have  it,  Ezek.  xvi.  63,  '  That  thou  mayest  be  confounded,' 
saith  he,  '  and  never  open  thy  mouth  more,  when  I  am  pacified  towards  thee 
for  all  thine  abominations.'  It  is  a  very  great  question  whether  the  love  of 
God  should  break  our  hearts  more  for  the  sins  we  have  committed  since  we 
have  turned  unto  him,  or  those  committed  before  ?  There  are  aggravations 
on  both  sides,  which  we  may  take  in  their  proportion,  to  work  upon  our 
hearts.  If  we  consider  the  sins  since  God  wrought  upon  us,  there  is  this  to 
aggravate  them,  that  we  have  sinned  against  that  God  that  hath  manifested 
his  love  to  us,  and  we  have  sinned  against  the  manifestation  of  that  love. 
But  then,  on  the  other  hand,  the  sins  before  conversion  have  this  heighten- 
ing in  them  too,  to  make  us  mourn,  that  though  we  knew  not  then  that 
God  loved  us,  yet  certainly  he  bore  a  love  to  iis  all  the  while,  and  out  of 
that  love  he  forbore  us,  and  out  of  that  love  he  kitended  to  convert  us  and 
to  turn  us  unto  him. 

Fifthly,  We  may  improve  it  for  this  end,  to  make  us  more  zealous  for  God. 
It  is  an  improvement  which  may  be  made  either  of  our  living  long  in  our 
natural  condition,  (we  may  remember  it  for  that  end,  to  quicken  our  zeal  for 
God,)  or  it  is  an  improvement  also  of  sins  committed  since  we  knew  God. 
It  was  this  that  fired  Paul  so  much,  inflamed  his  heart  so  much,  that  made 
him  labour  more  abundantly  than  all  the  apostles.  None  of  the  apostles 
persecuted  the  church  of  Christ.  Peter  denied  him  it  is  true,  and  it  was  a 
means  certainly  to  intend  his  zeal ;  but,  saith  Paul,  none  j^ersecuted  it  but 
I :  which,  as  it  laid  him  low,  so  it  made  him  labour  more  than  they  all ;  he 
thought  he  had  never  done  enough.  It  is  the  motive  which  the  apostle 
Peter  useth,  1  Pet.  iv.  2,  3,  '  That  he,'  speaking  of  a  Christian, '  should  no 
longer  live  the  rest  of  his  time  in  the  flesh  to  the  lusts  of  men,  but  to  the 
will  of  God ;  for  the  time  past  of  our  life  may  suffice  us  to  have  wrought 
the  will  of  the  Gentiles.'  As  if  he  had  said.  If  it  were  fit  for  you  to  have 
the  pleasures  of  sin,  yet  you  may  be  content  with  what  you  have  had ;  let 

VOL.  II.  Z 


354  AN  EXPOSITION  OP  THE  EPISTLE  [SeEMON  XXIV. 

that  suffice  you,  that  you  have  spent  so  much  and  so  long  time  in  it ;  you 
owe  nothing  to  the  flesh,  therefore  it  may  very  well  suffice  that  it  hath  had 
so  much  of  your  time  already,  that  for  the  time  past  of  your  life  you  have 
wrought  the  will  of  the  Gentiles;  that  is,  have  wrought  the  lusts  of  the 
Gentiles.  Now,  saith  he,  you  should  no  longer  live  the  rest  of  your  time  in 
the  flesh  to  the  lusts  of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God.  As  it  is  a  strong 
motive  to  be  more  holy,  the  less  of  a  man's  time  remaineth  in  the  flesh, — 
that  is  the  Apostle's  argument ;  *  The  day  is  short,'  saith  he,  and  so  in  Heb.  x., 
'  by  how  much  the  more  the  day  approacheth,' — so  it  is  as  strong  an  argu- 
ment, by  how  much  more  of  his  time  past  hath  been  lost  unto  God.  As  by 
how  much  the  less  is  to  come,  for  the  time  to  come,  should  be  a  motive  unto 
holiness ;  so,  so  much  of  the  time  past  spent  in  a  vain  conversation  should  be 
a  motive  too.  In  1  Pet.  i.  18,  having  been  'redeemed  from  our  vain  con- 
versation,'— that  is  the  Apostle's  expression  there, — '  therefore,'  saith  he, 
'  pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  in  fear  :  therefore  be  holy,  as  he  is 
holy.'  That  is  the  exhortation  he  makes,  and  these  are  the  motives  he  useth ; 
compare  but  the  15th,  16th,  and  18th  verses  together.  Such  grounds  as  lie 
fallow,  when  you  till  them  you  expect  the  greater  crop  from  them ;  and  so 
doth  God  from  those  who  have  spent  much  of  their  days  in  sin ;  and  cer- 
tainly that  soU  that  doth  bring  forth  weeds  most,  will  also  be  fruitful  of 
herbs  when  it  is  sown ;  and  this  God  expects. 

Lastly,  You  may  make  this  improvement  of  the  remembrance  that  your- 
selves were  once  Gentiles  in  the  flesh,  as  the  Apostle  here  speaks.  Hast 
thou  any  friends  that  thou  hast  prayed  for  long,  that  are  still  in  their  natu- 
ral condition,  and  thou  thinkest  there  is  no  hope  of  them  1  Do  but  re- 
member what  thou  thyself  once  wert,  and  how  long ;  remember  how  long 
many  of  those  that  are  now  in  heaven  did  lie  in  that  condition  ere  God 
called  them.  '  Such,'  saith  the  Apostle,  in  1  Cor.  vi.  11,  '  were  some  of  you.' 
This  is  a  certain  truth,  that  there  is  never  a  sermon  that  hath  power  in  it 
but  the  devil  is  afraid  of  every  man  in  the  church  that  is  in  his  natural  con- 
dition ;  he  knows  not  but  that  the  Holy  Ghost  may  sei^e  upon  that  man  at 
that  time  :  answerably,  have  thou  hope  at  every  sermon  of  those  whom  thou 
hast  prayed  for.  In  2  Tim.  ii.  24,  speaking  of  the  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
he  saith,  they  must  be  '  gentle,  apt  to  teach,  patient,  in  meekness  in- 
structing those  that  oppose  themselves ;  if  God  peradventure,'  saith  he,  '  will 
give  them  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth.'  If  there  be  but  a 
peradventure  that  God  may  do  it,  and  though  they  oppose  too, — for  so  the 
Apostle's  expression  is, — yet  be  patient,  saith  he,  wait ;  so  the  ministers  of 
God  should  do  for  those  they  preach  to,  and  so  shouldest  thou  do  for  those 
whom  thou  prayest  for,  and  hast  sought  God  to  turn  them.  As  Paul  saith  to 
wives,  he  bids  them  not  to  leave  their  husbands,  in  1  Cor.  vii.  16  ;  sends  them 
home  to  them  again  with  a  '  What  knowest  thou,  O  wife,  but  thou  mayest  be 
a  means  to  turn  thy  husband  ? '  So,  hast  thou  prayed,  and  prayed  long,  for 
a  child,  for  a  husband,  for  a  friend,  and  still  they  oppose, — put  the  case  so, 
for  so  Paul  doth  in  that  place  of  Timothy, — ^yea,  suppose  they  have  been 
under  a  powerful  means,  and  have  not  been  won  by  the  word ;  the  apostle 
Peter  puts  that  case  too,  in  1  Pet,  i  3 ;  yet  after  ail  this,  '  What  knowest 
thou  1 '  Still  pray,  still  use  means ;  it  may  be,  some  little  cross,  though 
they  have  had  many  to  break  their  hearts,  shall  work  more  than  all  the  rest ; 
some  by-speech  spoken  may  fall  into  their  hearts,  and  turn  them,  when  many 
pertinent  exhortations  that  respect  their  conditions  avail  not,  though  it  may 
be  thou  hast  wondered  how  they  could  sit  vmder  such  exhortations  without 


Era.  II.   11.)  TO  THE  EPHESIANS,  355 

being  moved.     And  when  they  have  not  been  won  by  the  word,  saith  Peter, 
1  Pet.  iii.  1,2,  they  may  be  won  by  thy  conversation. 

And  so  much  now  for  this  point,  which  is  indeed  a  point  of  great  use 
unto  us,  and  which  we  are  apt,  when  we  have  lain  long  in  the  state  of  un- 
regcneracy,  to  forget,  and  sail  out  of  the  sight  of  it.  You  see  the  Apostlo 
here  exhorts  these  Ephesians  to  the  remembrance  of  it,  and  himself,  the 
highest  Christian  that  ever  was,  lived  in  the  continual  sight  of  it.  These 
and  such  like  uses  are  to  bo  made  of  it. 


EXPOSITION 


ov 


VAEIOUS  POETIONS  OF  THE  EPISTLE   TO 
THE  EPHESIANS. 

PREACHED  ON  SEVERAL  OCCASIONa 


TO  THE  EEADEE. 


That  I  might  not  be  wanting  to  your  satisfaction,  I  have  liere  added  some 
sermons  of  the  author,  preached  on  several  occasions.  I  have  chose  them, 
rathef  than  other  of  his  treatises,  because  more  congenial  to  the  foregoing 
parts  of  the  book ;  the  first  four  especially  had  a  right  to  their  place  in  it, 
bemg  sermons  on  some  verses  of  the  second,  third,  and  fifth  chapters  of  the 
Ephesians.  They  do  not  indeed  complete  the  exposition  of  it ;  nor  were  they 
designed  so  by  the  author,  who  pursued  the  exposition  in  his  lecture-sermons, 
which  you  had  before ;  but  being  called  from  it  by  Providence,  he  stopped 
at  the  11th  verse  of  the  second  chapter,  and  never  proceeded  further  after- 
wards. But  these  sermons  that  follow  were  preached  on  other  occasions. 
This  I  thought  necessary  to  inform  the  reader,  lest  he  should  think  that  the 
author  had  gone  through  the  whole  Epistle,  and  that  having  lost  part  of 
the  Exposition,  I  had  set  before  him  the  remaiuing  broken  pieces ;  but  I  can 
assure  him  that  here  is  all  that  ever  was  preached  by  him  on  that  Epistle. 

To  satisfy  any  one  that  is  so  curious  as  to  inquire  when  the  following 
sermons  were  preached,  since  the  title  of  them  tells  him  it  was  on  several 
occasions,  he  may  know  that  the  first  of  them,  on  Eph.  ii.  14-16,  was 
preached  at  St  Mary's  in  Oxford,  and  was  formerly  printed,  and  may  be 
found  added  very  often  to  his  works  published  before.  The  other  sermons 
on  several  texts  of  Scripture  were  preached  in  his  younger  time  at  Cambridge 
in  his  lecture  at  Trinity  Church.  Those  two  on  Col.  i.  26,  27,  an.  1625. 
The  first  sermon  on  Zeph.  ii.  1-3,  was  preached  on  a  solemn  fast,  1628,  and 
the  other  in  the  following  course  of  his  lecture. 

T.  G. 


The  above  address  "  To  the  Reader,"  by  Dr  Goodwin's  son,  is  given  as  it  appears  iu 
the  folio  edition,  though  it  partly  refers  to  some  discourses  which,  with  a  view  to  a  more 
perfect  classification  of  subjects  than  was  originally  observed,  will  be  given  in  another 
volume  of  this  series. 


1 


EXPOSITION 


OB 


VAEIOUS  POKTIONS  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS. 


A  SEEMON  ON  EPHESIANS  II.  14-16. 

For  he  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath  hroken  down  the  wall 
of  partition  between  us  ;  having  abolished  in  his  flesh  the  enmity,  even 
the  law  of  commandments  contained  in  ordinances;  for  to  make  in  himself 
of  twain  one  new  man,  so  making  peace.  And  that  he  might  reconcile 
both  unto  God  in  one  body  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby 
[or,  in  himself]. 

It  were  a  manifest  folly,  in  the  judgments  of  most  knowing  men,  to  go  about 
to  use  in  any  set  way  exhortatory  motives  to  persuade  to  peace  and  recon- 
ciliation tlie  people  of  God  amongst  us.  The  provocations  are  so  high,  and 
exasperations  so  fresh  and  increasing,  that  if  I  had  an  audience  made  up  of 
those  alone  that  have  the  swaying  power  of  either,  and  together  therewith 
their  most  favourable  attention,  and  interest  in  affection,  without  prejudice, 
I  should  not  know  how  to  attempt  it  with  any  hope  of  success.  But  though 
the  animosities  of  men's  spirits,  augmented  by  coincident  circumstances,  are 
gone  beyond  the  power  of  the  persuasions  of  men  in  this  present  paroxysm, 
yet  they  are  not  above  the  power  of  God's  wisdom  and  providence,  nor  the 
force  and  efficacy  of  Christ's  blood.  You  may  therefore,  in  the  midst  of  all 
contrary  appearances,  give  me  leave,  though  I  cannot  hope  to  persuade,  yet 
to  believe,  (the  Cathohc  Church,  and  the  Communion  of  Saints,  they  are  in 
my  creed,)  and  because  I  believe,  therefore  to  speak,  and  so  to  give  you  an 
account  of  my  faith  as  to  this  issue.  Let  your  faith  but  wait,  and  give  God 
time  for  it,  and  leave  him  to  effect  it  his  own  way.  And  to  this  end  I  have 
taken  this  text,  Christus  pax  nostra  :  '  For  he  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made 
both  one,'  &c.  And  my  inference  is,  that  therefore  the  saints  shall,  and  must 
be  one,  and  reconciled  in  the  end.  And  this  is  the  best  news  which  in  these 
times  can  be  told  you,  the  seasonablest  we  can  hear  of,  and  is  indeed  one  great 
part  of  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel  itself,  without  which  it  were  imperfect, 
which  Christ  himself,  our  peace,  who  came  to  purchase  it,  as  these  words 
shew,  so  came  to  preach,  as  the  very  next  verse,  ver.  17,  hath  it. 


362  EXPOSITION  OP  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OP       [EPH.  II.   14-16. 

The  main  and  principal  intendment  of  these  words  is,  to  give  an  eminent 
instance  of  the  efficacy  of  Christ's  mediation,  in  slaying  the  enmities  that  are 
amongst  the  people  of  God  themselves,  and  of  his  being  '  our  peace '  in  that 
respect ;  instancing  in  that,  the  greatest  that  ever  was,  between  Jew  and 
Gentile,  whom  yet,  as  here,  he  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down 
the  partition- wall  between  us.  And  however  he  mentions,  in  the  16th  verse, 
our  reconciliation  made  with  God,  of  which  elsewhere  he  treats  more  largely, 
yet  here  but  by  way  of  confirmation  of  our  faith  in  this  other,  of  reconcilia- 
tion amongst  ourselves.  For  the  aini  of  its  introduction  here  is  but  to  shew, 
how  that  Christ,  in  reconciling  us  to  God  himself,  carried  it  so,  and  did  it 
under  such  a  consideration  and  respect,  as  necessarily  drew  on  and  involved 
our  reconciliation  one  with  another ;  namely  this,  that  he  '  reconciled  us  unto 
God  in  one  body,'  among  ourselves.  It  is  a  happy  clause,  that  addition,  '  one 
body,'  and  on  purpose  inserted  thereinto,  to  shew  that  when  God  was  to 
transact  our  peace  and  reconciliation  to  and  with  Christ  hanging  upon  the 
cross,  he  would  not,  nor  did  not,  acknowledge  himself  to  him,  then  reconciled 
to  us  by  him,  upon  any  other  terms,  than  as  withal  we  were  looked  at,  and 
rej)resented  to  him  by  Christ,  as  one  body,  and  therein  reconciled  one  to  an- 
other, whilst  we  were  reconciled  to  himself. 

The  connexion  of  the  16th  verse  with  the  15th  discussed  :  and  how  that  recon- 
ciliation to  God  in  one  body,  ver.  16,  is  to  he  understood ;  ivhether  of 
that  reconciliation  wrought  for  us,  or  in  us. 

I  meet  but  with  one  eminent  difficulty  in  the  coherence  and  contexture  of 
these  words,  and  that  is  the  connexion  of  these  two  verses,  ver.  15,  16;  as 
namely  of  these  words,  '  and  that  he  might  reconcile  us  to  God,'  ver.  1 6,  &c., 
with  the  former,  ver.  15,  'having  abolished  the  enmity,'  &c.  Now  this 
enmity  mentioned,  ver.  15,  is  evidently  intended  of  the  enmity  between  Jew 
and  Gentile,  as  is  clear  by  its  connexion  with  ver.  14,  'who  hath  made  of 
twain  one,  and  broken  dowTi  the  partition-wall ;  having  slain  the  enmity.' 
Now  the  twain,  or  the  two,  thus  made  one,  between  whom  this  enmity  was, 
is  not  God  and  we,  but  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  of  whom  he  had  spoken 
in  the  former  verses,  for  he  adds,  '  that  he  might  create  both  in  one  new 
man,'  which  could  not  be  said  of  God  and  us. 

Now  then  the  difficulty  is.  What  reconciliation  to  God  in  one  body  that 
should  be,  ver.  16,  which  the  Apostle  makes  the  consequent  of  having  slain 
the  enmity  between  these  Jews  and  Gentiles  1  For  the  connexion  seems  to 
import  the  one  a  consequent  of  the  other,  and  the  words  to  run  thus  :  '  Hav- 
ing slain  the  enmity  between  themselves,'  ver.  15,  'that  he  might  reconcile 
them  unto  God,'  ver.  16.  Now  this  reconciliation  to  God  must  be  either 
meant  of  the  work  of  reconciliation  wrought  in  us,  whereby  we  turn  unto 
God,  as  2  Cor.  v.  20,  '  Be  ye  reconciled  unto  God ; '  or  that  reconciliation 
which  Christ  wrought  for  us  unto  God.  And  whether  of  these  should  be 
intended,  is  the  question  ;  and  so  withal  the  question  is.  Whether  those  words, 
ver.  16,  'and  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God,'  are  to  be  cast  unto 
the  15th  verse,  as  a  part  of  the  discourse  thereof,  or  do  not  rather  begin  a  new 
and  entire  discourse,  full  and  complete  within  themselves  ? 

For  the  first  stand  many  interpreters,  and  the  chief  reason  for  that  opinion 
is  the  coherence  of  these  words  with  those  next  immediately  foregoing. 
*  Having  abolished  the  enmity,  that  he  might  create  (^rierj)  in  himself,  of 
twain,  one  new  man,  and  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God,'  &c.  The 
resolve  of  which  seems  to  be  this,  that  Christ  having  on  the  cross  wrought 


EpU.  II.   14-10.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  363 

in  LimscLf  tliis  great  work  for  us,  to  slay  the  enmity  between  us,  and  make 
both  one,  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  and  this  as  the  antecedent  work ;  that 
yet  there  remained  two  other,  as  consequent  works,  as  the  effects  that  follow 
therefrom  :  namely — 

1.  To  create  both  one  new  man,  so  making  actually  peace  between  them- 
selves.    And — 

2.  To  bring  them  both  into  an  actual  state  of  reconciliation  with  God,  by 
working  reconciliation  in  them  towards  God ;  so  making  them  one  body. 

And  the  reason  for  this  interpretation  further  is,  that  both  these  two  are 
brought  in  and  yoked  in  the  like  tenor  of  speech  :  '  that  he  might  create,'  &c., 
*  and  that  he  might  reconcile ; '  as  if  they  were  like  parallel  fruits  of  that 
antecedent  work,  '  slaving  that  enmity,'  mentioned,  ver.  15.  And  according 
to  this  parallel,  look  as  creating  them  both  into  '  one  new  man '  is,  and  must 
be  acknowledged  to  be,  understood  of  a  work  wrought  in  them,  viz.,  the  new 
creation ;  so  also  that  other,  the  reconciling  them  to  God,  must  be  under- 
stood of  the  work  of  reconciliation  unto  God  wrought  in  them  also.  And 
so  the  new  man  they  are  created  into,  ver.  15,  ansvvereth  but  unto  that  one 
body  they  are  reconciled  unto,  ver.  16,  being  one  and  the  same. 

And  that  which  increaseth  the  difficulty  is,  that  if  it  shoidd  be  understood 
of  reconciliation  unto  God  himself,  wrought  by  Christ  upon  the  cross,  how 
such  a  reconciliation  should  be  the  consequent  of  his  slaying  first  the  enmity 
between  the  saints  themselves ;  so  as  it  should  be  said  he  slew  the  enmity 
among  the  saints,  that  he  might  reconcile  them  to  God  1  This  is  not  con- 
sonant to  reason,  seeing  rather  that,  according  to  the  harmony  and  depend- 
ence of  theological  truths,  his  reconciling  them  unto  God  upon  the  cross  is 
the  antecedent  and  cause  of  his  slaying  the  enmity  of  them  mutually ;  be- 
cause our  reconciliation  one  with  another  is  rather  depending  upon,  and  the 
fruit  of  reconciliation  with  God  himself,  who  being  first  reconciled  to  us,  all 
things  else  are  reconciled  one  to  another :  as  subjects  that  have  been  at  vari- 
ance, when  reconciled  to  their  prince  or  head,  become  reconciled  one  to  an- 
other among  themselves. 

But  yet  I  rather  incline  to  think  that  other  kind  of  reconciliation  between 
God  and  us,  wrought  by  Christ  for  us  on  the  cross,  to  be  intended,  ver.  16, 
and  so  to  be  brought  in  as  a  parallel  with  that  former  reconciliation  wrought 
by  him  also  on  the  cross,  between  and  on  behalf  of  the  Jew  and  Gentile 
mutually  :  and  so  this  1 6th  verse  to  begin  a  new  and  entire  discourse,  apart 
and  sejunct  from  the  other,  namely,  of  our  reconciliation  with  God,  as  the 
former  verses  had  discoursed  of  that  reconciliation  which  is  wrought  for  us 
between  ourselves. 

And  so  the  main  proportions  of  this  parallel  are  these  :  That  as  that  re- 
conciliation between  Jew  and  Gentile,  wrought  by  Christ  on  the  cross,  had 
two  parts,  1.  Positive,  making  both  one ;  2.  Privative,  the  removing  the 
impediment  that  caused  the  enmity,  ver.  15,  the  consequent  of  which  is,  the 
creating  of  both  into  'one  new  man  :'  so  the  Apostle  discoursing,  ver.  16, 
of  this  other  reconciliation  with  God,  he  therein  intends  to  make  like  two 
parts  thereof,  answerable  to  the  other,  only  with  a  transposition  of  speech. 
1.  Positive,  reconciliation  to  God  in  one  body;  2.  Privative,  'having  slain 
that  enmity,'  namely,  against  God.  The  resolution  of  all  which  is  as  if  he 
had  said,  Whereas  there  was  a  double  enmity,  one  to  God,  another  among 
ourselves,  Christ  that  is  our  peace  hath  dealt  with  both.  He  having  slain 
the  enmity  between  themselves,  hath  made  both  one ;  and  having  slain  in 
like  manner  the  enmity  to  God,  hath  reconciled  us  unto  God. 


364  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EpH.  II.  14-16. 

Now  that  which  clears  and  confirms  this  connexion  is — 
First,  That  this  renders  a  more  full  and  just  analysis  of  the  words,  which 
is  this : — 

1.  That  in  ver.  14  he  in  general  proclaims  Christ  our  peace.     And  then — 

2.  In  the  next  words  proceeds  to  the  two  particukr  branches  wherein 
Christ  is  made  our  peace  : — 

(1.)  Between  ourselves  mutually. 

(2.)  Between  God  and  us.     And  then — 

3.  In  the  handling  of  either,  observeth  this  parallel  in  either,  namely,  be- 
tween a  privative  part,  slaying  the  enmity,  and  a  positive  part,  reconciling,  and 
making  one,  so  enumerating  the  complete  requisites  to  either. 

Then,  secondly,  To  shew  that  these  are  indeed  two  disjunct  and  complete 
discourses,  of  two  such  heads  of  reconciliation,  he  severs  the  first,  ver.  15, 
from  the  second,  ver.  1 6,  by  adding  a  full  period,  and  as  it  were  a  selah  to 
the  first,  thus  sealing  ujj  the  15th  verse,  '  so  making  peace  ;'  namely,  fully 
and  completely,  that  peace  which  had  been  spoken  of  among  Jew  and  Gentile, 
that  so  he  might  enter  anew  and  distinctly  from  this,  upon  that  other,  of 
reconciling  both  unto  God,  which  he  doth,  ver.  16. 

Then,  thirdly,  For  the  close  of  that  16th  verse,  that  he  should  in  like  man- 
ner bring  in  a  second  time  these  words,  '  having  slain  the  enmity,'  upon 
occasion  of  his  mentioning  our  reconciliation  to  God,  argues  still  more  his 
aim  to  be  to  cut  off  the  16th  verse  from  the  15th.  For  if  those  words,  ver. 
16,  'that  ho  might  reconcile  us  to  God,'  had  referred  to  that  other,  'having 
slain  the  enmity,'  ver.  1 5,  as  a  part  of  that  sentence  not  made  complete ; 
then  this  second,  '  having  slain  the  enmity,'  needed  not  to  have  been :  but 
doth  rather  shew  that  there  is  another  enmity  between  God  and  us,  distinct 
from  the  former  intended  by  him ;  and  so  the  slaying  thereof,  joined  pro- 
perly and  genuinely  with  its  fellow-conjugate,  namely,  reconciliation  unto 
God,  as  the  former,  ver.  15,  had  in  like  manner  been  connected  with  its  con- 
jugate also,  making  both  one  among  themselves.  If  indeed  the  Apostle  had 
carried  his  speech  in  ver.  15  thus,  Having  abolished  the  enmity  between 
them,  that  he  might  create  one  new  man,  and  that  he  might  reconcile  both 
unto  God  in  one  body,  and  so  ended  his  discourse  of  it,  then  these  two  in 
their  reference  could  not  have  been  parted ;  but  he  moreover  adding  to  their 
reconciUng  to  God,  a  second  time,  these  words,  '  having  slain  the  enmity,' — 
namely,  that  between  God  and  us, — he  so  maketh  the  16th  verse  an  entire 
sentence  and  period  of  itself,  as  the  14th  and  15th  do  make  in  like  manner 
a  full  period  of  themselves  :  and  so  the  14th  and  15th  are  to  be  read  and 
jobied  thus  :  '  Christ  hath  made  both ' — Jew  and  Gentile — '  one,  having  slain 
the  enmity '  that  was  between  them  ;  thus  Beza  and  others  :  and  answerably 
the  16th  to  this  sense,  with  an  easy  and  fair  transposition,  'and  having 
slain,'  or,  '  and  hath  slain  the  enmity,' — namely,  between  God  and  them, — 
'  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one  body  by  the  cross,'  on  which 
he  also  slew  that  enmity. 

And  whereas  it  will  be  said  that  the  word  xa),  or  '  and,'  which  the  1 6th 
verse  begins  with,  seemeth  to  cast  the  reference  of  this  upon  the  former  '  slay- 
ing the  enmity,'  ver.  15,  and  so  the  latter  to  be  but  an  emphatical  repetition 
of  the  same;  I  answer,  that  that  'and,'  ver.  16,  is  but  all  one  with  'more- 
over,' as  it  is  often  used,  as  introducing  a  new  and  distinct  discourse,  added 
to  a  former.     And  so — 

Fourthly,  As  thus  understood,  the  parallel  is  rendered  yet  more  full ;  for 
as  there  is  here  found  a  double  enmity,  and  an  answerable  double  slaying  of 
each,  in  order  to  a  double  reconciliation,  so  to  make  up  the  parallel,  which 


EpH.  II.  14-16.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESTANS.  365 

the  Apostle  intended,  yet  the  more  full,  there  are  two  further  clauses  added 
to  each,  fitly  answering  one  to  another.  For  as  of  the  one  he  says,  *  liaving 
abolished  the  enmity  in  his  flesh,'  ver.  15;  so  of  the  other,  the  latter,  in 
like  manner  he  speaks,  '  having  slain  that  enmity  in  himself,'  ver.  1 6,  as  the 
Greek  bears,  and  the  margin  varies  it. 

Now  as  to  any  diiBculty  proposed,  that  which  is  left  as  material  to  be  con- 
sidered is  only  this.  How  his  having  slain  that  enmity  between  us  ourselve3 
first,  should  be  conceived  to  be  the  antecedent  to  reconcile  us  to  God. 

Now  for  answer  hereunto — 

First,  Besides,  that  according  to  that  connexion  which  I  have  given,  the 
16th  verse  should  thus  make  up  a  fall  period  of  itself,  and  doth  keep  itself 
entire  within  itself,  a,s  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  verses  also  do,  and  so  not 
at  all  referring  to  the  'slaying  enmity,'  ver.  15,  as  hath  been  explained, 
which  coherence  doth  at  once  cut  off  the  whole  of  that  objection  at  first 
made  :  but  besides  this, — supposing  it  might  take  in,  and  refer  to  that  slay- 
ing the  enmity,  ver.  15,  among  saints,  as  the  antecedent,  or  at  least,  ingredi- 
ent unto  their  reconciliation  with  God, — there  may  perhaps  this  just  assoil- 
ment  be  given  thereto — 

That,  secondly,  in  order  of  nature,  all  enmity  must  first  be  supposed  re- 
moved ere  friendship,  or,  as  here,  reconciliation  can  be  supposed  to  be  pro- 
cured :  the  reason  of  which  is  obvious  to  any  judgment ;  first,  peace,  by 
slaying  enmity,  and  then  good-wiU.  And  so  upon  this  and  the  like  grounds, 
these  words,  '  that  he  might  reconcile  unto  God  in  one  body,'  may  well  be 
supposed  to  have  a  secondary  aspect  to  his  having  first  abolished  the  enmity 
between  ourselves,  ver.  15,  as  well  as  our  enmity  against  God,  ver.  16.  And 
the  Apostle's  adding  *  in  one  body,'  which  he  studiously  hath  done,  shews 
that  they  being  under  that  notion  and  respect  reconciled  unto  God  by  Christ 
upon  the  cross,  that  then  withal  at  the  same  time,  yea,  in  order  of  nature, 
first  their  enmities  one  against  another  were  removed,  as  well  as  against  God 
himself.  All  sorts  of  enmities  being  to  be  removed  ere  any  sort  of  reconcilia- 
tion attained,  surely  under  that  notion  they  cannot  be  considered  reconciled 
to  God,  but  withal  it  must  be  said,  they  are  at  peace,  and  so  made  one 
among  themselves ;  at  least,  these  two  do  mutually  argue  each  the  other. 
If  indeed  there  had  been  room  left  for  us  to  conceive  that  our  reconciliation 
with  God  had  been  so  wrought  by  Christ  for  us,  as  for  each  person  considered 
only  single  and  apart, — though  even  so  it  was  intended,  namely,  for  each  and 
every  person ;  and  this  is  involved  in  that  other, — then  indeed  it  might 
have  been  supposed  that  their  enmities  to  God  had  been  slain  and  done  first 
away,  and  reconciliation  wrought  with  him  first  by  one  primary.act,  and  then 
after  that,  ex  consequenti,  as  a  secondary  work,  our  reconcihation  amongst 
ourselves  had  been  cast  in,  and  followed  thereupon ;  or,  which  is  all  one, 
wrought  and  procured  by  a  second  act  or  intention  of  Christ's.  But  if  in 
one  and  the  same  very  individual  act  and  intention  of  their  being  reconciled 
to  God,  they  were  considered  as  '  one  body,'  and  that  this  was  put  in  as  an 
involved  ingredient  thereinto ;  so  you  must  necessarily  suppose  their  own 
mutual  enmities  done  away  also,  at  least,  together  therewith,  by  one  and  the 
same  individual  act  also ;  and  this  consideration,  if  there  were  no  other,  is  a 
sufficient  salvo  to  the  forementioned  difficulty.  Now  how  this  reconciliation 
tmto  God  in  one  body  was  performed  by  Christ  on  the  cross,  I  shall  handle 
afterwards. 

I  shall  trouble  you  no  further  with  untying  this  knot,  or  the  drawing  out 
into  one  smooth  and  continued  line  the  series  of  this  coherence.  For,  how- 
ever, take  the  16th  verse  in  which  of  these  senses  you  please,  the  words  in 


366  EXPOSITION  OP  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EPH.  II.  14-16. 

the  Hth  and  15tli  verses  are  sufficient  bottom  for  the  heads  of  that  whole 
discourse  I  intend;  for  these  words,  ver.  14,  15,  do  undeniably,  as  all  must 
confess,  treat  of  the  reconciliation  of  the  people  of  God  among  themselves, 
and  sufficiently  hold  forth  these  two  generals  : — 

1.  The  work  of  Christ  upon  the  cross  to  procure  it :  'He  hath  made  both 
one,  having  slain  the  enmity  in  his  flesh ; '  and  hath  virtually,  in  the  virtua 
of  his  death,  broke  down  the  partition-waU  that  occasioned  it,  which  in  his 
providence  he  after  ruined.     And — 

2.  The  work  of  Christ  by  his  Spirit  in  us,  creating  both  one  new  man  in 
himself. 

And  now  take  the  other  words,  ver.  1 6,  in  either  sense,  or  in  both,  which 
are  not  inconsistent ;  however,  this  is  observable  even  therein,  that  the  Apostle 
was  not  content  to  have  setly  pursued  the  saints'  reconciliation  among  them- 
selves, in  those  two  whole  verses,  the  14th  and  15th,  but  when  he  speaks  of 
reconciliation  with  God  also,  ver.  16,  he  must  needs  add  and  put  in  that 
clause  also,  '  in  one  body ;'  the  mutual  reconciliation  then  of  the  saints  is, 
upon  all  accounts,  the  principal  intendment  of  the  Apostle  here. 

The  division  of  the  words. — The  principal  heads  of  this  discourse  set  out, 

which  are  four. 
Now  for  the  division  of  the  words,  that  will  faU  according  to  either  the 
larger,  or  else  the  more  special  scope  of  the  words.  If  we  take  them  in  that 
first  and  largest  comprehensiveness,  as  treating  of  both  our  reconciliation 
with  God,  and  between  ourselves  also,  and  how  Christ  our  peace  is  both,  so 
they  admit  of  this  division  and  analysis  : — 

I.  That  the  general  theme  and  argument  of  the  whole  should  be  premised 
in  these  words,  Christus  pax  nostra,  Christ  is  our  peace;  which  is  the  inscrip- 
tion of  a  proclamation  of  him  under  one  of  his  eminent  royal  titles,  Christ 
the  great  and  perfect  peacemaker.     And  then — 

II.  Proclaiming  him  such,  in  all  the  branches  or  particulars  thereof  that 
may  argue  him  such. 

First,  As  a  universal  peacemaker,  as  both  being  a  peace  between  all  sorts 
of  persons  at  variance,  and  also  extending  his  mediation  to  the  removing  of 
all  sorts  of  enmities.     First,  persons;  as — 

1.  Between  us — that  is,  among  ourselves — abolishing  rnv  fX^ga",  that  en- 
mity, ver.  15. 

2.  Between  God  and  us,  slaying  that  enmity  also,  ver.  16;  thus  an  universal 
peacemaker. 

Secondly,  The  establisher  of  a  thorough  and  perfect  peace,  both  for  time 
past  and  time  to  come. 

1.  Who  hath  already  made  and  concluded  it,  as  in  his  own  person,  6  iroir^aag, 
he  hath  made  it,  Xuaac,  he  hath  dissolved  and  broke  down,  and  so  not  now 
to  be  done.     And — 

2,  The  same  secured  for  the  future,  even  for  ever ;  these  enmities  being 
abolished,  ver.  14,  15;  that  is,  utterly  abolished,  as  never  to  get  head;  slain, 
ver.  16,  never  to  revive. 

Thirdly,  Our  complete  peace,  as  in  respect  to  aU  parts  that  concur  to  it, 
and  ways  of  peace  to  accomplish  it,  and  make  it  sure.  First,  in  respect  of 
parts  :  both — 

1.  Negative,  by  removing  and  destroying  even  the  very  occasion  of  the 
enmity,  the  partition-waU  of  ordinances,  breaking  that  down;  and  again,  ver. 
1 6,  slaying  the  enmity  itself. 


ErU.  II.   l-i-lC]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  307 

2.  Positive,  expressed  in  two  words,  *  reconciling,'  ver.  IG ;  '  making  both 
one,'  ver.  14,  15.     Then — 

Fourthly,  By  all  sorts  of  ways  accomplishing  it : — 

1.  Representing  us  in  his  person,  as  in  one  body,  ver.  16,  personating  all 
his  people,  and  under  that  consideration  reconciling  them  to  God  and  one 
another. 

2.  ^leritoriously,  taking  on  his  person,  as  representing  their  persons, 
all  their  enmities  'in  his  flesh,'  or  the  human  nature,  says  the  15th  verse, 
hanging  on  the  cross,  ver.  1 G,  and  so  offering  up  that  as  one  common  sacri- 
fice to  God  for  all ;  he  is  said  to  '  reconcile  all  in  one  body  by  the  cross,' 
ver.  16. 

3.  Efficiently,  by  his  Spirit,  creating  both  into  one  man;  of  all  conjunc- 
tions the  nearest,  and  that  creation  wrought  in  himself,  of  all  foundations 
of  union  the  firmest ;  for  they  being  both  created  one  new  man,  and  united 
in  and  to  himself,  he  is  able,  and  will  be  sure  to  hold  them  for  ever  together. 
And  to  put  the  more  evident  notice  upon  all  he  had  said,  or  should  say  of 
him  in  this  respect,  he  intermingleth  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse  this  selah, 
or  note  of  observation,  'so  making  peace:'  take  notice  of  it,  says  he, — so, 
or  thus,  universally,  perfectly,  completely,  and  eternally. 

And  this  is  one  account  of  the  words,  and  indeed  of  the  whole,  and  every 
part  and  particle  thereof. 

But  if  we  single  forth  that  more  special  and  principal  aim  before  men- 
tioned, Christus  pax  nostra,  as  in  relation  to  making  peace  amongst  us,  the 
elect  of  God ;  so,  instead  of  any  accurate  division  of  them,  I  shall  only  draw 
forth  these  four  propositions,  which  wiU  suck  into  themselves  the  strength 
of  what  these  words  have  in  them  as  to  this  great  point.     Namely — 

I.  The  story  of  the  greatness  of  that  enmity — the  greatest  that  ever  was 
— between  Jew  and  Gentile,  before  Chiist's  coming,  and  a  while  after,  by 
reason  of  those  Jewish  rites  and  ordinances  of  the  ceremonial  law,  which 
the  Apostle  by  a  metonymy  termeth  therefore  the  enmity. 

II.  The  story  of  Christ's  transactions  on  the  cross,  by  which  he  virtually 
slew  and  abolished  this  enmity,  and  meritoriously  made  them  both  one, 
and  reconciled  both  in  one  body. 

III.  The  story  of  their  actual  accord,  and  becoming  one,  as  the  records 
of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  they  in  their  Epistles,  have  presented  it 
unto  our  view;  and  the  principles  by  which,  and  the  providences  whereby, 
that  partition-wall  was  broke  down,  and  the  enmity  allayed,  chiefly  by  creat- 
ing both  one  new  man  in  himself. 

rV.  That  the  instance  of  all  this  was  intended  by  God  as  a  precedent  and 
leading  cause  under  the  New  Testament,  to  assure  us  that  whatever  should 
fall  out  in  after-ages,  of  difference  amongst  the  saints,  yet  still  however 
they  both  might  and  should  in  the  issue  be  reconciled,  and  their  differences 
in  a  like  manner  allayed  and  compounded;  as  also  to  shew  the  ways  and 
princijiles  whereby  to  effect  it. 

I.  The  greatness  of  that  enmity  which  was  between  Jeio  and  Gentile,  until 
Christ  purchased  their  reconciliation. 

For  the  first,  I  have  to  present  you  out  of  this  text  with  an  instance  of 
the  deepest  and  most  lasting  enmity,  between  two  sorts  of  men,  chosen  to 
be  one  body  unto  God,  that  shared  as  then  the  whole  world  between  them — 
Jew  and  Gentile — that  ever  was,  or  wiU  be  in  all  ages,  which  yet  was  com- 
pounded by  Christ.  View  we  it  first  in  the  general,  through  those  expres- 
sions the  text  useth  of  it. 


368  EXPOSITIOX  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EPH.  II.   14-10. 

Tb9  Apostle  sets  it  forth  to  us,  not  barely  by  terms  of  distance  and  divi- 
sion, calling  them  too;  duo,  both,  or  two,  and  ra  aiicponpa,  twain,  not  simply  of 
being  enemies  in  an  ordinary  way,  but  speaks  of  an  enmity  in  the  abstract,  rjjn 
iyJ^oLv;  a  special  enmity  it  was,  not  that  which  is  common  to  man  against 
man,  — who,  as  the  Holy  Ghost  that  knows  our  nature  tells  us,  are  mutually 
hateful  to,  and  hating  one  another,  Tit.  iii.  3, — but  a  knotted,  twisted,  com- 
bined enmity;  that  the  word  y.vaag,  dissolved  it,  ver.  14,  imports.  A  stir- 
ring, active  enmity,  that  lay  not  sleeping ;  this  the  word  7iara,oyr,6ac,  ver. 
15,  implies.  He  made  it  inefficacious,  took  away  the  strengtli,  the  energy, 
the  operative  virtue  of  it.  Yea,  and  if  you  will  take  in,  and  borrow  from  the 
expression,  ver.  16,  d'zo-/.7si\iag,  he  slew  it,  it  was  a  livhig,  spriteful  enmity, 
yea,  that  had  a  rage  in  it ;  we  on  the  contrary  call  such  a  one  deadly,  be- 
cause it  aims  at  life.  The  word'"'  bears  up  to  this,  7ion  tarn  occidit,  quam 
trucidavit,  Christ  did  not  barely  kill  it,  but  bloodily,  with  a  rage,  as  provoked 
with  the  fierceness  of  the  enmity  itself ;  for  the  rage  thereof  was  cruel,  and 
reached  up  to  heaven,  as  the  Scripture  .speaks. 

likewise  an  old  hatred,  as  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  chap.  xxv.  15,  in  his  time 
termed  it,  speaking  of  that  between  the  PMlistini-Gentiles  and  the  Jews ;  but 
this  was  now  grown  much  older,  in  all  of  two  thousand  years'  continuance, — 
even  from  the  first  time  wherein  God  separated  the  peoj^le  from  the  rest  of 
the  nations,  as  in  Abraham  by  circumcision  he  did ;  a  wall  of  separation,  if 
I  may  pursue  the  metaphor  in  the  text,  whose  foundation  was  laid  in  Abra- 
ham's time  when  circumcision  was  first  given,  for  that  began  the  quarrel ; 
reared  up  higher  by  Moses'  rites,  further  lengthened  and  stretched  out  in  all 
the  times  of  the  prophets,  throughout  all  ages,  until  Christ,  who  came  to 
abolish  it  and  break  it  do^\Ti. 

And,  lastly,  a  universal  hatred  in  the  Jews  to  all  nations,  and  in  all 
nations  to  the  Jews ;  even  all  that  were  called  ra  'iQ\iri  iv  oaoni,  '  Gentiles  in 
the  flesh,'  and  '  Uncircumcision,'  by  that  which  is  called  '  Circumcision,'  ver, 
11,  as  all  nations  were  termed  and  reckoned  by  them. 

Thus  God  foreordained,  that  as  to  honour  his  Son  in  reconciling  us  to 
liimself,  he  permits  the  greatest  sins  and  enmities  to  be  in  the  hearts  and 
lives  of  those  he  intends  to  save,  against  himself ;  so  likewise,  that  the  highest 
and  toughest  animosities  should  be  found  amongst  those,  when  he  should 
come  upon  earth,  that  were  ordained  to  be  his  people,  to  shew  the  sovereign 
power  and  efficacy  of  his  mediation,  in  constituting  them  one  new  man  in 
himself     These  but  in  general  for  a  foundation  out  of  the  text. 

The  stoiy  of  the  particulars  of  it  hath  two  branches : — 

1.  What  it  was  between  them  before  Christ,  and  the  conversion  of  either 
to  the  Christian  faith. 

2.  What  after  conversion,  and  that  both  equally  had  embraced  Christ. 
First,  Take  the  elevation  of  it  before,  both  out  of  the  Scripture  and  other 

authentic  testimonies  :  both — 

1.  Of  the  Jew  against  the  Gentile. 

2.  Of  the  Gentile  against  the  Jew. 

And  I  shall  withal,  by  the  way,  make  a  parallel  of  the  one  with  the  other. 

1.  Of  the  Jew  against  the  Gentile.  The  quarrel  was  begun  indeed  by 
them ;  they  out  of  their  carnal  fleshly  boasting  of  their  privilege  to  be  the 
only  people  of  God,  as  they  were,  scorned  and  contemned  the  poor  Gentiles. 
The  11th  verse  inskiuates  this, '  Ye  were  Gentiles,  who  were  called  Uncircum- 
cision by  that  (nation,  namely,)  which  is  called  the  Circumcision  in  the  flesh.' 

*  '  'AiroKTeivelv,  magia  quidpiam  quam  (poveveiv,  significat,  occidere  cum  ssevitia.' — 
Beza,  Matt.  x.  28. 


EpU.  II.   14-1 C]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  3G9 

It  began  in  niclcnames,  and  the  Jews  were  tliey  that  began  to  call  names 
first,  as  interpreters  have  observed.  And  it  began  early,  almost  from  tho 
time  when  the  seed  of  Abraham  received  that  first  badge  of  difference.  You 
hear  of  it  in  Jacob's  time :  '  To  give  our  sister  to  one  that  is  uncircumcised, 
that  were  a  reproach  to  us,'  Gen.  xxxiv.  14.  And  after,  amongst  all  the 
race  of  the  Jews,  both  good  and  bad,  in  all  ages,  the  same  was  used  as  a  re- 
proach :  as  by  Samson,  Judges  xv.  18;  by  Jonathan,  1  Sam.  xiv.  6;  by 
David,  chap.  xvii.  26,  3G  ;  by  Saul,  chap.  xxxi.  4.  They  judging  it,  though 
but  a  circumstance,  yet  far  worse  than  death  itself,  to  '  die  by  the  hands  of 
the  uncircumcised,'  or  have  '  the  daughters  of  the  uncircumcised  triumph,'  2 
Sam.  i.  20.  And  in  the  prophets,  '  uncircumcised '  and  '  unclean '  are  all  one, 
Isa.  lii.  1.  When  they  would  accurse  one  to  the  most  accursed  death, — as  all 
nations,  according  to  what  they  have  esteemed  the  worst  of  deaths,  they  have 
accordingly  expressed  such  like  curses,  as  A  bi  in  malam  crucem,  among  the 
Romans, — Let  him  die,  said  the  Jew,  the  death  of  the  uncircumcised  ;  as 
Ezek.  xxviiL  10.  When  they  imprecated  the  most  ignominious  burial.  Thou 
shalt  lie  in  the  midst  of  the  uncircumcised,  Ezek.  xxxi.  18.  A  person  ex- 
communicate, accursed,  and  a  heathen,  was  to  them  all  one  :  '  Let  him  be  as 
a  heathen,'  Matt,  xviii.  And  they  distinguish  themselves  from  the  GentUes, 
by  appropriating  the  title  of  sinners  wholly  to  the  Gentiles  :  '  We  that  are 
Jews  by  nature,  and  not  sinners  of  the  Gentiles,'  Gal.  ii.  15.  And  God, 
foreseeing  how  apt  their  spirits  were  to  grow  from  hence  into  an  abhorrency 
of  all  other  nations,  made  a  special  law  to  prevent  it,  concerning  some  par- 
ticular nations  :  Deut.  xxiii.  7,  '  Thou  shalt  not  abhor  an  Edomite,  for  he 
is  thy  brother;  thou  shalt  not  abhor  an  Egyptian,  becaiise  thou  wert  a 
stranger  in  his  land.' 

Next,  see  this  enmity  expressed  in  their  carriages  and  dealings  with  the 
Gentiles.  They  not  only  would  not  communicate  with  them  in  sacris,  in 
holy  things,  but  their  zeal  was  such,  and  this  after  the  light  of  Christianity 
appeared  to  them,  that  they  would  have  killed  Paul,  Acts  xxi.  31,  for  no 
other  crime  but  this  :  ver.  28,  '  This  is  the  man  that  hath  brought  Greeks' 
— that  is,  heathens — '  into  the  temple,  and  hath  polluted  the  holy  place.' 
Nay,  they  accounted  it  an  abominable  tiling,  ddsf/^irov, — as  in  1  Pet.  iv.  3  the 
word  is  rendered,  '  abominable  idolatry,'  and  so  the  Vulgar  here, — to  keep 
company,  that  is,  familiarly,  yea,  or  so  much  as  to  come  unnecessarily  to 
one  of  another  nation,  founding  all  this  upon  that  which  was  a  peculiar 
command,  upon  a  special  ground,  against  the  Ammonites  and  Moabites, 
Deut.  xxiii.  6,  '  Thou  shalt  not  seek  their  peace  nor  their  prosperity  all  thy 
days  for  ever.'  This  they  extended  to  aU  nations,  and  this  to  that  rigidity 
that  they  would  not  do  ordinary  courtesies  of  common  humanity  : — 

*  Non  monstrare  vias  eadem  nisi  sacra  colenti,' 

says  Juvenal,  lib.  xiv.,  Satyr. ;  not  tell  a  man's  way  to  a  poor  wanderer,  an 
act  of  civihty  :  non  ad  fontem  deducere,  to  lead  to  a  weU  for  water,  which 
was  an  act  of  charity.  The  woman  of  Samaria  therefore  wonders  at  Christ : 
John  iv.  9,  '  How  is  it  that  thou,  being  a  Jew,  askest  drink  of  me,  who  am 
a  woman  of  Samaria  1  for  the  Jews  have  no  dealings  with  the  Samaritans.' 
Each  one  of  you,  says  Christ,  vdll,  and  that  on  the  Sabbath-day,  loose  his 
ox  or  his  ass  from  the  staU,  and  lead  him  away  to  watering,  Luke  xiii.  15. 
But  they  would  not  do  this  much  for  a  heathen,  though  ready  to  perish 
for  thirst ;  not  shew  him  a  well  hard  by,  says  the  same  Juvenal,  in  the  same 
place — 

VOL.  IL  2  a 


370  EXPOSITION  OF  VAKIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EPH.  II,   14-16. 

'  Qusesitum  ad  f ontem  solos  deducere  verpos ' — 

not  give  a  cup  of  cold  water,  wMcli  Christ  makes  the  least  of  courtesies, 
save  only  to  their  own  verpi,*  as  we  say,  vermin,  and  circumcised  ones.  So 
Juvenal  scoffs  them,  et  hoc  Jvdaicum  jus, — this  is  the  Jewish  law. 

And  no  wonder  of  aU  this,  for  indeed  they  accounted  aU  the  heathen  as 
beasts  made  to  be  destroyed,  upon  the  mistake  of  their  commission  concern- 
ing those  seven  nations,  Deut.  vii.  1,  given  up  by  God  the  judge  of  the 
world,  in  whose  sovereignty  it  was,  into  their  hands.  Even  Christ,  speak- 
ing in  the  common  language  of  the  Jews,  calls  the  SjTTophenician  woman,  and 
all  the  GentUes,  dogs.  Matt.  xv.  26,  as  the  Turks  call  Christians  at  this  day. 
Yea,  out  of  their  own  records,  some  of  the  Rabbinical  interpreters,  upon  Deut. 
xxi  11,  have  delivered  that  they  accounted  them /em  deteriores,  worse  than 
beasts  ;  et  nuptias  eoi'um  innuptas,  their  marriages  no  marriages  ;  and  there- 
fore, nee  homicidium,  nee  adulterium,  in  eos  eommitti  posse, — that  it  was  no 
advdtery  to  abuse  their  wives,  no  murder  to  kUl  any  of  them,  no  robbery  to 
take  from  them,  by  never  so  much  violence.  Which  Josephus  Albo  justi- 
fies, in  his  disputation  adversus  Christianos,  giving  this  reason,  that  he  that 
lived  without  their  law,  and  worshipped  false  gods,  was  a  common  enemy, — 
et  in  enm  illicitum  nihil, — and  nothiiig  can  be  unlawful  that  is  done  against 
him  by  them. 

Can  malice  be  supposed  to  rise  any  higher  ?  And  yet  in  that  nation  it 
did  against  these  poor  Gentiles.  1  Thess.  ii.  16,  17,  '  Contrary  they  are  to 
all  men ;'  and  it  follows,  '  forbidding  us  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they 
might  be  saved.'  The  Apostle,  speaking  it  by  way  of  aggravation  of  their 
malice,  seems  to  intend  it  not  only  consequenter,  that  they  denied  them  the 
gospel  without  which  they  could  not  be  saved ;  but  further,  intentionaliter, 
what  was  in  their  intentions,  that  suppose  they  had  thought  the  gospel  a 
means  of  salvation,  they  would  have  forbade  it  to  be  preached  to  them,  '  that 
they  might  not  be  saved.'  Is  there  not  work  for  a  peace -maker  now? 
This  on  the  Jews'  part. 

And  can  we  think  the  Gentiles  were  behind-hand  with  them  1  And  yet 
the  truth  is,  the  Gentiles  were  the  more  moderate  of  the  two,  as  the  11th 
verse  here,  and  the  parable  of  the  good  Samaritan  that  poured  oil  into  a 
stranger's  wounds,  and  the  story  of  the  Samaritan  woman,  all  shew ;  for  she 
lays  fault  on  the  Jew,  that  he  would  not  ask  water  of  a  Samaritan,  and  not 
^  contra.  It  were  too  much  to  reckon  up  aU  that  might  be  out  of  their 
poets  and  historians.  I  will  but  so  far  make  mention  of  some  testimonies 
of  the  Gentiles'  hatred  against  the  Jews,  as  they  make  up  a  parallel  with 
what  hath  been  said  of  the  Jewish  enmity  against  the  GentUes ;  thereby  to 
manifest  that  the  GentUes  were  even  with  them,  if  not  in  maUce,  yet  in  jeers 
and  scorns. 

1.  Did  the  Jews  reproach  them  as  uncircumcised,  as  you  heard?  The 
Gentiles,  on  the  contrary,  scorned  the  Jews  as  much  for  circumcision,  calling 
ih&m  apellas,  Judaeus  apella;  curtos,  so  Horace  ;t  recutitos,  so  Martial  ;| 
and  Persius,  verpos;^  as  also  Juvenal.  There  is  wit  in  these,  but  so  un- 
seemly, as  I  must  forbear  to  English  them.  They  were  jeers  at  their  cir- 
cumcision. 

2.  Did  the  Jews  abhor  the  Gentiles,  and  not  converse  with  them  ?  The 
Grentiles,  on  the  other  side,  would  hold  their  noses  at  the  Jews  when  they 

•  The  word  signifies  both  voorms  and  circumcised. 

1 1  Serm.,  Sat.  5.  t  Lib.  vii.  §  Sat.  5. 


KpH.  II.   14-16.]  THB  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  371 

■met  them,  and  cry,  foetentes  Judceos*  stinking  Jews.  Vel  fortuitum  eorum 
occursum  oculis  horrebant,  animo  persequebantur,f — they  abhorred  the  sight 
of  them,  if  by  chance  they  met  them.     And — 

3.  Esteemed  them  of  aU  nations  the  worst.  So  Marcus  the  emperor,  but 
passing  through  Judea  to  Egypt,  and  observing  their  manners,  dolenter  did- 
tur  exclamasse,  0  Marcomanni,  0  Quadi,  0  Sarmatce,  tandem  alios  vobis 
deteriores  inveni ;  %  which  was  as  if,  when  we  would  express  the  wretched- 
ness of  any  nation  we  accounted  most  vile,  we  should  say,  O  you  cannibals, 
yea,  barbarous  savages,  that  are  found  amongst  the  wildest  Africans  or 
Americans,  we  have  at  length  found  and  light  upon  a  generation  of  men 
worse  by  far  than  you.     In  this  manner  doth  he  speak  of  these  Jews. 

4.  As  the  Jews  turned  it  into  a  curse  to  be  a  Gentile,  as  you  heard ;  so 
the  Gentiles  in  their  cursings  turned  the  like  upon  the  Jews.     Jer.  xxiv.  9 

'  And  I  wUl  deliver  them  to  be  removed  into  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth 
for  their  hurt,  to  be  a  reproach,  and  a  proverb,  and  a  taunt,  and  a  curse,  in 
aU  places  whither  I  shall  drive  them.'  It  was  God's  own  retaliation  upon 
them,  and  fulfilled.  As  we  now,  so  the  heathen  then  imprecated  on  them- 
selves, I  were  a  Jew  if  I  did  so  or  so ;  and  thus  in  aU  places,  as  the  prophet 
hath  it;  yea,  Jer.  xlii.  18,  they  were  made  '  an  execration,  an  astonishment, 
and  a  curse.'     What  can  be  more  ? 

5.  As  they  esteemed  all  other  nations  as  dogs  and  beasts,  the  Gentile 
doth  the  like  by  them,  and  reckons  them  but  as  swine,  the  most  contempt- 
ible of  beasts,  and  this  in  a  witty  retortion  from  the  Jewish  practices — 

'  Nee  distare  putant  humana  came  suillam ; ' 

putting  this  interpretation  upon  their  forbearance  to  eat  swine's  flesh,  that 
mankind  and  swine  were  alike  to  them. 

6.  As  they  hated  aU  nations,  so  the  Gentiles  resented  accordingly  this 
catholic  spirit  in  the  Jew  against  them  all,  which  turned  their  hearts  univer- 
sally to  hate  them.  Ahasuerus  had  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  provinces, 
amongst  which  the  Jews,  as  we  read,  had  enemies  in  them  all,  Esther  viii  9, 
and  ix.  16,  compared,  whom  the  king's  letters  restrained  with  difficulty  from 
falling  on  them  in  every  nation.     And  they  accuse  and  arraign  the  Jews — 

1.  As  hurtful  to  kings  and  provinces,  Ezra  iv.  15  ;  as  continually  moving 
sedition,  in  the  same  place,  Ezra  iv.  15,  '  They  are  a  people  that  of  old  time 
have  moved  sedition.'  And  the  same  aspersion  went  current  among  the 
Romans  and  Greeks  many  hundred  years  after.  '  These  men  being  Jews, 
do  exceedingly  trouble  our  city,'  Acts  xvi.  20,  say  the  Philippians  to  the 
magistrates  of  the  city.  They  lay  their  accusation  that  it  was  the  genius  of 
the  nation  :  it  is  their  known  custom  so  to  do. 

2.  As  unsociable  to  the  rest  of  mankind.  Antiochus's  friends,  in  Dio- 
dorus,  §  pleaded  thus  against  the  Jews  :  '  That  they  alone  of  all  nations  were 
unsociable,  and  not  capable  of  any  mixture  or  coalescency  with  them,  no 
not  at  table  : '  /Mribivi  uXXuj  id'^u  r^acrs^jj;  xo/vwvs/v  rb  Traffacrav.  In  Esther  yoii 
have  the  same  intimated,  chap.  iiL  8,  '  There  is  a  certain  people,'  speaking  of 
the  Jews,  '  scattered  abroad,  and  dispersed  among  the  people,  whose  laws 
are  diverse  from  all  people,'  &c. 

3.  The  Gentiles  accused  them  as  enemies  to  all  nations;  so  in  that  of 

*  Malvenda  Horn,  de  Antichristo,  c.  3. 

•}•  Baron.  An.  72,  c.  31.     Ammian.  de  Marco,  lib.  xi.  J  Ibid. 

§  Diod.,  lib.  V. : — Movovs  dndvTwv  idvcou  dKOivavrjTOVS  dvai  rfjs  npos  aXko  e6vos 


372  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OP       [EPH.  11.  14-16. 

Diodorus,  /i^jSs  ihotiv,  that  they  wished  well  to  none ;  and  not  only  so, 
ToXs/jb/ovs  i<!:iXa[i^dvii\i  m-dvrag,  to  account  all  others  enemies.  So  also  Tacitus, 
lib.  v.,  Adversus  omnes  alios  hostile  odium,  a  hostile  and  deadly  hatred  is  in 
them  against  all  others  ;  yea,  /j^isavd^uTroi,  haters  of  mankind  j  so  also  it  follows 
there  in  Diodorus.  It  is  strange  the  Apostle  should  expitss  it  in  the  very 
same  manner,  and  near  the  same  words,  '  They  are  contrary  to  all  men,  and 
God  they  please  not,'  1  Thess.  ii  16,  17. 

4.  As  they  founded  their  hatred  against  the  Gentiles  on  this,  that  they 
were  worshippers  of  other  gods,  so  the  Gentiles  accused  and  detested  them 
as  hostes  immortalium  deorum,  enemies  of  the  immortal  gods.  And  religion 
was  the  cause  of  all  this ;  these  rites  here  were  the  partition-waU. 

And,  lastly,  under  the  notion  of  such  a  manner  of  persons  as  these,  were 
they  universally  hated  by  all  nations,  as  the  books  of  the  prophets  do  shew, 
especially  Ezekiel  and  Jeremiah,  where  the  cup  is  carried  to  all  nations,  for 
no  other  crime  than  their  enmity  to  the  Jews ;  likewise  the  books  of  Esther 
and  Ezra,  And  accordingly  persecuted  they  were  upon  that  account ; 
banished  out  of  Rome  again  and  again,  as  by  Claudius,  Acts  xviii.  2,  ao  by 
other  emperors;  and  at  last  they  destroyed  both  their  city  and  common- 
wealth. 

You  have  seen  the  enmities  of  both ;  and  was  there  not  cause  to  wish  and 
pray,  as  David,  Psalm  xiv.,  upon  the  like  occasion,  Oh  that  the  Salvation 
(or,  Saviour  and  Messiah)  were  come  out  of  Sion,  or.  The  desire  of  all  nations 
were  come ! 

This  for  the  story  of  their  enmity  before  their  conversion ;  that  of  their 
enmity  and  dissensions  that  continued  after,  though  proper  to  this,  yet  comes 
more  fitly  in,  and  cannot  be  disjointed  from  the  third  part  of  this  discourse, 
where  it  will  have  its  place  in  order,  to  shew  how  those  enmities  were  actually 
allayed  and  composed  between  them. 


EpIL  IL   l-t-16.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  373 


PART  n 

What  hath  been  done  on  the  person  of  Christ  himself  on  the  cross,  virtually 
and  representatively,  toivards  our  reconciliation  mutual. — A  twofold 
reconciliation  between  the  saints  themselves,  in  and  by  Christ,  held  forth 
in  the  words,  and  distinguished. 

This  second  is  to  unfold  the  transactions  by  which  Christ  hath  virtually  slain 
and  abolished  all  this  enmity,  and  procured  this  peace. 

Now,  to  make  way  for  the  distinct  handling  of  what  belongs  to  this  second 
head,  from  what  is  to  follow  in  the  third,  and  to  sever  the  one  from  the 
other,  I  desire  that  in  the  text  this  difference  may  be  observed  between  the 
things  that  Christ  hath  done  for  the  effecting  and  accomplishment  of  that 
peace : — 

1.  What  was  transacted  and  done  simply  and  abstractly  in  his  own  person 
alone,  for  the  procurement  of  it,  on  the  cross. 

2.  What  he  works  efficiently  in  us,  (though  concretely,  in  himself,  upon  us,) 
by  his  Spirit,  and  through  providences,  to  the  full  accomplishment  thereof 

The  first  of  these  belongs  to  this  second  head ;  the  last  of  these  takes  up 
the  third  head. 

Only  for  the  clearing  of  this  method  I  shall  desire  it  may  be  noticed,  how 
evidently  in  the  text  these  two  sorts  of  workings  by  Christ  are  distinguished 
each  from  other,  and  ranged  there  in  the  order  I  have  proposed  them. 

Here  is  manifestly  a  doable  making  of  these  twain  one  :  the  one  expressed 
in  time  past ;  the  other  as  to  come,  and  to  be  perfected.  First,  o  rroiriffa:, 
who  '  hath  made  both  one,'  ver.  14,  and  Xvca;,  '  having  abolished,'  ver.  15,  in 
Ms  own  flesh  personally.  Secondly,  ha  y.r'iGr,,  '  that  he  might  make  both  one.' 
The  first  antecedent,  and  already  done ;  the  other  consequent,  and  to  be 
accomplished  :  the  latter  distinguished  from  the  former  as  the  consequent  or 
effect  from  its  cause.  '  He  hath  made  both  one,  that  he  might  create  both 
into  one  new  man ; '  the  influence  and  virtue  of  the  first  bringing  about  the 
latter.     And — 

Secondly,  Accordingly  in  the  original  these  two  are  further  distinguished 
by  words  of  a  different  import,  though  our  translation  hath  taken  no  notice 
of  it,  but  hath  folded  them  up  each  under  one  and  the  same  word,  '  making 
one,'  so  making  them  one  indeed.  The  first,  Tcir,sci.g,  '  making  one,'  ver,  14, 
is  of  a  more  large  signification,  and  is  applicable  and  extendible  to  express, 
as  here  also  is  intended,  a  virtual,  influential  making  us  one  in  his  own  person, 
before  we  are  made  one  in  ourselves.  The  latter,  xn'sri,  more  restrictive, 
properly  and  strictly  signifies  creation,  '  creating  both  one,'  or  making  both 
one  by  a  new  creation.  And  therefore,  '  in  one  new  man'  is  added,  as  the 
product  of  this  second  kind  of  making.  And  this  imports  a  physical  efficiency 
and  working  upon  us,  a  moulding  and  forming  us  by  creation  into  this  one- 
ness among  ourselves,  although  the  mould  in  which  this  latter  is  wrought 
and  cast  is  his  person  alsOj  'in  himself;'  yet  not  in  himself,  considered  per- 


374  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF      [EPH.  II.   14-16. 

sonally  and  alone,  but  as  uniting  us  to  himself',  and  so  working  upon  us 
concretely,  through,  in,  and  by  himself.     And  therefore — 

Thirdly,  They  differ,  the  first  being  performed  in  himself  singly,  personally, 
■when  he  was  in  this  world,  and  especially  on  the  cross,  and  is  therefore 
expressed  as  past, — '  hath  made  both  one,' — as  a  business  done  and  perfected 
already,  as  much,  in  respect  of  such  a  way  making  one,  as  ever  it  shall  be ; 
the  other  to  be  effected  afterwards  in  us,  in  our  several  ages,  and  by  degrees, 
as  the  new  creature  is ;  '  that  he  might  create  of  two  one  new  man.' 

To  illustrate  the  difference  of  these  two  makings  one  but  in  one  parallel 
instance, — although  the  like  duplicate  is  found,  and  distinction  holds  in  all 
kind  of  works  done  in  us,  and  for  us,  by  Christ, — because  it  is  the  next  akin 
to  this.  The  parallel  is  that  of  reconciliation,  or  making  peace  between  God 
and  the  saints.  These  two  works,  as  they  are  the  nearest  twins  of  all  other 
done  for  us  by  Christ,  so  are  they  herein  exactly  parallel  and  alike.  Now, 
unto  the  accomplishment  of  our  reconciliation  with  God  a  double  reconcilia- 
tion is  necessary.     The  one  wrought  out  of  us,  in  Christ's  person  for  us, 

*  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  ;'  the  other  in  us,  '  We  beseech 
you  to  be  reconciled  unto  God,'  2  Cor.  v.  19,  20.  The  like  holds  in  this 
our  reconciliation  mutual  Or  to  set  the  likeness  of  these  gemelli  to  your 
view  in  another  glass, — that  is,  another  scripture, — that  gives  forth  the  near- 
ness of  the  resemblance  of  this  sort  of  reconciliation,  in  parallel  words  and 
lines  to  those  in  the  text ;  it  is  Col.  i.  20.  He  says,  first,  *  Christ  having  made 
peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross,  to  reconcile  aU  to  himself.'  This  is  a  work 
already  done,  and  done  for  aU  at  once,  meritoriously  and  representatively,  as 
there  it  follows,  *  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death,'  ver.  22.  After 
which  he  speaks  of  another  reconcUiation  of  us,  wrought  in  us,  towards  God 
too,  in  these  words,  '  and  you  that  were  enemies  hath  he  now  reconciled.' 
This  latter,  therefore,  wrought  since  and  after  the  former,  was  perfected  as 
the  effect  of  it.  The  very  same,  or  like  here,  you  have  expressed  of  that 
reconciliation,  or  making  one  of  the  saints  mutually,  which  we  have  in  hand. 
First,  '  He  hath  made  both  one,'  ver.  14,  *  in  his  flesh,'  ver.  15,  'in  one  body 
by  the  cross,'  ver.  1 6 ;  thus  meritoriously  and  representatively.     Secondly, 

*  that  he  might  create  of  twain  one  new  man  ;'  so  efficiently.  Both  must  go 
in  their  several  seasons  and  successions  to  the  effecting  thereof,  or  there 
would  not  be  peace. 

I  have  given  you  the  grounds  for  these  general  heads  out  of  the  text.  I 
come  to  such  particular  branches  of  each,  as  into  which  the  text  also  spreads 
itself,  and  is  a  root  unto  them. 

Two  hranches  of  what  Christ  did  in  his  own  person  on  the  cross  to  reconcile 
the  saints  : — 1.  By  way  of  sacrifice,  and  taking  on  him  their  enmities. 
2.  Of  rejoresentation,  '  in  one  hodij,^  in  himself. 

That  which  is  proper,  as  ^as  said,  to  this  part,  is  what  hath  been  done 
in  Christ's  own  person.  The  particulars  hereof  are  two,  which  I  find  in 
the  text,  to  the  materials  of  which  I  confine  myself,  and  shall  take  them  in 
that  order  wherein  they  lie. 

1.  By  way  of  sacrifice,  having  taken  on  him  before  God  the  enmities  of 
both  against  each  other,  and  so  offering  up  his  flesh  as  a  sacrifice  for  both. 

2.  By  a  voluntary  assuming  and  gathering  the  persons  of  all  the  elect 
into  one  body  in  himself,  he  representing  and  sustaining  their  persons,  and 
so  '  m  one  body'  reconciling  them  unto  God. 

Both  are  expressly  and  distinctly  mentioned  : — 

The  first  in  these  words,  '  having  abohshed  the  enmity ' — namely,  between 


EpH.  II.  14-16.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  TEE  EPHESIAN8.  375 

them — *  in  his  flesh ; '  which  flesh,  taking  on  him  their  enmities,  waa  made  a 
sacrifice  on  the  cross ;  and  therefore,  in  the  1  Gth  verse,  *  by  the  cross,'  is 
added. 

The  second  in  these  words,  *  that  he  might  reconcile  both  to  God  in  one 
body.' 

And  though  both  these  were  performed  at  once  and  by  one  individual 
act,  yet  that  act  is  to  be  looked  at  as  having  these  two  distinct  considera- 
tions concurring  in  it ;  and  the  first,  in  order  of  nature,  making  way  for  the 
second,  as  in  opening  the  connexion  of  the  loth  and  16th  verses  I  have 
already  shewn.     I  must  handle  them,  therefore,  each  apart : — 

How  Christ's  offering  up  himself  as  a  sacrifice  to  God,  and  his  standing 
as  a  common  person  in  our  stead  before  God,  should  abolish  all  our  enmities 
against  God  himself,  and  reconcile  us  unto  him?  This  is  ordinarily  and 
generally  apprehended,  and  were  proper  to  speak  of,  if  our  reconciliation  to 
God  himself  had  been  the  theme  set  out  to  be  treated  of.  But  how  these 
very  same  acts  and  transactions  of  Christ  should,  together  therewith,  con- 
duce to  our  reconciliation  one  with  another  1  This  only  is  genuine  at  this 
time,  and  to  be  eyed  as  the  direct  and  proper  level  of  what  doth  ensue,  al- 
though even  this  is  so  involved  with  that  other,  that  this  cannot  be  expli- 
cated without  supposing  and  glancing  thereat.  This  but  to  set  and  keep 
the  reader's  eye  steady  to  the  single  mark  aimed  at. 

The  first  branch.  Two  things  to  explicate  the  first  branch : — 1.  That  Christ's 
offering  himself  was  intended  as  a  saci'ifice  for  enmities  between  the 
saints,  as  well  as  against  God. 

Two  things  are  distinctly  to  be  spoken  unto  for  the  clearing  of  these 
things  : — 

1.  That  the  offering  up  Christ's  flesh  on  the  cross  was  intended  as  a  sacri- 
fice, as  well  for  our  reconciliation  mutual,  as  for  reconciliation  with  God. 

2.  How,  according  to  the  analogy  of  the  ends,  use,  and  intent  of  sacrifices 
of  old,  the  offering  up  of  Christ's  flesh  should  be  intended  and  directed  as  a 
sacrifice  to  take  away  these  our  own  enmities,  and  make  peace  and  friend- 
ship amongst  ourselves. 

For  the  first,  which  is  the  on  of  this  point,  that  as  a  sacrifice  it  was  so  in- 
tended, the  whole  frame  and  contexture  of  these  words  doth  evince  it. 

First,  When  he  says,  ver.  15,  that  he  'hath  abolished  the  enmity  in  his 
flesh,'  he  doth  undeniably  intend  that  enmity  which  was  between  these  twain, 
the  Jew  and  Gentile ;  this  hath  been  proved  before ;  and  therefore  he  is 
found  particularly  to  instance  in  the  rites  of  the  ceremonial  law,  which  by  a 
metonymy  he  calls  the  enmity,  as  the  outward  occasion  of  that  bitter  enmity 
in  each  other's  hearts.     Now  then — 

Secondly,  That  this  enmity  was  taken  away  by  his  flesh  as  a  sacrifice — 

First,  The  laying  together  the  phrases  of  the  text  evinceth  it ;  as  when 
he  says  he  '  hath  abolished  this  enmity  in  his  flesh ' — 

1.  In  saying,  'the  enmity  in  his  flesh,'  it  necessarily  imports  his  having 
taken  that  enmity  in  or  upon  his  own  flesh,  to  answer  for  it  in  their  stead. 
Even  as  well  as  when  in  the  1  Gth  verse  he  is  said  to  have  '  slain  the  enmity ' 
— namely,  against  God — '  in  himself,'  thereby  is  intended  that  he  took  that 
enmity  on  himself,  undertaking  to  pacify  and  allay,  and  by  being  himself 
slain,  to  slay  it. 

2.  In  saying  in  the  time  past,  that  he  *  hath  abolished  it  in  his  flesh,'  this 
notes  out  a  virtual  act  perfectly  done  and  past,  as  in  him,  by  virtue  of  which 
it  is  to  be  destroyed  actually  in  us  after.     Unto  which — 


376  EXPOSITION  OF  VAKIOUS  PORTIONS  OF      [EPH.  II.  14-16. 

3.  Add  that  in  the  1 6th  verse  there  is  an  additional  word,  '  by  the  cross,' 
put  in,  which,  kto  roy  y.o/i/ov,  or  in  common,  is  to  be  referred  to  the  abohsh- 
ing  of  this  enmity  in  his  flesh,  ver.  15,  and  reconciling  us  mutually,  as  well 
as  to  the  slaying  of  the  enmity  against  God,  mentioned  ver.  1 6,  as  that  which 
equally  and  alike  shews  the  way  how  we  are  to  understand  that  in  his  flesh 
he  hath  perfectly  aboHshed  both  these  enmities,  namely,  by  taking  on  hia 
flesh  that  enmity,  and  ofiering  it  up  upon  the  cross  as  a  sacrifice  for  it.  For 
to  say,  *  by  the  cross,'  or,  '  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself  on  the  cross,'  is  all  one ; 
so  as  what  the  one  verse  wants,  the  other  supplies.  '  In  his  flesh,'  says  the 
loth  verse;  *by  the  cross,'  says  the  16th.  And,  which  will  warrant  this, 
we  have  elsewhere  both  j)ut  together,  Col.  i.  20,  22,  '  By  the  blood  of  his 
cross,  in  the  body  of  his  flesh,  through  death.' 

Secondly,  The  paralleling  this  place  with  that  of  CoL  iL  argues  this.  The 
enmity  here  instanced  in  by  a  metonymy  is  the  rites  of  the  ceremonial  law, 
which  he  is  said  to  have  made  void  or  weak.  Thus  expressly,  ver.  15, 
'  Having  abolished  ia  his  flesh  the  enmity,  the  law  of  commandments  in 
ordinances.'  Now  the  aboKshing  thereof  is,  in  that  second  to  the  Colossians, 
expressly  said  to  have  been  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  flesh  on  the  cross ;  or, 
which  is  all  one,  that  by  his  being  nailed  to  the  cross,  he  nailed  it  to  his 
cross :  Col.  iL  14,  '  Blotting  out  the  handwriting  of  ordinances  that  was 
against  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross,'  which  fully 
accords  with  this  text,  '  He  abolished  it  in  his  flesh  by  the  cross.' 

Lastly,  for  a  ■winding  up  of  this,  the  parallel  which  the  Apostle  observeth 
in  his  discourse,  between  his  effecting  our  peace  and  reconciliation  with  God, 
and  this  our  peace  and  reconciliation  one  with  another,  wUl  induce  to  it. 
He  being  first  alike  in  common  termed  'our  peace,'  ver.  14,  in  respect  to 
either.  Then  to  demonstrate  each  apart,  a  double  enmity,  as  I  observed  at 
first,  is  distinctly  and  apart  mentioned  by  him  :  the  one,  ver.  15;  the  other, 
ver.  16.  Of  the  one  he  says  he  hath  'abolished;'  of  the  other,  he  hath 
'slain'  it:  of  the  one  he  says,  he  hath  'aboUshed  it  in  his  flesh;'  of  the 
other,  'in  himself,'  as  the  Greek  hath  it,  ver.  16.  And  so  those  words, 
'  by  the  cross,'  are  common  to  each,  as  those  first  words,  '  be  is  our  peace,' 
were  to  aU  that  followed.  And  so,  as  the  parallel  hath  hitherto  run  along 
in  these  particulars,  so  it  holds  on,  that  look  how  in  this,  or  by  that  way  he 
slew  the  enmity  between  God  and  us  on  the  cross,  by  the  same  way  he 
abolished  the  enmity  between  the  Jew  and  GentUe,  or  the  people  of  God 
mutually.  But  he  slew  the  enmity  between  God  and  us  on  the  cross,  by 
taking  these  our  enmities  against  God  on  himself;  and  they  being  found  on 
him,  he  was  slain  and  sacrificed  for  them  on  the  cross,  and  thereby  slew 
them,  and  reconciled  us  to  God.  In  like  manner  then  it  is  to  be  understood, 
that  he  first  took  aU  our  enmities  against  one  another  on  his  flesh,  '  in  his 
flesh,'  says  the  text, — and  it  was  the  general  intent  of  sacrifices,  to  be  ofi'ered 
up  for  what  was  laid  upon  them,  or  reckoned  to  them, — and  so  our  enmities 
being  there  all  found  in  his  flesh,  that  flesh  was  offered  up  for  them ;  and 
so  they  were  all  dissolved,  and  aboHshed,  and  made  weak,  as  the  text  speaks 
of  them,  in  his  being  dissolved  or  made  weak,  as  2  Cor.  xiii.  and  Phil.  ii. 
speak  in  like  manner  of  him. 

So  then,  as  there  was  a  double  enmity,  and  a  double  slaying,  which  the 
Apostle  mentions,  so  there  must  be  in  this  one  sacrifice  a  double  considera- 
tion, in  the  intention  thereof.  It  is  a  sacrifice  serving  at  once  to  slay  and 
abolish  both  the  one  and  the  other,  he  being  in  common  alike  and  indiffer- 
ently termed,  '  our  peace,'  as  in  relation  to  either ;  there  being  nothing  also 
done  for  us  by  Christ,  but  the  like  was  first  done  on  himself. 


EpH.  II.  14-I6.J  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  377 

The  second  thing  to  explicate  the  first  branch  :  That  one  end  or  use  of  sacri- 
fices, both  among  Jews  and  Gentiles,  was  to  ratify  peace  between  man  and 
man,  as  truly  as  between  God  and  man;  and  that  Christ's  sacrifice 
holds  an  analogy  herein  to  other  sacrifices. 

This  being  cleared,  I  come  to  tlie  second,  the  hon  namely,  to  demonstrate 
how,  according  to  the  analogy  of  the  ends  and  use  of  sacrificing  of  old  in  the 
shadow,  Christ's  sacrifice  was  lilcewise  intended  and  directed  to  make  peace 
between  man  and  man,  Jew  and  Gentile,  as  truly  and  as  genuinely  as  be- 
tween God  and  man. 

For  the  illustration  of  this,  we  must  know  and  consider  that  of  old  feuds 
or  enmities  between  man  and  man  were  removed  and  put  to  an  end  by 
sacrifice ;  and  also  leagues  of  amity  and  friendship,  even  between  man  and 
man,  were  anciently  ratified  and  confirmed,  and  reconciliation  established  by 
sacrifices.  And  as  by  sacrifices,  so  likewise  after  sacrifices,  or,  over  and  be- 
sides sacrifices,  by  eating  and  feasting  together,  and  this  both  among  Jews 
and  Gentiles ;  of  which  latter,  namely,  that  by  eating  together  friendship 
was  sealed,  we  shall  have  further  use  anon,  to  confirm  and  explicate  this 
very  notion  in  hand.  I  say,  leagues  of  peace  and  friendship  were  used  to 
be  ratified  by  sacrifices  solemnly  before  God ;  *  so  to  make  such  covenants  a 
matter  of  religion,  to  bind  the  stronglier,  and  not  to  be  merely  the  obligations 
of  human  faith  and  honesty ;  even  by  this,  that  men  did  find  them  ratified 
in  the  presence  of  a  deity,  which  they  worshipped  as  their  god,  by  so  solemn 
and  religious  an  action,  which  did  withal  invocate  from  God  a  curse  upon 
the  infringers  of  that  peace  and  friendship  made  thereby.  This  to  have 
been  their  use  I  am  to  clear. 

We  may  consider,  that  though  all  sacrifices  were  offered  up  b^ore  and 
unto  God,  yet  not  all  only  by  way  of  expiation  or  atonement  made  unto 
God,  or  as  expressions  of  thankfulness  unto  him ;  but  some  were  sacrifices 
of  pacification,  and  federal  in  their  intention,  between  man  and  man,  being 
off'ered  up  before  God  as  a  witness  and  avenger.  This  to  have  been  one  use 
of  sacrifices  is  evident  both  among  Jews  and  likewise  Gentiles,  who  were  in 
their  sacrifices  and  the  rites  thereof  imitators  of  the  Jews. 

First,  The  Jews.  Jer.  xxxiv.,  from  ver.  8,  &c.,  we  read,  that  Zedekiah  the 
king  made  a  solemn  covenant  with  the  people,  and  they  with  their  servants, 
to  let  them  go  free,  according  to  God's  law  on  that  behalf  made,  Exod. 
xxi.  1,  and  Deut.  xv.  12.  And  this  sacrificial  covenant  was  solemnly  per- 
formed in  God's  house,  and  before  God,  as  ver.  15  and  18.  The  rites  of 
it  were,  they  '  cut  a  calf  in  twain,  and  passed  between  the  parts  of  the  calf, 
even  the  princes,  and  all  the  people,'  ver.  19,  in  token  that  it  was  one 
common  sacrifice  between  aU  those  parties,  masters  and  servants,  and  the 
joint  act  of  each  :  which  being  thus  solemn  before  God,  carried  with  it  an 
implicit  or  tacit  execration,  that  if  either  brake  this  covenant  in  this  manner 
confirmed,  then  let  God  so  deal  with  them  as  this  calf  sacrificed  was  dealt 
withal.  And  therefore  these  having  broken  this  covenant,  ver.  11,  which 
breach  of  faith  was  the  occasion  of  this  part  of  Jeremiah's  message  to  them, 
God  threatens  to  bring  the  curse  invocated  and  signified  by  that  rite  upon 
them,  and  to  retaliate  the  like  unto  them.  Ver,  18,  'I  will  give  the  men 
that  have  transgressed  my  covenant ;'  so  he  calls  it,  because  the  matter  of 
it  was  his  command,  and  it  had  been  ratified  before  him,  as  itfoUows,  'which 
have  not  performed  the  words  of  the  covenant  which  they  had  made  before 

*  '  Liquet  quod  apud  Israelitas  foedera  partim  epulis,  partim  sacrificiis  inita  fuisse  et 
sancita.' — Vide  Rivet,  in  Gen.  xxxi. ;  Exercit.  135. 


378  EXPOSITION  OF  VAEIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EPH.  II.   14-16. 

me,  •when  they  cut  the  calf  in  twain,  and  passed  between  the  jjarts  thereof.' 
That  '  therefore  I  will  give,'  is  verhum  similitudinis,  as  it  is  often  used,  whose 
meaning  is,  I  will  make  them  as  that  calf,  I  wiU  answerably  deal  with  them, 
and  SO  it  is  explained :  '  I  will  give  them  into  the  hands  of  them  that  seek 
their  Ufe,'  and  expose  them  to  the  sword  of  the  slayer,  to  slay  at  his  plea- 
sure, as  you  have  done  this  beast  which  you  have  sacrificed;  'and  their 
dead  bodies  shall  be  for  meat  to  the  fowls  of  the  heaven.' 

The  like  intendment  of  sacrifices,  with  the  same  rite,  and  like  imprecation 
to  confirm  leagues  and  covenants  and  end  feuds,  was  in  use  among  the 
heathen,  as  might  be  e\idenced  by  many  quotations,  which  I  have  met 
withal.  To  instance  in  one  out  of  Livy,  which  is  most  punctual  to  the 
thing  in  hand,  and  parallel  to  the  former  out  of  Jeremiah.  'They  cut  a 
beast  in  two ;  the  midst  and  the  head,  with  the  bowels,  were  placed  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  way,  and  the  hinder  parts  on  the  left  hand,  and  both 
the  armies  (that  made  the  league)  passed  between  this  divided  sacrifice.'  * 
And  as  the  same  rites  with  the  former  are  expressed  in  this,  so  the  same 
imprecation  is  recorded  at  the  making  of  this  covenant,  and  by  sacrifice 
confirmed,  recorded  by  the  same  author,  when  these  two  nations,  Albans 
and  Homans,  made  this  league :  Qui  prior  defecerit,  tu  ilium,  Jupiter,  sic 
fento,  ut  ego  hunc  porcuvi  hodie  feriam; — 'Let  God  strike  him  that  breaks 
it,  as  I  strike  this  swine,'  said  the  sacrificer.t 

•  Et  csesa  jungebant  f oedera  porcS.'  J 

The  Holy  Ghost  speaks  in  like  language :  '  My  people  that  have  made  a 
covenant  with  me  by  sacrifice.' 

To  biing  all  this  home  to  the  point  in  hand.  There  being  to  be  a  per- 
petual league  and  covenant  of  peace,  to  be  struck  between  Jew  and  Gentile 
and  all  other  the  elect  of  God  who  should  be  at  variance  in  any  age ;  and 
Christ  having  inteqjosed  himself  as  a  ^Mediator  for  us  to  God,  he  did  withal 
undertake  to  be  an  arbiter  between  them,  and  us  all  among  ourselves, 
for  all  our  differences  also.  And  as  he  offered  up  his  flesh  as  one  common 
sacrifice  upon  the  cross,  at  once  to  be  expiatory  to  God,  to  blot  out  the  sins 
and  enmities  of  ours  against  God  himself;  so  also  pacificatory  between 
man  and  man,  Jew  and  Gentile,  and  all  other  the  elect ;  and  therein 
answering  to,  and  fulfilling  one  true  end  and  intendment  of  sacrifices, 
as  well  as  in  the  other  of  making  atonement  to  God.  And  the  text,  you 
see,  having  said  first  that  he  is  made  our  peace,  in  making  both  one,  ver. 
14,  and  then  pointing  us  to  his  flesh,  as  in  which  he  bore  their  enmities, 
ver.  15,  and  then  carrjing  us  to  the  cross,  ver.  16,  it  evidently,  as  was  said, 
argues  that  he  was  made  our  peace  by  being  thus  made  a  pacificatory  sacrifice 
for  both.  And  surely,  if  there  were  no  other  reason  to  confirm  it,  aU  sacrifices, 
in  all  their  ends  and  uses,  having  been  but  shadows  of  this ;  and  his  flesh, 
and  the  sacrificing  it,  being  the  substance ;  this  eminent  sacrifice  of  his 
must  needs  be  supposed,  as  such,  to  have  the  perfection,  use,  and  efficacy 
that  aU  other  sacrifices  could  any  way  be  supposed  subservient  unto,  or  it 
had  not  been  the  complete  perfection  of  them  ;  especially  there  being  this 
need  of  having  his  sacrifice  directed  to  this  end  as  well  as  to  that  other, 
there  falling  out  so  great  animosities  among  those  that  were  members  of 

*  '  Caput,  medium,  et  prior  pars  ad  dextram,  posterior  ad  Isevam  vise ;  pariter  inter 
banc  divisam  hostiam  copiae  armatse  traducuntur.' — Liv.,  lib.  xxxix. 

+  The  hatia,  foedus  a  fericndo,  and  hence  percutere,  elicere  fcedus,  to  strike  a  covenant 
with  us.  Thus  sanctio  a  sanguine,  which  that  of  Tacitus  confirms,  Sacrijiciis  conspiratio 
sancitur  ; — agreements  and  combinations  had  their  sanction  and  confirmation  by  sacri- 
fices; and /cecums  cruore  sacratum. — Lib.  Annal.  12.  t  Mneid.  Virgil.,  lib.  viiL 


EpH.  II.   14-16.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  379 

him  ;  which,  as  it  called  for  a  sacrifice  to  be  offered  up  to  allay  and  destroy 
them,  so  Christ  in  sacrificing  himself  would  not  leave  out  nor  lose  this  part 
of  his  glory  and  perfection  in  this  respect. 

Hence  accordingly,  as  here  h^  is  termed  'our  peace,'  so  elsewhere  the 

*  covenant  of  the  people,'  and  both  in  the  like  latitude  of  sense  and  meaning. 
When  here  he  is  called  our  peace,  the  meaning  extends  not  only  to  his  being 
our  peace  between  God  and  us,  but  between  ourselves  also ;  so  when  he  is 
called  the  covenant  of  the  people,  it  intends  not  only  his  being  a  covenant 
unto  God  for  us,  but  a  covenant  before  God  of  us ;  or,  as  there  it  is  expressed, 
of  the  people  of  God,  namely,  among  themselves.  He  is  twice  so  called, 
and  with  much  evidence  as  to  this  sense.  Isa.  xlii.  6,  *  I  will  give  thee  for 
a  covenant  of  the  people,' — that  is,  says  Sanctius,  to  the  Jew, — '  and  for  a 
light  of  the  GentUes ;'  and  thus  a  covenant  of  both.  And,  chap.  xlix.  8, 
'For  a  covenant  of  the  people,  to  establish  the  earth;'  that  is,  to  this  end, 
to  settle  in  peace  the  whole  earth,  both  Jew  and  Gentile ;  so  then  a  covenant 
of  the  people,  as  you  see,  even  in  this  very  respect :  peace  on  earth  among 
men,  as  well  as  good-will  towards  men,  from  God  in  heaven,  being  the  foot 
of  that  song  that  was  sung  at  his  birth,  and  the  sum  of  what  is  here  said. 

*  He  is  our  peace.' 

The  analogy  between  the  rites  of  such  pacificatory  sacrifices  and  this  sacrifice 
of  Christ^ s,  as  offered  up  for  our  mutual  enmities.  And  how  this  end 
and  intention  of  Christ's  sacrifice  is  held  forth  in  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Now  observe  further  a  correspondency  unto  those  rites  mentioned,  that 
were  used  in  those  sacrifices  of  peace,  also  held  forth  in  this  sacrifice  of  his. 
The  beast  in  such  cases  was  divided  and  cut  in  twain,  for  both  parties  to 
pass  through,  and  so  peace  to  be  made  between  them;  and  Christ,  to  make 
both  or  twain  one,  as  here,  was  divided  and  cut,  as  it  were,  in  twain,  the 
Godhead  for  a  time  forsaking  the  manhood :  '  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  V  His  soul  also  being  by  death  separated  from  his  body, 
his  joints  loosened,  to  dissolve  this  enmity;  the  vail  of  his  flesh  rent,  to  rend 
the  partition-wall.  Thus  he  was  cut  in  twain,  as  one  common  sacrifice  be- 
tween both. 

And  again,  as  the  sacrificing  of  the  beast  cut  asunder  was  reckoned  the 
common  joint  act  of  both  parties  in  such  a  case,  and  they  were  esteemed  by 
God  and  by  one  another  each  to  have  a  hand  in  the  sacrificing  of  it,  and  as 
consenting  to  the  covenant  and  peace  that  was  intended  to  be  entered  into 
and  ratified  by  it;  so  here  in  this.  And  though  we  then  personally  existed 
not,  yet  all  we  being  considered  in  him  by  God,  who  gave  us  to  him,  and 
by  himself,  that  voluntarily  sustained  our  persons,  and  he  offering  up  himself 
as  a  sacrifice  on  our  behalf,  and  for  our  behoof,  and  in  our  names;  hence  his 
will  in  offering  up  himself  was  voluntas  totius,  the  act  and  will  of  the  whole 
body  whose  persons  he  sustained;  our  wills  were  thereby  involved  in  his 
will,  his  act  was  our  act :  and  it  may  be  truly  said  that  a  covenant  of  peace 
was  then  made  before  God  by  us,  and  for  us ;  for  he  was  our  priest  therein 
for  us,  as  well  as  our  sacrifice. 

And  hence,  in  a  further  correspondency  to  the  manner  of  those  tj'pical 
sacrifices,  therein  although  the  priest  only  offered  up  the  sacrifice  for  the 
people,  and  in  their  name  and  stead,  yet  to  shew  it  was  their  act,  they  used 
to  eat  of  it  after,  or  of  that  which  was  offered  up  with  it.  The  interpretation 
of  which  eating  thereof  by  the  people,  the  Apostle  gives  us  to  be  this, 
1  Cor.  X.  18,  they  that  did  eat  of  the  sacrifices  were  partakers  of  the  altar; 
that  is,  thereby  they  declared  the  sacrifice  to  be  theirs,  the  offering  it  up  to 


380  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF      [EPH.  II,  14-16. 

be  their  act,  that  they  partook,  and  had  a  hand  in  it,  as  if  they  had  been  at 
the  altar  with  the  priest  himself.  Just  in  like  manner,  to  shew  that  we  were 
reckoned  consenting  to,  and  partakers  in  this  sacrifice  of  Christ  our  priest, 
and  that  it  was  our  own  act,  we  do  in  like  manner  partake  of  that  sacrifice 
by  eating  of  it ;  the  Lord's  Supper  being,  as  TertuUian  rightly  termed  it, 
particijMtio  sacrificii,  which  notion  the  Apostle  there  confirms  in  a  parallel 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  this  very  respect,  to  the  case  of  those  sacrifices  then  ', 
for  unto  this  purpose  it  was  that  he  brings  in  that  instance  of  the  sacrifices, 
ver.  16,  '  The  bread  which  we  break,'  says  he,  'is  it  not  the  communion  of 
the  body  of  Christ  V — namely,  considered  as  sacrificed  once  upon  the  altar 
of  the  cross, — and  so  by  eating  thereof  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread 
as  the  thing  signifying,  and  of  that  one  body  sacrificed  as  the  thing  signified; 
and  so  by  this  way  of  partaking  therein,  namely,  by  eating  thereof,  is  shewn, 
as  in  the  sacrifices  of  old,  that  it  is  our  own  sacrifice.  And  this  not  only  as 
Estius*  upon  the  place,  who  says,  '  that  by  eating  they  were  accounted  par- 
takers of  the  sacrifice,  as  that  which  was  ofiered  for  them ;'  but  further,  as 
Grotius,  t  speaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  upon  Matt.  xxvi.  25,  '  They  are  in 
Christ's  intent,'  says  he,  '  through  their  eating  thereof,  so  partakers  of  this  his 
sacrifice,  {quasi  i2m  hoc  ohtuUssent,)  as  if  themselves  had  offered  it  up.'  And 
thus  to  hold  forth  this  previous  consent  of  theii's  w\is  one  part  of  Christ's 
intent  in  instituting  eating  and  drinking  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  a  corre- 
spondency to  the  like  mysterious  uitent  in  the  people's  eating  of  the  sacrifices 
of  old.  Grotius  indeed  puts  the  reason  why  it  is  to  be  esteemed  as  if  we 
had  offered  up  that  sacrifice  only  upon  this,  '  Because  it  was  offered  up  by 
him,'  says  he,  *  that  had  taken  their  nature.'  But  I  add  out  of  this  text, 
because  he  had  taken  on  him  their  persons,  in  one  body,  and  their  enmities, 
and  stood  in  their  stead  as  their  priest  as  well  as  their  sacrifice ;  and  so  it 
■was  to  be  reckoned  their  act  on  his  cross,  as  much  as  the  people's  then,  who 
used  to  bring  the  sacrifice  to  the  priest,  who  there  offered  it  alone  upon  the 
altar  :  whereas  here  we  ourselves  were  brought  to  Christ  by  the  Father  to 
undertake  to  be  a  priest  for  us,  and  he  voluntarily  undertook  our  persons. 
And  so  as  Levi  is  accounted  to  have  offered  tithes  in  Abraham  his  father 
when  he  paid  them  to  Melchizedek,  so  we  much  rather  to  have  offered  up  a 
common  sacrifice  of  peace  amor.gst  ourselves  when  Christ  offered  up  himself. 

And  hence  also  likewise,  as  in  those  pacificatory  federal  sacrifices  between 
two  parties  of  men,  whoever  of  them  went  about  to  violate  or  infringe  the 
terms  of  peace  that  sacrifice  was  intended  to  confirm,  did,  by  reason  it  was 
his  act,  bring  upon  himself  the  curse  which  ceremonially  and  visibly  was 
inflicted  on  the  beast  or  sacrifice  slain :  so  here  this  act  of  sacrificing  of 
Christ  for  mutual  peace,  being  thus  interpretative  ours,  and  our  consent 
involved,  hence,  I  say,  in  like  manner,  whoever  goeth^about  to  break  this 
covenant  and  seeketh  to  uphold  the  enmity  among  the  people  of  God,  he  doth 
not  only  renounce  his  own  act,  but,  what  in  him  hes,  frustrates  that  intention 
of  it,  and  so  further  incurs  the  imprecation  unfolded  in  it,  and  brings  upon 
himself  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  as,  in  allusion  to  this  curse,  according  to 
the  implied  intent  of  such  a  sacrificial  covenant,  the  Apostle  speaks,  Heb.  x. 

Now,  further  to  finish  this  branch,  let  this  be  added  :  that  Christ  was  not 
simply  offered  up  as  a  sacrifice  to  confirm  a  mere  or  bare  league  of  peace  and 
amity  between  us, — sometimes  such  sacrifices  before  spoken  of  were  designed 

*  '  Edendo  censebantur  ipsiua  sacrificii  tanquam  pro  ipsis  oblati  fieri  participes. 
— Est.  in  loc. 

f  '  Christus  vult  in  se  credentes  participes  fieri  ejus  sacrificii,  planfe,  quasi  ipsi  hoo 
sacrificium  obtulisaent,  quia  oblatum  ab  eo  qui  naturam  eorum  susceperat.' 


EpH.  II.  14-lG.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  381 

only  to  make  and  bind  new  leagues  and  covenants  between  such  parties  as 
never  bad  been  at  variance, — but  here  in  this  case  of  ours,  as  there  was  a 
covenant  of  amity  to  be  struck,  so  there  were  enmities  to  be  abolished  and 
slain,  as  the  text  hath  it,  and  that  by  this  sacrifice  and  slaying  of  his  flesh  j 
which  cannot  be  conceived  otherwise  to  have  been  transacted,  but  that,  as 
in  other  sacrifices  ofiered  up,  the  trespasses  were  laid  upon  the  head  of  the 
sacrifice,  and  so  in  a  significant  mystery  slain  and  done  away  in  the  death 
of  the  thing  sacrificed.  And  that  as  in  that  other  way  of  reconciling  us  to 
God,  '  the  Lord  did  lay  upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  aU,'  namely,  against 
himself,  as  Isaiah  speaks  in  allusion  unto  the  rites,  and  the  signification 
thereof  in  those  sacrifices,  to  which  this  text  similarly  speaks  when  it  says, 
'  he  slew  the  enmity  in  hunself,'  ver.  16  ;  so  answerably  it  was  in  this,  which 
is  its  parallel,  all  the  enmities  and  mutual  injuries  and  feuds  between  us,  the 
people  of  God,  were  all  laid  upon  him,  and  he  took  them  in  his  flesh,  and  in 
slaying  thereof  slew  these  also,  and  abolished  them,  that  so  he  might  recon- 
cile them  in  one  body.  And  so  the  same  naUs  that  pierced  through  his 
hands  and  feet,  did  nail  all  our  enmities,  and  the  causes  and  occasions  of 
them,  to  the  same  cross,  as  Col.  ii.  insinuates.  So  as  we  are  to  look  upon 
Jesus  Christ  hanging  upon  the  cross  as  an  equal  arbiter  between  both  parties, 
that  takes  upon  himself  whatever  either  party  hath  against  the  other.  Lo, 
here  I  hang,  says  Christ  dying,  and  let  the  reproaches  wherewith  you  reproach 
each  other  fall  on  me,  the  sting  of  them  all  fix  itself  in  my  flesh,  and  in  my 
death  die  all  together  with  me  ;  lo,  I  die  to  pacify  both.  Have  therefore  any 
of  you  ought  against  each  other  ?  Quit  them,  and  take  me  as  a  sacrifice  in 
blood  between  you  :  only  do  not  kUl  me,  and  each  other  too,  for  the  same 
offence ;  for  you,  and  your  enmities,  have  brought  me  to  this  altar  of  the 
cross,  and  I  offer  myself  as  your  peace,  and  as  your  priest ;  wUl  you  kill  me 
first,  and  then  one  another  too  1 

And  thus,  if  taking  aU  your  sins  against  God  himself  upon  his  flesh,  and 
sacrificing  it  for  you,  is  of  prevalency  to  kiU  and  slay  that  enmity,  much 
more  is  it  of  force  to  kill  these  your  enmities  also.  Thus  lilce  as  by  assum- 
ing the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  he  killed  the  sin  in  our  flesh ;  so  by  taking 
these  our  enmities  and  animosities  in  his  flesh,  he  slew  and  abolished  them ; 
and  as  his  death  was  the  death  of  death,  so  of  these.  And  like  as  he  cured 
diseases,  by  taking  them  on  himself  by  sympathy,  it  is  said  of  him,  when  his 
healing  of  them  is  recorded,  himself  took  our  infirmities,  and  bore  our  sick- 
nesses. And  as  not  our  sins  against  God  only,  but  our  sicknesses  by  sym- 
pathy ;  so  not  our  enmities  against  God  only,  but  our  animosities  one  against 
another ;  and  by  bearing  them,  abolished  them ;  by  dying  an  arbiter  between 
us,  slew  them.  And  therefore  in  the  text  he  is  called  '  our  peace,'  not  our 
peacemaker  only,  when  this  peace  among  ourselves  is  spoken  of,  to  note  out, 
as  Musculus  observes,  that  he  was  not  only  efiiciently  our  peacemaker,  the 
author  of  our  peace,  but  our  peace  materially,  the  matter  of  our  peace,  by 
the  sacrifice  of  himself.  God  is  styled  our  peacemaker,  our  reconciler, — 
*  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world,' — but  not  '  our  peace.'  This  is 
proper  to  Christ;  and  why,  but  because  he  only  was  the  sacrifice  of  our 
peace,  and  bore  our  enmities  1  even  as  he  is  not  only  called  the  Redeemer, — 
so  God  also  is, — but  redemption  itself. 

Now  for  a  coronis  to  this  first  branch,  and  withal  to  add  a  fiirther  confir- 
mation yet  that  Christ's  death  was  intended  as  a  sacrifice  to  these  ends,  for 
amity  and  unity  among  God's  people,  we  may  clearly  view  and  behold  this 
truth  in  the  mirror  of  the  Lord's  Supper;  one  most  genuine  and  primary 
import  whereof,  and  end  of  the  institution  of  it,  being  this  very  thing  in 


382  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EPH.  II.  14-16. 

hand.     I  shall  have  recourse  thereto  again  in  the  next  branch  also,  upon 
the  same  account  that  now. 

The  Lord's  Supper,  in  its  full  and  proper  scope,  is,  as  you  know,  a  solemn 
commemoration  of  Christ's  death  offered  up  upon  the  cross;  or  if  you  will, 
in  the  Apostle's  own  words,  it  is  a  shewing  forth  his  death  till  he  comes. 
And  do  this,  says  Christ,  in  remembrance  of  me,  namely,  in  dying  for  you  ; 
and  so  withal  to  commemorate,  with  application  to  themselves,  the  principal 
ends  and  intendments  of  that  his  death,  which  is  therein  acted  as  before 
their  eyes.  Hence  therefore  I  take  this  an  undoubted  maxim  which  no 
knowing  Christian  will  deny,  and  it  is  the  foundation  of  what  I  am  now 
a-building:  that  look  what  principal  ends,  purposes,  or  intendments,  this 
supper  or  sacrificial  feast  holds  forth  ia  its  institution  unto  us,  those  must 
needs  be  looked  at  by  all  Christians,  in  the  like  proportion,  to  have  been 
the  main  ends  and  purposes  of  his  death  to  be  remembered.  So  that  we 
may  argue  mutually,  from  what  were  the  ends  of  Christ's  death,  unto  what 
must  needs  be  the  designed  intendments  of  this  sacrament.  And  we  may 
as  certainly  conclude  and  infer  to  ourselves  what  were  the  intendments  of 
his  death,  by  what  are  the  genuine  ends  of  that  sacrament.  These  answer 
to  each  other,  as  the  image  in  the  glass  doth  to  the  principal  lineaments  in 
the  face ;  the  impress  on  the  wax,  to  that  in  the  seal ;  the  action,  the  sign, 
and  remembrances,  to  the  thing  signified  and  to  be  remembered. 

Now  it  is  evident  that  Christ  upon  his  death  instituted  that  supper,  as  to 
be  a  seal  of  that  covenant  of  grace  between  God  and  us,  ratified  thereby; 
so  also  to  be  a  communion,  the  highest  outward  pledge,  ratification,  and 
testimony  of  love  and  amity  among  his  members  themselves.  And  accord- 
ingly, it  being  in  the  common  nature  of  it  a  feast,  look  as  between  God  and 
us,  it  was  ordained  to  be  epulum  foederale,  a  covenant-feast  between  him  and 
us, — the  evidence  whereof  lies  in  this,  that  he  invites  us  to  his  table  as 
friends,  and  as  those  he  is  at  peace  withal,  and  reconciled  unto, — so  in  like 
manner  between  the  saints  themselves,  it  was  as  evidently  ordained  to  be  a 
syntaxis,  a  love-feast,  in  that  they  eat  and  drink  together  at  one  and  the 
same  table,  and  so  become,  as  the  Apostle  says,  '  one  bread.'  And  again, 
look  as  between  God  and  us,  to  shew  that  the  procurement  of  this  peace  and 
reconciliation  between  him  and  us  was  this  very  sacrifice  of  Christ's  death, 
as  that  which  made  our  peace,  God  therefore  invites  us,  post  sacrificium  ohla- 
tum,  after  the  sacrifice  offered  up,  to  eat  of  the  symbols  of  it;  that  is,  of 
bread  and  wine,  which  are  the  signs  and  symbols  of  his  body  and  blood 
sacrificed  for  peace :  so  in  like  manner  doth  this  hold,  as  to  the  peace  be- 
tween ourselves.  And  we  may  infer  that  we  were,  through  the  offering  up 
thereof,  reconciled  one  to  another,  and  all  mutual  enmities  slain  and  done 
away  thereby,  in  that  we  eat  together  thereof  in  a  communion,  which  was  a 
sacrifice  once  offered,  but  now  feasted  upon  together ;  and  doth  shew  that 
Christians,  of  all  professions  or  relations  of  men,  have  the  strongest  obliga- 
tions unto  mutual  love  and  charity ;  for  the  bread  broken  and  the  cup  are 
the  sjrmbols  of  their  Saviour's  body  and  blood  once  made  a  sacrifice;  and 
therefore  they  eating  thereof  together,  as  of  a  feast  after  a  sacrifice,  do  shew 
forth  this  union  and  agreement  to  have  been  the  avowed  purchase  and  im- 
petration  of  the  body  and  blood  so  sacrificed. 

There  was  a  controversy  of  late  years  fomented  by  some,  through  popish 
compliances,  that  the  Lord's  Supper  might  be  styled  a  sacrifice,  the  table  an 
altar,  which  produced  in  the  discussion  of  it,  as  all  controversies  do  in  the 
issue  some  further  truth,  the  discovery  of  this  true  decision  of  it :  that  it  was 
not  a  sacrifice,  but  a  feast  after  and  upon  Christ's  sacrificing  of  himself, 


EpH.  II.  14-16.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  383 

participatio  sacrificii,  as  TertuUian  calls  it,  a  sacrificial  feast,  commemorating 
and  confirming  all  those  ends  for  -which  the  only  true  and  proper  sacrifice  of 
Christ  was  oftered  up,  and  so  this  feast  a  visible  ratification  of  all  such  ends 
whereof  this  is  evidently  one. 

A  digression,  shewing — 1.  That  eating  and  dHnking  together,  especially 
upon  and  after  a  pacificatory  sacrifice,  was  a  further  confirmation  of 
mutual  peace,  both  among  Jews  and  Gentiles;  and,  2.  That  the  eating 
the  Lord's  Supper  hath  the  same  intent  and  accord  thereunto.  The  har- 
mony of  all  these  notions  together. 

Now  therefore,  to  draw  all  these  lines  into  one  centre,  and  to  make  the 
harmony  and  consent  of  all  these  notions  the  more  full,  and  together  there- 
with to  render  the  harmony  more  complete  between  the  Lord's  death,  and 
its  being  intended  as  a  sacrifice  to  procure  this  peace,  and  the  Lord's  Supper 
as  a  feast  after  this  sacrifice,  holding  forth  this  very  thing  as  purchased 
thereby,  and  so  further  to  confirm  all  this.  Look,  as  before  I  shewed,  as  in 
relation  to  the  demonstration  that  Christ's  death  was  intended  as  a  sacrifice 
for  such  a  peace,  that  that  was  one  end  and  use  of  sacrifices,  both  among 
Jews  and  GentUes,  to  found  and  create  leagues  of  amity  between  man  and 
man ;  so  it  is  proper  and  requisite  for  me  now  to  make  another  like  digres- 
sion, as  in  relation  to  this  notion  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  to  shew  how  that 
also  by  eating  and  feasting  together,  especially  after  or  upon  such  a  kind  of 
sacrifice,  these  leagues  of  love  were  anciently  used  to  be  further  confirmed 
and  ratified  :  that  so  it  may  appear  that  as  according  to  the  analogy  of  such 
sacrifices,  Christ's  death  was  a  sacrifice  directed  and  intended  to  that  end, 
so  also  that  according  to  the  analogy  of  such  feasting  in  and  upon  sacrifices, 
this  eating  and  feasting  together  upon  the  symbols  of  that  sacrifice  by  be- 
lievers is  as  genuinely  intended  a  seal  of  this  reconciliation  amongst  them, 
and  that  in  a  due  correspondency  and  answerableness  to  the  genuine  intent 
of  that  sacrifice  itself,  as  that  which  had  purchased  and  procured  it. 

I  might  be  as  large  in  this  as  in  the  former.  When  after  a  grudge  and 
enmity  passed  between  Laban  and  Jacob,  Laban,  to  bury  aU  things  between 
them,  would  enter  into  a  covenant  of  peace  :  '  Come,'  says  he.  Gen.  xxxi.  44, 
'  let  us  make  a  covenant,  I  and  thou,  and  (that  by  a  sign,  for  he  adds)  let  it 
be  a  witness  between  thee  and  me.'  Now  what  was  that  sign  and  witness  ? 
In  ver.  46,  it  is  said  they  took  stones,  and  made  a  heap,  and  did  eat  there ; 
and,  ver.  54,  '  after  an  oath  passed,'  ver.  53,  Jacob  offered  a  sacrifice  on  the 
mount,  and  called  his  brethren  (or  kinsmen)  to  eat  bread ;  and  early  in  the 
morning  Laban  departed.  The  like  did  Isaac  with  Abimelech,  Gen.  xxvi. 
28;  David  with  Abner,  2  Sam.  ui.  20.  I  single  forth  chiefly  those  two,  be- 
cause the  parties  that  used  and  agreed  in  this  signal  rite  were,  the  one  Jews, 
as  Isaac  and  Jacob ;  the  other  Gentiles,  as  Abimelech  and  Laban  :  to  shew 
at  once  that  this  way  of  covenanting  was  common  to  them  both,  as  the 
former  by  sacrificing  was  also  shewn  to  be. 

And  further,  that  this  rite  of  eating  together  the  Gentiles  themselves  did 
use,  especially  after  such  sacrifices  as  were  federal,  unto  this  intent,  that  by 
that  superadded  custom  of  eating  together  upon  or  after  sacrificing,  they 
might  the  more  ratify  and  confirm  such  covenants,  first  made,  and  begun  by 
sacrificing.*     This  seems  to  be  the  intendment,  Ex.  xxxiv.  15,  'Lest  thou 

*  Some  instances  have  been  collected  by  Mr  Meade,  (Diatr.,  part  ii.,)  upon  Mai.  i.  11, 
as  also  by  R.  C.  after  him,  Grotius,  Rivetus,  of  the  customs  of  several  nations,  ancient 
and  modem,  to  shew  eating  and  drinking  together  to  have  been  intended  testimonies 
and  ratifications  of  amity.    I  shall  only  cast  in  one  from  the  custom  of  the  East  Indians, 


384  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EpH.  II.  14-16. 

make  a  covenant ' — God  speaks  it  to  the  Jew — '  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land,  and  thou  go  a  whoring  after  their  gods,  and  do  sacrifice  unto  their 
gods,  and  one  call  thee,  and  thou  eat  of  his  sacrifice ; '  namely,  upon  pre- 
tence of  confirming  that  covenant,  which,  having  first  been  contracted  and 
agreed  on,  they  might  further  be  drawn  on  to  sacrifice,  and  so  eat  of  the 
sacrifices  also  with  those  heathens,  in  token  of  confirming  such  a  league,  as 
was  the  known  common  manner  and  custom  of  each  to  do. 

Yea,  and  those  that  were  more  barbarous  and  inhuman  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, when  they  would  put  the  more  binding  force  into  their  covenants,  or 
some  such  more  solemn  conspiracy,  they  used  to  sacrifice  a  man, — a  slave  I 
suppose, — and  eat  his  flesh  and  drink  his  blood  together ;  which,  because 
they  judged  the  more  stupendous,  they  judged  would  carry  with  it  the  deepest 
and  most  binding  obligation.  Thus  we  read  in  Plutarch,  those  Roman  gal- 
lants entering  into  a  covenant,  drank  the  blood  of  a  man,  whom  first  as  a 
sacrifice  they  had  killed  :  (upayEvrog  df^awTou  iTia-jrstauvrig  aifxa  And  the 
same  Plutarch  says  of  another  company, — those  conspirators  ^dth  Catiline, — 
that  they  sacrificed  a  man,  and  did  eat  his  flesh,  {xara^-jaavTsg  avd^wTrov  lyiu- 
cavro  run  aa^yiulv,)  so  to  bind  and  unite  each  other  more  firmly  to  stick  fast  and 
close  together  in  so  great  an  undertaking,  by  the  most  sure  and  firmest  way 
that  their  religion  could  invent.  And  Ps.  xvi.  4  makes  an  express  mention 
of  such  among  the  heathens,  terming  them  their  drink-offerings  of  blood. 
See  also  Ezek.  xxxix.  17-19.  ]\Ien  and  nations  less  barbarous  took  wine 
instead  of  blood,  to  confirm  their  leagues  after  sacrifices,  it  being  the  likest 
and  nearest  unto  blood,  the  blood  of  the  grape. 

Now  then,  to  bring  all  this  home  to  the  point  in  hand :  Christ  our  pass- 
over,  and  so  our  sacrifice  for  us,  having  been  slain  and  offered  up  for  our 
mutual  peace,  hath  instituted  and  ordained  us  believers  to  keep  this  feast, — 
it  is  the  Apostle's  own  allusion,  agreeing  with,  and  founded  on  the  notion 
we  have  been  prosecuting, — and  that  to  this  end,  that  by  partaking  of  it  as 
a  sacrifice,  and  by  shewing  forth  his  death,  we  might  hold  forth  all  the 
avowed  ends  of  that  sacrifice  with  application  to  ourselves ;  the  eminent 
ends  of  the  one  as  a  sacrifice,  cox-responding  and  answering  to  the  eminent 
ends  of  the  other  as  a  feast.  A  feast  it  is  of  God's  providing,  and  he  the  great 
entertainer  of  us  at  it,  in  token  of  peace  between  him  and  us ;  for  he  it  was 
who  prepared  the  sacrifice  itself,  and  unto  whom,  as  a  whole  burnt-offering, 
Christ  was  offered  up.  But  God  is  not  as  one  that  sits  down  and  eats  with 
us,  though  he  smelt  a  sweet  savour  in  it ;  we  are  the  guests,  and  he  the 
master  of  this  feast ;  and  yet  he  thereby  proclaims  and  professeth  his  being 
reconciled,  in  that  he  causeth  us  to  sit  down  at  his  table.  And  this  is  the 
prime  and  most  eminent  significancy  of  it ;  and  to  hold  forth  this  intent 
thereof,  as  between  God  and  us,  others  have  prosecuted  this  notion.  But 
there  is  another  more  conspicuously  suited  to  the  notion  which  hath  been 
driven,  and  which  is  no  less  in  the  intention  of  the  institution  itself,  and  m^ 
deed  of  the  two  more  obvious  to  outward  sense  ;  and  that  is,  that  the  persons 
themselves  for  whom  it  is  prepared,  that  do  visibly  sit  down,  and  do  eat  and 
drink,  in  proper  speech,  the  bread  and  cup  together,  that  they  are  agreed 
and  at  peace  each  with  other.    God  is  but  as  an  invisible  entertainer,  but  our 

as  in  the  stories  of  whom  tLere  are  forvnd,  as  well  as  in  otter  Eastern  nations  to  this 
day,  many  footsteps  of  like  customs  to  the  Jews  of  old.  Sir  Thomas  Roe,  ambassador 
there,  in  his  journal  observations,  relates  how  he  was  invited  by  one  of  the  great  ones 
of  the  court  to  a  banquet,  with  this  very  expression,  similar  to  those  which  those  authors 
allege  as  in  use  among  other  nations,  '  We  will  eat  bread  and  salt  together,  to  seal  a 
friendship  which  I  desire,'  (Purchas'  Pilgr.,  part  i.,  p.  348.) 


EpH.  II.  14-16.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  385 

eating  and  drinking  together  is  visible  to  all  the  world  ;  we  outwardly  shew 
forth  his  death,  and  do  withal  as  visibly  shew  forth  this  to  have  been  the 
intent  of  it.  Yea,  and  if  we  could  raise  up  those  nations  of  old,  both  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  and  call  together  the  most  part  of  the  world  at  this  day,  and 
should  but  declare  that  this  is  a  feast,  especially  a  sacrificial  feast,  a  feast 
after  a  sacrifice,  offered  once  up  for  our  amity  and  peace  by  so  great  a  medi- 
ator ;  the  common  instinct  and  notion  which  their  own  cu.stoms  had  begot  in 
them  would  presently  prompt  them,  and  cause  them  universally  to  under- 
stand and  say  among  themselves,  These  men  were  at  enmity  one  with  an- 
other, and  a  sacrifice  was  offered  up  to  abolish  it,  and  to  confirm  a  union 
and  pacification  amongst  them,  and  lo,  therefore,  they  do  further  eat  and 
participate  thereof,  and  communicate  therein ;  a  manifest  profession  it  is 
that  they  are  m  mutual  love,  amity,  and  concord  one  with  another,  and 
thereby  further  ratifying  that  unity  which  that  sacrifice  had  been  offered  up 
before  for  the  renewing  of  This  is  truly  the  interpretation  of  that  solemn 
celebration,  even  in  the  sight  of  all  the  heathens,  and  unto  the  principles  of 
all  the  nations  among  whom  sacrifices  were  in  use  ;  yea,  and  this  they  would 
all  account  the  strongest  and  firmest  bond  of  union  that  any  religion  could 
afford.  And  add  this  :  the  more  noble  the  sacrifice  was,  as  if  of  a  man,  being 
a  more  noble  creature,  the  more  obliging  they  accounted,  as  was  observed, 
the  bands  of  that  covenant  made  thereby. 

Now  our  passover  is  slain,  our  peace  is  sacrificed,  not  man,  but  Christ 
God-man ;  he  sanctifying,  by  the  fulness  of  God  dwelling  personally  in  him, 
the  sacrifice  of  that  his  flesh,  and  human  nature,  to  an  infinity  of  value  and 
■worth.  He  hath  become  a  sacrifice  of  our  mutual  peace,  was  cut  in  twain ; 
and  to  complete  this  union  among  ourselves,  he  hath  in  a  stupendous  way 
appointed  his  own  body  and  blood  to  be  received  and  shared  as  a  feast 
amongst  us,  succeeding  that  sacrifice  once  offered  up.  1  Cor.  x.  16,'  The 
bread  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  1  The  cup, 
the  communion  of  his  blood  V  (so  speaks  Paul,  a  most  faithful  interpreter  of 
these  mysteries ;)  and  a  communion  of  many,  as  one  body  1  as  it  follows  there. 
It  is  strange  that  a  heathen,  speaking  of  one  of  their  sacred  feasts,  intended 
to  confirm  an  agreement  between  two  great  personages,  should  use  the  same 
expression  :  communicdrunt  concordiam^ — they  are  said  to  have  •  communi- 
cated concord ;  and  this  because  they  communicated  together  in  the  same 
feast  dedicated  to  their  chief  god,  and  which  was  ordained  to  testify  concord 
between  them.  The  Apostle  calls  it  in  like  manner  a  communion,  whereby 
many  are  made  one  bread,  in  that  they  eat  of  that  one  bread,  which  whilst 
they  eat  and  drink  in,  they  eat  and  drink  the  highest  charity  and  agreement, 
each  with  and  unto  other. 

But  that  this  sort  of  peace  and  love,  namely,  mutual  among  the  receivers, 
was  an  avowed  intendment  of  our  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  needs  not 
to  be  insisted  on ;  this  import  of  it  hath  taken  the  deepest  impression  upon 
the  most  vulgar  apprehensions  of  all  that  profess  Christianity,  of  any  other. 
To  be  in  charity  with  their  neighbour,  &c.,  hath  remained  in  all  ages  of  the 
church,  upon  the  spirits  of  the  most  ignorant  and  superstitious,  when  those 
other  higher  ends  and  intendments  of  it  were  forgotten.  My  inference  there- 
fore is  strong  and  sure  :  that  what  was  thus  eminent  an  intention  of  this 
feast  upon  a  sacrifice,  must  needs  be,  upon  all  the  former  accounts,  as  eminent 
an  intention  of  that  sacrifice  itself,  as  such. 

Only  let  me  add  this  :  that  though  aU  the  pt"ople  of  God  will  not,  some 

•  '  Scipio,  Jovis  epulo,  cum  Graccho  concordiam  communicavit.' —  Yaler.  Max.,  lib» 
vL,  c.  2. 

VOL.  II.  2  B 


386  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF      [EpH.  II.  14-16. 

of  them  not  at  all,  many  net  together,  eat  of  this  feast,  through  difference  of 
judgment, — and  it  is  strange  that  this,  which  is  the  sacrament  of  concord, 
should  have  in  the  controversies  about  it  more  differences,  and  those  more 
dividing,  than  any  other  part  of  divine  truth  or  worship, — yet  still  however 
this  stands  good  to  be  the  native  original  end  and  institution  of  the  ordinance 
itself,  and  so  by  inference,  this  to  have  been  the  intent  of  Christ's  death  as  a 
sacrifice  to  the  same  end ;  of  which  death,  to  be  sure,  they  all  must  partake, 
and  unto  which  Christ  they  must  have  recourse,  even  aU  and  every  person, 
that  are,  or  shall  be  the  people  of  God.  And  by  so  doing,  they  find  them- 
selves, upon  all  these  accounts  forementioned,  engaged  and  obliged  unto 
peace  and  concord  with  all  the  samts  in  the  world,  how  differing  soever  in 
judgment,  in  him  who  is  our  peace,  and  by  that  sacrifice  hath  made  both  one. 
And  thus  much  for  this  branch,  which  treats  of  what  Christ  hath  done  in 
his  own  person  to  procure  this  peace. 

The  second  branch,  What  Chiist  did  hj  way  of  representation  of  our  persons. 
That  phrase,  '  in  one  hody,'  explained. 

The  second  branch  of  this  first  head  is,  "What  Christ  did  by  way  of  repre- 
sentation of  our  persons,  and  how  that  conduceth  to  this  mutual  reconciliation 
of  the  saints  among  themselves  ?  This  we  have  in  that  small  additional 
•which  is  found,  ver.  1 6,  '  That  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one 
body  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the  enmity.'  The  meaning  whereof  is  this, 
that  he  did  collect  and  gather  together  in  one  body  all  the  people  of  God  ; 
that  is,  did  sustain  their  persons,  stood  in  their  stead,  as  one  common  person 
in  whom  they  were  all  met,  representing  them  equally  and  alike  unto  God, 
and  so  reconciled  them  to  God  in  one  body.  As  you  heard,  he  bore  their 
enmities  in  his  flesh,  and  so  abolished  them  ;  so  withal  he  bore  their  persons, 
considered  as  one  collective  body,  and  under  that  consideration  reconciled 
them  to  God. 

And  this  superadds  to  the  former  consideration,  of  being  a  sacrifice  for 
their  enmities  mutually,  for  that  he  might  have  been,  and  have  performed  it 
for  each  of  their  persons,  considered  singly  and  apart ;  but  further,  we  see  he 
was  pleased  to  gather  them  into  one  body  in  himself. 

If  you  ask  me,  Where  and  when  this  representation  of  all  the  saints  was 
by  Christ  more  especially  made,  and  when  it  was  they  were  looked  at  by 
God  as  one  body  1 — the  text  tells  us,  on  the  cross,  by  which  he  thus  recon- 
ciled us  to  God  in  one  body. 

I  will  not  now  insist  on  that  which  at  first,  to  make  my  way  clear,  I  was 
so  large  upon  :  that  that  kind  of  reconciliation  of  us,  wrought  by  Christ  for 
us  on  the  cross,  is  here  intended ;  to  all  which  this  may  be  added,  that  it 
was  that  reconciliation  which  at  once  took  in  and  comprehended  all,  both 
Jew  and  Gentile,  in  all  ages,  into  one  body ;  which  was  never  yet  since 
actually  done,  but  therefore  then  was  done  in  himself  That  which  is  now 
only  left  for  clearing  my  way  is  the  opening  the  import  of  those  words,  '  in 
one  body,'  which  clause  is  that  I  take  for  my  foundation  of  this  second 
paragrapL 

There  is  a  question  among  interpreters.  Whether  by  this  '  one  body'  in 
the  text  be  meant  the  church  only,  considered  as  one  mystical  body  in 
Christ,  or  only  the  body  and  human  nature  of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  hanging 
upon  the  cross  ?  I  would,  to  reconcile  both  senses,  take  in  both,  as  conducing 
to  the  reconciliation  of  us. 

1.  Supposing,  which  is  necessary,  Christ's  person,  his  human  nature,  or  *  his 
flesh,'  ver.  15,  to  be  the  uhi,  the  substratum,  the  meeting-place,  and  rendez- 


EpH.  II.  14-16.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  387 

voiis  of  this  other  great  body  of  the  elect,  where  this  whole  company  appeared 
and  was  represented,  so  to  be  reconciled  unto  God.  For  indeed  what  the 
Apostle  mentions  here  apart,  and  at  distance  each  from  other, — his  flesh,  ver. 
15,  and  body,  ver.  16, — these  elsewhere  he  brings  together :  Col.  i  22,  'Ha\'ijig 
made  peace  in  the  body  of  his  flesh,  through  death.' 

2.  Which  body,  as  hanging  upon  the  cross,  was  clothed  upon,  when  most 
naked,  with  this  other  body,  which  he  himself  took  on  him  to  sustain  and 
represent,  and  to  stand  in  their  stead,  even  the  whole  body  of  his  elect ;  his 
body,  personally  his,  becoming  by  representation  one  with  his  other  body, 
mystically  his.  In  sum,  in  the  body  of  Christ  personal,  as  the  body  repre- 
senting, the  whole  body  of  Christ  mystical,  as  the  body  represented,  was  met 
in  one  before  God,  and  unto  God.  And  in  that  one  body  of  Christ  personal 
were  all  these  persons,  thus  represented,  reconciled  unto  God  together,  as  in 
one  body,  by  virtue  of  this  representation. 

The  influence  that  our  being  reconciled  to  God  in  one  hody  hath  into  our 
reconciliation  mutual,  in  two  eminent  respects. 

If  any  shall  ask.  What  influence  and  virtue  this  their  being  considered  as 
one  body,  met  in  his  body,  and  under  that  consideration  reconciled  to  God, 
hath  into  their  reconciliation  one  with  another  1 — I  answer,  much  every 
way ;  neither  is  it  mentioned  last,  as  last  in  order,  but  as  the  foundation  of 
all  other  considerations  thereto  belonging. 

1.  In  that  they  were  thus  aU  once  met  in  one  body,  in  the  body  of  Christ, 
both  in  his  intendment  and  his  Father's  view,  this  consideration,  if  no  more, 
hath  force  enough  in  it  to  bring  them  together  again  in  after-times.  Even 
this  clandestine  union, — such  indeed  in  respect  of  our  knowledge  of  it  then, 
yet  having  all  three  Persons  the  witnesses  in  heaven  present, — this  pre-con- 
tract, this  anticipated  oneness,  this  forehand  union  hath  such  virtue  in  it, 
that  let  them  afterwards  fall  out  never  so  much,  they  must  be  brought 
together  again,  and  be  one.  Heaven  and  earth  may  be  dissolved,  but  this 
union,  once  solemnised,  can  never  be  frustrated  or  dissolved ;  what  God 
and  Christ  did  thus  put  together,  sin  and  devil,  men  and  angels,  cannot 
always  and  for  ever  keep  asunder.  His  Father's  donation  of  them  to  him, 
and  Christ's  own  representation  of  the  same  persons  to  his  Father  again, 
have  a  proportionable  like  virtue  in  them  ;  for  there  is  the  same  reason  of 
both.  Now  of  the  one  Christ  says,  *  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shaU 
come  to  me,'  John  vi.  37.  Christ  mentions  that  gift  of  them  by  the  lump 
to  him  by  the  Father,  as  the  reason,  or  cause  rather,  why  they  could  not 
ever  be  kept  from  him.  And  as  none  can  keep  them  from  him,  because 
given  of  the  Father  to  him,  in  like  manner,  and  for  the  like  reason,  the 
whole  body  of  them  cannot  be  kept  one  from  another,  because  presented  by 
him  again  to  the  Father.  Christ  mentions  both  these  considerations,  as  of 
equal  efficacy,  in  that  prayer,  whereby  he  sanctified  that  sacrifice  of  himself, 
John  xvii.,  *  Thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  me.'  '  All  mine  are 
thine,  and  thine  are  mine;'  and  I  pray,  ver.  21,  'that  they  all  may  be 
one,'  and  that  in  this  world,  '  as  we  are.'  Christ  then  not  only  died  for  his 
sheep  apart,  that  they  might  come  to  himself,  as  John  x.  15,  but  further, 
that  they  might  be  one  fold,  as  it  follows  there.  And  as  the  Evangelist 
interprets  Caiaphas's  prophecy,  he  died  to  '  gather  together  in  one  the  chil- 
dren of  God  that  were  scattered  abroad,'  John  xi.  51,  52.  To  make  sure 
which  gathering  to  come,  he  in  and  at  his  death  gathered  them  together  re- 
presentatively; they  met  all  in  him,  and  ascended  the  cross  with  him,  as 
Peter's  phrase  is  of  all  their  sins, — therefore  much  more  their  persons, — 1 


388  EXPOSITION  OP  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF      [EPH.  II.  14-16. 

Peter  ii.  24,  "O;  avrhg  duriviyxsv  h  euiiMari  avToU  mi  rh  ^iXoi', — He  Mmself 
carried  in,  or  together  with,  his  body,  our  sins  up  to  the  tree; — Ascendere 
fecit  sursum  simul  cum  seipso. 

The  cross  Avas  the  first  general  rendezvous  in  this  world,  appointed  for 
Tiim  and  his  members,  where  they  were  crucified  in  him,  and  with  him,  as 
the  Apostle  often  speaks.  Christ  told  the  Jews,  '  If  I  be  lifted  up,'  John 
xiL  32,  speaking  of  his  death  on  the  cross,  ver.  33,  'I  will  draw  all  to  me.' 
And  here  you  see  the  reason  of  it,  for  in  their  lifting  up  him,  they  lift  up 
all  his  with  him,  as  hung  to,  and  adjoined  with  him  in  one  body,  in  his 
body.  This  great  and  universal  loadstone,  set  in  that  steel  of  the  cross, 
having  then  gathered  all  these  lesser  magnetic  bodies,  pieces  of  himself,  into 
himself,  the  virtue  thereof  will  draw  them  aU  together  in  one  again,  as  they 
come  to  exist  in  the  world.  They  may  be  scattered,  they  may  fall  out ;  but 
as  branches  united  in  one  root,  though  severed  by  winds  and  storms,  and 
beaten  one  from  and  against  another,  yet  the  root  holding  them  in  a  firm 
and  indissoluble  union,  it  brings  them  to  a  quiet  order  and  station  again. 
And  if  the  now  scattered  Jews  must  one  day  come  together,  and  make  one 
body  again,  because  those  dry  bones,  the  umhroe,  the  ghastly  shadows  of 
them,  were  seen  once  to  meet  in  Ezekiel's  vision  ;  how  much  more  shall  the 
elect  coalesce  in  one  new  man,  because  they  once  met  in  huu  that  is  the 
body,  and  not  the  shadow  1  If  those  Jews  must  meet,  that  the  prophecy, 
the  vision  might  be  fulfilled,  these  must  much  more,  that  the  end  of  his 
death,  and  his  hanging  on  the  tree,  may  be  fulfilled,  m  whom  all  visions  and 
promises  have  their  Amen  and  accomplishment.  As  in  his  death,  so  in  his 
resurrection  also,  they  are  considered  as  one  body  Avith  him:  Isa.  xxvi.  19, 
'Together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise,'  says  Christ,  and  both  in 
death  and  resurrection,  one  body,  to  the  end  they  may  be  presented  together 
in  one  body  all  at  last.  Col.  i.  22.  And  in  the  meantime,  in  the  efficacy  of 
these  forehand  meetmgs,  are  they  to  be  created  into  one  new  man,  ver.  15, 
and  that  even  eTc,  one  individual  man,  Gal.  iii.  28,  not  tv,  one  bulk,  body, 
or  thing  only.  This  one  new  man,  which  they  are  to  grow  up  into, 
answereth  exactly  to  that  one  body  which  was  then  gathered  together,  repre- 
sented, and  met  in  him  on  the  cross,  bearing  the  image  of  it,  and  wrought 
by  the  virtue  of  it. 

2.  The  second  is,  that  if  such  a  force  and  efficacy  flows  from  their  having 
met  once,  as  one  body,  then  much  more  from  this,  which  the  text  adds, 
that  they  were  reconciled  to  God  in  that  one  body.  This  clause,  'in  one 
body,'  was  on  purpose  inserted  together  with  their  reconciliation  to  God,  to 
shew  that  they  were  no  otherwise  esteemed  or  looked  at  by  God  as  recon- 
ciled to  him  but  as  under  that  representation,  view,  and  resjDect  had  of 
them,  as  then,  by  him,  that  so  dum  sociaret  Deo,  sociavit  inter  se.  Their 
reconciliation  with  God  was  not  considered,  nor  wrought  only  apart,  singly, 
man  by  man,  though  Christ  bore  all  their  names  too ;  but  the  terms  were 
such,  unless  aU  were,  and  that  as  in  one  body  and  community,  together 
among  themselves,  reputed  reconciled,  the  whole  reconciliation,  and  of  no 
one  person,  unto  God,  should  be  accounted  valid  with  him.  So  as  their 
very  peace  with  God  was  not  only  never  severed  from,  but  not  considered, 
nor  effected,  nor  of  force,  without  the  consideration  of  their  being  one  each 
with  other  in  Christ.  Insomuch  as  upon  the  law  and  tenor  of  this  original 
act  thus  past,  God  might,  according  to  the  true  intent  thereof,  yea,  and 
would,  renounce  their  reconciliation  with  himself,  if  not  to  be  succeeded  with 
this  reconcUiation  of  theirs  mutually.  And  although  this  latter  doth,  in 
respect  of  execution  and  accomplishment,  succeed  the  other  in  time, — the 


EpH.  II.  14-16.J  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIAN8.  389 

saints  do  not  all  presently  agree  and  come  together  as  one  body, — yet  in 
the  original  enacting  and  first  founding  of  reconciliation  by  Christ,  these 
were  thus  on  purpose  by  God  interwoven  and  indented,  the  one  in  the  other; 
and  the  terms  and  tenure  of  each  interchangeably  wrought  into,  and  moulded 
in  one  and  the  same  fundamental  charter  and  law  of  reconcihation  mutual, 
than  which  notliing  could  have  been  made  more  strong  and  binding,  or  sure 
to  have  effect  in  due  time. 

The  recmiciliation  of  the  saints  to  God  considered,  as  in  one  body  ;  held  like- 
wise forth  in  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper :  and  one  eminent 
foundation  of  the  institution  of  fixed  churchrcommunion  hinted  therein. 

The  impress  and  resemblance  of  this,  namely,  Christ's  reconciling  us  to 
God  in  one  body,  we  may  likewise  perceive — and  I  shall  mention  it  the 
rather,  to  make  the  harmony  of  this  with  all  the  former  still  more  full — in 
the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  which  we  may  view  this  truth 
also,  as  we  have  done  the  other. 

That  supper  being  ordained  to  shew  forth  his  death,  look,  as  he  died,  so 
it  represents  it.  As  therefore  Christ  was  sacrificed,  representing  the  general 
assembly  of  saints,  and  so  in  one  body  reconciled  them  to  God ;  so  this 
supper  was  ordained,  in  the  regular  administration  of  it,  to  hold  forjh  the 
image  of  this,  as  near  as  possible  such  an  ordinance  could  be  supposed  to 
have  done  it.  For,  answerably,  the  seat,  the  idoaiu/xa  of  it,  is  a  communion 
of  many  saints  met  together  in  one  body,  and  not  otherwise.  Thus  1  Cor. 
X.  17,  '  For  we  being  many  are  one  bread  and  one  body.'  He  had  said, 
ver.  16,  that  the  Lord's  Supper  was  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
&c., — that  is,  a  communion  of  Christ's  body,  as  to  each,  so  as  of  a  company 
united  together  among  themselves, — and  accordingly  the  Apostle  subjoins 
this  as  the  reason,  '  For  we/  whom  you  see  do  ordinarily  partake  of  it,  are 
many,  not  one  or  two  apart ;  and  those  '  many '  are  '  one  bread,  and  one 
body  : '  one  bread,  as  the  sign ;  one  body,  as  the  thing  signified. 

And  thus  we  are  then  considered  to  be,  when  Christ  as  dying  is  com- 
municated by  us.  For  to  shew  forth  his  death  is  the  end  of  this  sacrament. 
The  seat,  therefore,  or  subject  of  partaking  in  this  communion  of  Christ's 
body  and  blood,  and  which  is  ordained  for  the  public  participation  of  it^  is 
not  either  single  Christians,  but  a  '  many,'  nor  those  meeting  as  a  fluid  com- 
pany, like  clouds  uncertainly,  or  as  men  at  an  ordinary,  for  running  sacra- 
ments, as  some  would  have  them,  but  fixed,  settledly,  as  incorporated  bodies. 
Which  institution  having  for  its  subject  such  a  society,  as  then,  when  Christ's 
death  is  to  be  shewn  forth,  doth  suitably  and  correspondently  set  forth  how 
that  the  whole  church — the  image  of  which  whole  universal  church  these 
particular  churches  do  bear,  as  a  late  commentator  hath  observed  upon  that 
place — was  represented  in  and  by  Christ  dying  for  us,  under  this  considera- 
tion of  being  one  body  then  in  him.* 

And  there  is  this  ground  for  it,  that  the  whole  of  that  ordinance  was  in- 
tended to  represent  the  whole  of  his  death,  and  the  imports  of  it,  as  far  as 
was  possible.  So  then  look,  as  the  death  itself  and  his  bitter  passion  are 
represented  therein,  both  of  body,  in  breaking  the  bread,  which  is  the  com- 
munion of  his  body ;  of  the  soul,  in  the  wine,  which  is  called  the  communion 
of  his  blood ;  and  this  is  the  blood  of  the  new  testament,  so  expressed  in 
allusion  to  that  of  the  old,  in  which  the  blood  was  chosen  out  as  the  nearest 

*  '  Omnes  qui  eidem  mensa3  sacrse  pariter  accumbimus,  et  unam  facimus  (^parpiav, 
quae  (ppaTpla  totius  ecclesise  gerit  imaginem.' — Grot.,  1  Cor.  x.  17. 


390  EXPOSITION  OF  VAEIOUS  PORTIONS  OF       [EPH.  II.  14-16. 

visible  representer  of  the  invisible  soul  that  could  be.  The  life  lies  in  the 
blood,  for  the  spirits,  which  are  the  animal  life,  do  run  in  it;  so  spake  the 
old  law,  and  the  poet  the  same — 

'  Sanguine  quserendi  reditus  animaque  litandum.'  * 

He  terms  the  sacrifice  of  the  blood,  the  sacrifice  of  the  soul ;  and  so  wine  was 
chosen  as  the  nearest  resemblance  of  blood,  being  also  the  blood  of  the  grape. 

As  thus  the  death  itself  in  all  the  parts  of  it,  so  the  subject  for  which  he 
died,  his  body,  and  that  under  that  very  consideration  he  died  for  them,  as 
one  body,  is  in  like  manner  as  visibly  and  plainly  held  forth ;  every  particu- 
lar church  bearing  by  institution  the  image  of  the  whole  church,  as  therein 
it  hath  also  all  the  privileges  of  it,  fitly  shewing  forth  thereby  not  only  that 
Christ  died  for  them  singly  and  apart  considered, — which  yet  is  therewith 
held  forth  here  in  that  each  personally  doth  partake  thereof, — that  might 
have  been  sufficiently  evidenced  if  every  person  or  family  apart  had  been 
warranted  to  have  received  and  eaten  this  sacrificial  feast  alone,  as  they  did 
the  passover  and  the  sacrifices.  Lev.  vii.  18  ;  but  the  institution  is  for  many, 
which  very  word  Christ  mentions  in  the  institution,  '  This  is  the  blood  of 
the  new  testament,  shed  for  many;'  which  word  I  believe  the  Apostle  had 
an  eye  unto  when  he  said,  '  We  being  many,  are  partakers,'  &c.  Christ  in- 
deed principally  aimed  therein  to  shew  that  his  intent  in  dying  was  for  a 
multitude  of  mankind,  the  whole  body  of  his  elect ;  yet  because  he  inserts 
the  mention  hereof  at  the  delivery  of  those  elements,  and  that  the  ordinance 
itself  was  suited  to  hold  forth  this  intent,  the  Apostle  takes  the  hint  of  it, 
and  adds  this  gloss  and  construction  upon  it,  as  glanced  at  in  it :  that  accord- 
ing to  the  institution  and  import  of  this  ordinance,  the  partakers  hereof  are 
to  be  a  '  many,'  not  one  or  two  alone,  and  these  united  into  '  one  body,' 
to  the  end  that  thereby  may  be  held  forth  this  great  intendment  in  his  death, 
that  he  died  for  the  many  of  his  church,  as  one  collective  body. 

This,  however,  we  are  sure  of,  that  this  way  of  partaking  this  supper,  as 
in  one  body,  was  to  the  Apostle  a  matter  of  that  moment  that  we  find  him 
bitterly  inveighing  in  the  next  chapter,  that  the  same  individual  church  o£ 
Corinth,  when  they  came  together  in  one  for  that  and  other  ordinances, 
should,  of  all  ordinances  else,  not  receive  this  ordinance  together  in  such  a 
community ;  but  perverting  that  order,  should,  even  in  that  place  appointed 
for  the  meetings  of  the  whole  church,  divide  themselves  into  private  sevend 
companies,  and  so  make  this  as  a  private  supper,  which  in  the  nature  and 
intendment  of  the  institution  of  it  was  to  be  a  communion  of  the  whole 
church  or  body  together.  Insomuch  that  he  says,  1  Cor.  xi.  20,  '  This  is  not 
to  eat  the  Lord's  supper;  for  in  eating' — namely,  this  sacramental  supper — 
'  every  one  takes  before  (others,  perhaps,  do  come)  his  own  suj^per,'  together 
with  the  Lord's,  and  so  maketh  it  as  a  private  collation,  or  as  'ihiov  dirTvov. 
'Wherefore,  my  brethren,  when  you  come  together  to  eat'  that  supper, 
*  tarry  one  for  another,'  to  make  a  full  meeting  of  the  whole  body ;  and  as 
for  other  suppers,  every  man  is  at  liberty  to  take  them  at  home  as  he  pleaseth, 
ver.  33.  The  Apostle  is  thus  zealous  in  it,  as  he  had  reason,  because  hereby 
is  shewn  forth  one  principal  mystery  in  Christ's  death  ;  for  from  this,  at  least 
upon  occasion  of  this  particular,  as  weil  as  any  other,  doth  the  Apostle  utter 
this  great  maxim,  '  Ye  shew  forth  his  death  till  he  come,'  ver.  26.  Of  such 
moment  in  their  import  and  significancy  are  things,  thus  small  and  mean  in 
the  eyes  of  some,  that  yet  are  full  of  mystery  in  Christ's  intendment. — And 
thus  much  for  the  second  head. 

•  Virg.  ^n.,  11. 


EpH.  III.  17.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3.  391 


A  SERMON  ON  EPHESIANS  III  17. 
TJiat  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  hy  faith. 


Some  general  premises  touching  the  whole  prayer. 

This  prayer  of  Paul's  for  the  Ephesians  is  according  to  the  utmost  elevation 
or  height  of  his  own  experience  of  what  he  could  pray  for.  I  give  some 
general  animadversions,  as  premises  upon  the  whole  prayer  first,  ere  I  enter 
upon  this  particular  part  of  it. 

1.  That  all  the  three  Persons,  and  the  dispensations  of  each  of  them,  are 
all  of  them  mentioned,  though  the  order  of  them  be  inverted ;  for  he  begins 
■with  the  Spirit,  the  last  Person,  'That  ye  may  be  strengthened  with  all 
might  by  the  Spirit;'  that  is  the  first  petition.  Secondly,  'That  Christ,' 
who  is  the  second  Person  in  the  order  inverted,  'may  dwell  in  your  hearts 
by  faith.'  Thirdly,  'That  you  may  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  love/  that 
is,  of  the  Father,  to  whom  love  is  especially  attributed  in  Scripture.  And 
then  ultimatel}^,  and  last  of  all,  that  the  Godhead,  and  so  the  communica- 
tion of  all  three  Persons,  may  be  manifested  in  you,  and  to  you,  and  upon 
you:  'That  you  may  be  filled,'  saith  he,  'with  all  the  fulness  of  God;'  that 
is  the  first,  that  all  the  three  Persons  are  here  mentioned. 

2.  In  the  second  place,  that  which  he  prays  for  is,  what  dispensations 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  have  towards  us  after  conversion.  He  writes 
to  saints  already,  and  he  doth  not  pray  for  their  conversion,  or  what  opera- 
tions or  influences  the  three  Persons  have  in  convei"sion;  he  supposeth  that: 
but  the  things  he  prays  for  are  what  are  after  conversion.  As  when  he 
saith,  '  that  Christ  might  dwell  in  their  hearts,'  he  supposeth  them  to  have 
been  already  in  Christ.  Dwelling  is  a  continuance  of  inbeing.  Also  when 
he  adds,  that  ye  may  be  '  rooted  and  grounded  in  love/  he  supposeth  them 
to  be  first  planted  into  the  love  of  God. 

3.  He  prays  for  what  in  this  life  is  to  be  obtained ;  as  when  he  prays  that 
Christ  may  dwell  in  their  hearts  by  faith;  now  faith  in  the  other  world 
ceaseth. 

4.  I  add  this,  it  is  for  what  is  attainable  by  all  saints,  though  not  attained 
but  by  few.  He  prays  indeed  that  all  saints  may  comprehend, — not  only  you 
Ephesians,  but  all  saints, — '  that  ye  may  comprehend  with  all  saints.'  But 
alas  I  the  most  of  saints  complain  that  thej"-  have  not  this ;  that  they  perceive 
not  that  Christ  dwells  in  their  hearts  by  faith,  that  they  are  rooted  and 
grounded  in  love,  but  want  a  settled  assurance,  which  is  a  being  rooted  in 
love;  nor  are  they  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God. 

There  are  two  things  I  shall  prosecute  upon  this  passage : — 

I.  That  Christ  dwells  in  us. 

II.  Thct  he  dwells  in  our  hearts  by  faith. 


392  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF  [EPH.  III.  17. 

J.  An  explication  of  Christ's  divelUng  in  us,  and  of  his  union  with  us: 
whether  hy  his  person  first  and  immediately,  or  only  o^  his  Spirit  and 
graces  effectively. 

I  shall  explain  this  great  point  by  way  of  answers  to  several  queries. 
Query  1. — How  is  it  so  peculiarly  attributed  to  Christ  that  he  dwells  in 
us,  seeing  we  find  in  Scripture  that  the  other  two  Persons  dwell  in  us  also  ? 

1.  The  Father  dwells  in  us:  1  John  iv.  12,  13,  'If  we  love  one  another, 
God  dweUeth  in  us.'  And  '  hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in 
us,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.'  And,  ver.  15,  'Whosoever  shall 
confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dweUeth  in  him,  and  he  in  God.* 
Now  it  is  evident  that  it  is  God  the  Father  spoken  of,  for  he  speaks  of  him 
in  the  next  words,  ver.  14,  who  'sent  his  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the 
world;'  and  he  speaks  of  God  as  distinct  from  Christ:  'Whosoever  shall 
confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God' — there  is  Christ — '  God  dwelleth  in 
him.'     Who?     The  Father. 

My  brethren,  by  the  way  I  observe,  this  seems  to  have  been  a  phrase  to 
express  a  man  to  be  a  Christian  by,  that  God  dwelt  in  him,  and  Christ 
dwelt  in  him.  Thus  in  the  primitive  language;  for  you  see  he  brings  signs 
of  it :  '  Hereby  we  know  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us ;'  and  so  again, 
in  1  John  iii.  24,  '  He  that  keeps  his  commandments  dwells  in  him,  and  he 
in  him.  And  hereby  we  know  that  he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which  he 
hath  given  us.'  So  that  he  makes  this  to  be  the  character  of  a  Christian, 
chat  he  is  one  in  whom  God  dwells,  and  Christ  dwells;  and  this  to  be  the 
sign  of  it,  that  he  keepeth  his  commandments,  and  hath  his  Spirit  in  him. 
The  like  language  you  have  in  2  Cor.  xiii.  5,  '  Know  ye  not  that  Christ  is  in 
you,'  &c.     This  of  the  Father,  that  he  dwells  in  us.     But — 

2.  The  Spirit  dwells  in  us:  Eom.  viii.  11,  'He  that  raised  up  Jesus  from 
the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dweUeth 
in  you.'     Here  is  the  Holy  Ghost  dwelling  in  us  too. 

3.  You  see  Jesus  Christ  dwells  in  us  too.  That  you  have  here  in  this 
place.  So  he  prays  '  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith.'  So 
that  all  the  three  Persons  dwell  in  you;  that  is  the  first  animadversion, which 
is  introductory  to  others  that  follow. 

Query  2. — But  then  you  will  say  to  me, — and  it  is  the  second  query  for 
the  explication  of  the  text, — How  are  these  distmct?  How  is  it  that  God 
the  Father  dwells  in  us  ?  and  how  is  it  that  God  the  Son  dwells  in  us  ?  and 
how  is  it  that  God  the  Holy  Ghost  dwells  in  us  ? 

Truly,  brethren,  it  is  a  very  hard  thing  to  distinguish  it.  Yet  often  you 
find  some  eminent  character  or  other  attributed  to  one  Person  by  an  emi- 
nence which  is  proper  to  him,  and  not  to  another ;  whereby  there  is  some 
distinction  which  ariseth  unto  us.  Now  take  this  of  dwelling  in  us,  and  you 
shall  find  that  distinction  thus : — 

1.  God  the  Father  is  said  to  dwell  in  us  by  love.  God  the  Father  doth 
more  eminently  dwell  in  us  by  our  apprehensions  of  him  in  love ;  both  in 
his  love  to  us,  and  our  loving  of  him :  so  you  will  find  it  in  1  John  iv.  16, 
'  And  we  have  known  and  have  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to  us.  God 
is  love;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him.' 
Brethren,  a  man  that  hath  great  apprehensions,  or  any  true  apprehensions  of 
the  love  of  God  to  him,  and  his  heart  is  kept  dwelling  and  abiding  on  them, 
he  doth  thereby  dweU  in  God  the  Father.  If  you  look  to  the  whole  Scrip- 
ture, the  eminent  property  that  is  ascribed  to  the  Father  is  love :  '  The  grace 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God  the  Father.'     Though  Christ 


EpH.  III.   17.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  393 

loves  US  too,  yet  it  is  the  Father's  love  is  the  original  of  all.  The  more  you 
apprehend  the  love  of  the  Father,  whether  you  do  it  in  assurance,  or  whether 
you  do  it  in  adoring  that  love,  and  cleaving  to  that  love,  and  following  after 
that  love  you  apprehend  in  the  Father;  the  more  you  do  this,  the  more 
doth  God  the  Father  dwell  in  you  :  therefore  the  Apostle  prayeth  *  that 
Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith,  that  ye  being  rooted  and  grounded 
in  love  :'  but  it  is  in  the  love  of  God  the  Father.     But — 

2.  Jesus  Christ  dwelleth  in  us  by  faith, — so  it  is  said  here, — and  we  live  in 
Christ  by  faith  :  Gal.  ii.  20 ;  '  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  :  and 
the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.' 
But  doth  not  Christ  dwell  in  us  by  love  too  1  It  is  certain  that  Jesus  Christ 
dwelleth  in  us  by  love  too ;  for  he  is  our  husband,  and  therefore  it  must  be 
that  he  also  dwelleth  in  us  by  love.  But  yet  for  aU  that,  though  he  dwell 
in  us  by  love  as  well  as  the  Father,  yet  our  converses  with  him  are  more 
eminently  by  faith ;  he  dwelleth  in  us  by  faith, — not  but  that  the  Father 
dwelleth  in  us  by  faith  too, — but  Christ  more  properly.  And  in  Acts  xx. 
21,  it  is  called  'repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :'  not  but  that  we  repent  unto  Christ  too,  but  faith  is  the  most  emi- 
nent thing  towards  Christ  in  this  life.     But — 

3.  The  Spirit  is  said  to  dwell  in  us  also ;  but,  my  brethren,  the  Spirit  is 
not  said  to  dwell  in  us  by  faith :  which  yet  is  not  to  be  understood  as  if  we 
do  not  believe  in  him,  but  that  the  soul  doth  exercise  the  main  of  its  act- 
ing of  faith  upon  Christ,  as  its  more  specially  delighted  object:  but  the 
Spirit  lies,  as  it  were,  hid  in  the  heart,  and  works  faith  in  us  towards  Christ, 
and  love  in  us  towards  God.  I  do  not  say  that  we  are  not  at  all  to  exercise 
faith  and  love  upon  the  Spirit :  there  is  faith  in  the  Spirit, — it  is  said  in  the 
Creed, '  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,' — and  love  to  the  Spirit,  in  a  Christian; 
as  you  find  Bom.  xv.  30.  It  is  said  there,  '  for  Christ's  sake,  and  for  the 
love  of  the  Spirit.'  So  that  there  is  a  love  towards  the  Spirit  in  a  Christian; 
a  love  m  us  to  the  Spirit,  for  the  Spirit's  own  love  to  us.  As  also,  because 
it  is  the  Spirit  that  sheds  abroad  the  love  of  God  in  our  hearts.  The  Spirit 
works  in  us  love  to  God  and  faith  in  Christ  Jesus :  but  he  lies  hid,  and  as 
it  were  dormant  in  our  hearts,  and  we  little  perceive  how  he  is  in  us. 

I  shall  add  another  query  for  the  further  explanation  of  the  text : — 
Query  3. — Doth  Christ  dwell  in  our  hearts  only  by  faith?  or  doth  he  not 
otherwise  dwell  in  us  than  by  the  exercise  of  our  faith  upon  him  1     Doth 
not  the  person  of  Christ  himself  dwell  in  us,  and  not  only  by  our  faith  ? 

I  answer,  according  to  that  light  I  have, — and  I  humbly  submit  what  I 
shall  say, — Christ  himself  dwells  in  you  immediately  by  himself  That  is 
my  answer;  and  I  oppose  it  to  those  that  either  say  that  he  dwells  in  us 
only  by  his  Spirit,  or  to  many  others  who  would  lower  that  also,  and  say 
that  both  Christ's  and  the  Spirit's  dwelling  in  us  is  but  by  the  graces  they 
work  in  us ;  for  still,  in  their  speaking  of  this  union,  they  express  no  more ; 
and  not  so  only,  but  also  so  limit  it  thereto  herein.  It  must  be  acknow- 
ledged that  their  graces  do  dwell  in  us,  and  that  they  with  their  graces. 
Yea,  others  say,  that  his  very  dwelling  in  us  by  faith  is  but  by  faith  as  it  is 
a  grace ;  which  were  aU  one  and  to  say,  he  dwells  no  otherwise  in  us  by 
faith  than  as  he  doth  by  our  mourning  for  sin,  and  by  every  act  that  is  holy 
which  we  put  forth,  for  they  are  graces.  Even  as  some  have  said  of  late 
that  we  are  justified  by  love,  and  mourning  for  sin,  and  every  grace,  as  well 
as  by  faith.  No,  brethren,  Jesus  Christ  dwells  in  us  by  faith,  taking  him  as 
its  most  proper  object  appointed  for  it,  and  by  going  out  of  ourselves  to  him  : 
Gal.  ii.  20,  21,  'I  am  crucified  with  Christ;  nevertheless  I  live;  yet  not  I, 


394  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF  [EPH.  III.  17 

but  Christ  livetli  in  me :  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  by 
the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.'  And 
faith,  by  letting  him  into  the  heart,  is  as  the  eye  which  lets  in  the  sun,  or 
any  other  beautiful  object,  into  the  fancy,  and  the  common  sense,  stirring 
the  ajffections;  and  this  is  peculiar  unto  the  grace  of  faith  to  do.  But  to 
say  Christ  dwells  in  us  only  by  his  graces,  how  doth  this  bring  those  great 
things  which  Christ  himself,  John  xiv.,  xvii.,  and  other  scriptures  do  speak 
of  this  union,  unto  so  great  a  lowness  1  As  when  Christ  is  said  to  be  '  our 
life,'  Col.  iii.  4,  which  yet  some  would  have  understood  only  causaliter, 
merely  as  the  cause  of  our  life,  or  grace  in  us.  But  Gal.  ii.  20  speaks,  if  not 
farther,  yet  more  clearly  :  '  It  is  not  I  that  live,  but  Christ  lives  in  me.'  And 
it  is  certain,  all  principles  of  life,  whatever  life  it  be,  must  be  the  most  inti- 
mate indwellers  in  them  which  are  said  to  live  thereby.  The  animal  and 
vital  spirits  and  the  blood,  that  are  said  to  be  the  life  of  a  beast,  as  in  the 
Old  Testament,  do  run  and  dwell  within  the  body,  and  veins,  and  arteries, 
and  may  be  said  to  be  the  most  proper  inmates.  And  so  the  principal  parts 
of  the  body,  as  the  heart,  &c.,  that  are  the  fountain  of  life;  especially  the 
rational  soul  that  acts  all  in  us.  And  this  holds  true  of  Christ  much  more; 
he  is  intimior  intimo  nostro. 

Kollock,  both  in  his  English  sermons  upon  the  Colossians,  and  his  Latin 
comments  on  the  Galatians  and  the  Colossians,  also  urgeth  this.  '  The 
manner  of  speech,'  saith  he,  '  "  Christ  our  life,"  notes  this,  that  that  spiritual 
life  we  begin  to  live  here  is  not  so  much  a  life  different  from  his  life,  as  it 
is  the  very  life  that  Christ  lives  himself,  the  very  same  in  number;  that  same 
very  life,  and  no  other,  extends  to  us,  so  far  as  we  are  capable.  Liveth  the 
body  another  life  than  the  head  1  There  is  but  one  life  in  the  man,  and  that 
the  head  hath,  the  same  the  whole  body  hath,  and  it  quickeneth  every  mem- 
ber of  the  body.  And  there  is  a  nearer  conjunction  and  inbeing  betwixt 
Christ  and  us  than  there  is  between  this  head  of  ours  and  the  body.'  And 
in  the  Galatians,  '  the  Apostle  says  not,'  says  he,  ' "  by  Christ  I  live,"  but 
it  is,  "  Christ  liveth  in  me.'"* 

And  the  comparison  that  the  Holy  Ghost  useth  about  Christ's  being  our 
life  at  the  resurrection,  (and  the  same  holds  of  all  spiritual  life  begun  here,) 
in  1  Cor.  xv.,  that  as  'Adam  was  made  a  living  soul,' — that  is,  a  rational 
and  animal  soul  dwelt  in  a  body,  and  animated,  inspiring  it  with  life, — that 
so,  in  like  manner,  Christ  is  to  us  '  a  quickening  spirit.'  And  by  '  spirit,'  it 
is  not  the  Holy  Ghost  who  is  there  meant,  for  it  is  spoken  of  Christ  himself, 
the  second  Adam ;  and  Paul  says,  '  The  Lord  is  that  spirit,'  2  Cor.  iii.  1 7 
and  he  speaks  of  Christ  as  quickening  our  souls.     And  the  parallel  in  that 

1  Cor.  XV.,  in  respect  of  us,  runs  thus  :  that  as  the  soul  dwelling  in  Adam's 
body  made  him  to  be  a  living  soul,  so  Christ,  as  the  Lord  that  spirit,  dwell- 
ing in  us,  quickens  us,  enliveneth  us,  both  here  and  hereafter. 

*  '  Ut  non  sit  alia  hsec  vita  nostra  spiritualis  ab  ilia  vita  Christi  in  nobis  viventis,  sed 
una  eademque  est  numero  :  sit  vita  nostra  et  Cbristi.  Quemadmodum  non  est  alia 
atque  alia  numero  vita  corporis  et  capitis  naturalis,  sed  una  eademque  re  et  numero 
utriusque  vita,  propter  arctissimam  illam  conjunctionem ;  et  quanto  magis  Cbristi  et 
nostra,  quanto  arctior  et  major  est  capitis  Cbristi  et  nostri  conjunctio.  Ut  verbo  dicam, 
vita  nostra  spiritualis  nibil  aliud  est,  quam  vita  Christi  viventis  in  nobis.' — Holl.  on 

2  Gal.  XX.  And  upon  Col.  iii.  4  : — '  Non  dicit,  vitam  nostram  esse  ex  Cbristo,  vel  per 
Cbristura,  sed  Cbristum  esse  vitam  nostram  :  qua  locutione  innuit  nos,  non  tam  vivere 
vitam  quae  quidem  sit  ex  Cbristo,  et  scaturiat  ex  illo  fonte  vitoc  quje  in  ipso  est,  diversa 
tamen  reipsa  sit  ab  ipsa  ilia  vita  Christi,  quam  vivere  ipsam  et  illam  Christi  vitam, 
ipsiusque  vitam  et  nostram  unam  eandemque  re  et  numero  esse.  Uno  verbo,  vita 
nostra  spiritualis  nihil  aliud  est,  quam  Christi  vita  nos  irradiana.' 


EpH.  hi.  17.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  395 

If  there  were  a  head  so  full  of  life,  as  if  joined  to  a  body  wholly  dead,  of 
having  the  dead  palsy,  and  could  yet  quicken  it  so  far  as  it  should  live,  and 
be  a  living,  active  animal ;  this  must  be  done  by  its  union  with  it,  and  diffus- 
ing its  own  vivific  life  and  spirit  into  the  members  of  that  body;  now  this 
is  the  case  between  Christ  and  us.  He  not  only  raiseth  us  up  from  the 
dead,  by  an  efficient  power,  but  also  he  doth  by  himself  quicken  us,  and 
therefore  dwells  in  us  as  the  soul  that  enlivens  the  body,  And  this  is  by 
his  Godhead  or  divine  nature,  that  he  is  thus  able  to  dwell  in  us  :  which  is 
called  'the  Spirit  of  holiness'  in  him,  Rom.  i.  4;  and,  Heb.  ix.  14,  'the 
eternal  Spirit'  by  which  he  'offered  up  himself.'  And  that  divine  nature, 
as  dwelling  first  in  his  own  humanity,  doth  by  coming  into  us  as  a  sovereign 
soul  into  our  dead  souls,  he  quickens  us  ;  and  so  lives  in  us,  as  Gal.  ii.,  and 
is  not  as  one  wholly  without  us,  that  by  an  external  power  raiseth,  as  he 
wiU  do  wicked  men,  much  less  by  another  only,  viz.  his  Spirit,  the  Holy 
Ghost  only,  but  himself  immediately ;  and  so  he  is  the  primum  vivens  in  us 
in  respect  of  spiritual  life.  And  whereas  you  will  say,  the  graces  wrought 
are  an  inward  principle  of  spiritual  life, — vitale  principium,  as  the  schools 
call  them, — yet  he  is  intimior  mtimo  nostra  ;  more  within  us  than  we  our- 
selves are  within  ourselves,  or  our  own  graces.  And  hence  it  is  that  when 
Paul  speaks  of  this  life  of  graces,  and  of  our  spiritual  life  as  it  is  in  us, 
whilst  comparing  it  with  Christ's  living  in  us,  he  doth  as  it  were  renounce 
that  of  his  graces  to  be  his  life,  or  the  chief  inward  principle  of  living,  in 
that  Gal.  ii.  20,  not  absolutely,  but  in  comparison  unto  Christ's  being  our 
life.  '  Nevertheless,  it  is  not  I  that  live,  but  Christ  lives  in  me  : '  and  that 
not  I  is  not  only  his  carnal  corrupt  /,  or  self  which  he  renounceth,  {ego  non 
sum  ego,)  but  even  his  spiritual  7,  as  in  that  like  abrenunciation  it  is  to  be 
understood,  '  Yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  that  is  with  me  :'  it  is  his  spi- 
ritual 7  as  it  is  his  own,  he  renounceth  in  that  speech  likewise,  in  Rom.  vii  ; 
when  he  says  it  is  'not  I,  but  sin,'  the  7  or  self  there,  is  his  regenerate  self; 
it  is  his  inward  graces,  which  yet  in  comparison  unto  Christ  he  denies,  in 
Gal.  ii.  It  is  observable  also,  that  there  is  this  difi"erence  in  scripture  lan- 
guage,— and  we  find  it  in  both  those  places.  Gal.  ii.  and  Col.  iii., — that  when  he 
speaks  of  our  dying  to  sin,  he  puts  that  indeed  upon  a  conformity  with 
Christ  and  the  operation  of  Christ :  '  I  am  crucified  with  Christ,'  but  he  says 
not  that  Christ  died  in  him.  But  when  he  comes  to  express  our  life,  he  says, 
*  It  is  not  I,  but  Christ  that  lives  in  me,'  for  the  reason  aforesaid.  The  body 
of  sin  in  us,  which  is  ourself,  dies  with  him ;  but  in,  or  by,  or  with  its  dying 
in  us,  through  the  body  of  Christ,  as  Rom.  vii.,  Christ  is  never  said  to  die  in 
us.  But  then  Avhen  he  comes  to  that  point  of  his  being  our  life,  and  that 
the  life  we  have  by  him  be  spoken  of,  then  we  are  not  only  said  to  be  alive 
with  him,  but  plainly  that  he  lives  in  us. 

I  find  that  divines  say  that  our  union  with  Christ  is  a  substantial  union ; 
that  is,  it  is  a  union  of  the  substance  of  his  person  and  of  ours,  which  the 
Lord's  Supper  is  the  symbol  of,  and  is  ordained  to  signify  :  and  therefore 
not  only  by  his  Spirit  or  graces. 

Query  4. — But  the  far  greater  question  wUl  be,  Whether  Christ  dwells 
in  us,  and  is  made  one  with  us,  only  by  his  Spirit's  indwelling  in  us  first 
and  immediately,  and  not  that  himself  first  and  immediately  ? 

Now  towards  this  I  must  first  say, — which  I  shall  after  explain, — I  could 
never  see  any  reason  against  this,  that  the  person  of  the  Son  of  God,  in  and 
with  the  divine  nature  of  him,  may  not,  by  means  or  reason  of  his  union 
with  the  manhood  in  which  he  personally  dwells  first,  and  then  through  hia 


396  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OP  [EPH.  III.   17. 

relation  to  us  thereby, — may  not,  I  say,  dwell  in  us,  as  well  as  the  third 
I'erson,  the  Holy  Ghost,  doth,  which  our  divines  very  generally  affirm ;  yea, 
and  that  he  should  as  immediately  dwell  in  us  as  the  Spirit. 

1,  What !  hath  the  addition  of  the  manhood  unto  his  person  made  that 
person,  as  he  is  God,  incapable  of  dwelling  in  us  immediately,  as  well  as 
the  person  of  the  Spirit  1  Is  he  disprivileged  thereby,  whenas  indeed  by 
reason  of  his  relation  to  us  as  God-man  it  is  that  he  doth  dweU  in  us  any 
way? 

2.  It  hath  also  seemed  somewhat  strange  to  me  that  he  that  is  ordained 
to  be  the  means  of  our  union  with  God,  and  is  the  prime  object  and  termi- 
nus of  our  union,  the  designed  bridegroom  that  is  to  be  married,  the  person 
to  be  one  and  in  conjunction  with  us  :  '  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they 
also  may  be  one  in  us,'  as  in  John  xviL  It  were  strange,  I  say,  that  he 
who  is  the  person  in  whom  and  by  whom  the  union  is  effected  with  himseK 
and  the  other  two  persons,  and  is  the  person  most  concerned  in  this  matter 
of  union  ;  that  himself  should  be  married,  and  come  to  be  in  his  nearest  con- 
junction with  us  only  by  a  proxy,  viz.,  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  him  to  be  sent 
into  our  hearts  only  to  dwell  in  his  stead  :  insomuch  as  I  have  been  much 
inclined  further  to  think  that  Christ  joins  himself  to  us  fii'st  and  imme- 
diately, and  then  we  are  made  one  with  the  Father,  and  then  he  sends  his 
Spirit  into  our  hearts. 

Brethren,  you  have  heard  lately  something  of  God's  electing  us  to  union 
with  himself;  but  you  have  heard  withal  that  Christ  is  the  means  of  that 
union  with  God,  and  the  immediate  means,  yea,  and  the  first  means  :  and  so 
it  is  proposed  in  those  scriptures  where  the  weight  of  union  is  put  upon  the 
foundation  of  it,  in  John  xiv.,  xvii.,  God  united  his  Son  immediately  into 
one  person  with  a  man,  and  then  ordained  him,  and  that  union  of  his,  pur- 
posely, among  other  things,  to  bring  about  a  union  of  us  with  himself. 
*  That  they  may  be  one  in  us,'  speaking  to  his  Father,  says  Christ  there. 
How  one  in  us  ?  '  As  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee  ;  that  so  they 
also  may  be  one  in  us.'  Then  take  ver.  23 ;  mark  the  order,  '  I  in  them, 
and  thou  in  me.'  So  as  I  take  these,  says  Christ,  to  be  one  with  me ;  and 
so  thou.  Father,  comest  to  be  in  them  by  me.  You  have  the  like  in  John 
xiv.  20,  '  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  you  in  me,  and  I  in  you.'  The  person  of 
the  Father  dwells  in  the  person  of  the  Son,  yea,  in  the  man  Jesus.  And  so 
far  as  the  thing  is  capable,  he  prays  for  a  like  union  between  us  and  them- 
selves, but  by  means  of  himself.  And  therefore  first  now,  we  are  capable  to 
have  the  person  of  Christ  dwell  in  us  immediately,  and  yet  to  have  room  left 
of  an  infinite  distance  between  the  Son  of  God  dwelling  in  the  man,  as  per- 
sonally one  person  with  him,  and  his  person  to  dwell  in  us  immediately,  and 
not  by  graces  only. 

Other  divines  have  expressed  this  thus  :  that  it  is  a  substantial  union,  or 
dwelling  in  us  substantially ;  whereby  I  understand,  and  I  believe  it  to  be 
their  meaning,  that  the  person  of  the  Son  doth  dwell  in  our  persons,  though 
not  as  one  person  with  us ;  which  is  the  man  Jesus'  sole  and  only  privilege, 
who  is  the  founder  of  this  our  union.  But  we  have  the  next  union  unto  that 
which  can  be  supposable,  or  which  we  are  capable  of.  And  surely  he  that 
dwells,  as  he  is  God,  in  common  in  all  the  creatures,  his  person  and  Godhead 
may  well  be  thought  to  dwell  in  us  by  a  special  appropriated  inhabitation, 
as  in  his  own  house,  which  we  are,  says  the  Apostle,  Heb.  iii.,  yea,  and  not 
only  so,  but  his  body  also.  And  this  union  did  Christ,  in  whose  human 
nature  the  Godhead  dwells  bodily,  or  personally,  bring  in  for  us,  not  only 


EpH.  III.  17.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  397 

such  a  union  as  Adam  had,  in  whom  it  is  true  that  the  Spirit  dwelt  but  by 
graces,  which  were  the  only  bond  of  that  union ;  and  therefore  when  graces 
were  forfeited  and  failed,  that  union  was  instantly  dissolved  :  for  the  Spirit's 
union  was  founded  thereupon.  And  verily  the  forementioned  speeches  which 
Christ  cxpresseth  our  union  by,  do  give  the  loud  sound  of  higher  things  by 
far  than  that  union  with  God  which  Adam  had,  as  to  be  *  one  in  us,'  &c., 
John  xvii.,  by  a  union  next  degree  unto  that  which  the  man  Jesus,  as  then 
and  now  one  person  with  the  Son,  had  and  enjoyed,  and  thereby  with  the 
other  two  persons  of  the  Trinity.  And  perhaps  if  our  union  with  himself, 
who  is  there  made  the  means  of  our  union  with  the  Father,  had  needed  to 
have  been  first  and  immediately  made  by  the  third  Person,  the  S[)irit,  he 
would  have  said,  '  The  Spirit  in  them,  which  Spirit  is  mine,  and  I  in  the 
Spirit,  and  thou  in  me.'  And  this  had  been  meet  and  requisite  to  have  been 
said,  if  the  Spirit  had  necessarily  been  the  person  who  should  first  have  come 
between  Christ's  self  and  them,  ere  Christ  could  have  been  united  to  us ;  but 
he  there  mentions  not  the  Spirit  explicitly  at  all.  The  Father  dwells  not  in 
the  human  nature  of  Christ  but  by  the  Spirit ;  and  then  why  may  it  not  be 
allowed  that  the  person  of  Christ  should  dwell  first  in  us  by  himself  imme- 
diately, and  then  to  send  his  Spirit  ?  Yea,  I  would  have  it  inquired,  whether 
at  all  Christ  is  said  to  dwell  in  us  by  his  Spirit  1  Indeed  that  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  is  in  us,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Son  dwells  in  us,  is  often  said ; 
but  this  is  far  from  saying  that  he  dwells  in  us  by  his  Sjiirit,  much  less  that 
his  person  dwelleth  in  us  but  as  by  his  Spirit  dwelling  in  his  stead. 

Query  5. — You  may  ask  now  in  the  fifth  place,  "What  need  the  Spirit  of 
God  to  dwell  in  us,  if  that  the  person  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  in  his  own 
person,  immediately  dwell  in  us,  and  doth  all  for  us,  and  in  us  1 

Brethren,  shall  I  give  you  a  short  answer  :  It  is  ex  abundanti,  out  of  the 
abundancy  and  fecundity  of  the  Godhead,  which  hath  three  Persons  in  it,  and 
the  exuberancy  of  the  love  of  God,  and  of  all  the  three  Persons  in  the  God- 
head, towards  you ;  that  so  you  may  have  the  whole  of  the  Godhead,  both 
divine  nature  and  all  the  three  Persons  to  dwell  in  you  :  yet  so  as  Christ's 
person  is  still  to  be  understood  to  be  the  medium  or  means  of  this  union  of 
the  other  two ;  and  that  not  only  by  meriting  or  purchasing  this  union  with 
the  other  two  for  us,  and  with  himself,  but  by  his  own  inhabitation  first  and 
immediate  in  us. 

I  shall  give  you  a  plain  instance.  You  know  that  the  human  nature  of 
Jesus  Christ  is  now  personally  united  to  the  Son  of  God.  I  will  but  ask 
him  that  asks  the  former  question  the  very  same  question  concerning  Christ, 
that  this  questionist  asks  concerning  us.  Why  and  how  doth  the  Spirit 
dwell  in  that  human  nature  1  Is  it  not  that  by  the  second  Person's  personally 
dwelling  therein,  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  and  all  those  glorious  fulnesses, 
do  dwell  in  that  man  also  1  And  doth  not  the  second  Person  dwell  in  him, 
and  fill  him  immediately  by  his  personal  presence  in  him,  and  with  him, 
with  all  graces  1  And  doth  not  he,  and  is  not  he  fully  sufficient  to  act  aU 
in  him  that  is  any  way  to  be  acted  by  him  1  Was  not  that  human  nature 
raised  up  by  that  Spirit  of  holiness,  that  is,  the  divine  nature  in  him  1  as 
Rom.  i.  4.  What  needed  he  then  to  have  the  Spirit  above  measure  ?  The 
ground  is,  that  where  one  Person  is,  there  the  other  must  needs  be  also  :  and 
therefore  the  gifts  and  graces  in  the  man  Jesus  without  measure  are  attri- 
buted to  the  Spirit,  as  weU  as  to  the  second  Person,  the  Son,  in  him ;  and 
his  being  raised  up  is  ascribed  to  the  power  of  his  Father  in  him,  as  well  as 
to  the  second  Person,  Rom.  vi 


398  EXPOSITION  OP  VAEIOUS  PORTIONS  OF  [EPH.  III.  17. 

To  bring  this  home  to  this  point  in  hand,  of  Christ's  dwelling  in  us,  you 
must  know  that  take  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  considered  as  such,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  dwells  no  otherwise  therein,  for  the  manner  or  kind  of  his 
indwelling,  than  he  doth  in  us,  although  in  two  things  there  is  a  vast  differ- 
ence. First,  in  the  measure  or  degree ;  secondly,  in  the  right  or  ground  of 
his  doing  it,  there  is  an  infinite  difference ;  but  for  the  kind  or  manner  he  is 
in  us  as  in  him,  and  but  in  us  as  in  him. 

It  is  true  that  the  union  of  the  second  Person,  the  Son,  with  his  human 
nature,  is  of  a  higher  and  superior  kind  than  that  union  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  with  him  as  he  is  man  ;  for  the  second  Person  is  one  person  with 
that  man,  but  so  is  not  the  Holy  Ghost,  nor  is  the  Father,  nor  in  that  man- 
ner united  to  that  nature.  It  is  true  also  that,  take  the  second  Person,  con- 
sidered simply  as  God,  and  a  person  in  the  Godhead,  without  the  assumption 
of  the  manhood,  that  then  it  must  be  said  that  the  Father  and  the  Spirit 
did  and  do  dwell  in  him,  so  as  not  in  us,  by  a  circumincession,  as  the  school- 
men term  it ;  which  I  cannot  stand  to  explain.  And  so  they  dwelt  in  that 
divine  person  before  the  human  nature  was  taken  up  into  union  with  it,  and 
do  still  in  an  appropriate  manner,  and  shall,  and  must  do  so  to  eternity.  But 
withal  it  is  as  true,  that  in  the  human  nature  that  is  taken  up  and  made 
into  one  person  with  the  Son,  both  the  Father  and  Spirit  do  dwell  therein, 
as  simply  considered,  but  with  the  same  kind  of  union  wherewith  they  dwell 
in  us.  And  the  reason  hereof  is,  for  their  dwelling  in  the  human  nature  is 
not  that  they  are  personally  united  thereunto,  so  as  it  might  be  said  that  the 
Father  is  one  person  with  the  man  Jesus,  or  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  one 
person  with  that  man.  No,  it  is  only  the  man  and  the  Son  of  God  that  are 
become  one  person  ;  much  less  is  it  to  be  said  that  the  man  is  essentially 
become  God.  And  if  neither  of  these,  then  it  must  remain  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  dwells  in  him  as  man ;  but  by  the  inhabitation  both  of  his  person, 
and  by  the  same  Holy  Ghost's  person,  filling  him  with  gifts  and  graces  above 
measure ;  now  thus  in  our  measure  and  proportion  also  it  must  be  said  that 
he  dwells  in  us.  And  again,  if  the  man  Christ  were  united  in  one  person 
with  the  Father,  and  into  one  person  with  the  Spirit,  then  one  and  the  same 
human  nature  would  be  indeed  the  three,  by  virtue  of  such  a  personal  union, 
if  any  such  were.  He  then  must  be  said  to  be  one  person  with  all  of  them 
together,  and  with  each  of  them  asunder.  He  might  be  termed  the  Father 
and  the  Spirit,  as  well  as  the  Son  of  God.  Now  if  these  two  persons,  the 
Father  and  the  Spirit,  dwell  not  thus  in  that  human  nature  personally,  nor 
each  as  one  person,  respectively  with  the  man  Jesus,  then  it  remains  that 
they  dwell  but  in  the  same  kind,  or  in  that  manner,  in  that  nature,  where- 
with they  dwell  in  us ;  which  is  that  their  persons  dwell  in  us,  with  their 
operations  of  graces,  but  not  personally. 

As  to  the  right  whereupon  the  Spirit  and  the  Father  dwell  in  the 
human  nature  of  Christ,  that  is  infinitely  transcending  this  of  the  Spirit's 
dwelling  in  us ;  for  the  Father  and  Spirit  do  dwell  in  his  human  nature, 
as  he  is  now  become  one  of  the  persons — the  man,  God's  fellow — in  their 
communicative  society  together. 

For  lay  but  these  things  together.  First,  All  three  persons  are  essentially 
one  God,  although  persons  distinct  enjoying  that  Godhead.  And  thus  the 
Father  and  Spirit  do  dwell  naturally  or  essentially  in  him,  as  he  is  the 
second  Person,  simply  considered.  And  thus  do  each  of  the  persons  dwell 
one  in  another,  and  hold  an  intimate  indwelling,  and  converse  one  in  and 
with  another ;  though  as  persons  distinct.  And  this  mutual  union  of  the 
persons  one  in  another  is  the  highest  and  nearest  that  can  be,  and  is  indeed 


EpH.  III.  17.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  399 

founded  on  the  identity  of  the  Godhead.  But  then,  secondly,  come  to  that 
union  wliich  the  persons  of  the  Father  and  Spirit  have  with  the  human 
nature  in  the  Son,  which  is  founded  not  upon  an  essential  oneness  with  the 
Son,  but  is  merely  personal ;  that  is,  in  its  being  one  person  with  the  Son. 
And  so,  thirdly,  from  these  two  doth  spring  forth  a  right  to  that  human 
nature,  by  way  of  privilege,  lie  being  one  person  with  one  of  tbem, — namely, 
the  Son, — that  the  persons  both  of  the  Father  and  the  Spirit  should  dwell 
therein,  according  to  its  utmost  capacity  of  having  union  with  them,  which 
is  not  personal.  And  this  is  a  necessary  consequent  of  the  two  former  asser- 
tions. But  still  it  riseth  not  up  that  they  should  be  personally  united  unto 
that  man,  who  is  thus  personally  united  to  this  one  distinct  person,  the  Son ; 
and  but  so  united  to  him  alone. 

From  whence  two  things  follow  : — 

First,  That  for  the  kind  of  their  union,  it  is  the  same  that  is  in  us ;  for  it 
is  lower  than  that  of  a  personal  union  with  that  man. 

Secondly,  There  is  a  right  due  to  that  human  nature,  supposing  its  per- 
sonal union  with  the  Son,  that  they  should  dwell  in  that  nature ;  which 
right  is  not  to  be  found  in  us  to  our  union.  And  this  right  is  of  that  man- 
hood, founded  upon  a  double  account : — 

1.  For  else  the  man  who  is  now  one  and  the  same  person  with  the  second 
Person,  should  be  deprived  of  a  personal  privilege  appertaining  necessarily 
to  him ;  which  is  to  participate  in  the  most  near  and  intimate  communion 
with  those  other  two  persons,  Father  and  Spirit ;  into  fellowship  with  whom 
he  is  now  so  highly  admitted,  unto  the  utmost  that  as  a  man  so  united  he 
is  capable  of.  And  therefore  as  of  these  three  Persons  it  is  said  to  be,  con- 
sidered as  they  are  persons,  that  the  Father  is  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son  in 
the  Father ;  so  this  privilege  must  of  right  descend  unto  the  man,  to  enjoy 
the  most  intimate  indwelling  of  them  in  himself  which  a  creature  now  made 
a  person  with  them,  can  be  capable  of.  And  surely  above  what  all  other 
creatures  have  a  fitness  or  right  to  receive.     Yea — 

2.  The  divine  person  of  the  Son  would  be  dishonoured  if  they  did  not  so 
dwell  in  this  human  nature,  according  to  his  utmost  receptivity  of  having 
them  to  dwell  in  him  :  it  is  the  natural  efflux  or  overflow  of  their  dwelling 
in  the  person  of  the  Son,  simply  considered,  that  breaks  forth  into  a  union 
with  the  man ;  that  when  the  man  is  united  once,  they  having  their  divine 
inbeing  in  that  second  Person,  which  is  essentially,  should  break  forth  into 
an  indwelling  and  possession  of  that  manhood.  And  God  forbid  I  should 
make  any  comparison  at  all  between  the  indwelling  of  them  in  us  we  speak 
of,  and  that  their  indwelling  in  Christ's  human  nature,  in  these  respects, 
thus  stated.  But  as  for  that  other  respect,  the  kind  of  it,  mentioned  therein, 
the  likeness  and  similitude  may  and  doth  hold,  the  infinitely  distant  propor- 
tions for  degrees,  &c.,  being  observed.  And  we  are  as  capable  to  have  the 
person  of  the  Spirit  to  dwell  in  us  for  the  kind  of  an  indwelling  as  the  human 
nature  of  Christ  is.  But  our  right  to  the  Spirit's  indwelling  in  us  is  wholly 
derived,  and  but  by  Christ's  right  for  us,  and  by  our  relation  to  Christ,  and 
also  by  his  purchase  of  the  Spirit  for  us ;  which  are  aU  secondary,  and  wholly 
precarious,  and  borrowed. 

These  things  being  forelaid,  as  to  the  points  forementioned,  which  have 
been  given  in  the  answer  to  the  foregone  queries,  I  come  to  confirm  them  by 
instances,  from  the  example  or  similitude  of  the  Spirit's  dwelling  in  Christ's 
humanity,  to  be  in  that  kind  that  is  in  us ;  my  assertion  being  this — 

That  Christ's,  and  so  the  ff'li/  Ghost's,  dwelling  in  tis,  is  not  only,  or  primarily 
for,  and  hy  that  his  person  works  such  and  such  graces  in  us,  and  tlie 


400  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF  [EPH.  III.  17 

actings  thereof ;  hut  that  his  person  first  gives  himself  and  comes  into  us, 
in  order  to  work  these  effects. 

THs  I  confirm  from  the  similitude  or  likeness  of  the  Spirit's  dwelling  in 
Christ's  human  nature. 

1.  I  would  ask,  doth  the  Spirit  dwell  in  the  human  nature  of  Christ  by 
his  graces  and  operations  only  joining  himself  to  it  1  No,  but  the  person  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  fills  the  whole  substance  of  that  nature  mth  his  own  person  : 
that  precious  ointment,  the  Spirit,  which  Christ's  humanity  is  anointed 
withal,  doth  wholly  difi'iise  himself  into  the  whole  and  inwards  of  him ;  and 
thereby,  and  from  thence,  and  therewith,  fills  that  holy  one  with  those  odours 
of  gifts  and  gi-aces  wliich  he  so  infinitely  abounds  in.  And  as  concerning 
us,  it  is,  in  Rom.  viii.  11,  thus  spoken  of  us,  and  of  the  Spirit  in  us  :  that 
*  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  our  mortal  bodies 
by  his  Spirit,'  or  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  '  because  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in 
us  :'  the  Holy  Spirit  dwells  in  our  bodies  when  dead  and  in  the  ground. 
Our  bodies  are  his  temples — 1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20,  '  What  ?  know  ye  not  that  your 
body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of 
God,  and  ye  are  not  your  own  ?  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price ;  therefore 
glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's ' — as  well  as 
our  souls,  and  he  never  ceaseth  to  dweU  in  them,  after  he  is  once  come  into 
them  ;  as  he  did  not  withdraw  from  Christ's  body.  And  I  am  sure  you  will 
not  say,  as  to  what  concerns  us,  that  he  dwells  in  the  bodies  of  the  saints 
when  they  are  dead,  by  his  graces ;  the  soul  carries  them  all  to  heaven  with 
it  and  in  it ;  it  is  therefore  his  person,  that  having  once  taken  them  into  his 
possession,  and  acted  in  them,  keeps  possession  in  them  until  X^^a  resurrec- 
tion. 

2.  Another  part  of  this  likeness  between  these  two  indT^ellings  is,  that, 
look,  as  because  the  Son  of  God,  the  second  Person,  dwelling  first  in,  and 
possessing  the  human  nature  of  Christ  as  one  person  with  him,  that  then 
and  thereupon  the  Spirit  comes  to  dwell  in  that  nature  also  ;  and  that  so  it 
is  in  his  indwelling  in  us,  as  to  this  respect  that  Christ  first  dwells  in  us, 
and  then  sends  his  Spirit  to  dweU  in  us ;  though  upon  another  ground  and 
right,  as  was  said,  than  that  whereupon  the  Spirit  dwells  in  Christ. 

3.  As  for  that  point  of  Christ's  divine  nature,  or  as  he  is  second  Person 
and  subsisting  in  that  nature,  his  dwelling  as  such  immediately  in  us ;  I 
argue  thus  from  what  hath  been  said,  that  this  divine  nature,  and  he  as 
second  Person,  and  so  the  divine  nature  in  him,  is  as  capable  and  able  to 
dwell  immediately  in  us  as  the  Spirit,  the  third  Person,  is  :  whose  Person 
many  divines  acknowledge  to  dwell  immediately  in  us  and  in  our  persons, 
and  not  by  his  graces  only ;  and  then,  why  may  not  the  second  Person  also, 
and  the  divine  nature  of  liim  ?  Why  may  not  that  person  fill  us  immediately 
with  his  Godhead  1  For  as  such  he  is  a  Spirit,  yea,  that  Spirit  in  that  he  is 
God,  John  iv.  24.  And  spirits  do  and  can  easily  mingle  ;  the  Godhead, 
that  is  a  Spirit,  can  readUy  join  with  our  souls  that  are  spirits,  and  be  both 
in  them,  and  through  them,  as  Paul  speaks.  Satan,  a  spiiit,  can  possess 
your  bodies  ;  yea,  he  doth  fiU  the  hearts  of  men  oftentimes,  in  that  intimate 
way  and  manner  which  a  man  is  not  able  to  do,  as  the  Scripture  speaks. 
Can  Satan  do  it  because  he  is  a  spirit,  and  cannot  Christ  and  the  Spirit  of 
God  much  more  intiaiately  and  closely,  who  is  God,  and  as  he  is  God? 
And  it  is  his  divine  nature  that  is  termed  spirit  in  Christ  often  in  Scripture, 
in  distinction  from  his  humanity,  which  in  a  contradistinction  is  styled  his 
flesh ;  doth  his  being  united  to  that  man  debar  him,  or  hath  it  made  him 
incapable  of  this  1     Surely  no,  for  even  after  the  day  of  judgment,  when  it 


EpH.  III.   17.j  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  401 

is  said  that  '  God  shall  be  all  in  all,'  1  Cor.  xv.  28,  many  understand  it — and 
it  cannot  well  be  understood  otherwise  in  its  coherence --that  God,  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  Godhead  in  them  all,  shall  in  an  immediate 
manner  be  all  in  all  to  the  saints  for  ever,  and  immediately  dwell  in  us  for 
ever.  And  yet  the  second  Person  shall  not  then  lay  down  his  being  man,  no 
not  to  all  eternity ;  for  it  is  in  respect  thereof  that  Christ  is  said  in  that 
very  place  to  be  subject  to  his  Father  for  ever,  and  therefore  continues  God- 
man  for  ever ;  for  in  respect  thereof  it  is  that  his  Father  is  greater  than  he, 
and  so  that  he  continues  subject  to  his  Father.  There  is  then  no  obstacle 
that  the  second  Person  subsisting  in  the  divine  nature  should  be  united  to 
us  immediately,  from  this  his  personal  union  with  the  man.  And  that  there 
is  a  capacity,  that  he  as  second  Person  may  do  this,  may  further  appear,  in 
that  both  Father  and  Spirit  are  now,  and  shall  one  day  be  so  united  to  us, 
as  hath  now  been  observed,  though  indeed  at  that  day,  the  effect  of  that 
immediate  union,  or  of  God's  being  all  in  all,  will  be  an  answerable  immediate 
communion  and  enjoyment  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  which  is  suspended  in 
this  life,  but  then  consummated. 

But  you  may  say.  Doth  not  this  hinder,  that  now  since  the  second  Person 
is  united  to  the  human  nature,  that  whatever  he  doth,  he  doth  only  through 
the  humanity  and  by  it,  and  so  unites  himself  to  us  only  by  it  1  Likewise 
that  he  unites  himself  to  us  as  he  is  Mediator,  and  therefore  as  God-man, 
and  not  simply  as  second  Person ;  for  that  were  but  what  is  common  to  the 
other  two  persons,  if  his  divine  nature,  as  such,  should  thus,  as  I  seem  to 
affirm,  unite  himself  unto  us  1  And  therefore  the  divine  nature  unites  him- 
self no  otherwise  to  us,  than  by  the  union  first  of  the  human  nature  with  us, 
and  not  immediately  his  divine  nature,  or  as  second  Person  ? 

For  answer  unto  which  I  give  these  following  cautions  and  explanations  : — 

1.  This  foregoing  assertion  of  mine  is  not  to  be  understood  as  if  the 
second  Person  did  perform  this  act  of  union  of  himself  with  us,  singly  con- 
sidered, as  second  Person  separate  from  the  human,  or  without  all  considera- 
tion or  relation  had  to  the  human  nature,  either  of  his  actual  union  with  it 
which  hath  been  from  his  incarnation,  or  of  God's  ordination  he  should  be 
man,  and  his  own  undertaking  so  to  be,  which  was  before  his  incarnation. 

No ;  but,  first,  I  affirm  that  unless  the  second  Person  had  been  actually 
united  to  the  human  nature  as  now  he  is ;  and  withal,  unless  he  had  been 
ordered  by  God  so  to  be,  he  had  not  united  himself  unto  any  of  us  men, 
neither  before  his  incarnation  nor  since. 

2.  Hence,  secondly,  when  I  say  the  second  Person  subsisting  in  the  divine 
nature  doth  immediately  unite  himself  to  us,  I  mean  not  by  that  immediate- 
ness  that  the  second  Person,  considered  as  separate  from,  or  without  all 
consideration  of  his  union  with  the  human  nature,  doth,  or  should  have  ever 
come  to  dwell  in  us  ;  but  by  immediateness  I  understand  immediate  putting 
forth  of  an  act  of  uniting  his  divine  nature  unto  us.  So  that  though  the 
union  of  the  divine  and  human  nature  be  either  in  actual  assumption  or 
God's  ordination,  as  before  the  assumption,  the  necessary  prerequisite  unto 
the  divine  nature's  actual  union  with  us,  and  in  the  virtue  of  which,  as  neces- 
sarily presupposed,  it  alwaj's  comes  to  pass  that  the  divine  nature  of  the 
second  Person  is  united  unto  any,  either  under  the  Old  Testament  or  the 
New ;  yet  that  human  nature  is  not,  nor  was  not,  the  medium,  or  organ, 
much  less  the  sole  way  or  means  by  which  the  divine  nature  is  united  unto 
us,  but  it  is  his  own  immediate  exerting  that  act :  not  to  be  understood  as 
to  this  sense,  that  the  human  nature  in  Christ  were  the  only  immediate 
uniter  by  which  alone  the  divine  comes  to  be  one  with  us,  and  so  itself  to 

VOL.  II.  2  C 


402  EXPOSITION  OP  VAEIOUS  PORTIONS  OP  [EpH.  III.  17. 

be  but  mediately  united ;  as  the  soul  in  tbe  body  takes  hold  of  a  thing  by 
the  hand  only  immediately,  but  itself  doth  not  so  much  as  touch  it  imme- 
diately. It  is  one  thing  for  one  to  do  a  thing  by  reason  of  another,  and 
another  to  do  it  by  the  means  and  intervention  of  another's  doing  it,  or  as 
by  the  sole  immediate  act  of  another.  As  the  soul  doth  many  rational  acts 
immediately  itself  whilst  it  is  in  the  body,  and  by  reason  of  its  d-welling  in 
the  body,  or  to  the  things  and  persons  in  the  world  it  hath  to  do  with,  by 
reason  of  its  being  in  the  body,  and  not  otherwise,  which  if  single  and  sepa- 
rate it  would  not  do,  wherein  yet  it  useth  not  the  body,  as  by  which  it  doth 
them.  One  may  do  a  thing  himself  immediately,  and  yet  upon  the  virtual 
intuition  or  consideration  of  some  other  thing  or  person  he  is  joined  with, 
which  has  the  influence  of  a  moral  cause  :  but  to  do  a  thing  by  another,  as 
the  necessary  organ,  or  physical  cause,  as  when  a  man's  hand  cannot  imme- 
diately cut  but  by  the  intervention  of  a  knife  or  sword.     Here — 

3.  I  utterly  deny  that  the  divine  nature  in  Christ  should  not  work  an  act 
of  mediation  in  us  and  for  us,  but  by  the  physical  virtue  or  instrumentality 
of  the  human  nature,  and  particularly  this  of  union  with  us,  for  which  to 
me  there  is  this  evidence.  The  saints  of  the  Old  Testament  were  united  to 
Christ  as  their  head  as  truly  as  we  ;  but  it  could  not  then  be  by  the  physical 
virtue  put  forth  by  the  human  instrumentality  of  such  a  kind.  For  that 
nature  was  not  in  respect  of  physical  existence  extant,  who  then  must  be  the 
immediate  uniter,  by  his  own  vis  or  power  exerted  in  it ;  and  it  is  certain 
such  a  power  must  have  been  exercised  in  it ;  who  but  the  second  Person 
subsisting  then  in  the  divine  nature,  or,  if  you  will,  the  divine  nature  sub- 
sisting in  the  person  ;  and  it  could  be  no  other,  that  either  he  who  was  extant 
then  must  himself  immediately  do  it ;  or  there  was  no  immediate  union  of 
Christ  at  all  to  any  saint  under  that  dispensation.  And  this  may  well  stand 
■^'ith  what  was  said  in  the  second  caiition,  that  the  virtual  consideration  of 
the  human  nature  to  be  one  day  united,  and  in  the  virtual  intuition  thereof, 
this  union  with  the  saints  was  then  made  as  well  as  now ;  yet  it  was  not  so 
as  that  any  vis,  or  physical  virtue  of  that  nature,  could  be  instrumental,  as 
by  which  it  might  be  said  that  the  divine  nature  did  it  by  the  human ;  the 
divine  nature  of  the  second  Person,  that  was  the  immediate  cause  of  it.  A 
man  doth  a  thing  in  the  virtue  of  a  law,  or  order  of  state,  but  yet  himself 
doth  the  act  immediately;  so  the  second  Person,  that  then  acted  in  the 
virtue  of  God's  ordination  of  the  manhood,  and  his  own  undertaking  that  he 
should  be  man,  and  sustaining  that  person.  And  surely  if  he  did  thus  unite 
himself  before,  he  may  do  it  now  the  humanity  is  assumed ;  for — besides 
the  former  reasons,  which  will  reach  to  prove  this — otherwise  the  saints  of 
the  Old  Testament  should  have  a  higher  union,  and  so  a  greater  privilege 
thereby,  than  we  now  under  the  New  have.  For  their  union  was  the  imme- 
diate act  of  the  divine  nature,  and  the  Godhead  in  the  second  Person  dwelt 
immediately  in  them  then,  which  now  dwells  in  us  but  mediately  by  our 
union  with  the  human  nature,  and  the  divine  nature  dwells  but  secondarily 
in  us.  It  might  have  been  said  of  them  that  they  were  partakers  of  the 
divine  nature  in  such  a  manner  as  we  are  not.     Hence — 

4.  Although  the  second  Person,  as  he  is  God,  be  immediately  united,  yet 
the  ground  of  this  union  is  such  as  is  proper  and  peculiar  to  him  as  he  is 
God-man  ;  as  it  may  not  be  alleged  as  an  absurdity  upon  this  my  assertion, 
that  if  the  second  Person  so  dwell  as  God  in  us,  that  then  upon  the  same 
account  the  other  two  persons  may  be  said  to  dwell  in  us  too,  for  they  are 
God  as  well  as  he.     Thus  the  Papists  urge. 

But  for  answer,  the  fallacy  lies  in  this,  that  though  his  union  with  us  be 


EpH.  III.  17.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  403 

as  he  is  God,  as  the  subject  of  this  indwelling,  yet  for  the  ground  of  that 
his  uniting  himself,  as  God,  to  us,  it  is  not  as  God  simply  considered,  but  as 
dwelling,  or  ordained  to  dwell  in  our  nature  personally,  which  additional 
empowered  him  for  the  union ;  but  this  additional  ground  is  wanting  in  the 
other  two  persons.  And  although  the  persons  of  them  dwell  in  us,  subjec- 
tively considered,  as  they  are  God  as  well  as  he ;  yet  they  take  of  his,  for 
the  ground  of  that  their  dwelling  in  us,  they  borrow  that  from  him.  It  is 
certain  that,  had  not  the  divine  person  in  Christ  had  personal  union  with 
that  man  Jesus,  that  neither  God  the  Father  nor  the  Spirit  had  ever  come  to 
dwell  in  us,  nor  the  second  Person  himself  neither ;  it  is  in  the  virtue  of  this 
that  they  all  dwell  in  us.  And  so  this  my  assertion,  as  it  introduceth  not  a 
ground  common  unto  the  other  two  persons  with  him,  the  second  Person, 
and  sole  Mediator,  but  borrows,  as  it  were,  the  ground  of  their  indwelling 
from  him,  and  thai  of  his ;  so  it  may  be  improved  to  prove  that  he  as  God 
is  the  ground,  yea,  the  sole  means  of  our  union  with  the  Deity,  and  so  may 
well  be  allowed,  in  the  application  of,  or  effecting  this  union  in  us,  to  be  the 
first  indweller  himself,  and  first  to  unite  himself  unto  us.  And  thereby  is 
it  that  the  other  persons  come  and  make  their  habitation  with  us ;  that 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  come  and  make  their  abode  with  us,  as 
Christ  says. 

But,  secondly,  it  may  be  added  that  his  union  with  the  human  nature  was 
not  only  the  ground  of  the  other  two  persons  dwelling  in  us  and  his  own, 
which  is  an  honour  proper  to  him ;  but  further,  that  there  is  some  special 
peculiarity  in  the  union  itself  which  he  hath  with  us,  that  is  not  found  in 
the  union  of  the  other  two  persons  with  us ;  for  he  unites  himself  to  us  as 
our  husband,  and  so  in  an  appropriate  way  the  relation  of  husband  speaks 
union,  as  the  special  fruit  of  it,  or  indeed  in  which  it  consists,  and  distin- 
guishes the  person  of  him  that  is  so  from  aU  others.  Now  that  relation,  as 
Zanchy  observes,  is  properly  Christ's,  and  so  as  not  the  Father's  nor  the 
Spirit's.  It  was  the  voice  of  the  Son  before  the  human  nature  assumed,* 
Hos.  ii.  19,  20,  *I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  for  ever;  yea,  I  will  betroth 
thee  unto  me  in  righteousness,  and  in  judgment,  and  in  loving-kindness,  and 
in  mercies.  I  will  even  betroth  thee  unto  me  in  faithfulness  ;  and  thou  shalt 
know  the  Lord.'  And  he  is  the  Lord  there  utters  it,  whom  they  should 
know  as  a  wife  her  husband ;  there  must  be  some  further  specially  eminent 
thing  in  our  union  with  Christ  as  our  husband  that  is  not  in  our  union  with 
the  other  two ;  for  as  the  relation  of  union  is,  such  must  the  union  itself  be. 

Thirdly,  That  it  is  by  virtue  of  his  being  our  Mediator  in  both  natures, 
that  his  divine  nature  cometh  to  dwell  immediately  in  us,  and  all  the  whole 
virtue  be  fundamentally  in  him  as  he  is  God  and  second  Person,  and  that  is 
the  virtue  of  drawing  us  into  union  with  himself;  as  it  is  the  loadstone  it- 
self that  draws  the  iron,  yet  it  exerts  this  more  efficaciously  when  set 
in  steel,  yet  stUl  so  as  each  nature  works  in  every  mediatory  act  proper  to 
each  nature  ;  hence  the  divine  nature  in  the  second  Person  dwells  in  us  as 
he  is  God.  The  man  Jesus  dwells  in  us  according  to  his  capacity  as  he  is 
man,  yet  both  joining  still  so  to  do  according  to  their  ability  proper  to 
each. 

These  things  have  been  concerning  our  union  with  Christ,  but  the  main 
thing,  fourthly,  is  Christ's  dwelling  in  our  hearts  by  faith.  Let  there  be  a 
union  of  Christ  in  us,  as  hath  been  spoken  before,  yet  you  will  say.  What 
is  aU  this  to  his  dwelling  in  us  by  faith  1     Why  do  you  make  this  query  ? 

*  '  Hsec  fuit  vox  filii  ante  carnem  assumptam  ad  suam  ecclesiam.' — Zanihius  de  Spiri- 
tuali  Conjugio. 


404  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF  [EpH.  III.  17. 

Why,  his  dwelling  by  faith  in  us  is  only  on  our  parts,  whereas  now  his  person 
dwelling  in  us,  as  hath  been  discoursed,  that  as  his  dwelling  in  us  is  on  his 
part ;  and  the  Apostle  doth  not  pray  here  that  Jesus  Christ's  person  might 
dwell  in  our  persons,  but  that  we  acting  faith  upon  him  on  all  occasions, — 
and  we  have  all  occasion  so  to  do, — he  might  thereby  manifest  himself  in 
our  hearts.  Christ  dwelling  in  us  by  faith  is  not  the  dwelling  of  his  person 
in  our  persons,  for  he  takes  hold  of  us  before  we  believe,  and  works  faith  in 
us,  but  it  is  when  our  faith  hath  taken  hold  of  him.  He  dwells  in  us  by 
the  continual  acting  of  our  faith  upon  him  ;  and  this  is  after  our  conversion. 

My  brethren,  there  is  a  threefold  union  with  Christ.  The  first  is  relative, 
whereby  we  are  said  to  be  his  and  he  ours.  As  you  know  he  is  called  our 
husband,  and  the  church  is  called  his  wife ;  and  before  husband  and  wife 
company  together  there  is  such  a  relation  made  by  marriage  ;  and  the  hus- 
band may  be  in  one  place,  and  the  wife  in  another,  so  that  there  can  be  no 
communion  between  them,  and  yet  be  man  and  wife.  So  is  the  union  between 
Christ  and  you  as  complete  in  the  relation,  before  he  act  anything  upon  you, 
though  he  be  in  heaven  and  you  on  earth,  as  if  you  were  in  heaven  with  him. 
The  second  is  an  actual  inbeing  of  his  person,  which  is  as  the  soul  dwells 
in  the  body.  The  third  is  objective,  by  way  of  object :  when  by  faith  we 
view  Christ  as  the  faculty  doth  view  an  object ;  as  the  sight  of  a  person  doth 
let  down  the  idea  of  him  into  the  heart  of  another.  Christ  as  the  object  of 
faith  is  said  to  dwell,  and  to  dwell  in  us  so  far  as  we  act  faith  towards  him ; 
this  is  that  the  Apostle  prays  for.  He  prays  not  that  his  person  may  dwell 
in  them,  but  that  he  might  dwell  in  them  by  faith.  Brethren,  to  explain 
this  to  you,  what  is  it  for  Christ  to  dwell  by  faith  :  I  shall  give  you  these 
assertions  to  explain  it : — 

Assertion  1. — It  is  an  operative  dwelling  :  the  person  of  Christ  may  be 
in  us,  and  is  in  us,  when  faith  doth  not  operate  and  work  in  us ;  there  may 
be  that  real  inbeing.  As  when  a  man  is  in  a  swoon,  his  soul  is  in  him  ;  and 
when  the  arm  is  out  of  joint,  it  is  still  united  to  the  body  and  the  head,  but 
it  cannot  operate ;  which  is  the  case  of  men  when  they  fall  into  presump- 
tuous sins.  For  Christ  to  dwell  in  us  by  faith  is  that  there  may  be  a  con- 
tinual eying  of  Christ,  and  acting  on  Christ  by  us,  as  an  object  who  hath 
virtue  to  convey  into  us,  and  to  come  in  upon  our  hearts,  and  work  upon 
our  souls  ;  that  is  the  first :  for  Christ  to  dwell  in  our  hearts  by  faith  is  by 
operation  and  working,  whereof  faith  is  the  instrument. 

Assertion  2. — That,  the  person  of  Christ  dwelling  in  us,  there  are  thou- 
sands of  operations  and  influences  of  Christ's  person  in  us  whereto  our 
faith  contributes  nothing.  Christ's  working  in  us  is  not  to  be  limited  to 
that ;  it  were  ill  for  us  if  it  were  so.  Jesus  Christ  works  a  thousand  and  a 
thousand  operations  in  our  souls  to  which  our  faith  concurs  nothing ;  it 
were  iU  for  us  if  Christ  did  work  no  more  in  us  than  we  have  faith  for ;  our 
faith  is  too  narrow  to  limit  and  bound  his  operations  by.  I  will  give  you 
an  instance.  There  were  two  disciples  went  to  Emmaus,  but  they  knew  not 
that  Christ  talked  with  them ;  yet,  said  they,  he  warmed  our  hearts ;  and 
yet  they  did  not  believe  nor  act  faith  upon  him.  Christ  dwells  in  us  and 
works  in  us,  when  we  act  not  and  know  not  our  union,  nor  that  it  is  he  that 
works.  But,  saith  the  Apostle,  I  pray  that  Christ  may  do  nothing,  but  that 
your  faith  might  go  along  with  him  in  it.  Oh  !  that  were  blessed  and  glo- 
rious indeed,  that  Christ  should  do  eveiything  in  you,  and  for  you,  through 
your  believing  and  exercising  your  faith  on  him  for  it ;  and  so  that  through 
your  faith  on  Christ  all  might  be  derived  unto  you ;  and  that  the  whole 
management  of  the  dispensations  of  God  towards  you  might  be  by  faith ; 


EpH.  III.  17.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  405 

and  that  we  might  attain  the  highest  indwellings  and  operations  in  us  through 
faith. 

Assertion  3. — That  when  the  Apostle  prays  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your 
hearts  by  faith,  it  is  not  only  by  ftiith  as  justifying,  but  all  sorts  of  ways 
whatsoever,  whereby  we  are  to  exercise  faith  upon  Christ,  and  that  through 
all  ways  whatsoever ;  and  that  thereby  Christ  might  still  take  their  hearts, 
and  dwell  in  their  hearts,  be  the  occasion  what  it  will  be  ;  whatsoever  it  be 
in  Christ  that  is  considered  and  eyed  by  them.  My  brethren,  Jesus  Christ, 
whole  Christ,  contains  a  wonderful  deal  more  than  as  the  object  of  your  faith 
justifying;  Jesus  Christ  is  a  mighty  large  thing  for  your  faith  and  your 
thoughts  to  work  upon.  All  that  you  know  of  his  person,  all  that  you  know 
he  hath  done  and  will  do,  all  these  are  matter  for  the  exercise  of  your  faith 
on  Christ.  Jesus  Christ  serves  for  infinite  other  things  than  to  justify  us, 
and  faith  serves  for  infinite  other  things  than  to  justify  us ;  yet  this  I  must 
add,  that  no  man  can  act  faith  upon  Christ  heartily,  spiritually,  or  efi'ectually, 
for  other  things,  that  hath  not  first  acted  faith  upon  Christ  for  justification. 
If  a  man  have  not  acted  faith  for  his  justification  on  Christ,  he  wiU  have  no 
heart  to  go  to  him  for  sanctification,  deliverance,  freedom  from  wrath,  hell, 
and  other  things.  No,  according  as  we  act  on  him  for  justification,  we  shall 
act  on  him  for  other  things ;  but  all  I  drive  at  here  is  to  shew  that  faith  is 
acted  on  Christ  for  other  things  beside  justification.  Gal.  ii.  19,  '  I  am  dead 
to  the  law,'  saith  the  Apostle,  '  that  I  might  live  unto  God ; '  to  live  to  God 
is  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian,  and  not  only  to  live  the  life  of  justification ; 
and  then  he  adds,  ver.  20,  '  I  am  crucified  with  Christ :  nevertheless  I  live ; 
yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  :  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh 
is  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.'  Hence  I  gather  that  Christ's  living  in 
him  extends  not  to  justification  only,  but  to  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian ; 
he  adds  also  that  Christ's  living  in  him  is  by  faith,  and  that  the  whole  course 
of  his  life  in  this  world  is  by  faith.  So  that  this  I  gather  as  a  strong  argu- 
ment, that  all  the  life  of  the  Apostle  to  God,  every  manner  of  way,  whether 
natural  or  spiritual,  it  was  by  faith  on  Christ. 

My  brethren,  take  the  whole  of  Jesus  Christ,  whatsoever  you  can  know  of 
him,  or  learn  of  him,  for  you  to  act  faith  upon  him,  to  view  him  as  such, 
thereby  Jesus  Christ  is  let  down  into  your  souls  dweUing  in  you,  making 
impressions  upon  your  souls  according  to  what  you  know  of  him ;  and  he 
doth  accordingly  work  in  you  dispositions  to  him,  adorations  of  him,  accord- 
ing as  you  know  him  ;  so  he  works  also  in  you  affections  to  him,  and  all  holy 
impressions  whatsoever  :  so  he  works  in  you  according  as  you  act  faith  on 
him,  or  think  of  him  in  any  consideration  whatsoever,  whether  in  his  death, 
or  resurrection,  or  any  other  consideration. 

Brethren,  set  your  hearts  to  think  on  Christ  as  dying  for  your  sins,  and  see 
what  dispositions  of  heart  this  works  in  your  souls  unto  Christ ;  and  so  go 
over  other  considerations  of  Christ ;  inure  your  hearts  thus  to  think  of  Christ 
and  join  prayer  to  God  to  work  with  you,  and  you  wUl  find  that  going  from 
one  thing  to  another,  all  of  Christ  will  aff"ect  your  heart ;  and  Jesus  Christ 
hereby  works  upon  you,  applieth  himself  to  you,  supplies  you,  and  changeth 
your  heart  into  his  likeness  and  image. 

Grace  in  us  should  be  so  wrought  in  us  to  such  a  height  as  that  nothing 
but  the  image  of  Christ  should  be  in  the  actings  of  our  hearts ;  and  that 
there  should  be  in  us  dispositions  suitable  to  everything  we  know  and  believe 
of  Christ,  that  so  Christ,  thus  in  his  image,  may  indeed  dwell  in  your  hearts 
by  faith ;  for  the  image  of  Christ  in  you  is  called  Christ :  and  I  might  give 
you  scriptures  for  it. 


406  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OP  [EPH.  III.  17. 

Act  faith  on  Christ  as  dying  for  you,  und  you  shall  see  that  it  will  make 
a  lust  to  shrink  and  die  in  you.  As  one  said  of  a  lust  at  a  sacrament,  that 
when  he  acted  fLvith  on  Christ  as  dying,  his  lust  shrunk  and  skulked  pre- 
sently ;  so  would  it  be  with  us  :  and  indeed  we  need  no  other  religion  but 
this,  to  act  faith  upon  Christ  constantly,  and  then  we  should  find  all  this  in 
us ;  though  we  are  apt  to  be  discouraged  that  we  fiind  it  not  presently. 


EpH.  III.  16-21.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  407 


THE  SECOND  SERMON  ON  EPHESIANS  III.  16-21. 

That  he  would  grant  yoni,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  he  strength- 
ened with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner  man  ;  that  Christ  may  dwell 
in  your  hea)-ts  by  faith;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may 
he  able  to  comprehend  tvith  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth,  and  height ;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth 
knowledge,  that  ye  might  be  filed  tvith  all  the  fulness  of  God.  Now  unto 
him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  can  ask  or 
think,  according  to  the  power  that  worketh  in  us,  unto  him  be  glory  in 
the  church  by  Christ  Jesus  throughout  all  ages,  world  without  end. 
Amen. 

It  is  tlie  prayer  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  according  to  the  elevation  of  liis  own 
experience,  whicli  he  wisheth  and  prayeth  that  all  saints  may  be  brought 
unto,  that  -with  all  saints  you  may  be  'able  to  comprehend  what  is  the  length, 
and  breadth,'  &c.  There  are  several  petitions,  and  you  need  seek  no  con- 
nexion of  them  one  with  another,  as  you  do  not  in  the  Lord's  Prayer;  they 
are  as  pearls  upon  a  string. 

The  Apostle  doth  involve  and  enwrap  into  this  prayer  here  the  principal 
interests  and  efficacies  of  all  three  persons,  and  what  they  do  for  us  after 
our  conversion.  Here  is  the  Spirit,  and  what  he  is  principally  to  do  for  us : 
ver.  16,  to  '  strengthen  us  in  the  inner  man  with  might  by  his  Spirit.'  Here 
is  what  more  properly  concerns  Jesus  Christ  to  do  for  us :  it  is  *  that  Christ 
may  dweU  in  your  hearts  by  faith.'  Here  is  what  concerns  the  Father : '  that 
you  may  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,'  in  his  love,  '  and  may  be  able  to 
comprehend  with  all  saints  the  height,'  &c.  I  understand  these  words  to 
belong  to  the  Father,  because  it  follows,  '  that  ye  might  know  the  love  of 
Christ.'     And  there  is  the  height  of  all,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost : 

*  that  you  may  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God,'  and  that  which  is  in 
God.     That  is  the  first  observation  ;  it  comprehends  all  three  persons. 

I  put  it  in,  it  is  what  they  do  for  us  after  conversion;  for  when  he  says, 

*  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith,'  he  doth  not  mean  that  you 
are  to  be  converted,  but  he  supposeth  an  inner  man;  it  is  not  the  union 
with  Christ,  but  Christ  after  dwelling  in  us,  it  is  what  is  done  for  us  after 
conversion.  He  prays  for  men  supposed  already  converted;  he  prays  for 
them,  and  all  saints,  who  are  already  saints.  So  as  this  thing  concerns  men 
converted  already. 

The  third  is,  he  prays  for  such  things  as  are  attainable  in  this  life.  Whyl 

*  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith.'  Faith  is  not  in  the  other 
life ;  Christ  doth  not  so  dwell  here  in  our  hearts,  neither  are  we  so  rooted 
in  love  against  all  doubts  and  diffidences  of  the  love  of  God  towards  us. 
And  this  that  is  the  last,  to  be  'filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God;'  there  is 
a  forerunner  of  what  is  in  heaven  in  the  hearts  of  believers  here. 

Fourthly,  Observe  that  they  are  the  highest  things  attainable  by  Chris- 
tians. Paul  prays  here  according  to  the  utmost  latitude  he  would  have 
Christains  attain  unto,  when  he  prays  here  that  they  may  comprehend  with 


-408  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF      [EPH.  III.  16-21. 

all  saints  the  height,  &c.  His  meaning  is  not  that  all  saints  did  attain  it, 
but  he  prays  that  they  may  attain  it;  to  enjoy  all  the  fulness  of  God  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  the  highest  thing  in  heaven,  when  God 
shall  be  all  in  all;  it  is  a  thing  beyond  the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of 
Christ,  it  comes  after  all ;  it  is  the  highest  thing  he  prays  for,  yet  attainable. 
And  because  it  is  the  highest  he  could  ask,  therefore  it  is  he  concludes  his 
prayer  thus :  '  Xow  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above 
aU  that  ve  are  able  to  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power,'  &c.  The 
meaning  I  take  to  be  this.  He  here  asks  such  high  things  for  you,  as  are 
beyond  the  thoughts,  the  ordinary  thoughts  of  Christians;  he  doth  not  in- 
tend to  ask  heaven  now,  but  to  ask  what  is  in  this  world  to  be  given,  and 
they  are  so  great  things  as  you  need  go  to  a  God  that  is  able  to  do  above 
what  you  are  able  to  ask  or  think,  in  the  abundancy  of  his  grace ;  above  all 
3'ou  are  able  to  think  by  what  experiences  you  yet  have  had  and  ordinarily 
have  attained  unto.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said.  There  are  things  attainable  com- 
prehended in  what  I  have  prayed  for  beyond  what  you  think,  and  beyond 
what  I  have  asked,  and  yet  they  are  attainable. 

Fifthly,  They  are  attainable  by  all  saints,  though  not  attained.  There- 
fore he  prays  that  they  may  '  comprehend  with  all  saints  ;'  not  that  they  do, 
but  that  they  may :  and  therefore  they  are  attainable. 

The  use  of  these  animadversions  or  observations. 

First,  It  is  matter  of  comfort.  Most  saints  will  say,  I  have  not  the 
experience  of  these  things  in  that  height  he  speaks  of.  But  thou  mayest  be 
a  saint  notwithstanding. 

Secondly,  Another  is  a  use  of  provocation,  that  we  would  set  ourselves 
to  seek  God  for  these  things.  In  respect  of  spiritual  attainments  that  we 
never  thought  of,  we  content  ourselves,  and  think  it  a  great  matter  to  be  in 
a  state  of  grace,  and  to  have  an  interest  in  Christ;  but  be  not  so  content, 
but  ask  for  things  that  are  above  what  you  are  able  to  ask  or  think :  so 
doth  the  Apostle  here.     I  have  done  with  the  general. 

I  come  to  the  second  petition,  ver.  1 7,  '  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your 
hearts  by  faith.'  This  I  would  open  as  my  present  task  and  work  ;  I  shall 
do  it  by  degrees ;  attend  from  one  step  to  another. 

There  may  be  these  questions  made  upon  it : — 

Quest.  1. — Why  doth  (he  mentions  the  three  persons,  as  you  heard)  why 
doth  he  not  say.  That  the  Spirit  may  dwell  in  you  by  faith  1  that  God  the 
Father  may  dwell  in  you  by  faith  ?  He  ascribes  that  as  more  proper  to  the 
Spirit,  that  he  strengthens  them  in  the  inner  man ;  but  when  he  comes  to 
Christ's  part,  '  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith : '  why  are 
faith  and  Christ  thus  coupled  ? 

The  answer  is  easy.  It  is  because  Christ  is  appointed  between  us  and 
the  Father  as  the  means  by  whom  and  through  whom  he  conveys  all  to  us, 
and  that  through  faith.  Rom.  iii.  25,  '  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a 
])ropitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,'  &c.  He  hath  set  him  forth,  and 
there  he  is  for  you  to  exercise  your  faith  upon.  As  he  hath  ordained  Jesus 
Christ  to  be  the  great  medium  or  means  betwixt  us  and  himself,  so  he  hath 
ordained  faith  as  the  principal  instrument  in  us  to  treat  with  Christ.  Look 
in  Acts  XX.  21 :  '  Testifying  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  You  see  that  conversion,  or  turning  the  soul,  that  is 
attributed  to  God,  to  him  as  the  object  of  it  especially ;  but  faith  is  pointed 
to  Jesus  Christ.  'Repentance  toward  Gud,  and  f^ith  toward  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.' 


EPH.  Ill,  16-21.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  409 

I  will  not  enlarge  further  upon  this  than  thus.  Brethren,  when  the  soul 
turns  to  God,  the  orderly  method  is  that  it  should  go  to  Jesus  Christ,  im- 
mediately and  first  to  him,  and  through  him  to  God,  and  in  him  to  God,  for 
pardon,  and  all  else.  John  xiv.  6,  '  No  man  comes  to  the  Father,  but  by 
me,' — they  .are  places  well  enough  known  to  you, — therefore  in  John  vl  45, 
'  They  shall  be  all  taught  of  God'  to  come  to  me,  says  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  The  Father,  when  he  means  to  save  a  soul,  directs  that  soul 
to  his  Son ;  the  soul  comes  humbly  before  God  the  Father,  and  God  the 
Father  says.  Go  to  my  Son  ;  he  secretly  teacheth  the  soul.  '  No  man  can 
come  unto  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him.  It  is 
written  in  the  prophets,  They  shall  be  all  taught  of  God.  Every  one  there- 
fore that  hath  heard,  and  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me.' 

Brethren,  it  is  certain  that  of  all  things  else,  we  in  our  own  natural  dis- 
positions are  most  remote  in  going  to  Christ.  We  go  to  the  Father,  and  to 
God ;  that  all  nations  do  by  a  natural  instiact ;  they  have  in  their  hearts  some 
knowledge  of  a  God,  and  will  run  to  their  own  performances,  and  they  wUl 
turn  to  God,  and  leave  their  sins,  and  set  up  duties  that  God  requires,  which, 
they  have  omitted,  but  still  they  will  not  go  to  Christ  till  the  Father  put  an 
instinct  into  them.  Why  did  the  beasts  go  into  the  arkl  God  put  an 
instinct  into  them,  that  they  should  go  by  couples ;  so  God  puts  an  instinct 
into  the  soul  to  go  to  Christ :  and  hence,  he  that  hath  heard  and  learned  of 
the  Father,  comes  to  me,  says  he.  And  therefore  faith  and  Christ  are 
coupled,  as  you  see,  and  yoked  in  this  place.  And  when  the  soul  hath  come 
to  Christ,  by  observing  and  seeing,  as  Joseph's  brethren  did  the  countenance 
of  Joseph,  what  his  countenance  is,  what  his  entertainment  is,  how  he  looks 
upon  them  :  2  Cor.  iv.  7,  therein  we  see  '  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ.' 

That  is  the  answer  to  the  first  question,  Why  faith  and  Christ  are  thus 
coupled  together  in  a  more  immediate  conjunction,  that  when  he  would  pray, 
that  he  say,  'that  Christ  may  dwell  in  the  heart  by  faith  V 

Another  question  is.  How  Christ  is  said  to  dwell  by  faith,  and  how  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  said  to  dwell  1 

But  a  second  thing  I  would  speak  to,  is  this  :  What  is  this  same  dwelling 
in  Christ  by  faith,  and  the  extent  of  it  ? 

Truly,  brethren,  I  shall  answer  it  at  last  more  fully.  In  the  meantime, 
it  is  not  justifying  faith  only ;  when  we  hear  of  Christ  and  faith,  presently 
we  think  it  is  putting  forth  an  act  of  justifying  faith.  No,  brethren,  it  is 
not  so  here,  Christ  doth  not  dwell  in  us  only,  nor  most  properly,  by  faith 
justifying.  It  is  called  justifying  faith  because  it  justifies ;  but  this  is  a 
dwelling,  Christ  dwelling.  Christ  justifying  us  is  but  one  act,  or  one  benefit 
which  he  bestows ;  but  here  is  a  dwelling,  and  this  extends  further.  The 
Apostle  supposeth  the  soul  justified,  but  that  he  may  dwell.  John  xv.  3,  4, 
'  Now  are  ye  clean  through  the  word  that  I  have  spoken  to  you.  Abide  in 
me,  and  I  in  you.'  Abiding  here  in  John,  and  Christ  dwelling  in  Paul,  are 
all  one.  Says  he,  'You  are  clean  ;'  that  is,  You  are  now,  through  my  grace 
and  Spirit  put  upon  you,  purified  by  faith,  you  are  regenerated,  and  it  hath 
been  wrought  much  by  my  word  that  I  have  spoken  to  you.  What  remains  ? 
AH  the  rest  of  your  lives  to  dwell  in  me,  and  I  to  dwell  in  you.  'Abide  in 
me,  and  I  in  you.'  Now  that  you  are  thus  made  clean,  that  is  the  next 
thing  you  are  called  upon  to  do 

My  brethren,  you  must  know  there  is  a  twofold  union  with  Christ,  and 
Christ  with  us  : — 

1,  A  relative  union;  that  is,  whereby  he  takes  upon  him  the  relation  of 


410  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF      [EPH.  III.  16-21. 

being  a  husband,  and  to  be  one  with  us  all  sorts  of  ways,  which  the  relations 
of  unity  do  express.  And  this  union  is  fully  and  completely  done  when 
first  we  are  turned  to  God,  and  when  Christ  first  takes  us,  as  ever  it  shall  be. 
Your  relation  doth  not  increase,  it  hath  not  degrees ;  your  union  with 
Christ,  that  he  is  one  with  you,  and  you  with  him,  in  respect  of  the  relation 
to  him,  is  complete.  As  in  marriage,  you  know  that  persons,  before  they 
come  to  commxmion  one  with  the  other,  are  as  much  man  and  wife  as  ever 
they  shall  be,  for  the  relation ;  but  then  he  takes  her  home  to  his  own 
house,  and  dwells  with  her,  forsakes  father  and  mother  and  cleaves  to  his 
wife,  and,  as  the  apostle  Peter  says,  they  dwell  together.  Just  so  it  is 
here  ;  the  relative  union  whereby  Christ  is  one  with  us,  and  we  with  him, 
as  man  and  wife,  as  aU  relations  else  that  speak  oneness,  is  fuU  and 
complete  at  first.  When  you  are  in  heaven,  you  are  not  more  in  Christ 
than  when  first  turned. 

2.  But  after  he  hath  taken  you,  there  is  both  a  substantial  union  and  a  com- 
mtmicative  union,  which  is  expressed  here  by  indwelling,  whereby  he  com- 
municates to  you  all  those  things  which  the  relative  union  serves  for.  A 
man  is  married  but  once,  but  they  do  communicate  one  with  the  other  all 
their  lives,  dweUing  together,  being  helps  one  to  the  other,  being  one  flesh, 
&c.  This  gives  some  light  to  John  xvii.  22,  23,  'The  glory  thou  gavest 
me  I  have  given  them,  that  they  may  be  perfect  in  one.'  Perfect  in  one  ! 
not  till  they  are  in  glory.  So  then  the  communication  of  holiness,  and  the 
communication  of  glory,  are  but  still  consummating  that  union  which  the 
relation  first  brought  in.  So  then,  you  may  understand  what  it  is  for  Christ 
to  dwell  in  the  heart.  Take  the  first,  it  is  for  him  to  communicate  all  good 
things  that  the  Father  hath  appointed  him  to  bestow  upon  us ;  but  then, 
secondly,  it  imports  that  we  receive  them  by  faith,  and  by  faith  fetch  them 
from  him.  This  is  the  ground  why  it  is  called  an  indwelling,  and  what  is 
meant  by  it. 

The  next  question  wHl  be.  What  faith  is  towards  Christ,  by  which  he 
dwells  in  us,  as  the  apostle  here  prays  1 

Brethren,  it  is  not  faith  justifying  only ;  I  do  not  find  that  Christ  is  said 
to  dwell  in  us  by  that,  though  it  is  part  of  it ;  but  it  is  that  faith  wherewith 
we  any  way  deal  with  Christ,  for  anything  whatsoever.  Faith  in  Christ  is 
not  only  faith  justifying;  faith  hath  to  do  with  Christ  for  a  multitude  of 
things  to  be  communicated  to  the  soul  besides  justification.  I  use  to  say 
there  are  three  things  adequate  one  to  the  other.  There  is  God  the  Father's 
grace  bestowing,  Jesus  Christ's  redemption  meriting  and  bestowing,  and  there 
is  faith  in  us  to  apprehend  and  apply  all  these.  These  three  are  adequate, 
that  is  to  say,  of  like  extent  in  the  subordination  of  the  one  to  the  other. 
For  example,  all  that  was  in  God's  heart  to  bestow,  all  grace,  of  what  kind 
soever,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  made  the  instrument  of  purchasing;  there  is 
not  anything  which  God  the  Father  means  to  bestow,  but  God  the  Son 
hath  purchased  it,  and  serves  God  and  his  purposes  in  bestowing  it  upon 
VIS :  so  as  there  is  not  that  thing  in  the  heart  of  God  to  be  given  to  us,  but 
Jesus  Christ  answerably  procures  it,  and  endows  us  vsdth  it.  So  that  Christ 
is  adequate  to  all  God's  purposes  whatsoever.  Then  come  we  to  ourselves. 
There  is  a  little  principle  called /ai<A,  which  goes  out  of  itself  both  unto  God 
and  unto  Christ;  and — mark  what  I  say — all  that  ever  Jesus  Christ  pur- 
chased, and  that  Jesus  Christ  shall  bestow  on  us,  faith  is  the  instrument  that 
shall  receive  it,  and  go  to  Christ  for  it.  There  is  not  that  thing  in  the 
heart  of  God  but  Christ  hath  purchased;  there  is  not  that  thing  Christ 
hath  purchased  and  means  to  bestow,  but  faith  is  the  instrument  to  appre- 


EPH.  in.  16-21.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  411 

Lend  and  apply  it.  Now  justification  is  but  one  piece,  but  there  are  many 
things,  I  know  not  how  many  things  else,  which  Christ  hath  to  bestow  upon 
us  besides  justifying  us;  and  we  have  a  principle,  namely,  faith,  in  us,  that 
serves  not  only  for  justifying,  but  sanctifying,  for  strength,  obedience,  every- 
thing. Hence  then  it  is  not  only  faith  justifying,  but  faith  upon  Christ  all 
sorts  of  ways ;  fiiith  answers  to  the  whole  of  Christ,  and  it  is  not  only  faith 
justifying,  but  faith  in  the  whole  extent  of  it,  wherein  we  do  receive,  or  may 
receive,  anything  from  Christ,  and  thereby  he  dwells. 

The  next  question  is,  What  is  it  to  have  Christ  thus  dwell  in  the  heart  by 
faith? 

Supposing  faith  taken  in  this  large  sense,  I  shall  answer  two  ways  ; — 

1.  By  the  reality  of  the  thing. 

2.  By  the  metaphor  of  dwelhng. 

First,  By  the  reality  of  the  thing.  Take  it  as  the  Apostle  prays  for  it, 
and  he  prays  for  the  highest,  it  is  to  have  a  spiritual  sight  and  knowledge 
of  Christ,  which  makes  him  present  to  the  soul,  whole  Christ,  and  especially 
his  person,  and  with  him  all  that  we  know  of  him,  or  hear  of  him,  as  occasion 
is  to  make  use  of  it;  which  sight  and  knowledge  doth  withal  let  Christ 
down  into  the  heart,  and  afiiects  all  there,  takes  possession  of  the  heart,  and 
doth  this  in  a  constancy;  this,  as  Paul  prays  for  it,  is  the  indwelling  of 
Christ  by  faitL     I  shall  speak  to  every  one  of  these. 

First,  It  is  to  have  Jesus  Christ  continually  in  one's  eye,  an  habitual 
sight  of  him.  I  call  it  so,  because  a  man  actually  thinks  not  always  of 
Christ ;  but  as  a  man  doth  not  look  up  to  the  sun  continually,  yet  he  sees 
the  light  of  it,  so  here  faith,  in  John  vi.  40,  is  called  the  seeing  of  Christ : 
'  Every  one  that  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him.'  And  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  speaking  of  himself,  says.  Psalm  xvi.,  '  I  have  set  the 
Lord  always  before  me.'  So  therein  ye  should  carry  along,  and  bear  along 
in  your  eye,  the  sight  and  knowledge  of  Christ,  so  as  stUl  there  is  at  least  a 
presence  of  him  accompanies  you  which  faith  makes. 

Secondly,  It  is  a  spiritual  sight  of  him,  it  is  to  know  him  as  the  truth  is 
in  Jesus,  really,  that  makes  faith  to  differ  from  all  the  faith  that  is  in  the 
world. 

Thirdly,  It  is  whole  Christ  to  dwell,  and  the  whole  of  him,  to  dwell  in  you 
by  faith  ;  it  is  Christ  in  the  text,  not  Christ  as  justifying  or  dying  only,  but 
the  whole  of  him ;  for  there  is  that  in  faith  that  is  capable  to  take  in  the 
whole  of  him,  and  for  him  to  affect  the  heart  accordingly.  There  is  a  parallel 
scripture  to  this.  Gal.  i.  16,  *  When  it  pleased  God  to  reveal  his  Son  to  me.' 
For  Christ  the  Son  to  reveal  himself  to  a  man,  it  is  for  the  whole  of  himself 
to  dwell  in  the  heart  by  faith.  It  is  not  only  revealing  Christ  to  me,  but  it 
is  revealing  Christ  in  me.  Oh,  it  hath  been  a  vain  and  wicked  imagination, 
that  every  man  hath  a  Christ  within  him,  only  it  is  not  revealed,  and  the 
work  of  salvation  is  but  revealing  what  is  in  the  heart  already  :  whereas  for 
Christ  to  be  revealed  in  us,  is  for  Christ  to  be  so  revealed  as  to  be  in  the 
midst  of  us,  and  for  Jesus  Christ  to  dwell  in  the  heart  continually,  receiving 
in  abundance  of  him  ;  and  to  have  the  image  and  representation  of  all  he  is, 
and  that  I  know  by  him,  in  my  heart ;  and  it  is  whole  Christ,  not  one  piece  of 
Christ.  Brethren,  the  whole  of  Christ,  and  not  one  piece  of  him  only,  all 
his  words,  and  all  his  speeches,  is  Christ  dwelling  in  you  by  faith ;  you 
receive  all  them,  it  is  whole  Christ. 

Fourthly,  It  is  all  of  Christ,  all  about  him.  You  read  of  a  great  many 
things  of  Christ,  of  his  dying,  rising,  how  he  walked,  what  he  is  to  his  people 
in  his  relations,  in  his  dealings.     K  faith  hath  Christ  present  with  the  soul. 


412  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OP      [E-pH.  III.  16-21. 

and  knows  but  any  one  thing,  more  and  more  of  Christ,  thereby  is  Christ 
said  to  dwell  in  the  soul,  by  letting  him  into  the  soul  and  into  the  heart, 
and  affecting  the  heart  with  him.  Saith  the  Apostle,  Gal.  iv.  19,  *  I  am  in 
travail  with  you  till  Christ  be  formed  in  you.'  He  speaks  it  of  the  point  of 
justification.  Christ  justifies  by  restoring  their  faith  to  that  again,  and 
drawing  their  hearts  to  seek  it  in  Christ :  thi^  is  Christ  formed  in  them,  for 
that  thing  to  take  my  heart  and  possess  my  soul,  is  for  Christ  in  and  by  that 
particular  thing  to  dwell  in  me.  John  xv.,  *  If  you  abide  in  me,  and  my 
words  abide  in  you,'  &c. ;  abiding  is  dwelling.  Let  him  dwell  and  have  a 
power  upon  my  soul,  this  is  for  Christ  to  abide ;  every  beam  of  Christ  is 
Christ  dwelling  himself,  being  present  by  faith  to  the  soul. 

Fifthly,  When  Christ,  and  all  of  Christ,  every  beam  of  him,  is  not  only 
known,  but  takes  and  affects  my  heart.  You  see  the  heart  is  made  the  sub- 
ject of  Christ's  dweUing ;  it  is  not  to  dwell  in  the  notion,  in  your  brains. 
You  have  no  more  of  Christ  dwelhng  than  as  your  hearts  are  affected.  This 
is  express,  2  Cor.  iii.  18,  '  We  all,  beholding  with  open  face  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  by  the  Spirit  ot 
the  Lord.'  First,  there  is  spiritual  beholding  ;  he  speaks  of  Christ :  and  of 
what  of  Christ  1  Not  only  of  his  person,  but  of  all  that  is  to  be  known  of 
Christ.  Adam's  graces  had  not  glory,  but  all  of  Christ  hath.  It  is  such  a 
beholding  as,  letting  Christ  and  his  glory  into  the  soul,  doth  change  it,  turn 
it,  leave  the  impressions  upon  a  man  ;  and  this  is  done  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord.  By  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  meant ;  for  he  said 
in  the  words  before,  '  The  Lord  is  that  Spirit.'  Christ  himself  is,  and  he  by 
his  force  and  power,  when  he  comes  into  the  soul,  doth  change  it,  fill  it, 
quicken,  strengthen  it,  and  leaves  impressions  upon  it.  As  the  burning- 
glass  contracts  all  the  beams  of  the  sun  to  a  point,  but  it  is  the  beams  of  the 
sun  that  sets  on  fire  the  cloth,  so  it  is  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  that  tires  our 
hearts.     Thus  to  know  Christ  is  to  dwell  in  him. 

Lastly,  I  said  in  a  constancy ;  that  is  it  Paul  prays  for,  the  very  word 

*  dwelling'  imports  so  much.  What !  by  faith  as  sleepy,  idle  1  No,  it  is  by 
faith  as  acting.  What !  to  possess  him  by  fits  1  No,  to  enjoy  him,  and  to 
have  the  heart  taken  with  him,  for  some  constancy.     The  expressions  for 

*  dwelling'  in  Scripture  are  plain.  '  Abide  in  me,'  says  he  ;  do  not  stir  out 
of  doors  from  me,  for  I  dwell  in  you ;  do  you  '  abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you.' 
Jesus  Christ  is  ordained  to  be — if  we  had  faith  enough  to  keep  him  in  our 
hearts — a  constant  dweller  by  faith,  and  he  dwells  actually.  '  We  will  come 
and  make  our  abode  with  him,'  says  he,  John  xiv.  23. — By  this  you  have 
explained  what  it  is  for  Christ  to  dwell  in  the  heart  by  faith. 

To  give  you  some  particulars  : — • 

First,  Take  the  person  of  Christ,  to  have  a  sight  of  his  person,  to  have 
that  along  in  the  preciousness  of  it,  in  the  valuation  of  it.  I  have  seen  the 
King  of  Glory,  saith  Isaiah.  He  speaks  it  of  Christ.  To  have  Christ  dying, 
and  Christ  rising,  and  Christ  ascending,  and  not  only  so,  but  Christ  himself. 
Brethren,  the  intercourse  between  this  indweller  and  our  souls  is  between 
persons,  those  that  dwell  in  the  same  house,  the  familiarity  is  between  per- 
sons ;  therefore  our  eyes  are  to  him.  '  To  you  he  is  precious,'  saith  he;  John 
xiv.,  '  I  will  manifest  myself  to  him.'     That  is  one  particular. 

This  is  attainable,  nay,  it  is  the  strength  of  the  import  of  Christ's  dwelling 
by  faith,  as  you  heard  out  of  the  1 6th  Psalm,  '  I  will  always  set  the  Lord 
before  me.'  This  should  so  take  the  heart,  that  your  souls  should  always 
have  the  impression,  the  image  of  the  grace  of  that  person,  of  his  meekness, 
holiness,  fear  of  the  Lord.     He  was  quick  in  understanding,  discerning  what 


EpH.  III.  16-21.J  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS,  413 

was  the  will  of  God,  and  what  not ;  he  had  the  fear  of  God  upon  him,  ho 
was  aiming  and  seeking  the  glory  of  God  continually.  These  were  the  graces 
of  his  person.  To  have  the  impressions  of  these  graces  left  upon  the  soul, 
this  is  for  Christ  to  dwell  in  you  by  faith.  You  shall  not  need  to  be  told 
Christ  was  meek  and  lowly;  no,  this  is  more  than  a  sermon  concerning 
Christ. 

Again,  It  is  to  know  Christ  in  all  his  work  of  mediation,  what  he  did  : 
that  he  was  circumcised,  that  he  was  derided,  crucified,  died,  rose  again, 
ascended,  sits  in  heaven ;  faith  taking  aU  these  things  of  Christ,  if  it  be  high, 
raised,  spiritual  faith,  such  as  Paul  here  prays  for,  it  will  leave  the  image  of 
all  these  acts  upon  your  hearts. 

Brethren,  though  we  content  ourselves  with  an  inner  man,  which  inner 
man  is  a  conformity  to  the  law  of  God  and  his  grace,  such  as  Adam  had, 
and  such  as  saints  under  the  Old  Testament  had ;  and  that  it  is  true,  and 
perfect,  and  good  grace,  I  acknowledge ;  and  it  is  a  piece  of  Christ,  for 
Jesus  Christ  had  the  law  written  in  his  heart,  hating  sin,  loving  righteous- 
ness, as  well  as  we,  as  Ps.  xl.  shews.  But  there  comes  upon  the  holiest 
conformity  to  the  law  in  us,  which  is  the  new  creature,  a  new  tincture. 
The  substance  was,  the  conformity  to  the  law,  the  holiness  that  is  agreeable 
to  the  law  ;  but  faith  comes  and  reveals  Christ,  and  God  by  faith  reveals  his 
Son  in  us ;  and  what  then  ?  "Whereas  I  had  hatred  to  sin  before,  I  looking 
upon  Christ  crucified,  I  die  to  sin,  upon  the  faith  and  consideration  of  it. 
Here  hatred  of  sin  is  now  dying  with  Christ  after  the  similitude  of  his  death. 
Here  what  Christ  did  by  way  of  mediation  for  us  leaves  impressions  and 
frames  the  heart  accordingly.  Faith  should  be  so  powerful  that  we  should 
no  sooner  think  of  Christ's  dying  but  lusts  should  die  :  in  like  manner,  that 
Jesus  Christ  rose,  that  when  I  consider  that  Jesus  Christ  rose  again  for  me, 
— Christ  is  risen  alive,  as  the  primitive  Christians  used  to  say, — that  there- 
fore the  soul  should  be  moved  to  live  in  newness  of  life,  finding  a  virtue  to 
come  from  the  thoughts  thereof.  Here  faith  brings  in  by  spiritual  sight  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  leaves  impressions  suitable ;  and  the  image  of  these 
things  are  wrought  in  the  soul,  and  become  motives  to  a  man  to  die  to  sin 
and  rise  to  holiness. 

0  brethren,  that  all  of  Christ  were  but  turned  into  our  hearts,  stUl  as  we 
know  him,  and  think  of  him ;  no  sooner  to  think  of  his  death,  but  to  die 
withal  to  the  world ;  no  sooner  to  think  of  his  being  crucified,  but  to  find 
lusts  tortured  and  shrinking :  so  no  sooner  to  think  of  Christ  circumcised, 
but  to  cast  off  the  foreskin  of  your  heart,  which  is  self-love.  So  as  not  only 
a  conformity  to  the  law  may  appear  in  it,  but  that  Christ  should  come  over 
again  with  a  new  image  of  his,  in  all  things  whereby  we  may  be  aifected 
of  him. 

Further,  if  you  grow  up  to  assurance, — for  here  he  prays  for  such  as  are 
rooted  and  grounded  in  the  love  of  God, — let  assurance  of  these  things  come 
in,  that  Christ  did  all  this  for  me ;  and  then  let  the  soul  deal  with  Christ 
about  every  particular  of  him,  in  their  kind,  as  done  for  it.  And,  oh,  how 
powerfully  will  every  particular  affect  the  heart,  with  suitable  reflections 
answering  thereunto  !  The  love  of  Christ  shewn  in  every  particular,  will 
constrain  us  into  affections  correspondent  thereunto.  Such  a  faith,  working 
by  love,  will  work,  directly  and  naturally,  dispositions  towards  Christ  in  the 
heart. 

Now  faith  of  assurance  will  be  able  to  apply  all  that  ever  Christ  hath 
done,  as  done  for  itself.  Such  a  one  will  run  over  all  the  Scriptures  again 
and  again ;  and  when  there  he  finds  Jesus  Christ  died  for  sinners,  This  is  for 


414  EXPOSITION  OP  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OP      [EPH.  III.  16-21. 

me,  saitli  lie ;  God  laid  the  iniquities  of  us  all  upon  Christ,  and  I  am  one  of 
the  number ;  he  bore  my  iniquities,  God  laid  them  all  upon  him.  Jesus 
Christ  is  risen,  this  he  did  for  me,  that  I  should  rise  in  newness  of  life  here ; 
and  in  the  meantime  he  is  gone  to  heaven,  and  there  he  keeps  a  place  for 
me.  And  this  way  of  application  I  understand  to  take  up  much  of  Paul's 
sense  in  that  Gal.  i.,  '  He  revealed  his  Son  in  me;'  I  know  all  he  did  was 
for  me.  And  this  application  of  Christ  you  find  in  Gal.  ii.,  '  I  live,  yet  not 
I,  but  Christ  in  me,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.' 

And  if  you  obtain  this  kind  of  application  of  Christ  by  way  of  assurance, 
it  will  cause  Christ  to  dwell  in  you,  and  yourselves  to  dwell  upon  Christ  to 
purpose.  You  shall  not  need  to  force  your  thoughts  into  the  meditation  of 
him,  but  it  will  cause  your  thoughts  to  dwell  upon  Christ  to  purpose,  that 
hath  done  thus  and  thus  for  you ;  and  that  continually  your  whole  life  in 
the  flesh,  as  Paul  there,  will  be  your  living  by  faith  on  the  Son  of  God. 

Thus  I  have  instanced  in  some  particulars  how  far  off  are  we  Christiana 
in  this  age  from  what  was  in  the  hearts  of  those  times,  and  was  in  this  great 
saint's  experience,  who  prayed  for  all  saints  after  this  rate,  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

Although  we  have  not  attained  all  this,  yet  let  us  seek  after  these  things, 
to  attain  them.  Let  us  not  content  ourselves  that  Christ  is  ours,  as  to  our 
state ;  but  let  us  seek  that  he  may  operatively  dwell  in  us  thus  by  faith. 
This  we  should  pray  for,  this  we  should  contend  after.  It  is  in  this  life  to 
be  had,  and  that  in  some  constancy,  else  he  would  never  have  prayed  for  it 
thus.  Do  not  content  yourselves  that  Christ  hath  a  relation  to  you,  but 
seek  this  completive  communicative  oneness,  which  is  the  filling  up  of  that 
relation. 


EpH.  V.  30-32.]  TKE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS,  415 


A  SERMON  ON  EPHESIANS  V.  30-32. 

For  we  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones.  For  this 
cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  shall  be  joined  unto 
his  wife,  and  they  two  shall  be  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great  mystery  :  but 
I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church. 

The  doctrine  of  the  gospel  hath  been  the  subject  which  I  have  designed  to 
handle ;  and,  in  the  first  place,  to  shew  that  it  was  God's  intention  that 
the  story  of  Adam — which  you  read  of  in  the  beginning  of  his  book,  in  the 
volume  of  his  book,  as  he  saith,  Heb.  iii.,  in  the  beginning  of  Genesis — 
should  hold  forth  a  shadow  and  type  of  the  most  fundamental  truths  of  the 
gospel :  so  that,  as  it  was  said  of  old  that  the  whole  creation  was  but  Deus 
explanatu^,  so  we  may  truly  say  that  the  story  of  Adam  is  nothing  else  but 
Christus  explanatus,  Christ  explained. 

First,  I  might  shew  that  in  Adam's  creation,  in  the  union  of  his  soul  to 
his  body,  the  dwelling  of  a  reasonable  soul  in  a  body  of  clay,  there  was  a 
shadow  of  the  dwelling  of  the  divine  nature  in  the  human  nature  of  Christ, 
out  of  1  Cor.  XV.  45,  where  the  Apostle  quotes  the  very  words,  when  Adam 
was  made  and  created,  to  be  a  type  or  a  forerunning  prophecy  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  true,  saith.  he,  *  the  first  man  Adam  was 
made  a  living  soul ; '  *  the  last  Adam/  typified  out  hereby,  *  Ls  a  quickening 
Spirit.' 

Secondly,  Take  the  condition  of  Adam's  soul  as  it  had  the  image  of  God 
in  it,  either  for  knowledge  or  else  for  holiness,  it  fell  infinitely  short  of  th.e 
state  of  believers  under  the  gospel,  if  their  holiness  were  made  complete  as 
his  was.  The  image  of  God  and  the  knowledge  of  God  in  Adam  was  natu- 
ral ;  it  was  but  in  a  natural  way,  suited  to  the  nature  of  man  as  he  is  reason- 
able and  as  he  is  man ;  it  was  merely  but  what  was  due  to  such  a  creature, 
if  God  would  make  him  such.  But  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  image  of 
God  that  follows  thereupon  under  the  gospel,  is  every  way  supernatural,  so 
as  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  hath  ear  heard,  as  the  Apostle  speaks  in  1  Cor.  ii.  9 ; 
nor,  as  it  is  quoted  out  of  Isa.  Ixiv.,  man  from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
no,  not  even  Adam  himself,  hath  known  '  the  things  that  thou  hast  pre- 
pared,' under  the  gospel,  '  for  them  that  love  thee.'  How  it  fell  short,  I 
cannot  now  stand  to  declare. 

Adam  was  made  according  to  the  image  of  God ;  the  image  of  God  in 
him  was  but  a  shadow  of  that  image  of  God  which  shines  in  Christ  the 
second  Adam,  and  which  he  stampeth  upon  the  hearts  of  believers,  they 
being  translated  and  transformed  into  his  image. 

As  Adam  in  his  creation  was  a  type  of  Christ  and  his  church,  so  when 
God  said.  Gen.  i.  2Q,  '  Let  us  make  man  after  our  image,  after  our  likeness,' 
— and  he  speaks  this  of  male  and  female  when  he  said  it, — he  intended  it  of 
Christ  and  his  church,  whom  then  he  had  in  his  eye,  and  had  set  up  as  the 
pattern  of  all.  So  as  indeed  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  was  the 
great  pattern  which  God  had  set  up,  and  man  made  at  first  was  but  as  a  little 


416  EXPOSITION  OF  TAEIOUS  PORTIONS  OF        [EPH.  V.  30-33. 

picture  taken  thereby.  Therefore  you  shall  find,  in  Heb.  i.,  that  as  Adam 
was  the  image  of  God,  so  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ  is  said  to  be  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person,  ver.  3,  and  the  brightness  of  his  glory.  So  that 
look  now  how  the  image  of  a  king  in  his  son,  or  how  the  image  of  a  man  in 
a  statue  of  brass,  from  head  to  foot,  doth  difiier  from  his  image  in  a  little 
tablet  which  you  carry  upon  your  breast ;  so  doth  the  image  of  God  in  Christ 
differ  from  that  image  which  he  stamped  upon  the  heart  of  man  even  in 
innocency. 

There  was  a  threefold  image  of  God  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ,  which 
exceeded  that  image  of  God  in  the  heart  of  Adam  : — 

There  was,  first,  that  essential  image,  as  he  is  the  second  Person  in  the 
Trinity,  which  is  as  invisible  as  God  himself 

But  then,  secondly,  in  Christ,  as  he  is  God-man,  in  whom  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead  dwells,  there  is  an  image  of  God  exceeds  all  the  image  of  God 
in  the  angels,  or  in  man  at  first ;  and  why  doth  it  exceed  it  1  Do  but  you 
consider  with  your  selves,  if  you  were  to  draw  the  picture,  the  image  of  a 
man,  is  there  not  more  in  the  face,  in  the  head,  than  there  is  in  all  the  body  ? 
So  there  is  more  in  our  head,  Christ,  than  there  is  in  all  saints  and  angels, 
than  there  is  in  the  church  itself,  much  more  than  was  in  Adam.  If  Jesus 
Christ,  as  I  then  said,  had  but  only  been  set  up  in  heaven,  for  us  to  gaze 
upon  his  person,  and  upon  all  the  excellences  of  God  that  do  shine  in  him, 
there  is  yet  such  a  brightness  of  glory  shines  therein  as  doth  not  in  all  the 
creatures,  nor  could  do,  though  God  had  made  never  so  many.  You  shall 
see  what  David  saith,  in  Ps.  xvii.  15,  foretelling  of  his  seeing  Christ  after 
the  resurrection.  '  As  for  me,'  saith  he,  '  I  will  behold  thy  face  in  righteous- 
ness :  I  shall  be  satisfied,  when  I  awake,  with  thine  image.'  His  meaning 
is  this,  I  comfort  myself  that  when  I  shall  awake,  that  is,  when  I  shall  rise 
again, — for  you  know  that  death  is  compared  to  a  sleep,  and  therefore  he 
expresseth  rising  again  by  being  awakened, — I  shall  be  satisfied  with  thine 
image,  that  is,  with  thy  Son  Christ. 

Thirdly,  Besides  the  image  of  God  which  shines  in  the  person  of  Christ, 
which  we  shall  see  in  heaven  when  we  awake,  as  David  shall  do,  there  is  an 
image  of  God  which  shines  in  the  works  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  he  did  here 
below ;  there  is  an  image  of  all  the  attributes  of  God  which  breaks  forth  in 
the  works  of  Christ's  mediation,  and  in  all  his  offices.  As  there  is  the  glory 
of  the  sun,  and  the  glory  of  the  beams  of  the  sun,  so  there  is  the  glory  that 
is  in  the  person  of  Christ,  and  the  image  of  God  that  is  there  ;  and  there  is 
the  image  of  God  that  shines  in  his  beams,  in  the  works  of  mediation  which 
he  hath  done,  and  the  fruits  and  benefits  of  it,  in  the  truths  that  have  been 
told  of  him  in  the  gospel.  And  as  Jesus  Christ  is  a  middle  person  between 
God  and  us,  so  the  story  of  his  works  of  mediation  put  together  presents  us 
with  a  middle  image  of  God,  between  that  in  his  person,  and  what  is  in  the 
creatures  besides.  So  as  indeed  God  did  set  him  up  as  an  image  by  which 
he  made  the  little  picture  of  Adam.  '  Let  us  make  man,'  saith  he,  '  accord- 
ing to  our  image  ;'  and  so  Adam  was  but  a  shadow  and  type  of  what  was  in 
Christ.  There  is  a  new  edition  of  aU  the  attributes  of  God  which  ariseth 
out  of  the  story  of  Christ.  And  though  as  God's  person  is  more  excellent 
than  his  works,  so  the  image  of  God  in  Christ's  person  is  more  excellent 
than  that  image  of  God  which  shines  in  his  works  ;  yet  even  in  the  works 
of  Christ  there  is  such  an  image  of  God  as  excels  the  image  of  God  in  angels 
or  in  all  the  creatures  besides.  Go,  take  a  holy  man,  there  is  the  image 
of  God  in  his  heart,  and  there  is  the  image  of  God  in  his  works  of  righteous- 
ness, which  he  doth  according  to  the  principles  in  his  heart,  and  of  God's  law 


EpH.  V.  30-32.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  4^7 

written  there.  Therefore  the  new  man,  which  is  created  aftei  the  image  of 
God,  is  not  only  said  to  consist  in  an  inward  renewing  of  the  Spirit,  but  in 
putting  on  works  of  holiness,  and  putting  away  lying  and  the  like  sins.  For 
the  image  of  God  lies  in  works,  as  well  as  in  a  man's  heart.  Answerably 
now,  there  is  the  image  of  God  shining  in  the  works  of  Christ :  and  there- 
fore when  you  read  that  Christ  is  called  the  wisdom  of  God,  there  is  one 
attribute,  and  the  power  of  God,  there  is  another,  it  is  not  spoken  simply  of 
what  is  inherent  in  his  person,  but  of  what  appeareth  in  his  works,  what 
appeareth  in  what  he  hath  done  and  the  fruits  of  it ;  and  he  is  called  the 
wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God  in  the  abstract.  Adam  might  be 
said  to  be  wise,  and  he  might  be  said  to  be  holy,  but  he  could  not  be  called 
the  wisdom  of  God,  nor  could  he  be  called  the  holiness  of  God,  but  so  Jesus 
Christ  is.  And  he  is  not  so  called  either  in  respect  of  that  essential  image, — 
that  is,  as  he  is  second  Person, — or  of  that  image  of  God  which  shines  in  his 
person  as  he  is  God-man,  but  of  what  shines  in  the  works  that  he  hath  done ; 
as  he  is  made  unto  us  righteousness  and  sanctification  and  redemption,  as  it 
follows  there  in  1  Cor.  i.  30.  So  he  is  called  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the 
power  of  God,  &c. 

So  as  now  if  you  take  the  infinite  wisdom  of  God,  that  ariseth  out  of  the 
story  of  the  life  and  death  of  Christ,  out  of  his  resurrection,  ascension  into 
heaven,  &c.,  and  the  fruits  and  ends  of  aU  these,  there  is  a  higher  wisdom 
of  Grod  appears  even  in  these  works  of  Christ,  than  appears  in  all  the  creation 
besides. 

And  so  of  the  power  of  God  too.  It  is  not  only  that  he,  being  God  and  man, 
hath  power  to  do  what  he  will, — that  is  proper  to  his  person, — but  go  take  the 
works  that  he  hath  done,  that  he  hath  overcome  sin,  and  heU,  and  death,  and 
the  wrath  of  God,  that  he  was  manifested  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power 
in  rising  again,  as  Eom.  i.  4  ;  in  this  respect  he  is  called  the  power  of  God, 

And  so  likewise,  in  the  third  place,  as  he  hath  ratified  and  made  good  aU 
the  truths  of  God,  as  all  the  promises  of  God  are  yea  and  amen  in  him,  so  he 
may  in  that  respect  be  called  the  truth  of  God. 

And  so  also  he  may  be  called  the  justice  of  God,  because  God  in  him 
hath  manifested  such  a  righteousness  as  never  else  would  have  been  mani- 
fested. He  hath  not  only  manifested  in  his  person  that  he  is  righteous,  but 
m  his  works,  in  that  he  hath  satisfied  the  wrath  of  his  Father. 

And  so  likewise  he  may  be  called  the  love  of  God ;  for  the  highest  mani- 
festation of  love  that  ever  God  shewed  lies  in  what  Christ  hath  done  for  us, 
in  that  God  gave  his  Son,  and  his  Son  gave  himself.  Herein  lies  the  height, 
and  depth,  and  length,  and  breadth  of  the  love  of  God,  which  passeth 
knowledge,  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  Eph.  iii.  18,  19. 

And,  lastly,  to  instance  in  no  more,  by  the  same  reason  that  he  is  called 
the  wisdom  and  the  power  of  God,  he  may  also  be  called  the  patience  and 
the  long-suffering  of  God ;  for  by  reason  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  by  an 
overplus  of  it  into  the  bargain,  as  it  were,  it  is  that  he  is  patient  with  all 
wicked  men,  suffers  them  to  live,  lets  the  world  stand  to  this  day. 

Now  go,  take  this  image  of  God  that  thus  shines  in  Jesus  Christ,  not  in  his 
person  only,  but  in  his  works,  which  is  yet  a  lower  image  than  what  is  in  his 
person,  and  that  is  a  lower  thing  too  than  what  is  in  him  as  he  is  second 
Person ;  and,  I  say,  Adam  was  but  a  mere  empty  shadow  in  comparison  of 
this  substance  which  God  had  in  his  eye  when  he  said,  *  Let  us  make  man 
according  to  our  image.' 

Having  thus  shewn  you  that  Adam  in  all  these  respects  was  but  an  empty 
image  in  comparison  of  the  man  to  come  j  having  spoken  somewhat  of  his 

VOL.  IL  2  D 


418  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OP        [£PH.  V.  30-32, 

creation,  and  likewise  somewhat  of  the  image  of  God  in  him,  I  will  now  come 
to  speak  concerning  his  marriage ;  for  all  that  I  have  now  said  is  but  an 
introduction  to  what  the  text  which  I  have  read  holds  forth ;  it  is  but  to 
connect  what  I  have  formerly  delivered  with  what  I  shall  now  do. 

In  these  words,  then,  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  make  Adam  to  be  a  type  and  a 
shadow  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  marriage  with  Eve.  As  he  was  held  forth  his 
type  in  his  creation  at  first,  as  he  was  held  forth  his  type  in  that  he  was  a 
shadow  of  the  image  of  God  in  him  ;  so  take  his  marriage  with  Eve  his  wife, 
and  the  Apostle  tells  us  that  therein  he  was  also  but  a  shadow.  '  For  this 
cause,'  saith  he,  '  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and  shall  be  joined 
unto  his  wife,  and  they  two  shall  be  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great  mystery :  but  I 
speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church.'  Where  are  these  words  1  Look 
in  Gen.  ii  23,  and  there  you  shall  find  them.  '  Adam  said.  This  is  now 
bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh.  Therefore  shall  a  man  leave  his 
father  and  his  mother,  and  shall  cleave  unto  his  wife :  and  they  shall  be  one 
flesh.'  The  Apostle,  you  see,  takes  the  same  expressions,  and  tells  us  this  is 
a  great  mystery :  there  was  in  these  w^  ords  of  Adam,  saith  he,  a  mystery  held 
forth,  which  I  interpret  of  Christ  and  the  church. 

Now,  then,  for  the  making  this  good,  will  you  consider  what  the  Apostle 
exhorts  to  in  the  words  before?  He  exhorts  husbands  to  love  their  wives, 
and  wives  to  be  subject  to  their  husbands,  as  Christ  hath  loved  his  church, 
and  as  the  church  is  subject  imto  Christ;  and  to  enforce  this  argument,  he 
brings  this  pattern.  For,  saith  he,  will  you  know  what  was  the  mystery  of 
marriage  at  the  first,  in  the  state  of  innocency  ?  The  marriage  of  Adam  and 
his  wife  Eve  was  intended  as  a  type  and  shadow  of  Christ  and  his  church ; 
and  from  the  example  of  Christ's  love  to  the  church  he  enforceth  the  duty 
of  the  love  of  the  husband  to  the  wife  ;  arid  from  the  example  of  the  subjec- 
tion of  the  church  to  Christ,  enforceth  the  duty  of  subjection  of  wives  to 
their  husbands.  He  boldly  quoteth  what  is  said  in  Gen.  ii.  of  the  marriage 
of  Adam  and  Eve.  There  saith  Adam,  She  is  bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of 
my  flesh ;  saith  Paul  here,  We  are  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bone.  For  this 
cause,  saith  Adam,  shall  a  man  leave  father  and  mother.  For  this  cause, 
saith  the  Apostle  also,  shall  a  man  leave  father  and  mother.  And  this  is  a 
great  mystery,  saith  he :  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church. 

There  are  some  that  say  that  this  is  only  spoken  by  way  of  allusion,  as 
when  it  is  said  in  2  Cor.  iv.  6,  that  God  created  light  out  of  darkness,  the 
Apostle  there  in  the  new  creation  alludeth  to  the  old.  But,  my  brethren,  it 
is  not  only  by  way  of  allusion,  but  by  way  of  type,  and  a  prophecy  intended 
by  God  therein.     And  the  reasons  are  clearly  these  : — 

1.  Because  the  Apostle  doth  found  his  argument  of  the  duties  of  husbands 
and  wives  upon  it;  now  allusions  may  illustrate,  but  they  do  not  afibrd 
arguments  to  duty.  Mark  how  the  Apostle  speaks  :  '  Wives,'  saith  he,  ver. 
22,  '  submit  yourselves  to  your  own  husbands,  as  unto  the  Lord.'  Aud,  ver. 
25,  '  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church;'  and 
why?  Because,  saith  he,  that  in  marriage,  and  marriage  at  the  first,  the 
marriage  of  Christ  and  the  church  was  intended  as  the  great  example.  It 
was  not  therefore  a  bare  similitude,  but  a  pattern ;  and  unless  the  marriage 
of  Christ  had  been  intended  as  a  pattern  in  the  marriage  of  Adam,  this  had 
been  a  weak  argument. 

2.  Therefore,  in  the  close  of  all,  he  gives  us  an  account  why  he  had  pro- 
duced the  example  of  Christ  and  his  church  ;  and  his  account  is  this.  Be- 
cause, saith  he,  this  was  the  mystery  that  was  intended  by  it,  even  in  the 
marriage  of  Adam.     To  that  end  consider  how,  first  of  all,  he  calls  this  inter- 


EpH.  V.  30-32.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  419 

pretation  of  his  of  the  story  of  Adam's  marriage,  applying  it  to  Christ  and 
his  church,  a  mystery.  Now  what  is  a  mystery  1  A  mystery  is  that  which 
hath  one  thing  signifying,  and  another  thing  signified ;  as  in  Rev.  L  20, 

*  The  mystery  of  the  seven  stars,  and  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  The 
seven  stars  are  the  angels  of  the  seven  churches ;  and  the  seven  candlesticks 
are  the  seven  churches.'  Mark  how  he  cxplaincth  what  a  mystery  is ;  it  is 
a  thing  signifying,  and  a  thing  signified.  So  when  the  Apostle  here  had 
quoted  the  words  of  Adam's  marriage  in  Gen.  ii.,  as  you  have  heard,  and  said 
of  it,  '  This  is  a  great  mystery ;'  he  adds,  '  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  his 
church :'  which  is  all  one  with  that  John  saith  in  the  Eevelation,  as  if  the 
Apostle  should  have  said.  The  mystery  of  Adam's  marriage  is  the  marriage 
of  Christ  and  the  church ;  that  is,  this  is  that  which  is  intended  by  it,  and 
which  God  had  in  his  eye.  A  parable  is  called  a  mystery  in  the  Scripture, 
as  in  Luke  viiL  10.  Why?  Because  it  holds  forth  a  similitude,  and  a  thing 
signified  thereby.  So  in  Dan.  ii  28,  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  is  called  a 
mystery.  '  There  is  a  God  in  heaven,'  saith  Daniel  there,  '  which  revealeth 
mysteries ;'  so  it  is  in  the  original ;  because  he  dreamed  one  thing,  and 
another  thing  was  intended  by  it.  So  Adam's  marriage  is  called  a  mystery. 
Why?  Because  the  story  of  it  is  one  thing,  it  is  the  story  of  the  marriage  of 
the  first  man  and  Ms  wife ;  but  the  secret,  the  thing  intended  by  it,  is 
another.     I  speak,  saith  he,  concerning  Christ  and  his  church. 

And  so  now  the  meaning  of  the  words  which  the  Apostle  useth  is  briefly 
this.  I  say,  saith  he, — that  is,  I  make  this  interpretation  of  it,  and  he  was 
the  first  that  did  open  the  mystery  of  it ; — I  teU  you  a  mystery,  as  elsewhere 
he  saith,  that  which  you  have  not  known,  I  now  hold  forth  to  you.  You  read 
the  story  of  Genesis  merely  of  Adam  and  Eve,  but  there  was  a  further 
mystery  in  it.  This  that  I  have  said  of  leaving  father  and  mother,  of  being 
bone  of  his  bone,  and  flesh  of  his  flesh, — so  you  read  the  wife  is  of  the  hus- 
band, in  Gen.  ii. — this,  I  say,  saith  he,  belongeth  sig  X^iarov,  (so  it  is  in  the 
original,)  it  is  to  be  applied  only  to  Christ.  I  speak  it  of  him,  and  I  apply 
it  unto  him,  as  the  matter  signified  thereby.  And  then,  if  you  mark  it,  in 
the  last  verse  of  this  Eph.  v.,  he  saith,  '  Nevertheless,  let  every  one  of  you 
in  particular  so  love  his  wife  even  as  himself;  and  the  wife  see  that  she 
reverence  her  husband.'  His  meaning  is  this  :  I  would  have  you  take  the 
place  literally  notwithstanding,  do  not  think  this  is  all  the  meaning  of  it ; 
there  stiU  lies  a  literal  duty  upon  you,  though  there  is  a  mystical  sense  ia 
the  thing. 

And  so  much  now  for  the  opening  of  the  text  itself.  I  shall  now  come  to 
shew  wherein  this  type  lay,  and  compare  Adam's  marriage  with  the  marriage 
of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  church  mystically  intended  by  it. 

There  is  a  great  question  among  interpreters,  whether  every  marriage,  as 
well  as  that  of  Adam's,  was  intended  as  a  type  of  Christ.  I  wiU  not  stand 
to  decide  that,  I  will  only  handle  and  shew  how  Adam's  marriage  was;  that 

*  this  is  a  great  mystery '  pointeth  to  him,  to  that  marriage  of  his.  Adam  did 
not  understand  it,  when  he  said,  '  This  is  bone  of  my  bone,'  &c.,  '  and  for 
this  cause,'  &c. ;  as  Caiaphas,  in  John  xi.  51,  did  not  understand  when  he 
prophesied  that  Christ  should  be  put  to  death.  Those  words  in  Gen.  ii., 
'For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father  and  mother,'  &c.,  are  made  the 
words  of  God,  and  not  of  Adam ;  for  God  intended  Jesus  Christ  by  it,  as 
the  Apostle  here  doth.  But  to  come  to  the  particulars  wherein  the  type 
holds,  I  shall  resolve  it  into  four  heads : — 

I.  Let  us  consider  the  counsel  that  God  had  about  Adam's  marriage  with 
Eve,  and  it  was  the  type  of  the  counsel  of  God  about  Christ's  marriage  with 


420  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF        [EpH.  V.  30-32. 

his  cliurch;  and  this  is  a  great  mystery,  even  the  counsel  that  God  held  in 
his  eternal  decrees  concerning  Christ  and  his  church,  shadowed  out  by  what 
he  here  speaks  of  the  marrying  of  Eve  to  Adam. 

1.  The  Lord  made  Adam  before  he  thought  of  a  wife  for  him;  and  so  in 
order  of  God's  decrees,  Christ  was  set  up  first,  who  therefore  is  called  the 
'first-bom  of  every  creature,'  Col.  i.  15,  and  the  'first-born  among  many 
brethren,'  Rom.  viii  29 ;  who  is  called  the  head,  and  therefore  was  set  up 
first.  Now  when  God  had  made  Adam,  and  made  him  first,  what  is  the 
counsel  of  God  about  him ?  Read  Gen.  ii  18,  'And  the  Lord  said.  It  is 
not  good  that  the  man  should  be  alone;  I  will  make  him  an  helpmeet  for 
him.'  So  did  God  say  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  when  he  had  ordained  him 
in  his  eternal  purpose.  It  is  not  good  for  him  to  be  alone ;  he  shall  have 
fellows,  as  the  saints  are  called  in  Ps.  xlv.  7.  God  intended,  and  said  with 
himself,  he  shall  not  be  in  heaven  alone.  You  have  the  Scripture  speaking 
in  the  very  same  language  in  John  xii.  24,  '  Except  a  com  of  wheat  fall  into 
the  ground,  and  die,' — Christ  there  speaks  this  of  himself, — '  it  abideth  alone.' 
I  must  not  be  alone,  saith  he,  I  must  have  company  with  me.  And  though 
he  speaks  this  in  relation  to  his  death,  yet  it  was  God's  primitive  decree  that 
Christ  should  not  be  alone :  and  because  it  was  so,  therefore  because  man 
fell,  and  could  not  otherwise  be  saved  and  brought  to  heaven  but  by  Christ's 
death, — therefore,  saith  he,  I  must  die,  that  I  may  not  be  in  heaven  alone; 
otherwise  I  must  be  reduced  to  what  Adam  was  at  first  reduced  to;  that 
was  to  be  alone,  and  that  is  not  meet. 

2.  The  next  counsel  God  held  about  Adam  was  this.  He  went  and  viewed 
all  the  creatures  that  he  had  made,  and  amongst  them  all,  saith  Gen.  ii.  20, 
*  there  was  not  found  an  helpmeet  for  him.'  So  when  God  was  in  consul- 
tation who  should  be  the  wife  and  spouse  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  views  the 
angels  first,  but  he  refuseth  them;  he  in  no  wise  took  on  him  the  nature  of 
angels,  Heb.  ii.  16.  Why?  Because  he  would  not  be  a  husband  to  them,  and 
he  is  nowhere  called  so.  There  was  none  else,  none  was  found  to  be  a 
match  fit  for  him,  but  the  sons  of  men,  whose  nature  he  meant  to  assume ; 
and  not  all  of  them  neither,  he  viewed  all  the  sons  of  men,  and  he  took  but 
a  remnant  out  of  them,  '  The  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were 
hardened,'  saith  he,  Rom.  xL  7.  He  viewed  all  that  he  could  have  made, 
that  is  more,  and  out  of  aU  he  chose  those  whom  he  hath  elected.  Herein 
God  did  but  act  his  own  eternal  purposes  and  counsels  concerning  his  church, 
pitching  upon  a  few  creatures  whom  he  chose  out  of  all  those  whom  he  either 
had  or  could  have  made,  to  be  a  meet  help  for  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

You  will  say.  Is  the  church  a  helper  to  Jesus  Christ  ?  Wherein  is  the 
woman  a  helper  to  the  man?  She  is  pleasant  to  him;  she  is  a  companion 
for  him.  The  like  is  said  of  the  church ;  she  is  a  helper  to  him  in  two  re- 
spects. First,  she  is  his  glory,  as  in  2  Cor.  viiL  23 ;  they  are,  saith  he, 
'the  glory  of  Chrst;'  even  as  the  wife  is  said  to  be  the  glory  of  the  hus- 
band, in  1  Cor.  xi.  7.  And  then,  secondly,  she  is  a  comfort  to  him.  You 
will  wonder  that  the  church  should  be  so  to  Christ ;  but  you  shall  see  it  in 
Psalm  xlv.,  where,  speaking  of  the  church  and  Christ,  saith  he,  ver.  10, 
'  Forget  thine  own  people,  and  thy  father's  house,' — he  speaks  in  the  same 
language  that  he  doth  here, — '  so  shall  the  king  greatly  delight  in  thy  beauty.' 
Therefore  in  this  very  chapter,  Eph.  v.  27,  he  saith  that  Jesus  Christ  is  to 
present  to  himself  a  glorious  church ;  that,  as  Zanchy  well  says,  in  heaven 
he  will  set  her  up  fiill  of  beauty  and  glory, — Behold,  here  is  she  that  I  have 
made  to  delight  in, — and  the  glory  he  will  put  upon  her  he  continually  pre- 
sents to  himself  to  delight  in.     Therefore  you  shall  find,  in  John  xv.,  that  his 


EpH.  V.  30-32.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  421 

joy  is  said  to  be  in  Ms  church :  Keep  my  commandments,  saith  he,  so  shall 
my  joy  be  in  you.  And  in  Eph.  i.  23,  the  church  is  called  his  fulness, 
'  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all.*  He  ascribes  as 
much  to  Christ  as  can  be;  he  saith  he  filleth  her  and  all  things  else,  and  yet 
in  a  sense  she  is  his  fulness  too.     She  is  a  helper  to  him. 

3.  When  Adam  was  alone,  before  God  made  the  woman,  he  blessed  Adam, 
and  in  him  blessed  her  afterwards  to  be  made.  This  you  may  find  in  Gen. 
iL  He  gave  all  the  world  unto  Adam,  and  in  giving  it  to  him  he  gave  it  to 
his  wife,  and  to  his  seed  that  should  come  of  her.  So  was  it  here,  when 
Jesus  Christ  and  God  were  alone  in  heaven  before  the  world  was,  he  under- 
taking to  be  a  husband,  God  considering  the  church  in  him,  he  did  '  bless  us 
with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  him.'  He  gave  all  to  Christ, 
and  in  Christ  gave  all  to  her,  and  to  all  her  seed,  and  to  all  that  should  come 
of  her.  All  is  yours,  saith  the  Apostle  because  you  are  Christ's,  and  Christ 
is  God's,  1  Cor.  iii.  22.  Here  you  see  the  counsel  that  God  held  concerning 
Adam  and  Eve  in  their  marriage,  it  holds  with  God's  eternal  counsel  con- 
cerning the  marriage  of  Christ  and  his  church. 

II.  Let  us  come  to  the  creation  of  the  woman  out  of  the  man,  and  you  shall 
see  still  that  the  mystery  runs  on. 

1.  Eve  was  made  out  of  Adam,  so  was  the  church  out  of  Christ.  God 
could  have  raised  up  seed  to  Abraham  out  of  stones,  out  of  nothing.  No, 
but  as  he  did  take  something  out  of  Adam  and  made  the  woman  of  it,  so  he 
took  of  Christ,  and  made  the  church;  as  you  have  it,  John  xvi.  14.  There- 
fore it  is  mightily  observable  in  the  text  that  we  are  not  said  to  be  os  ossis, 
in  the  genitive  case,  but  ex  ossibus  ejus,  as  noting  out  the  subject-matter 
out  of  which  we  were  taken.  All  were  made  out  of  one,  so  saith  the  Apostle, 
speaking  of  Adam ;  and  all  are  made  out  of  one,  so  saith  the  Apostle  also, 
speaking  of  Christ  and  his  church,  Heb.  ii.  11.  We  are  all  seminally  in 
Jesus  Christ,  and  we  are  os  ex  ossibus  ejus,  bone  out  of  his  bone,  and  flesh 
out  of  his  flesh.  If  you  read  Gen.  ii.  23,  you  shall  see  the  reason  given  why 
the  woman  is  said  to  be  bone  of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh.  The  text 
tells  us  it  is  because  she  was  taken  out  of  man.  The  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
Greek  follows  the  same  emphasis.  We  are,  saith  he,  ex  ossibus,  bone  out  of 
his  bone,  taken  out  of  him.     Which  is  true  in  two  respects. 

For,  first,  consider  the  church  mystically,  as  she  is  a  church,  as  she  is 
holy,  and  as  she  is  glorious ;  and  whatsoever  she  hath,  as  she  is  such,  it  is 
wholly  out  of  Christ,  she  is  bone  out  of  his  bones  in  that  respect.  '  Of  him 
ye  are  in  Christ  Jesus,'  saith  the  Apostle,  1  Cor.  i.  30.  And,  '  We  are  his 
workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus,'  and  out  of  Christ  Jesus,  Eph.  ii.  10. 
That  look  what  bones  Adam  had,  the  same  bones  the  woman  had  when 
she  was  made ;  look  what  flesh  he  had,  she  had  likewise.  So  it  is  true  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  church  by  way  of  analogy,  in  a  spiritual  and  mystical 
sense  :  as  Eve  received  bone  for  bone,  and  flesh  for  flesh,  and  eye  for  eye, 
and  hand  for  hand ;  so  look  what  graces  Christ  hath,  the  church — take  her 
qua  church,  as  she  is  beautified  with  graces  and  glory  in  heaven — has  '  grace 
for  grace.'  There  is  nothing  that  Christ  hath  but  she  hath  also,  and  so  we 
are  bone  of  his  bones,  and  we  have  it  out  of  him  too,  that  is,  from  him. 
And  therefore  in  the  26th  verse  of  this  chapter  it  is  said  that  he  '  sanctifieth 
and  cleanseth  the  church,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious 
church.'     Look  what  holiness  and  what  glory  she  hath,  it  is  all  from  him. 

But  I  think,  secondly,  that  when  he  saith  we  are  bone  out  of  his  bones, 
and  flesh  out  of  his  flesh,  there  is  a  further  thing  meant.  The  church  is  not 
so  only,  if  you  take  her  in  respect  of  her  graces,  and  qualifications  of  glory 


4:22  EXPOSITION  OF  VARIOUS  PORTIONS  OF        [EPH.  V.  30-82. 

and  grace,  having  tlie  same  graces  that  Christ  hath,  making  an  allusion  to 
bones  and  to  flesh,  members  of  the  body,  and  graces,  members  of  the  mind. 
That  is  not  all  the  Apostle's  scope ;  but  I  take  it  further  the  meaning  is  this, 
that  Jesus  Christ  having  a  human  nature,  ordained  first  to  be  his,  we,  taking 
the  substance  of  that  nature,  have  also  the  same.  There  is  one  scripture  that 
seems  to  contradict  it,  that  is  Heb.  ii  14,  where  it  is  said, '  Forasmuch  as  the 
children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part 
of  the  same.'  It  is  easily  answered ;  for  flesh  and  blood  there,  is  meant  the 
frailties  of  man's  nature ;  and  so  the  Apostle's  meaning  is  this,  that  whereas 
we,  through  sin,  had  subjected  ourselves  to  the  frailties  of  flesh  and  blood, 
he  took  part  of  the  same.     It  is  clearly  his  scope  there. 

But  yet,  because  Jesus  Christ  was  ordained  to  the  substance  of  a  human 
nature,  therefore  were  we  so  too  ;  and  we  are  chosen  in  him,  and  so  we  are  Ix. 
rrig  Gapxhg  avro'J,  xai  Ix  tuv  odr'suv  avfou,  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his 
bones,  for  the  substance  of  our  nature.  It  is  an  excellent  distinction  one 
hath  :  Christ  is  os  ossis,  bone  of  our  bone,  in  the  genitive  case ;  but  we  are 
ex  osse,  bone  of  his  bone,  taken  out  of  him.  How  came  Christ  to  be  the 
Saviour  of  the  church  ?  What  saith  he,  ver.  23  ?  '  He  is  the  head  of  the 
church,  and  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  body.'  First  a  head,  then  a  Saviour. 
Why  was  Christ  ordained  to  die?  Was  that  God's  primitive  decree 
concerning  him  1  Or  did  he  not  think  of  sending  Christ  to  be  a  head  tiU 
such  time  as  he  thought  of  sending  him  to  die  ?  No,  he  thought  first  of 
sending  him  to  be  a  head.  How  do  you  prove  that  ?  Because  he  therefore 
left  father  and  mother,  for  this  cause,  because  he  was  a  head.  The  text 
is  express  in  ver.  31.  He  having  first  made  him  a  head  to  us,  we  are 
members  of  his  body,  he  having  ordained  us  to  be  of  the  same  nature,  of  his 
flesh  and  of  his  bones,  therefore  it  was  that  he  died.  'For  this  cause,' 
saith  he, '  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother ;'  the  Apostle  applies  this 
to  Christ,  '  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  his  church,'  saith  he.  He  left  his 
Father  in  heaven,  and  his  mother  on  earth,  to  give  himself  for  his  church. 

And  that  is  the  first  thing  wherein  Adam  was  a  type  of  Christ,  in  respect 
of  Eve's  creation  ]  she  was  taken  out  of  him. 

2.  Out  of  what  part  of  Adam  was  she  taken  ?  The  text  saith,  in  Gen. 
ii.  21,  that  the  Lord  cast  him  into  a  deep  sleep,  and  then  opened  his  side, 
and  took  Eve  out  of  it.  It  was  indeed,  in  the  letter  of  it,  to  shew  the  equality 
of  the  wife  to  the  husband ;  she  was  not  taken  out  of  his  foot,  but  out  of 
his  side,  because  she  is  to  be  a  companion  to  him.  In  this  also  was  Adam 
a  type  of  Christ,  the  church  was  taken  out  of  his  side ;  and  the  apostle 
John,  chap.  xix.  34,  you  shall  see,  makes  a  great  matter  of  it.  '  One  of  the 
soldiers,'  saith  he,  '  with  a  spear  pierced  his  side,  and  forthwith  came  there 
out  blood  and  water.  And  he  that  saw  it  bear  record,  and  his  record  is 
true  :  and  he  knows  that  he  says  true,  that  ye  might  believe.'  It  is  a  strange 
thing  that  in  the  midst  of  a  story  the  Apostle  should  come  and  put  such  an 
emphasis  upon  this  passage.  This,  saith  he,  I  observed  above  aU  else,  and 
this  I  bear  record  of  Why  ?  It  was  not  in  respect  of  the  miracle  of  it ; 
for  in  the  pericardium,  the  purse  that  a  man's  heart  lies  in,  there  is  water 
for  the  cooling  of  the  heart,  and  if  you  pierce  that,  water  will  presently  issue 
out.  It  was  not  therefore,  I  say,  in  respect  of  the  miracle  of  it  that  he  takes 
such  special  notice  of  this  passage, — that  upon  the  opening  of  his  side  there 
came  forth  blood  and  water, — but  in  respect  of  the  mystery  of  it.  Therefore 
the  same  John,  and  only  he  of  all  the  apostles,  in  1  John  v.  6,  saith,  *  This 
is  he  that  came  by  water  and  by  blood,  even  Jesus  Christ.'  He  makes  that 
the  evidence  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  because  out  of  his  side  came  water 


EpH.  V.  30-32.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS.  423 

and  blood, — water  to  sanctify  his  church ;  so  saith  Paul  here  in  this  Eph.  v. 
26,  *  He  sanctifieth  and  cleanseth  his  church  by  the  washing  of  water.'  She 
is  taken  out  of  his  side,  and  water  cometh  out  of  his  side  to  cleanse  her ; 
and  blood  also.  Water  to  sanctify  and  purify  her;  and  blood  to  justify  her, 
and  to  make  her,  and  to  *  present  her,  a  glorious  church  to  himself,'  as  the 
text  hath  it  also, 

3.  When  was  all  this  done  to  Adam  1  It  was  when  Adam  was  asleep. 
When  was  it  that  Christ's  side  was  opened  ?  It  was  when  he  was  asleep, 
when  he  was  dead  :  1  Cor.  xv.  20,  *  He  is  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  sleep,' 
for  so  death  is  often  called  in  the  Scriptures.  Isa.  liii.  10,  '  He  shall  see  his 
seed,'  because  he  died,  and  offered  up  his  soul  for  sin ;  and  *  he  shall  see  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied.' 

4.  If  you  look  the  story  in  Genesis,  the  text  saith  that  of  the  rib  that  the 
Lord  had  taken  from  the  man,  he  made  the  woman.  Read  your  margin, 
'  He  builded  the  woman,' — for  she  is  a  more  curious  frame  than  the  man, — 
he  built  her,  shewed  a  great  deal  of  art  in  making  her.  Now  you  shall  find 
in  the  Scripture  that  Jesus  Christ  is  called  the  foundation ;  and  what  is  his 
church  ?  It  is  his  building,  built  up  for  him  with  a  great  deal  of  art  and 
architect.  In  Eph.  iL  20,  the  Apostle  useth  the  very  same  expression,  *  Ye 
are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
himself  being  the  chief  corner  stone ;  in  whom  aU  the  building  fitly  framed ' 
— or,  as  the  word  is,  artificially  framed,  harmoniously,  with  all  the  art  and 
curiosity  that  can  be — '  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord :  in  whom 
ye  also  are  bmlt  together  for  an  habitation  of  God.' 

5.  When  he  had  taken  the  woman  out  of  the  man,  what  doth  God  do  ? 
He  closeth  up  the  flesh  again ;  here  is  no  hurt  done,  the  man  is  as  sound, 
lived  as  long,  yea,  would  have  lived  to  eternity,  if  he  had  not  sinned,  for  all 
his  loss.  And  what  hath  Jesus  Christ  lost  by  his  death?  Nothing;  he 
hath  got  a  church  by  the  means.  *  He  was  made,'  saith  the  Apostle,  Heb. 
ii.  9,  '  a  little  lower,'  or,  for  a  little  while  lower,  '  than  the  angels,'  that  he 
might  bring  many  sons  rmto  glory.  He  endured  pain  upon  the  cross,  he 
endured  to  have  lus  side  pierced,  and  his  soul  woimded,  to  have  his  church 
taken  out ;  all  is  closed  up  again,  and  the  man  Christ  Jesus  is  in  heaven  for 
ever,  and  his  church  shaU  be  for  ever  with  him.     This  is  aU  that  is  lost. 

And  so  much  now  for  the  second  head  wherein  this  type  holdeth.  The 
first  I  told  you  was  God's  eternal  counsel  about  Christ  and  the  church,  which 
answereth  to  the  counsel  that  was  about  Adam  and  Eve,  when  she  was 
made ;  the  second  was  about  the  creating  of  her  out  of  him. 

III.  The  marriage  itself.  And  concerning  that  the  text  saith — 
1.  That  God  did  bring  the  woman  unto  Adam,  Gen.  iL  22.  So  God, 
when  he  had  chosen  his  elect,  did  present  them  unto  Jesus  Christ.  He  did 
this  m  his  eternal  purposes ;  and  he  doth  do  it  when  he  calls  them  home 
unto  him.  He  did  it  in  his  everlasting  purposes ;  he  shewed  Jesus  Christ 
what  a  glorious  church  he  would  give  him  for  him  to  delight  in  for  ever ; 
and  Jesus  Christ  was  so  taken  with  her  beauty  that  he  never  leaves  till  he 
hath  made  her  as  glorious  as  she  first  rose  up  to  him  in  God's  eternal  pre- 
sentation of  her  to  him.  Therefore  saith  the  text  here,  in  Eph.  v.,  'he  pre- 
senteth  to  himself  a  glorious  church ; '  it  is  an  allusion  unto  that  in  Gen.  ii  22, 
A  disease  was  befallen  her,  but  Christ  doth  never  leave  till  he  hath  restored 
her  to  her  primitive  beauty  in  which  she  was  presented  to  him.  So  that 
Jesus  Christ  did  not  choose  his  church,  she  was  brought  unto  him.  *  Thine 
they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  to  me.'  As  in  God's  everlasting  purposes 
he  brought  them  first  to  Christ,  so  when  Christ  hath  died,  when  he  hath 


424  EXPOSITION  OP  VAEIOUS  PORTIONS  OF        [EPH.  V.  30-32. 

shed  the  water  and  blood  out  of  Ms  side,  who  is  it  that  still  brings  every 
soul  unto  Christ  1  It  is  the  Father,  John  vi.  44,  45,  *  No  man  can  come  to 
me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him.  It  is  written  in  the 
prophets.  And  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God.  Every  man  therefore  that 
hath  heard,  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me.'  God  speaks 
to  the  heart  of  every  soul  who  cometh  unto  Christ ;  he  speaks  as  a  father- 
in-law  doth  to  a  daughter  whom  he  would  have  to  marry  his  son,  speaks  to 
her  heart,  puts  an  instinct  into  it.  *  Daughter,'  saith  he,  Ps.  xlv.,  '  forget 
thy  people  and  thy  father's  house.'  He  speaks  in  Adam's  language  in  this 
second  of  Genesis,  giveth  that  counsel  to  his  church,  and  so  she  cometh  to 
Christ. 

2.  When  she  was  brought  unto  Adam,  he  consenteth  and  owneth  her. 
So  doth  Christ ;  those  whom  his  Father  hath  given  him,  and  whom  he  hath 
brought  unto  Mm,  he  owneth ;  insomuch  as  he  will  not  pray  for  a  soul  but 
them  :  '  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  whom  thou  hast  given  me.' 
None  other  comes  to  him  but  whom  God  thus  bringeth ;  and  when  they  are 
brought  he  owns  them,  he  knows  them  all  by  their  names ;  so  the  expression 
is,  John  X.  Therefore,  in  John  vi.  37,  *  AU  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
come  to  me ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.'  For 
when  a  poor  soul  that  God  from  everlasting  hath  given  him  comes  to  him, 
be  instantly  owneth  that  soul,  as  Adam  did  Eve,  This  is  that  soul  I  died 
for ;  this  is  the  soul  that  water  and  blood  came  out  of  my  side  for,  with  an 
intention  to  wash.  This  is  the  soul  I  took  a  view  of  among  all  the  rest,  and 
this  soul  pleased  me,  and  there  was  a  beauty  put  upon  it  then ;  therefore  I 
will  sanctify  and  cleanse  her  by  the  washing  of  water,  till  I  have  presented 
it  glorious  to  myself,  that  I  may  delight  in  her  for  ever. 

And  so  much  for  the  third  head.     The  last  that  I  shall  mention  is — 
IV.  The  consequent  of  Adam^s  marriage  ;  which  was — 

1.  A  union ;  and  the  story  of  Adam's  marriage  affords  us  such  a  union  as  no 
marriage  else  besides.  Both  became  one  flesh ;  and  not  only  so,  she  was  not 
only  one  flesh  with  Viim  because  of  her  relation  of  wife,  and  as  man  and  wife 
afterwards  were,  and  now  are ;  but  she  was  one  flesh  with  him,  too,  because 
she  came  out  of  him.  She  was  both  caro  una,  and  she  was  also  de  came,  or 
ex  came,  she  was  both  one  flesh  with  him,  and  she  was  out  of  his  flesh  also. 
Our  children,  they  are  out  of  our  flesh ;  but  they  are  not  caro  nostra,  as  wives 
are,  they  are  not  our  flesh.  And  wives,  they  are  our  flesh ;  but  they  are  not 
ex  came,  and  ex  osse,  out  of  our  flesh,  and  out  of  our  bone.  But  so  it  is  here 
in  Adam's  marriage,  Eve,  she  is  united  to  him  in  both  the  nearest  and  dearest 
relation ;  Adam  is  both  a  husband  to  her,  and  a  father. 

2.  '  For  this  cause,'  saith  Gen.  ii.,  '  shall  a  man  leave  father  and  mother.' 
Did  not  Christ  do  so ?  John  xvi.  28,  'I  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and 
am  come  into  the  world.'  Christ  was  '  in  the  bosom  of  his  Father,'  1  John 
i  17,  18,  and  he  left  his  Father,  and  '  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,' 
Phil.  ii.  6,  came  and  dwelt  amongst  us,  served  for  his  church  as  Jacob  did 
for  EacheL  Christ  was  a  lover,  he  did  it  out  of  love  to  his  church,  left  his 
Father.  Nay,  not  only  so,  but  his  Father  forsook  him ;  *  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  % ' 

And  he  left  his  mother  too,  when  he  was  here  below.  When  those  came 
to  him  that  he  was  to  die  for,  and  his  mother  sent  for  him,  saith  he.  Who  is 
my  mother,  and  my  brethren,  but  those  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep 
it  1  And  when  his  mother  sought  him,  and  was  careful  about  him,  being 
found  of  her,  saith  he,  Dost  thou  not  know  that  I  was  about  my  Father's 
business  ?    And  when  he  hung  upon  the  cross,  he  left  her,  a  poor  woman. 


EpH.  V.  30-32.]  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIAN3 .  423 

(to  die  for  his  church,)  to  be  taken  care  of  by  John.  When  he  was  thirty- 
three  years  old,  he  left  her  in  the  world,  and  went  to  heaven  to  take  care 
of  his  church.  And  thus  he  left  father,  and  he  left  mother  also,  for  his 
church. 

And,  my  brethren,  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  is  married 
thus  to  his  church,  he  will  shew  himself  the  most  fond  and  perfect  lover  that 
ever  was.  As  he  is  the  Saviour  of  his  church,  which  is  his  body,  so  he  will 
come  and  fetch  her  at  the  last  unto  himself. 

I  might  be  very  large  in  this,  but  I  have  confined  myself,  not  only  to  what 
riseth  from  the  state  of  every  man's  marriage,  but  what  was  proper  and 
peculiar  to  Adam's,  held  forth  in  Gen.  ii.,  to  which  the  Apostle  here  alludeth 
when  he  saith,  '  This  is  a  great  mystery,  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and 
his  church.'  And  so  I  have  done  with  the  allusion  and  with  this  text,  and 
have  in  some  measure  shewn  that  in  the  story  of  Adam  is  contained  a  type 
and  shadow  of  the  story  of  Christ  and  of  the  gospel 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK, 


UNDER 


SUDDEN  AND  SOEE  TEIALS; 


BEING  AN  EXPOSITION  OF  JAMES  L  1-5. 


For  a  striking  account  of  tlie  occasion  of  this  remarkable  Treatise,  see 
Memoir  of  Dr  Goodwin,  by  his  son,  ante,  p.  Ixxiv.  It  was  published 
anonymously  in  a  small  volume  (18mo),  and  is  one  of  the  rarest  of  all 
Goodwin's  pieces.  As  an  evidence  of  its  extreme  scarcity,  besides  the 
very  high  price  it  fetches,  equivalent  to  the  cost  of  the  entire  Works  of 
Goodwin  in  this  Series,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  it  is  usually  spoken  of 
by  bibliographers  and  others  as  a  Sermon  merely,  shewing  that  they  had 
never  seen  it.  For  the  use  of  the  copy  from  which  our  reprint  is  given, 
we  are  indebted  to  the  rich  Puritan  collection  of  the  Rev.  A.  B.  Geosakt, 
Kinrosa 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PEEFECT  WORK. 


JameSy  a  servant  of  God  and  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  twelve  tnhet 
which  are  scattered  abroad,  greeting.  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when 
ye  fall  into  divers  temptations ;  knowing  this,  that  the  trying  of  your 
faith  worheth  patience.  But  let  patience  have  her  perfect  worTc,  that  ye 
may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing.  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom, 
let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not ; 
and  it  shall  be  given  him. — James  L  1-5. 

Christiak  patience  is  my  subject,  and  the  perfect  work  of  patience,  ver.  4 ; 
but  as  an  introduction  thereunto,  I  must  first  open  some  things  of  the  words 
in  ver.  1,  2. 

1.  As  to  the  persons  he  writes  to,  they  were  'the  twelve  tribes  scattered,' 
that  had  been  and  were  bereft  of  their  inheritance  in  their  native  country, 
and  quitting  that,  had  betaken  themselves  to  banishment ;  multitudes  of 
them,  I  do  not  say  aU,  as  appears,  Acts  viii.  1,  'And  at  that  time  there  was 
a  great  persecution  against  the  church  which  was  at  Jerusalem ;  and  they 
were  all  scattered  abroad  throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Samaria, 
except  the  apostles.'  And,  Acts  xi.  19,  we  find  them  travelled  as  far  as 
Phenice,  Cyprus,  Antioch;  who  went  from  thence  afterwards  into  other 
countries.  The  other  Apostle  who  wrote  to  the  same  persons,  comforts  them 
with  this — 1st  Epistle  i.  4 — that  they  were  begotten  again  to  a  better  in- 
heritance than  that  of  Canaan,  which  now  they  were  deprived  of. 

2.  I  observe  that  though  these  had  been  made  thus  suflficiently  destitute 
and  desolate  already,  and  driven  from  house  and  home  to  seek  their  liveli- 
hoods, with  their  families,  in  foreign  countries,  that  yet  still  great  and  press- 
ing troubles  and  miseries  did  follow  them,  as  one  wave  doth  after  another : 
they  were  continually  faUing  into  divers  and  sundry  temptations  of  aU  sorts. 
God  'tries  us  every  moment,'  as  in  Job  viL  18;  we  are  chastened  every 
morning,  Ps.  xxxvii.  13 ;  and  '  killed' — that  is,  in  danger  of  death — '  all  day 
long,'  as  Rom.  vui.     God  had  not  yet  done  with  these. 

3.  He  utters  the  strangest  paradox  upon  this  occasion  that  ever  was  or 
can  be  uttered ;  and  begins  with  it,  ver.  2, '  My  brethren,  count  it  aU  joy  when 
ye  fall  into  divers  temptations.'  Thus  bluntly  and  abruptly,  without  any 
mollifying  preface  or  sweetening  introduction,  unless  that  of '  my  brethren,' 
to  make  way  for  it.  The  fore-part,  '  count  it  all  joy,'  seems  to  carry  a  moral 
contradiction  in  the  face  of  it  uijip  the  latter  part,  '  when  ye  fall  into  divers 


430  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK. 

tentations  • '  and  this  latter  seems  to  put  an  impossibility  upon  the  former, 
which  is  the  duty  exhorted  unto. — Let  us  consider  every  word  of  each. 

1.  Were  it  simply  that  they  are  called  upon  to  rejoice,  how  uncouth  is 
this  to  men  in  that  posture  and  circumstance  they  are  supposed  fallen  into  ! 
Well,  but  yet  coimt  it  joy,  says  he  :  not  only  moderate,  keep  in,  and  smother 
your  contrary  passions, — which  was  the  highest  lesson  that  philosophy  and 
the  Stoics,  the  best  of  philosophers,  had  taught, — but  the  gospel  calls  upon 
us  '  therefore,'  &c.,  or  for  and  upon  these  temptations,  to  rejoice.  '  Count  it 
joy ;'  that  is  the  first. 

2.  All  joy ;  the  highest  joy,  for  so  'all  joy'  must  needs  be  supposed 
to  be. 

3.  And  this,  not  when  they  should  see  by  experience  the  glorious  issue 
and  event  these  temjDtations  do  produce ;  but  to  account  it  all  joy  before- 
hand, as  if  they  were  possessed  of  what  God  promiseth  shaU  be  the  assured 
and  '  expected  end,'  Jer.  xxix.  11;  and  to  be  beforehand  as  sure  of  it  as  if 
they  had  it  already. 

4.  It  is  not  when  they  are  assaulted  with  troubles,  but  when  temptations 
are  actually  broken  in  upon  them,  and  they  lie  under  them. 

5.  Nor  yet  when  they  are  led  into  them  by  steps,  or  had  met  with  them 
as  in  their  way ;  but  when  they  '  fall  into '  them.  It  is  a  downfall  he  speaks 
of,  and  that  suddenly,  at  once,  and  utterly  unexpected  by  them. 

6.  Not  when  you  fall  into  one  or  two,  but  into  many  temptations ;  as, 
elsewhere,  the  word  'divers'  here  is  translated,  1  Peter  i.  6,  'manifold:'* 
and  many  is  imported  in  manifold. 

7.  And  those  not  of  one  sort  or  kind,  but  *  divers,'  aid  so  of  several  sorts, 
as  in  good  name,  reproach,  revilement :  divers  also  as  to  their  bodies,  souls ; 
their  relations  and  families,  friends,  wives,  children ;  inward,  outward  man. 

8.  When  you  faU  (m^i'Trsffrirt)  into  them,  as  into  a  pit  and  snare,  and  so  they 
falling  round  about  you ;  so  as  you  have  nothing  to  stand  or  lean  upon,  but 
all  about  you  falls  with  you  and  under  you,  so  as  in  all  outward  appearance 
ye  are  sunk  and  overwhelmed  with  the  ruins. 

In  this  case  to  '  count  it  all  joy, ^  to  shout  as  men  in  harvest,  or  that  have 
gotten  great  spoUs ;  when  their  miseries  are  so  great  that  they  cannot  be 
endured,  that  yet  their  joy  must  be  so  great  as  more  cannot  be  expressed ; 
this  is  the  hardest  duty  that  ever  was  required  of  the  distressed  hearts  of 
men.  And  yet  God  would  not  require  it  if  it  were  not  attainable ;  and  it  is 
attainable  by  no  other  principles  but  of  Christianity.  And  argues  that  our 
Christian  religion,  which  is  the  only  true  wisdom,  ver.  5,  hath  so  spiritful 
and  sovereign  a  virtue  in  it  that  it  is  able  to  raise  spirits  up  unto  thus  high 
and  glorious  a  pitch  and  perfection  in  this  life. 

But  they  might  say.  You  have  propounded  this  hard  and  strange  duty  to 
us ;  what  ground  is  there  that  may  rationally  and  effectually  persuade  and 
bring  our  hearts  to  it  ?  What  considerations  that  may  procure  us  this  joy, 
and  how  may  we  be  wrought  up  to  it  1  For  God  never  gave  any  command- 
ment but  there  was  a  full  and  sufficient  ground  and  reason  to  enforce  it. 

He  gives  them  two  grounds :  one  at  the  3d  and  4th  verses,  '  Knowing 
this,  that  the  trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patience.  But  let  patience  have 
her  perfect  work,  that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing.'  This 
is  a  ground  from  what  foUows  in  this  life.  The  other  is  at  the  12th  verse, 
'  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation  ;  for  when  he  is  tried,  he  shall 
receive  the  crown  of  life.'  Tliis  is  the  reward  that  follows  in  the  life  to 
come,  in  the  hope  and  expectation  of  which  you  may  count  it  all  joy  that 
*  'Ej/  noiKiXoii — the  same  word  here  and  there. 


PATIENCE  AKD  ITS  PEEFECT  WORK.  431 

now  you  are  tried  ;  for  the  end  and  issue  of  them  is  a  crown  of  glory,  •which 
these  do  work,  as  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  '  For  our  light  affiction,  which  is  bitt  for  a 
moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.' 

I  begin  with  the  first,  what  ground  there  is  in  this  life  to  cause  us  to 
rejoice  in  such  temptations.  This,  in  the  3d  and  4th  verses,  *  Knowing ' — 
that  is,  deeply  considering  and  weighing  this  principle  of  our  Christian  pro- 
fession— '  that  the  trying  of  your  faith  works  patience.'  That  is  one  and 
the  first,  in  which  the  Apostle  tacitly  supposeth  this  maxim,  and  builds  upon 
the  supposition  of  it ;  it  lies  at  the  bottom,  and  yet  is  enough  implied.  It 
is  this  :  That  to  have  our  graces,  especially  to  have  our  faith  and  patience 
tried  and  drawn  forth  and  exercised  in  us,  to  the  glory  of  God,  is  the  greatest 
blessedness  of  a  Christian  in  this  life. 

That  this  is  the  bottom  ground  is  evident.  For  why  else  should  he  pro- 
pose and  hold  forth  this  of  all  other,  with  a  'for,'  or  particle,  that  gives  the 
reason  of  what  he  had  now  said  1  That  seeing  their  faith  and  other  graces, 
as  patience,  (kc,  would  be  tried  thereby,  that  therefore  they  should  '  count 
it  all  joy.'  My  brethren,  if  we  had  eyes  to  see  and  to  consider  it,  we  might 
know,  that  as  to  have  grace  that  accompanies  salvation  is  the  greatest  mercy 
can  beMl  any  one  in  the  world ;  so  to  have  that  grace  tried  and  exercised 
and  drawn  forth  to  the  utmost,  is  a  thing  of  the  greatest  moment,  the  greatest 
spiritual  privilege  that  can  come  to  us  after  that  we  have  that  grace.  And 
therefore,  when  trials  come,  we  are  to  think  with  ourselves.  Now  will  my 
graces  be  tried,  now  is  that  befallen  me  which  will  do  it ;  this  ought  to  be 
matter  of  the  greatest  joy  to  me.  For  from  this  ground  and  reason  it  is 
that  the  Apostle  bids  them  count  it  all  joy.  And  hereupon  it  is,  for  no 
other  doth  he  mention  here,  this  alone  being  the  greatest  advantage  that  a 
Christian  is  capable  of  in  this  life  ;  and  in  this  life  only  it  is  that  grace  is 
exercised. 

And  the  reason  of  it  lies  in  this,  that  for  grace  to  approve  itself  to  God 
in  a  way  of  the  greatest  well-pleasing  to  him,  and  so  as  to  come  to  be  ap- 
proved of  by  God ;  and  for  a  man's  sincerity  to  have  God's  approbation  and 
testimony, — as  to  Abraham,  '  Xow  I  know  thou  fearest  me,' — this  is  the 
greatest  privilege  a  saint  can  have,  and  this  ought  to  be  matter  of  the  greatest 
comfort.  And  it  is  our  greatest  glory,  according  unto  that,  2  Cor.  x.  17, 
*  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord;'  which  he  there  speaks  in 
reference  unto  what  follows  ia  ver.  18,  '  For  not  he  that  commendeth  him- 
self is  approved,  but  whom  the  Lord  commendeth.'  Both  which  the  Apostle 
spake  as  that  which  he  comforted  himself  withal,  yea,  and  gloried  in,  even 
the  Lord's  approving  of  him.  Job  also  comforted  himself  with  this  :  chap. 
yriii.  10,  '  "Wlien  he  hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come  forth  as  gold.'  The  Apostle 
saith,  '  The  trial  of  your  faith  is  more  precious  than  gold ;'  and  he  speaketh 
it  of  the  very  instrument  or  means  by  which  your  graces  are  tried  :  the  very 
calcining  pot,  or  the  fire,  whereby  it  is  tried — ^-o  dox./fjLiov*  his  word  is — even 
that  is  more  precious  than  gold.  Then  much  more  the  graces  that  are  tried. 
And  therefore  the  Apostle  by  his  to  8ox;,a/o)/  intends  and  means  these  very 
afflictions  and  tentarions  by  which  we  are  tried.  They  are  the  refiner's  pot 
and  fire.  You  would  rejoice  if  you  had  so  much  gold  given  you.  Then 
rejoice  that  you  have  so  much  affliction  to  try  your  gold.  That  your  graces 
are  so  highly  valued  by  God  is  the  reason  why  he  tries  them ;  he  would  not 
be  at  the  pains  and  cost  of  it  else.    And  they  being  tried,  and  holding  to  be 

*  '  AoKiniov  est  id  per  quod  fit  exploratio,'  {Grotius  in  verba  .)  and  so  it  differs  from 
ioKi^iTj,  which,  notes  the  issue,  the  e3q)eriment,  or  fruit  upon  trial,  (see  the  same  Grotius 
on  Rom.  v.  4,)  even  as  Kpirrjpwv  from  Kpiais. 


432  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  -WORK. 

right  and  true  gold  indeed,  they  have  thereupon  his  approbation  upon  that 
trial ;  and  he  sets  his  royal  Tower  stamp  and  mark  upon  them,  secretly  in 
this  life,  and  the  same  will  openly  appear  to  all  the  world  at  latter  day ; 
so,  in  1  Pet.  i.  6,  7,  'Wherein  ye  greatly  rejoice,  though  now  for  a  season, 
if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold  temptations :  that  the 
trial  of  your  faith,  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold  that  perisheth, 
though  it  be  tried  with  fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise  and  honovir  and 
glory  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ.'  It  will  be  found  unto  praise  then; 
but  it  is  unto  praise  before  God  now,  as  much  as  it  will  be  then. 

He  mentions  faith — '  for  the  trial  of  your  faith' — in  the  first  and  chief  place, 
as  that  grace  which  is  the  most  tried ;  and  as  that  which,  being  tried,  sets 
all  the  rest  on  work.  I  need  not  much  insist  on  it.  It  is  faith  that  shall 
be  counted  for  honour  and  glory  at  that  day,  having  been  tried.  It  is  faith 
which  bears,  and  by  which  we  bear,  the  stress  of  all  tentations.  It  is  faith 
by  which  we  overcome  :  1  John  v.  4,  5,  '  This  is  the  victory  which  we  have 
over  the  world,  even  our  faith.  Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the  world  ?  He 
that  believeth,'  &c. 

A  second  and  more  particular  principle  or  maxim,  which  concerns  this 
life,  and  should  cause  us  to  rejoice,  is,  that  faith,  being  tried,  works  patience ; 
and  that  if  patience  have  its  perfect  work,  it  will  make  us  perfect  Christians. 
*  But  let  patience  have  her  perfect  work,  that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire, 
wanting  nothing.' 

He  enlargeth  no  further  upon  faith ;  only  gives  it  the  honour  that  it  is  the 
mother  grace,  and  of  patience  especially,  when  itself  is  tried.  But  he  had 
no  sooner  mentioned  patience  but  he  runs  out  upon  that,  and  falls  upon 
the  greatest  encomium  and  praises  of  it  :  Let  patience  have  its  perfect 
work,  and  it  will  make  you  perfect.  Now  there  is  no  occasion,  or  room,  or 
work  for  patience,  unless  there  be  tentations.  And  patience,  its  work  is  but 
BO  far  as  the  affliction  proves  to  be.  So  then,  his  second  argument  runs 
upon  this  principle,  that  the  full  work  of  patience  in  our  souls  is,  of  all  other 
graces,  the  highest  perfection  of  a  Christian  :  and  therefore,  '  count  it  all  joy 
to  fall  into  tentations ;'  for  thereby  you  will  have  that  grace  drawn  forth  to 
the  fullest  length,  wound  up  to  the  highest  peg,  which  is  not  done  unless 
tentations  be  answerable.  And  in  aU  your  trials  let  it  but  have  its  swing, 
its  perfect  work,  and  it  will  make  your  persons  perfect, — that  is,  as  perfect  as 
in  tliis  life  you  can  be  made. 

Quest. — But  in  what  respect  doth  it  make  us  perfect  ? 

Ans. — Not  only  in  this  sense — for  there  is  a  double  sense  of  that  speech — 
either  as  if  when  we  had  exercised  all  other  graces,  but  yet  have  not  had 
occasion  for  this  one,  that  when  this  shall  be  added,  that  then  they  should 
be  perfect  Christians.  But  this  is  not  the  meaning,  for  this  may  be  said  of 
any  other  grace  :  as  if  a  man  hath  exercised  all  other  graces,  if  he  begins  to 
exercise  any  one  new  grace,  it  may  be  said  there  is  a  perfection  in  this 
respect.  As  when  he  says  to  the  Corinthians,  '  As  you  have  abounded  in 
every  other  grace,  so  abound  in  this  also,'  2  Cor.  viii  7.  But  there  is  another 
sense,  and  that  is  his  scope  here,  which  is  not  to  extol  a  perfection  in  com- 
mon with  other  graces,  but  a  singular  perfection  to  be  attributed  to  patience : 
Let  patience  but  have  its  perfect  work,  and  that  alone  will  make  you  emi- 
nently perfect.  And  his  scope  is  to  comfort  them  against  the  greatest  trials 
and  occurrences  of  their  lives — '  tentations.'  And  therefore  a  singular  and 
special  encomium  is  attributed  herein  unto  patience,  which  is  the  shield 
against  them. 

My  brethren,  to  give  the  ftdl  sense  of  this,  I  will  make  a  supposition. 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WOEK.  433 

Suppose  a  Christian  to  have  had  the  privilege  to  have  lived  in  the  exercise 
of  all  graces  in  a  way  of  acting,  or  of  an  active  life,  as  to  have  lived  in  sweet 
communion  with  God,  and  to  have  walked  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance 
all  the  day,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  15 ;  and  withal  to  have  had  the  opportunity  of 
doing  good,  and  accordingly  to  have  done  much  good  in  an  active  way,  as 
having  been  abundant  in  good  works,  holy  duties,  praying,  reading,  holy 
conferences,  &c. ;  but  yet  all  this  while  with  a  freedom  from  suffering,  so  as 
he  hath  not  had  the  suffering  part  yet,  so  as  there  hath  been  no  need  for,  or 
use  of  patience.  Suppose  another  Christian,  who  hath  been  obstructed  and 
hindered  and  kept  from  such  an  active  life  of  doing  good  with  that  freedom 
spoken  of,  but  the  dispensation  of  God  hath  disposed  him  to  a  suffering  life 
all  his  days,  and  confined  him  thereunto,  and  therein  his  patience  hath  been 
exercised  under  all  sorts  of  tentations ;  and  then  withal,  suppose  that 
patience,  with  all  those  gracious  dispositions  of  heart  that  are  proper  to  it, 
hath  had  its  free  and  full  passage  through  his  heart, — such  as  I  shall  here- 
after describe, — hath  had  its  operations  all  sorts  of  ways,  according  as  his 
afflictions  have  been  :  this  alone  would  so  draw  out  and  exercise  aU  graces, 
and  head  them,  that  you  would  say,  This  man  is  a  perfect  Christian  ;  shall  I 
say  more  perfect  than  the  other  1  At  least  the  text  says  that  this  makes 
him  a  perfect  man. 

Or  again,  if  you  will  suppose  one  that  hath  been  very  active  in  the  fore- 
gone part  of  his  life,  and  done  God  great  service,  with  an  enlai-ged  heart ; 
and  that  at  last,  after  he  hath  done  the  will  of  God,  further  to  crown  all, 
God  will  exercise  this  man's  patience  with  great  sufferings,  and  draweth  it 
forth  according  to  these  his  trials, — that  man  is  perfect  every  way,  and  he 
lacked  till  then  that  which  is  his  greatest  perfection,  and  he  was  not  before 
every  way  accomplished. 

For  proof  that  patience  is  the  eminent  perfection  of  a  Christian — 
1.  Take  the  instance  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  "What  was 
Christ's  perfection  1  He  had  been  perfect  in  all  active  obedience,  complete 
in  all  gTaces,  yet  the  glory  of  his  perfection  is  put  upon  his  sufferings  and  his 
patience,  Heb.  ii.  10,  '  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by 
whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto  glory,  to  make  the  captain 
of  their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings.'  This  of  patient  enduring  was 
that  which  enhanced  and  exalted  his  obedience  so  :  Phil,  ii.,  '  He  humbled 
himself,  and  was  obedient  to  death,'  &c.  This  of  patient  enduring  was  obe- 
dience learned  :  Heb.  v.  8,  '  Though  he  was  a  son,  yet  he  learned  obedience 
by  what  he  suffered.'  The  active  part  of  obedience  was  natural  to  him,  he 
being,  as  the  natural  Son,  the  Holy  One  of  God ;  having  the  law  of  God  in 
his  heart,  and  it  was  his  delight,  his  meat  and  drink,  to  do  his  will,  Ps.  xl. 
8,  Heb,  X.  ;  that  is,  this  was  natural  to  him.  But  for  him  to  suffer  who 
was  the  Son,  and  so  to  be  patient  in  suffering,  who  was  so  great  a  person, 
this  was  to  be  learned,  as  that  which  was  improper  for  such  a  person,  the  Son. 
And  yet,  as  I  may  say,  this  perfected  the  natural  accomplishments  of  him ; 
this  was  a  lesson  out  of  the  road,  utterly  uncouth  and  extravagant.  He 
must  go  to  school,  therefore,  to  learn  this.  For  so  that  text  implies ;  this 
he  was  to  learn,  as  that  which  would  perfect  him  above  all.  And  so,  indeed, 
to  this  purpose  it  follows  in  ver.  9,  '  Being  made  perfect,'  that  is,  by  what 
he  suffered, — as  in  the  verse  before,  and  chap,  ii.,  he  had  also  said, — and  as 
that  which  did  perfect  him,  more  than  all  his  other  obedience,  and  rendered 
him  more  acceptable  to  his  Father.  Now  it  was  his  patience  and  enduring 
wherein  that  his  obedience  principally  lay ;  which  accordingly  is  so  often 
VOL.  II.  2  E 


434  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  "WORK, 

spoken  of  hini,  as  Heb.  xii.,  'He  endured  the  cross,'  ver.  2;  and  *He 
endured  such  contradiction  of  sinners,'  ver.  3 ;  the  same  word  that  here  is 
used  for  patience ;  that  the  verb,  this  the  noun.  '  Enduring '  is  put  to 
express  '  patience,'  and  is  the  word  used  up  and  down  the  New  Testament, 
and  in  this  epistle  most,  to  express  patience  by,  as  chap.  i.  12,  chap.  v. 
8,  10,  11.  Now  Christ  did  so  endure.  'He  was  led  as  a  sheep  to  the 
slaughter ;  he  opened  not  his  mouth.'  Hogs  cry,  but  sheep  make  no  din 
when  led  to  the  slaughter,  or  when  their  throats  are  cut.  And  this  was 
Christ's  proper  and  super-perfection,  who  is  therefore  proposed  as  an  example 
of  suffering  and  patience  to  us,  and  likewise  of  that  glorious  end  and  issue  of 
it,  in  these  words  of  that  chap.  v.  11,  'Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job, 
and  you  have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord,'  namely  of  the  Lord  Christ,  which, 
many  of  these  Jews  he  wrote  to  had  seen  with  their  eyes,  or  it  was  trans- 
acted in  their  times,  and  so  in  their  view ;  they  saw  him  suffer,  and  now 
they  see  him  crowned  with  glory  and  honour,  Heb.  ii.  That  was  the  end  of 
our  Lord,  and  his  sufferings,  which  made  him  perfect. 

2.  And  as  it  was  Jesus  Christ's  perfection,  so  it  was  of  the  most  eminent 
saints.  Look  again  into  this  epistle,  chap.  v.  11,  and  you  find  the  primi- 
tive principle  that  was  in  vogue  to  be,  '  Behold,  we  count  them  happy  which 
endure,' — it  is  still  the  same  word  which  is  used  for  patience,  as  was  said, 
— that  is.  We  Christians  generally  esteem  them  the  happiest  men  in  the 
world  that  are  most  exercised  with  sufferings,  and  armed  with  patience  to 
endure  them.  They  are  happy  to  a  '  behold  !'  and  so  to  a  perfection,  in  our 
common  esteem.  '  Behold,  we  count  them  happy!'  It  was  a  common  cried- 
up  maxim  amongst  them  in  those  times,  and  the  thing  itself  in  greatest 
request.     Then — 

3.  'Take  the  prophets  for  an  example,'  says  he,  chap.  v.  10.  He  com- 
mends them  also  for  their  patience,  as  Avell  as  for  their  prophecies.  And 
though  he  describes  them  by  this  character  and  periphrasis,  '  that  have 
spoken  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,'  yet  that  was  but  to  set  out  and  celebrate 
the  example  of  their  sufferings  and  patience  the  more.  He  sets  the  crown 
upon  the  head  of  that  grace.  Nor  doth  he  mention  any  of  the  good  they  had 
done ;  nothing  of  that,  but  their  sufferings  only.  And  then  by  name  he 
instanceth  in  Job.  God  boasted  of  him  to  Satan  for  his  former  active  life 
in  holiness ;  but  you  have  no  mention  of  that  by  the  Apostle,  nor  in  the 
New  Testament,  but  he  cries  him  up  for  his  suffering  and  his  patience  only, 
as  that  which  had  endeared  him  to  God  more  than  all  the  former  part  of  his 
Hfe. 

Lastly,  Take  the  apostles.  The  Apostle  in  the  Revelation  puts  it  into 
his  coat  of  arms  as  a  piece  of  his  noljility,  and  a  part  of  his  heraldry.  *  I 
John,  who  am  your  brother,  and  companion  in  tribulation,  and  in  the  king- 
dom and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ,'  Rev.  L  9. 

Now,  upon  all  these  grounds,  if  you  be  true  and  right  Christians,  and 
know,  as  the  Apostle's  word  is,  how  to  put  a  due  estimate  upon  what  ia 
your  greatest  interest  and  privilege  in  this  life, — viz.,  the  proof  and  trial  of 
your  graces,  and  of  this  grace  of  patience  above  all,  as  the  highest  perfection 
of  a  Christian,  yea,  of  Christ  himself,  and  which  was  the  most  eminent 
praise  of  prophets  and  apostles, — if  you  value  your  being  rendered  most 
pleasing  unto  God,  then  count  it  all  joy  when  you  thus  fall  into  tentations. 
For  now  you  have  God  and  Christ,  the  great,  the  chief  master  orderer  and 
designer  of  these  conflicts,  setting  his  most  gracious  eye  upon  you,  pleasing 
himself  to  behold  how  valiantly,  wisely,  and  gallantly  you  behave  and  acquit 
yourselves.     He  sits  in  heaven  as  the  great  spectator  of  these  jousts  and 


PATIJINCE  AJND  ITS  PEEFECT  WOEK.  435 

tournaments,  which  are  to  him  as  spectacles  which  are  sports  to  us  ;  to  which 
the  Apostle  alludes,  1  Cor.  iv.  9,  '  For  I  think  that  God  hath  set  forth  us 
the  apostles  last,  as  it  were  appointed  to  death  :  for  we  are  made  a  spectacle 
unto  the  world,  and  to  angels,  and  to  men.'  Rejoice  therefore,  as  good 
soldiers  would,  to  enter  into  these  lists,  in  the  sight  of  their  great  general 
and  emperor,  whom  they  have  given  themselves  up  to  please.  Thus,  2  Tim. 
iL  4,  '  No  man  that  warreth  entangleth  himself  with  the  affairs  of  this  life, 
that  he  may  please  him  Avho  hath  chosen  him  to  be  a  soldier.'  Therefore 
get  your  hearts  free  and  loose  from  all  those  entanglements  that  arise  from 
adherency  to  the  things  of  this  world ;  from  inordinate  passions  that  cleave 
unto  the  things  of  this  life,  which  will  hinder  and  weaken  you  as  to  a 
patient  bearing  the  losses  and  crosses  you  meet  with  in  it :  knowing  also 
that  you  cannot  please  the  captain  of  your  salvation,  nor  approve  your- 
selves more  to  him  than  by  a  patient  endurance  ;  which  is,  in  the  words 
before  that  passage,  in  that  place  to  Timothy,  exhorted  to,  ver.  3,  '  There- 
fore endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of  Christ.'  And  in  its  coherence 
this  follows,  'it  pleaseth  your  general  to  see  it.'  And  in  Col.  i.,  he  first, 
in  the  general,  prays,  ver.  10,  'that  they  might  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord 
unto  all  pleasing;'  which  pleasing,  as  it  consisteth  in  friiitfulness  in  good 
works,  or  the  active  life  of  a  Christian, — 'being  fruitful  in  every  good  work,' 
in  the  same  verse, — so  in  being  'strengthened  with  all  might,  unto  all 
patience  and  long-suffering,'  as  that  which  is  the  second,  and  chiefest,  and 
most  glorious  part  that  a  Christian  is  to  perform,  to  consummate  the  other ; 
and  which,  therefore,  requires  a  more  glorious  power  to  work  it  than  the 
former,  the  active  part,  did,  as  ver.  1 1  shews — '  Strengthened  with  all  might, 
according  to  his  glorious  power,  unto  all  patience  and  long-suffering.' 

Thus  much  for  the  opening  of  the  words,  in  order  to  that  I  am  more 
Betly  to  handle,  which  followeth. 


436  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PKEFECT  WOKK. 


SECTION  IL 

I  HAVE  three  general  heads  to  treat  of : — 
I.    What  patience  is. 
IL  How  2icitience  is  wrought. 
III.   What  it  isfo7'  patience  to  have  a  perfect  work. 


1st  General  Head. 
What  the  grace  of  patience  is. 

Take  it  at  large, — that  is,  in  the  fall  comprehension  of  it, — it  is  a  constant 
persisting,  whether  to  do  the  will  of  God  without  fainting,  or  to  suffer  the 
will  of  God  with  submission,  and  quietness,  and  cheerfulness,  to  the  end  of 
a  man's  days.  And  thus  taken,  it  respects  doing  as  well  as  suffering.  The 
good  ground  is  said  to  bring  forth  its  fruit,  all  its  fruit,  with  patience,  in  the 
parable  of  the  sower.     It  respects — 

First,  Doing  the  will  of  God  :  Rom.  ii.  7,  '  To  them  who  by  patient  con- 
tinuance in  Avell-doing' — the  Greek  is,  'the  patience  of  a  good  work' — 
*  seek  for  glory  and  honour,'  &.c. 

And  the  reason  why  patience  is  required  to  every  good  work  is  because 
there  is  a  difficulty  that  accompanies  every  duty;  and  to  the  putting  forth 
of  every  grace,  that  we  need  have  patience  to  perform  the  duty  constantly, 
and  to  continue  in  the  practice  of  that  grace.*  There  is  a  difficulty,  not 
only  from  our  own  corruption,  unto  which  the  commands  of  God  are 
grievous,  but  from  the  circumstances  of  times,  places,  persons  we  live  in 
and  amongst,  though  they  should  not  persecute  ;  as  not  to  'run  into  the  same 
excess  of  riot,'  to  speak  or  do  what  we  know  doth  not  please  the  company 
we  are  in.  Thus,  to  be  chaste  in  Sodom  was  to  Lot  a  trial :  to  condemn 
the  world  by  a  different  carriage,  as  in  being  stricter  than  others  on  the 
Lord's  day,  or  in  famdy  duties,  &c.,  to  cross  the  stream  :  to  be  singular, 
Matt.  V.  47,  and  the  like.  Heb.  xii.  12,  '  Lift  up  the  hands  which  hang 
down,  and  the  feeble  knees  : '  wherein  I  observe  that  ia  doing  good  in 
any  kind,  we  are  not  only  lame  creatures,  and  walk  as  those  that  halt,  which 
breeds  an  awkwardness  unto  any  duty ;  but  further,  we  are  apt  by  reason 
thereof  to  turn  out  of  the  way,  as  there,  if  rugged.  The  members  we  should 
walk  withal  are  feeble ;  our  hands  we  should  act  with  are  hanging  down  ; 
and  so  the  performance  hath  a  difficulty.  To  go  up  the  hill  of  good  duties 
(though  private  and  personal)  without  weariness,  to  keep  straight  paths, 
not  to  pick  and  choose  our  way,  and  not  to  baulk  the  way  or  work  which 
God  finds  us  to  do,  Eccles.  ix.  10 ;  especially  not  to  faint  towards  the  end, 
when  we  come  to  the  brow  of  the  hiU  ;  these  all  have  a  wearisomeness  in 
them.     Now,  that  which  principally  heartens  and  strengthens  us  to  all  this 

*  '  Patientia  ita  Dei  rebus  proposita  est,  ut  nullum  praeceptum  obire  quia  possit  a 
patientia  extraneua'— r^Jtu^.  de  Patimtw,. 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  437 

is  patience,  as  in  ver.  1  he  had  prefaced,  'Let  us  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  us ;'  we  need  patience  for  every  step  of  it,  in  doing 
as  well  as  in  suffering.  And  in  the  verse  immediately  before  that  exhorta- 
tion now  opened,  (it  is  ver.  11,)  the  Apostle  puts  and  devolves  an  even  and 
quiet  walking  upon  patience,  obtained  first  by  suffering,  in  these  words, 
'Now  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous; 
nevertheless,  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness 
unto  them  which  are  exercised  thereby.'  So  as  a  quiet,  resolute,  and  strong 
performance  of  all  the  duties  of  righteousness  is  from  patience,  and  is  much 
the  fruit  of  that  patience  we  get  by  chastisements.  The  suffering  life  helps 
and  contributes  much  to  the  active  life  ;  for  as  there  is  a  patience  required 
in  doing  God's  will,  so  suffering  his  will  fits  the  heart  for  it. 

But  this  of  patience  in  well-doing  is  not,  in  strict  sense,  that  patience 
which  is  here  in  my  text  to  be  understood. 

Patience  is  therefore,  secondly,  the  suffering  the  will  0/  God  in  any  kind. 
And  this  doth  patience  eminently  respect.  And  that  is  the  renowned 
patience  which  we  almost  everywhere  meet  with,  and  which  the  text  calls 
for ;  such  as  when  sudden  and  unexpected  trials  and  tentations,  which 
they  fiill  into,  fall  out,  as  ver.  2.  And  so  is  not  meant  of  the  difficulties 
that  accompany  our  ordinary  constant  way  of  personal  walking,  in  perform- 
ing the  duties  of  our  holy  profession. 

Obj. — But  you  will  say,  My  sufferings  are  not  for  the  gospel,  as  theirs  here 
intended  were,  but  they  are  mere  providential  accidents  that  have  fallen 
upon  me,  out  of  common  providence,  and  but  such  as  befall  wicked  men. 
They  are  not  from  outward  persecution,  for  Christ's  sake  or  my  profession, 
but  from  God's  hand. 

Am. — I  shall  answer  this,  here,  once  for  all. 

1.  The  words  of  this  very  text  may  somewhat  relieve  us  herein;  for  it  is 
'  tentations '  at  large  that  are  spoken  of,  and  tentations  arising  from  sudden 
downfalls  into  miseries,  and  so  of  any  kind.  He  doth  not  altogether  re- 
strain it  to  temptations  by  persecution,  though  they  are  mainly  intended, 
but  it  may,  and  ought  to  be,  extended  to  other  providential  occurrences ; 
and  the  word  ■o'TtoiMovri,  used  for  patience,  signifieth  a  remaining  under  any 
pressures  unbroken  and  whole,  be  they  of  what  kind  soever.  It  respects, 
indeed,  afflictions  mainly  for  the  gospel,  yet  not  exclusively  to  afflictions  in 
common. 

2.  In  the  prosecution  of  this  argument,  the  Apostle  doth  manifestly 
carry  in  his  eye  other  tentations  or  sufferings  than  from  persecution,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  examples  he  allegeth  to  press  them  to  this  patience.  For 
among  others,  and  above  all  others,  he  brings  the  instance  of  Job  and  his, 
by  name  only,  as  well  as  of  the  prophets  in  general,  whom,  Christ  says,  they 
persecuted.  Matt.  v.  12.  Thus,  chap,  v,  11,  'Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience 
of  Job.'  His  alleging  the  prophets  is  but  a  general :  ver.  10,  '  Take  the 
prophets' — not  naming  any — '  for  an  example  of  suffering  and  of  patience.' 
But  that  of  Job  singularly,  and  by  name.  Now,  surely  he  would  not  cite 
his  most  eminent  example,  to  confirm  his  exhortation  to  this  patience  he  in- 
tended, of  one  whose  case  did  not  come  within  the  compass  and  dint  of  his 
exhortation.  Let  us,  therefore,  have  recourse  to  Job's  case  and  story.  His 
losses  were  but  providential  from  God.  The  Sabeans  and  Chaldeans  plun- 
dered him  of  his  goods,  and  slew  his  servants.  And  '  the  fire  of  God,'  or 
from  God,  'is  fallen  from  heaven,'  so  his  messengers  tell  him,  chap.  i.  16. 
It  is  true  it  was  the  devil,  out  of  spite,  that  moved  them  that  did  it; 
but  they  did  it,  not  in  a  way  of  persecution,  but  as  common  enemies,  as 


438  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  jfJlRFECT  WOEK. 

when  the  clans  of  one  country  break  in  upon  another.  But  it  wa§  God  kni 
the  devil  agreed  it  together ;  yea,  and  it  was  God  gave  first  occasion  to  the 
devil  to  move  him  to  have  leave  to  do  it.  So  as  that  was  not  for  thd 
gospel's  sake  in  way  of  persecution.  Nor  did  Job  at  all  khow  of  that  trails- 
action  between  God  and  Satan,  not  all  that  while  his  patience  was  in  thd 
exercise  of  it,  but  took  aU  as  the  hand  of  God,  though  extraordinary. 

If  yoii  now  ask  a  description  of  patience,  as  it  thus  respects  suffering  iH^ 
wiU  of  God,  we  must  give  it  as  it  is  in  the  word  of  God  in  the  height,  for 
that  is  the  rule  itself  that  directs  to  it,  and  not  lown  it  to  what  is  found  in 
our  hearts.  And  yet  that  which  afterwards  follows,  and  wiU  confirm  everj^ 
tittle  of  it,  is  drawn  mostly  from  examples  of  the  saints,  either  iii  the  Old  oir 
New  Testaments,  which  shew  that  it  is  attainable,  though  with  allowance  to 
defects,  which  accompany  all  graces  in  this  life. 

It  is  a  constant,  thankful,  joyful  enduring,  with  perseverance  to  the  end 
of  a  man's  life,  all  the  trials  that  are  grievous,  how  great,  how  long,  how 
hopeless  soever  as  to  coming  out  of  them ;  mortifying  and  compescing  the 
inordinacy  of  opposite  passions,  as  fear,  grief,  care,  anxiety,  which  will  arise 
upon  such  aflSictions ;  with  submitting  to  God's  will,  for  God's  glory,  and 
his  good  pleasure's  sake;  still  blessing  and  sanctifying  God  in  all,  waiting 
on  God,  and  relieving  one's  self  by  faith  in  what  is  to  be  had  in  God,  and 
from  God,  in  communion  with  him,  and  from  his  love,  in  this  life;  in  expec- 
tation also  of  that  glory  which  is  the  reward  after  this  life  ended. 

I  might,  in  this  place,  confirm  every  word  and  tittle  of  this  description, 
either  out  of  examples  of  holy  men  or  the  rules  which  the  word  gives.  But 
I  omit  the  set  collection  of  such  proofs  here,  because  that,  scatteredly,  up 
and  down,  in  the  particulars  that  follow,  this  wiU  be  found  pwformed. 

2d  General  Head. 
S^ow  patience  is  wrought. 

Brethren,  whUe  I  shew  you  how  patience  is  wrought,  I  do  withal  shew 
you  the  way  and  means  to  obtain  it ;  for  by  the  same  it  is  wrought,  by  the 
same  it  is  nourished  and  maintained.  And  I  shall  not  go  out  of  the  text 
for  this. 

There  are  two  principles  here  that  work  patience.  The  first  is  faith :  ver. 
3,  '  Knowing  this,  that  the  trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patience.'  And 
because,  in  Gal.  v.  6,  it  is  said,  '  faith  worketh  by  love,' — that  is,  faith  work- 
eth by  love  whatever  it  worketh, — therefore  we  must  find  also  that  love 
works  patience.  And  that  you  have  in  ver.  12  too,  '  Blessed  is  the  man 
that  endureth  temptation :  for  when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the 
crown  of  life,  which  the  Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him.'  Why 
doth  he  put  in  '  to  them  that  love  him,'  whilst  he  speaks  of  him  that  en- 
dureth tentations,  but  because  it  is  love  enables  a  man  to  endure  tempta- 
tion'?* So  that  faith  in  the  first  place,  and  then  faith  working  by  love  in 
the  second  place,  works  patience  or  enduring. 

And  the  confirmations  of  these  two  will  give  proofs  to  the  latter  parts  of 
that  description  I  gave  of  patience  ;  to  wit,  those  of  the  soul's  relieving  itself 
by  faith,  by  what  is  to  be  had  in  God,  &c. 

I.  How  doth  faith  work  patience  ? 

Ans. — First,  in  the  general,  faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  fend 

*  '  Admonet  victores  omnium  tentationum  fore,  qui  Deum  amant.  Nee  aM  de 
causS,  noa  anixno  defici  cum  tentamur,  nisi  quia  prevalet  mundi  amor.' — Calvin  in 
verba. 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WOEK.  439 

indeed  of  all  things  that  are  revealed  in  the  word;  that  is,  it  makes  them 
fiubsistent  and  real  to  a  man's  soul.  Faith  does  this,  as  the  eleventh  to  the 
Hebrews  shews.  And  thereupon  faith  hatli  all  the  motives  and  considera- 
tions that  the  whole  word  affords,  all  which  it  brings  in  to  the  soul,  and 
makes  them  subsistent  to  it,  to  support  it  in  trials.  All  is  let  in  by  faith ; 
that  is  the  tunnel  that  fills  the  vessel.  And  by  thus  bringing  home  to  a 
man's  soul  all  the  considerations  the  word  affords,  which  may  induce  a 
man  to  patience,  it  works  it.     This  is  but  general. 

These  considerations  in  the  word  are  infinite,  and  I  cannot  stand  to  in- 
stance ;  I  will  only  give  what  are  most  proper  to  faith. 

First  of  all,  Faith  hath  a  privative,  emptying  work.  It  empties  the  soul  of 
all  its  own  worth,  and  righteousness,  and  excellency  in  its  own  eyes,  and  gives 
a  thorough  sight  unto  the  soul  of  the  sinfulness  of  sin,  of  its  spiritual  sins,  and 
contrarieties  of  all  in  itself  unto  holiness  and  faith ;  and  withal  fully  con- 
vinceth  it  of  its  just  dcservedness  to  be  utterly  destroyed,  and  therefore  much 
more  of  its  due  desert  of  all  or  any  afflictions  whatever,  they  being  any  or  all 
of  them  far  less  than  destruction  itself.  And  in  the  sight  and  sense  of  these 
faith  lays  the  soul  a  poor,  empty,  naked,  wretched  creature  in  all  spiritual 
respects,  both  in  the  sight  and  presence  of  God  and  in  its  own  eyes.  And 
this  helps  greatly  towards  working  patience.  You  shall  observe,  in  that 
golden  chain  of  graces,  whereof  each  latter  link  dej)ends  upon  the  former, 
Matt.  V.  3-5,  how  poverty  of  spirit  is  placed  first :  '  Blessed  are  the  poor  in 
spirit,'  that  is,  that  are  emptied  of  themselves,  look  upon  themselves  as  hav- 
ing nothing,  deserving  nothing,  able  to  do  nothing  spiritually.  And  this 
true  poverty  of  spirit  they  have  from  faith  wrought ;  for  blessedness  is  only 
pronounced  of  them  that  believe,  and  of  the  fruits  of  faith  in  them,  accord- 
ing to  that,  Kom.  iv.  7-9.  Then,  secondly,  follows,  '  Blessed  are  they  that 
mourn,'  namely,  for  their  sins  ;  that  in  the  second  place.     And  then,  thirdly, 

*  Blessed  are  the  meek,'  that  is,  those  who,  in  the  sight  of  their  poverty  and 
sinfulness,  lie  at  God's  feet,  so  subdued  and  affected  as  God  may  do  what  he 
will  to  them  or  with  them.  Thus  it  is  with  them  when  they  are  thus  emp- 
tied, which  is  when  they  have  seen  their  sins  and  dcservedness  to  be  de- 
stroyed, and  are  humbled  for  them  and  mourn  for  them.  These  foregoing 
dispositions  work  meekness,  submission  to  God.  They  have  nothing  to  say 
against  whatever  he  shall  do,  but  to  justify  God  in  all,  and  to  condemn 
themselves.  And  all  these  make  them  willing  and  patient  to  take  any  thing 
well  at  the  hands  of  God.  It  is  an  excellent  speech,  to  our  purpose,  of 
the  church  in  that  humbled  frame  of  heart  you  find  her  in.  Lam.  iii.  39, 

*  Wherefore  doth  a  living  man  complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment  of  his 
sins?'  The  church  expresseth  it  as  the  most  brutish,  improper  incongruity, 
unbecoming  a  man,  such  as  there  could  not  be  imagined  a  greater.  What  ? 
for  a  man  to  complain  and  think  much  at  the  punishment  of  his  sins  !  a 
man  to  murmur,  as  the  word  is,  against  God  !  a  sinful  man  against  the  holy 
God,  his  righteous  judge!  And  it  is  certain  that  thinking  much  is  the 
ground  of  all  impatiency ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  a  submiss  temper  of  spirit 
unto  God  is  the  ground  of  all  patience.  But  why  doth  she  put  in,  besides, 
to  convince  such  a  one  of  the  foUy,  injustice,  and  iniquity  of  it,  that  he  is  a 
living  man;  '  Why  doth  a  living  man  complain  1 '  Art  thou  alive  1  Art  a 
living  man  still  in  this  world  1  Then  hast  thou  little  cause  to  complain, 
whatever  thy  misery  be.  Whilst  thou  art  alive,  thou  art  not  destroyed. 
Consider  how  hell  and  destruction  is  thy  portion,  and  the  due  punishment  of 
thy  sins ;  and  so  thou  hast  infinitely  less  than  thou  deservest,  and  therefore 
thou  hast  no  reason  to  complain.     The  church,  out  of  her  own  sense  and  ap- 


440  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK. 

prehension  of  this,  had  said  before,  ver.  22,  'It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that 
we  are  not  consumed.'  She  saith  not,  that  our  goods  are  not  consumed,  or, 
that  our  houses  are  not  burnt ;  for  indeed  that  was  the  church's  very  case 
when  she  spake  this.  Jerusalem  was  burnt,  their  women  ravished,  their 
goods  plundered,  their  bodies  famished,  as  you  read  in  the  same  Lamenta- 
tions almost  everywhere.  But  yet  there  was  a  remnant  of  persons  who  were 
not  consumed  ;  and  this,  said  she,  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies,  of  his  tender  mer- 
cies, out  of  his  bowels,  as  the  word  there  is.  And  this  being  less  than  de- 
struction, or  being  consumed,  is  her  reason  for  that  expostulation  foremen- 
tioued,  ver.  39.  As  also  of  that  her  so  great  submission,  from  that  ver.  22 
unto  the  39th  verse.  You  find  the  very  same  to  this,  as  a  ground  of  patience, 
expressed  elsewhere,  after  the  captivity  ended  :  Ezra  ix.  13,'  Thou  our  God 
hast  punished  us  less  than  our  iniquities  deserve,  after  all  that  is  come  upon 
us  for  our  evil  deeds,'  say  they,  '  and  for  our  great  trespasses.'  Shall,  then, 
a  living  man  complain  for  the  punishment  of  his  sin,  when  it  is  so  infinitely 
far  less  than  he  deserves  ?  This  consideration  works  patience,  as  it  hath 
reason.  If  a  man  deserves  to  be  hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered,  and  he  is 
but  burnt  in  the  hand,  shall  this  man  complain  1  Let  that  man  down  on  his 
knees  at  the  bar,  and  thank  the  judge  or  prince  that  he  had  not  his  due  de- 
sert, the  gallows.  And  the  consideration  of  this  is  that  also  which  makes  a 
man  accept  the  punishment  of  his  iniquity,  as  you  have  it  in  Lev.  xxvi.  41, 
*  If  ye  accept  the  punishment,'  &c.  ;  that  is,  if  ye  kiss  the  rod.  And  what 
makes  a  man  come  to  accept  the  punishment  of  his  iniquities  ?  Oh  !  the 
punishment  of  my  iniquity  is  infinitely  far  less  than  I  deserve,  for,  thinks  he, 
damnation  is  my  portion.  This  is  the  first  thing  that  works  patience,  the 
consideration  of  our  own  deservedness  to  be  destroyed,  and  this  is  from  the 
emptying  work  of  faith. 

Secondly,  Faith  hrings  Iiome  to  a  maris  soul  the  dominion  of  God,  and 
the  sovereignty  of  that  dominion  over  a  man's  soul  and,  perso7i,  to  do  what 
he  will  with  them ;  and  that  may  very  well  hush  and  quiet  a  man.  In 
Job  ix.  12,  'Behold,  he  taketh  away,'  (destroys  a  city,  a  nation,  suppose, 
as  in  chap.  xii.  23,  '  He  increaseth  the  nations,  and  destroj's  them ;  enlargeth 
the  nations,  and  straitens  them  again,')  and  'who  can  hinder  him?' — as  in 
that  chap,  ix., — '  and  who  Avill  say  unto  him.  What  dost  thou  V  As  it  follows, 
'  If  God  will  not  withdraw  his  anger,  the  proud  helpers  stoop  under  him  ;' 
or,  '  the  helpers  of  strength,'  as  in  the  margin,  '  they  bow  under  him.'  He 
took  away  your  goods,  and  who  could  hinder  him  1  The  fire  burnt  this  city, 
notwithstanding  all  the  inhabitants  that  were  interested,  and  able  to  have 
quenched  it ;  yet  the  strong  helpers  stood  helpless,  looking  on,  weeping, 
shaking  their  heads,  and  crying,  Alas  !  For  why  1  Who  could  hinder  him  ? 
They  all  bowed  under  him.  And  again.  Job  xxxiv.  31,  'Surely  it  is  meet 
to  be  said  unto  God,  I  have  borne  chastisement,  I  will  not  ofi"end  any  more.' 
For,  as  ver.  33,  '  Should  it'— the  evil  or  the  good  he  is  pleased  to  bring  on 
thee — 'be  accordmg  to  thy  mind?'  (Ileb.,  Should  it  be  'from  with  thee?') 
that  is,  from  what  is  in  and  with  thee.  Must  he  ask  counsel  first  of 
thee,  and  know  what  thy  mmd  is  ?  '  He  will  recompense  it,'  or  dispense  it 
as  he  pleaseth,  '  whether  thou  refuse,  or  whether  thou  choose,' — that  is,  whe- 
ther thy  mind  be  for  or  against  it, — '  and  not  I.'  (This  is  the  speech  of  Elihu 
in  the  person  of  God,  and  on  his  behalf)  That  is,  Shouldest  thou  dispose  of 
all  these  things  for  me,  and  not  I  myself?  says  God.  This  may  and  must 
silence  all  and  every  man,  as  well  as  it  did  Job  there.  For  it  follows, '  There- 
fore speak,'  if  thou  hast  anything  to^say  against  this,  'what  thou  knowest.' 
As  if  he  had  said^  This  is  not  to  be  contradicted,  but  to  be  wholly  submitted  to. 


PATIEXCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  441 

But,  my  brethren,  faith  brings  home  to  the  heart  a  message  of  a  higher 
sovereignty,  even  of  love  from  God  borne  to  you,  and  tells  all  you  that  sin- 
cerely profess  an  interest  in  God,  that  God  hath  shewn  his  absolute  dominion 
already  towards  you  in  saving  your  souls.  It  is  an  absolute  dominion  that, 
as  Rom.  ix.  shews.  And  what  else  is  the  meaning  of  that  speech,  '  I  will 
be  merciful  to  whom  I  will  be  merciful  V  It  is  a  speech  of  dominion. 
Well,  hath  God  shewed  his  dominion  in  saving  thy  soul  with  difference  1 
hath  he  shewn  it  on  this,  the  good  side  ?  Then  truly  thou  mayest  very  well 
give  him  leave  to  exercise  his  dominion  over  all  else  that  thou  hast ;  thou 
mayest  very  well  be  content  he  shew  his  dominion  upon  thy  lumber  and  thy 
appurtenances.  He  might  have  shewn  his  dominion  in  destroying  both  your 
goods  and  souls  too,  as  he  did  the  Sodomites  when  he  burnt  their  city. 

But,  thirdly,  Faith  brings  home  the  love  of  God,  the  soul's  interest  in 
God,  with  a  communion  and  fellowship  with  God,  which  may  well  serve  to 
strengthen  patience  in  the  greatest  distresses.  This  you  see  in  David  at  Zik- 
lag,  when  the  city  was  burnt, — I  therefore  instance  in  it, — and  his  goods  aU 
plundered,  and  his  wives  carried  away.  And  David  was  greatly  distressed, 
the  people  talking  of  stoning  him.  Then  it  is  said,  '  but  David  encouraged 
himself  in  the  Lord  his  God.'  His  interest  in  him,  and  the  coming  in  of  his 
love,  as  being  his  God,  did  hearten  and  strengthen  him  against  all,  1  Sam. 
XXX.  6.  Likewise,  in  extremity  of  famine,  when  there  was  not  bread,  nor 
oil,  nor  wine,  nor  meat  to  eat,  this  wrought  the  like,  Hab.  iii.  17,  18,  'Al- 
though the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fniit  be  in  the  vines;  the 
labour  of  the  oHve  shaU  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flock 
shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  more  herd  in  the  stalls ;' 
— here  are  all  those  things  enumerated  as  wanting  that  are  the  means  to  sup- 
port life  and  nature,  and  it  is  the  want  of  food  and  raiment  for  you  and 
yours  that  you  fear  in  the  loss  of  your  goods,  and  loss  of  your  livelihoods  ; 
— '  yet,'  says  he,  '  I  wiU  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  sal- 
vation.' A  man  hath  all  in  God  before  him  still.  And  faith  brings  home 
all  in  God,  or  carries  the  heart  out  unto  God,  to  fetch  in  comfort  from  him, 
in  these  the  greatest  extremities.  There  are  two  things  there  distinct.  He 
first  says  he  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  even  in  what  the  Lord  is  in  himself :  a 
God  blessed  for  ever.  Amen !  And  if  God  be  happy  and  blessed  for  ever- 
more, I  cannot  be  miserable,  says  that  soul  that  can  rejoice  in  this,  that 
however  God  enjoys  a  perfect  blessedness ;  and  I  do  so  rejoice  in  that,  that 
whilst  God  continues  to  be  God,  and  these  apprehensions  and  disposition  of 
heart  do  but  continue  in  me,  I  have  enough.  The  second  is,  that  he  is  my 
God,  the  God  of  my  salvation  ;  so  Habakkuk, '  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my 
salvation.'  And  then  to  be  sure,  while  he  is  happy,  I  shall  be  happy  indeed. 
'  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul,'  Lam.  ui.,  in  the  midst  of  those 
troubles.     The  Lord  help  us  to  faith  ! 

My  brethren,  the  love  of  God  brought  in  by  faith  will  help  a  man  to  bear 
up  under  any  condition.  You  know  that  place,  Eom.  viii. ;  he  had  triumphed 
in  the  love  of  God,  ver.  31,  '  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  V  And 
ver.  35,  *  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  shall  tribulation,  or 
distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  sword  ? '  Mark  his  reso- 
lution, expressed  thereupon,  in  ver.  37,  '  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are 
more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.'  That  speech,  .'  Xay,  in  all 
these  things,'  &c.,  is  a  triumphant  slighting  of  all  he  had  reckoned  up,  and  it 
was  aU  any  way  formidable,  or  that  might  be  judged  opposite  to  our  com- 
forts in  this  world,  which  he  had  reckoned  up  ;  and  yet  speaks  at  that  rate 
as  if  faith  on  the  love  of  God  and  Christ  scorned  such  low  and  weak  and 


442  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  "WORK. 

poor  adversaries,  as  not  enough,  or  not  of  miglit  enough  for  them  to  try  their 
strength  upon ;  and  is  as  if  he  had  said,  Are  these  all  that  come  out  against 
us,  and  threaten  to  hurt  us  ?  But  are  these  all  indeed  1  Nay  then,  says  he, 
if  these  be  all,  we  are  safe  enough  ;  we  are  more  than  conquerors  in  all  these. 
But  how  comes  this  to  pass  ?  It  is  added,  '  through  him  that  loved  us.' 
Not  only  in  that  he,  loving  us,  joins  his  strength  to  ours  to  support  us,  but 
it  is  also  meant  objective,  that  the  love  of  God  and  Christ  coming  in  fresh 
upon  our  hearts,  the  apprehension  of  that  is  sufficient ;  and  in  that  respect 
he  says,  '  through  him  that  loved  us.'  It  is  objective  spoken  of  Christ's  love, 
as  it  is  the  object  of  our  faith,  and  not  assistenter.  We  are  more  than  con- 
querors through  his  love  taken  in  by  us,  and  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts ; 
and  by  reason  that  his  love  comes  in  and  supports  us  under  all,  and  helps 
us  to  conquer  all.  As  faith  hath  all  in  God  to  rejoice  in,  and  so  helps  the 
soul  to  patience  ;  so  especially  it  hath  its  love,  in  all  sorts  of  distresses. 

Fourthly,  Faith  tells  us  that  there  will  be  a  good  iss2ie  of  all  as  to  the  other 
loorld  ;  yea,  and  in  this  world  also,  in  such  things  that  relate  to  that  world, 
Lake  xxi.  18,  19.  He  had  spoken  before  in  that  chapter  of  the  greatest  dis- 
tresses that  could  befall  men, — as,  if  you  read  the  verses  before,  appeaieth, — 
and  also  of  such  as  should  fall  upon  the  people  of  God  amongst  them  per- 
sonally, as  well  as  upon  the  nation  of  the  Jews  in  their  final  desolation.  And 
besides  that  common  calamity  which  befell  the  people  of  God,  with  the  rest 
of  that  nation,  he  says,  over  and  above,  they  shall  first  '  lay  their  hands  on 
you,'  ver.  12,  '  and  persecute  you,  delivering  you  up  to  the  synagogues,  and 
into  prisons,  and  shall  put  some  of  you  to  death  ;' — it  is  in  all  three  Evange- 
lists ; — and  in  ver.  16,  'Ye  shall  be  betrayed  both  by  parents,  and  brethren, 
and  kinsfolks,  and  friends  ;  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's 
sake.'  But,  says  he,  comfort  yourselves  with  what  will  certainly  be 
the  issue  :  ver.  18,  '  There  shall  not  a  hair  of  your  head  perish.'  How? 
Not  a  hair  of  your  head  perish  !  What  a  strange  saying  is  this,  when  he 
had  said  just  before  they  should  be  persecuted  and  put  to  death  !  How 
doth  he  say  then,  Not  a  hair  of  your  head  shall  perish  %  Why,  because  the 
issue  shall  be  such  as  should  make  amends  for  every  hair.  The  soul  shall 
say,  I  have  not  lost  a  hair.  Nay,  besides,  those  of  you  they  cannot  put  to 
death  shall  have  a  hundred-fold,  and  that  in  this  life,  as  elsewhere,  in 
spiritual  blessings.  And  faith,  eyeing  these  things,  relieves  the  soul.  Ob- 
serve but  what  follows  there  as  to  our  purpose  in  hand,  for  which  I  quote 
this  place,  in  ver.  19,  the  very  next  verse,  '  In  your  patience  possess  your 
souls ;'  the  meaning  from  the  coherence  is,  You  may  well  possess  your  souls 
in  patience,  for  I  have  told  you  the  issue  will  be  most  blessed  and  glorious. 

Fifthly,  Faith  brings  in  heaven  as  the  reward  of  patient  enduring ;  thus, 
in  chap.  i.  12  of  our  Apostle,  '  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  tempta- 
tion :  lor  when  he  is  tried,  he  shaU  receive  the  crown  of  life,  which  the  Lord 
hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him.'  And  this  is  the  conclusion  of  his 
present  discourse  about  patient  enduring.  '  When  he  is  tried,'  that  is,  when 
his  trials  are  finished  and  gone  through  with ;  and  his  faith  hath  all  along 
wrought  patience  in  his  course.  It  is  persevering  patience,  or  endurance, 
receives  this  crown.  Other  graces  strive,  but  faith  and  patience,  they  are 
crowned.*  And  further,  in  proportion  it  holds  that  as  a  man's  trials  and 
temptations  have  been,  and  his  patience  suitable,  such  shall  the  greatness  of 
his  reward  be,  and  accordingly  measured  forth  unto  him.  And  faith  in  the 
intuition  of  that  glory  heartens  patience,  Rom.  v.  Faith  having  caused  us 
*  '  Omnes  virtutes  certant,  sola  patientia  vmcit  et  coronatur.' 


PATIENCE  AXD  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  443 

first  to  *  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,'  ver.  2,  causeth  us  also  to 
*  glory  in  tribulations,'  ver.  3,  in  the  strength  of  our  hope  in  that  glory. 
Which  hope  is  said  further  to  be  increased  in  us,  through  tribulations  work- 
ing patience,  ver.  4.     As  thus,  '  patience  works  experience,'  ver.  5,  that  id, 
many  a  fresh  experiment  of  our  own  graces  and  God's  dealings  in  those 
trials ;  and  those  experiences  do  work  up  a  hope  or  assurance  of  glory  (as 
1  John  iii.  2)  to  that  degree  of  firmness  that  maketh  us  not  ashamed,  not  in 
respect  only  of  the  real  disappointment  of  that  glory  at  death,  but  not  in  a 
man's  own  hope  thereof  in  his  own  heart, — for  in  respect  to  that  hope  of  his 
this  is  spoken, — because  that  over  and  above,  and  besides  those  foresaid 
experiments,  '  the  love  of  God  is  ehed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy 
Ghost'  himself  immediately,  'who  is  given  to  us;'  which  shedding,  <fec.,  of 
God's  love  is  no  other  than  the  earnest  and  prelibation  of  that  glory.     And 
this  is  given  as  the  reward  of  our  patience  and  tribulations,  which  are  but 
the  loss  of  things  earthly,  in  exchange  for  which  we  receive  this  hope  and 
beginnmg  of  glor}\     If  thou  hadst  had  all  the  brass  and  pewter  that  was  in 
thy  house,  and  hath  been  melted  by  this  fire,  therewithal  turned  into  gold ; 
and  the  stones  that  paved  thy  yards,  or  the  bricks  or  lime  that  raised  thy 
walls,  all  changed  into  precious  stones ;    thy  glass  windows,  that  were  dis- 
solved, converted  into  diamonds, — thou  hadst  little  cause  to  complain  at  the 
loss.     Now  read  Isa.  liv.  11,  12,  '  O  thou  afflicted,  tossed  with  tempest,  and 
not  comforted,  behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones  with  fair  colours,  and  lay  thy 
foimdations  with  sapphires ;  I  will  make  thy  windows  of  agates,  and  thy  gates 
of  carbuncles,  and  all  thy  borders  of  pleasant  stones.'     And  if  thou  hast 
gotten  any  increase  of  grace  by  these  losses,  then  hath  much  of  this  in  Isaiah 
been  truly  and  spiritually  fulfilled  in  thee.     And  these  repairs  are  in  this 
life.     But  besides  that,  '  Thou  hast  a  building  made  without  hands,  eternal 
in  the  heavens,'  2  Cor.  v.  1,  which  stands  ready  for  thee.     Those  believing 
Hebrews  might  well  sufifer  the  spoiling  of  their  goods  with  joy,  whilst  they 
found  sealed,  and  put  into  their  hearts,  bills  of  exchange  to  receive  all  again 
in  eternal  treasures  in  heaven.     But  this  was  their  very  case  :  '  Ye  took  joy- 
fully the  spoiling  of  your  goods,  knowing  in  yourselves  that  ye  have  in 
heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  substance,'  Heb.  x.  34,     And  this  happy 
lot  wiU  come  to  be  thine,  if  thou  exercisest  upon  thy  losses  faith  and  patience. 
It  follows  in  that  Heb.   x.,  the  following  verses,  '  Cast  not  away  there- 
fore your  confidence,  w^hich  hath  great  recompence  of  reward.      For  ye 
have  need  of  patience,  that,  after  ye  have  done  the  wiU  of  God,  ye  might 
receive  the  promise.' — This  for  faith's  working  patience. 

II.  Our  love  to  God  works  patience.  Love  to  God  in  us  works  pa- 
tience, or  faith  by  love,  as  I  shewed  out  of  ver.  12,  Love  to  God  makes 
us  cleave  to  God,  and  so  to  follow  him  through  all  weathers  and  endurances. 
That  great  convert,  in  whom  at  his  conversion  faith  and  love  were  so  abun- 
dant, as  1  Tim.  i,  14, — his  heart,  through  love  to  the  name  of  Christ,  caused 
him  in  the  highest  passion  to  utter,  '  ^Tiat  mean  you  to  weep  and  break 
my  heart  ?  for  I  am  not  ready  to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem, 
for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,'  Acts  xxi.  13.  It  was  love  to  that  name 
that  fired  him ;  yea,  his  love  was  wrought  up  to  such  an  intense  degree  as  he 
could  have  wished  to  have  been  accursed  from  Christ  for  God's  glory  in  the 
conversion  of  his  brethren,  Eom,  ix.  I  wonder  how  he  would  have  done  for 
patience  under  that  curse,  if  in  hell.  But  that  love  which  wished  that  curse 
would  have  wrought  it ;  and  so  thought  he,  or  he  would  never  have  wished 
this.      Upon  the  like  account  of  love  to  this  name,  those  two  apostles 


444  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK. 

'rejoiced  to  suffer  shame  for  Ms  name,'  as  Acts  v.  41.  Love  makes  the 
glorifying  of  God  and  Christ,  and  the  -will  of  God,  Avhich  is  always  for  his 
glory,  dearer  than  all  things  to  us.  Yea,  that  God  should  have  his  will,  for 
his  own  glory, — '  if  it  be  the  will  of  God,'  says  the  Apostle, — of  our  sufferings, 
abundantly  stills  the  heart  in  alL  It  is  true,  I  may  be  punished  in  my  afflic- 
tions for  my  sin,  and  I  humble  myself  for  that.  But  beyond  that,  it  is  the 
good  pleasure  of  God  so  to  have  it ;  and  I  rejoice  in  that,  says  love,  that  his 
will  is  done,  as  truly  that  it  is  done  upon  me,  as  that  by  me.  And  good  is 
the  word  of  God  in  both;  and  hallowed  be  his  name  !  In  that  Eom.  viii., 
where,  as  you  heard,  *  we  are  more  than  conquerors  in  all  these  things 
through  him  that  loved  us,'  that  love  of  his  to  us  is  alone  indeed  openly  or  ex- 
pressly mentioned,  yet  withal  it  is  our  love  to  him  that  tacitly  is  insinuated 
to  be  a  concurrent  cause  therewith;  you  must  take  that  in  too.  For  the 
intent  of  those  very  words  is,  that  the  soul  apprehending  his  love  who  is  that 
lover, — roil  ur/a'z-/;aa\/'rog, — as  that  word  imports,  out  of  a  reciprocated  love  to 
Mm  again,  doth  hearten  us  in  the  conflict  unto  this  conquest.  And  yet 
there  is  one  small  word  put  in  that  further  argues  this;  it  is  in  ver.  36, 
'  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long,' — our  lives  being  in  jeopardy 
every  hour, — and  'we  are  counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.'  And  this  '  for 
thy  sake '  you  have  in  Ps.  xliv.,  and  he  quotes  it  out  from  thence  ;  '  As  it  is 
written,'  says  he,  *  For  thy  sake,'  &c.  Now  therefore  it  is  evidently  the  love 
that  is  in  us  to  him,  and  our  cleaving  to  him  therewith,  that  is  there  held 
forth  as  that  which  makes  us  willing  to  suffer  and  endure,  in  that  it  is  for 
his  sake.  And  although  the  Apostle  in  his  discourse  runs  upon  the  magni- 
fying God's  love  and  Christ's  love  to  us,  as  that  which,  apprehended  and 
taken  in  by  us,  doth  principally  work  this  effect;  yet  the  Psalmist,  on  the 
other  side,  sets  out  the  love  of  the  church  to  God  as  the  concurrent  cause : 
ver.  17,  '  AU  this  is  come  upon  us;  yet  have  we  not  forgotten  thee,  neither 
have  we  dealt  falsely  in  thy  covenant.'  And,  ver.  18-22,  '  Our  heart  is  not 
turned  back,  neither  have  our  steps  declined  from  thy  way;  though  thou 
hast  sore  broken  us  in  the  place  of  dragons,  and  covered  us  with  the  sha- 
dow of  death.  If  we  have  forgotten  the  name  of  our  God,  or  stretched  out 
our  hands  to  a  strange  god ;  shall  not  God  search  this  out  1  for  he  know- 
eth  the  secrets  of  the  heart.  Yea,  for  thy  sake  are  we  killed  all  the  day 
long;  we  are  counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.'  If  faith  and  love  once 
but  say.  It  is  for  thy  sake,  O  God;  Why  then,  says  patience,  I  can  bear 
it,  yea,  rejoice  in  it,  for  his  sake  that  loved  me.  And  look,  as  the  Apostle 
Bays  he  could  do  all  things  through  Christ  that  strengthened  him,  so  love 
can  do  all  things  for  Christ  that  loved  him,  and  gave  himself  for  him. 

And,  to  conclude  this — 

K  love  to  our  brethren,  which  springs  from  love  to  God,  works  so  great 
a  patience  towards  them;  as  in  that  scripture,  'Love  suffereth  long,  and  is 
kind  ;  envieth  not,  rejoiceth  not  in  evil ;  bears  all  things,  hopes  all  things,  en- 
dures all  things,'  1  Cor.  xiii.  ;  all  which  is  spoken,  as  in  those  words,  of  our 
love  to  man ;  though  it  was  our  love  to  God  that  is  urged  and  spoken  of  in 
all  the  words  before,  and  is  the  spring  of  this  our  love  to  man.  Now  if  love, 
I  say,  unto  man  works  so  much  patience  in  things,  perhaps,  that  are  yet 
injurious  to  us,  and  not  only  burdensome,  from  them, — and  in  a  manner  all 
those  elogies  of  love  there  do  run  upon  and  speak  patience;  that  patience 
being  the  proper  fruit  of  that  love  ;  what  else  do  suffering  long,  bearing  and 
enduring  aU  things,  with  the  rest,  sound  and  signify  1 — then  much  more,  I 
say,  will  love  unto  God,  the  cause  of  this  love  to  our  brethren,  enable  us  to 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  445 

do  the  like  toAvards  him  who  cau  do  us  no  wrong  nor  hurt,  but  is  holy  and 
righteous  in  all  his  works ;  and  all  whose  ways  and  goings  forth  to  us  are 
mercy  and  truth ;  and  for  whose  sake  also  it  is  that  we  bear  so  with  our 
brethren ;  and  who  hath  loved  and  given  his  Son  for  us.  It  was  a  great 
speech  of  a  holy  soul,  in  an  unkindly  trial  from  man  :  That  man  should 
deal  thus  with  me,  I  should  have  much  ado  to  bear  it,  (as  David  said,  Ps. 
Iv.  12,)  but  it  is  God,  and  I  can  take  anything  well  at  his  hands. — And 
this  for  the  second  general  head. 


446  PATIEKCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WOEK. 


SECTioiT  nx 

3d  General  Head. 

What  w  the  ]jerfect  work  of  patience.  , 

In  general,  a  thing  then  is  perfect  when  all  the  parts  that  belong  to  it  are 
finished.  As  then  the  creation  of  the  world  is  said  to  be  perfect  when,  as 
Gen.  ii.  1,2,'  The  heavens  and  the  earth  were  finished,  and  the  host  of  them.* 
So  when  all  the  whole  of  the  work  of  patience  in  its  several  parts,  &c.,  is 
accomplished,  then  patience  hath  its  perfect  work. 

There  are  four  branches  of  this  head  that  complete  it : — 

1.  Its  j)rivative  work. 

2.  Its  positive  acts. 

3.  Its  positive  fruits. 

4.  Its  adjuncts  of  perfection. 

All  which  go  to  make  patience  perfect.  And  the  proofs  thereof  will  con- 
firm every  tittle  of  the  fore-part  and  body  of  that  description  I  gave  of 
patience,  page  438. 

First  Branch. — Its  privative  work. 

I  begin  with  its  privative  work.  And  that  lies  in  this :  when  faith  by 
patience  doth  mortify  turbulent  passions  that  still  arise,  and  are  opposites 
thereto.  And  as  love,  when  perfect,  casts  out  fear,  1  John  iv.  18,  so  then 
patience  is  perfect  when  it  expels  those  contrary  passions;  or  else  likewise, 
too  intense  thoughts,  or  porings  upon  our  misery  and  crosses,  so  as  our 
minds  are  chained  and  tied  to  tliose  objects,  and  taken  off  from  all  other. 
I  take  thoughts  in,  because  Christ  says,  Luke  xxiv.  38,  'Why  do  thoughts 
arise  in  your  hearts  1  Why  are  you  troubled  V  For  when  troubles  sink  deep, 
they  send  thoughts  up  fast ;  as  when  weights  are  hung  upon  a  clock  or  jack, 
they  make  the  wheels  run  swiftly.  And  so  inordinate  affections  cause  an 
inordinacy  of  thoughts,  and  a  fixing  our  minds  to  one  thing ;  as  upon  what 
we  have  lost,  or  are  like  to  suffer.  Now  perfect  patience  corrects  and  orders 
the  extravagancies  of  all  these,  reduceth  a  man  to  possess  his  own  soul ;  as 
Christ's  phrase  is,  in  Luke  xxL  19,  'In  your  patience  possess  ye  your  souls,' 
and  thereby  to  dweU  in  a  man's  self ;  whereas  the  violence  of  such  affections 
hurry  us  out  of  ourselves,  and  throw  our  souls  out  of  doors,  that  we  are  not 
within,  or  ourselves. 

To  instance  in  some  particular  passions : — 

1.  Inordinate  grief.  You  know  how  Job's  patience  is  cried  up,  and  that 
by  our  Apostle.  For  when  he  suffered  the  loss  of  all,  both  his  children  and 
estate,  &c.,  yet  he  expressed  no  grief,  no  trouble  at  all,  that  we  read  of,  upon 
the  hearsay  and  tidings  thereof;  and  sure  if  there  had  been  any  upon  those 
occasions,  the  story  would  have  told  it,  as  it  doth  his  other  impatiences, 
which  were  upon  other  and  higher  pressures  of  another  kind,  afterwards. 
But  all  you  read  of  him  upon  occasion  of  those  outward  losses  in  chap.  i.  is 
all  mere  patience  and  submission  to  God.     *  The  Lord,'  says  he,  '  gave,  and 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  447 

the  Lord  hath  taken  away,' — and  it  is  the  Lord  who  hath  done  both, — '  and 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord '  for  both.  And  '  in  all  this  charged  not 
God  fooUshly,'  says  the  last  verse. 

2.  Envy  and  passionate  anger.  (1.)  Envy,  which  is  apt  to  rise  when 
others  have  no  such  afflictions  or  losses.  As  that  such  and  such  a  one, 
and  of  my  rank,  should  escape  with  his  goods,  (fee,  when  the  loss  falls  heavy 
on  me,  saith  the  sad  heart.  This  secretly  regrets.  Good  people  are  greatly 
apt  to  this.  *  The  spirit  that  is  in  us' — in  us  saints — '  lusteth  to  envy.'  But 
God  in  the  end  'gives  more  grace ;'  that  is,  when  men  are  humVjled,  as  there 
it  is  said,  and  broken,  which  is  usually  when  they  have  been  exercised  with 
great  sufferings.  The  different  condition  of  the  holy  apostles  and  some  other 
Christians  in  those  primitive  times,  gives  demonstration  of  such  a  patience 
in  this  case.  There  were  no  men  so  eminent  for  sufferings  and  patience, 
next  the  Lord  Christ,  as  the  apostles  were,  who  yet  viewing  other  Christians, 
(as  take  the  Corinthians,  1  Cor.  iv.  8,  9,)  how  they  were  fidl,  (fee,  '  Now  ye 
are  full,  now  ye  are  rich,  ye  have  reigned  as  kings  without  us.'  It  was  a 
city  very  rich,  and  the  Christians  in  it  had  a  fulness  of  outward  things  when 
he  wrote  this  ;  they  were  full  and  rich.  But  as  for  us,  says  he,  '  God  hath 
set  forth  us  apostles  last,  as  it  were  appointed  to  death,'  &c.  '  Ye  are 
honourable,  but  we  are  despised ;  we  both  hunger,  and  thirst,  and  are  naked, 
and  are  buffeted,  and  have  no  certain  dwelling-place ;  and  labour,  working 
with  our  hands  :  being  reviled,  we  bless ;  being  persecuted,  we  suffer  it ; 
being  defamed,  we  entreat :  we  are  made  as  the  filth  of  the  world,  and  are 
the  offscouring  of  all  things  unto  this  day.'  And  yet  he  did  not  at  all  envy 
this  their  fulness  in  the  least.     No,  he  wisheth  them  all  true  prosperity ; 

*  Would  to  God  ye  did  reign,'  ver.  8,  that  is,  in  true  and  spiritual  respects ; 
he  wisheth  them  all  good  rather,  in  all  inward  enjoyments  of  God  and  Christ, 
together  with  their  outward  riches,  (fee.  Now  what  was  it  that  had  so  much 
rooted  up  envy,  tfec,  in  him  and  the  other  his  fellow-apostles  ?  It  was  his 
sufferings  and  wants,  and  their  being  made  spectacles  to  angels  and  men,  as 
there.  This  had  wrought  his  and  their  spirits  to  this.  In  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, Joshua,  though  he  proved  a  man  of  a  choice  spirit,  yet  when  he  was 
young  in  years,  and  but  a  young  beginner  in  grace,  envy  rose  up  in  him,  for 
his  good  master,  Moses'  sake.  Eldad  and  jSledad  prophesy,  says  he,  Num^ 
xi.  29 ;  '  but  Moses  said  to  him,  Enviest  thou  for  my  sake  V  and  so  reproved 
him ;  and  thereupon  expresseth  his  own  heart  thus  :  '  Would  God  that  aU 
the  Lord's  people  were  prophets ;  and  that  the  Lord  would  put  his  Spirit 
upon  them  ! '  Now,  whence  arose  this  blessed  disposition  of  heart,  thus  free 
from  envy  in  him  ?  In  the  very  next  chapter  you  meet  with  another  instance, 
which  gives  a  true  account  both  of  his  not  envying  others,  as  also  in  bearing 
the  envy  of  others  against  himself,  sharpened  with  the  highest  provocations 
unto  anger,  (which  was  the  2d,)  it  being  as  unkindly  as  unreasonable.  It 
was  the  envy  of  his  own  only  brother  and  sister,  for  this,  that  God  had  chosen 
him  to  utter  his  mind  by  unto  his  people,  and  reveal  himself  so  as  never  to 
any  man,  as  God's  testimony  of  him  is  in  that  12th  chapter.  Whereupon 
they  had  said,  ver.  2,  '  Hath  the  Lord  indeed  spoken  only  by  Moses  1  hatjj 
he  not  spoken  also  by  us?'  Thereupon  follows  the  account,  or  bottom  dis- 
position of  spirit,  which  made  him  bear  both  this  and  the  former,  ver.  3, 

*  Now  the  man  Moses  was  very  meek,  above  all  the  men  which  were  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth.'  And  so,  good  man,  he  would  himself  have  passed 
this  by,  and  have  taken  no  notice  at  all  of  this  affront ;  but  that  God,  it  ia 
there  said,  heard  it,  as  noting  that  he  would  not  put  it  up  so  for  Moses' 
sake.     New  what  was  it  had  tamed  and  made  Moses  thus  meek  and  calm 


448  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK. 

and  passive  1  Certainly  liis  great  afilictions.  And  Lis  faith,  having  been 
exercised  thereby,  had  vsTought  patience  in  him :  Heb.  xi.  24,  25,  '  By 
faith  he  chose  rather  to  sujffer  affliction,'  &c.  ;  and  accordingly  had  lived 
forty  years  a  mean  shepherd,  a  servile  life,  an  exile,  a  banished  man  from 
Pharaoh's  court,  honours,  and  pleasures  of  it,  as  an  underling,  in  hardship 
and  durance.  And  it  was  a  sudden  trial,  for  he  fled  for  his  life  at  an  hour's 
■warning,  as  well  as  a  sore  and  long  trial  of  forty  years ;  and  these  sufferings, 
as  great  as  any  man's  in  that  age,  made  him  meek,  '  very  meek,'  which  word 
the  Dutch  Annotators  render  '  patient.'  The  Hebrew  word  hath  afiinity  with 
afflictions,  saith  Ainsworth,  which  had  taught  him  patience,  as  sufferings  did 
Christ,  whose  type  he  was,  Heb.  v.  8.  These  had  subdued  anger  and  envy  in 
him  unto  this  so  high  a  degree,  and  patience  had  its  perfect  work.  For  other- 
wise we  find  he  could  be  angry  at  times,  Exod.  xi.  8,  xvi.  20,  xxxii.  19  ;  Lev, 
X.  16 ;  Num.  xvi.  15,  xxxi.  14,  xx.  10,  11 ;  as  Ainsworth  hath  collected  them. 
Jesus  Christ  hath  taught  us  a  lesson  against  this  envy,  Matt.  xx.  15,  '  Shall 
I  not  do  what  I  wUl  with  mine  own  V  Are  not  all  things  mine  1  And  wUt 
thou  envy  that  I  have  taken  them  from  thee,  and  not  done  so  from  another? 
'Shall  thine  eye  be  evil,  because  I  am  good?'  Shall  a  man  be  sick  that 
another  is  in  health  1 

3.  Inordinate  fears.  When  too  much  trouble  comes  upon  us,  we  use  to 
fear  too  much  at  the  present;  and  are  apt  to  project  a  thousand  things  for 
the  future,  as  that  poverty  and  beggary  will  follow.  Many  such  fears  lay 
hold  upon  us,  because  we  see  God's  anger  hath  begun,  and  we  know  not  the 
worst,  nor  when  or  where  it  will  end.  But,  saith  Christ,  Rev.  ii.  10,  Tear 
none  of  those  things  that  thou  shalt  suffer  :  be  thou  faithful  unto  death, 
and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life.'  Faith  and  faithfulness  unto  God,  or 
constancy  in  enduring  mato  death,  he  here  opposeth  to  fear ;  and  faith  works 
patience,  and  patience  eats  out  fear.  Fortitude  and  courage  differ  from 
patience  in  this,  that  a  stout  courage  in  a  man  of  a  great  spirit  will  indeed 
overcome  fear,  if  so  be  he  sees  any  hope  of  evading,  and  so  will  rouse  a  man's 
spirit  up  to  resistance  and  defence.  But  patience,  though  it  sees  no  hope  as 
to  this  life,  yea,  nothing  but  present  death  before  it,  it  wiU  yet  strengthen 
the  heart  to  bear  it,  and  make  a  man  faithful  unto  death,  and  constant, 
without  prevailing  fears,  even  unto  death. 

4.  Murmuring  against  God.  Patience  works  out  that.  As  in  Job,  the 
devil  projected  his  blaspheming  :  '  He  will  blaspheme  thee  to  thy  face.' 
He  made  sure  account  of  it,  and  would  needs  turn  prophet,  and  prophesy 
what  Job  would  do,  and  that  before  God.  But  the  devil  was  befooled,  and 
proved  a  lying  prophet.  Job,  instead  of  blaspheming  God,  blesseth  God. 
'  In  all  this  Job  charged  not  God  foolishly.'  I  may  say  of  it,  as  in  the 
Revelation  twice  it  is  said  of  the  saints,  Here  was  the  patience  of  Job.  And 
it  was  that  patient  frame  of  spirit  that  God  had  wrought  in  him,  which  the 
Scripture  so  extols,  that  enabled  him  hereunto, 

5.  Faith  hy  jyoitience  mortifies  inordinate  cares.  Against  the  times  of  those 
great  distresses  that  were  to  come  upon  the  Jewish  nation,  and  among  them 
upon  the  Christian  Jews  in  that  nation,  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
which  would  try  every  vein  in  their  hearts,  Christ  gives  two  special  exhorta- 
tions, besides  divers  others,  Luke  xxi.  The  first,  '  In  your  patience ' — that 
is,  that  patience  which  is  truly  Christian  and  properly  yours — '  possess  your 
ovm  souls,'  ver.  19.  The  second,  'Take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest  at  any  time 
yoiu-  hearts  be  overcharged  vsdth  the  cares  of  this  life ' — /ji,s^i/j,vai.  Cares  do, 
as  the  word  imports,  distract  the  soul,  scatter  it  into  wild  thoughts  and 
wandering  anxieties.     But  patience,  which  Christ  first  exhorts  to,  calls  all 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  449 

in,  and  orders  all  to  keep  home,  and  not  to  stir  out  of  doors  abroad  ;  com- 
poseth  all,  so  as  a  man  possesseth  his  own  soul.  In  Phil.  iv.  6,  7,  'Be 
careful  for  nothing ;  but  in  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with 
thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God  ;  and  the  peace  of 
God,'  &c.  I  instance  likewise  for  this  in  the  difference  of  the  two  grounds 
in  the  parable  of  the  sower,  Luke  viii.  14,  15.  Of  the  thorny  ground  it  is 
said,  that  'the  word  was  choked  by  the  cares  of  the  world;'  but  of  the 
good  ground  oppositely,  that  it  '  brings  forth  fruit  with  patience.'  Patience 
is  contrary  unto  cares,  as  well  as  unto  unquietness,  or  to  other  inordinate 
affections. 

This  for  patience,  its  privative  work. 

Second  Branch  of  the  3(f  General  Head. — Its  positive  acts. 
I  come,  secondly,  to  positive  acts  and  workings  of  patience,  which  are 
many.     To  begin  with  the  lowest,  and  so  rise  to  the  higher  : — 

1.  Patience  includes  and  comprehends  an  act  of  waiting  upon  God,  and 
his  good  pleasure.  Waiting  is  an  act  of  faith  continued  or  lengthened  out ; 
and  where  faith  would  of  itself  be  short-winded,  patience  ekes  it  out.  The 
daughter  helps  the  mother,  with  an  expectation  of  a  happy  issue.  You  find 
waiting  involved  in  patience  as  an  eminent  act  thereof,  James  v.  7,  'Be 
patient  therefore,  brethren,  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold,  the 
husbandman  waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath  long 
patience  for  it,  until  he  receive  the  early  and  latter  rain.'  Look,  how  and  in 
what  manner  the  husbandman  waits,  so  he  sets  out  and  exhorts  a  Christian 
patient  man  should  do.  Mic.  vii.  7,  '  Therefore  I  will  look  unto  the  Lord ; 
I  will  wait  for  the  God  of  my  salvation  :  my  God  will  hear  me,'  kc,  '  until 
he  plead  my  cause,  and  execute  judgment  for  me,'  &c.,  ver.  9. 

2.  It  is  a  waiting  with  quietness.  And  that  is  patience'  work  too.  Patience 
is  not  an  enduring  simply  by  force,  which  we  call  patience  perforce,  but 
with  quietness.  In  Lam.  iii.,  the  church,  in  her  doleful  condition,  ex- 
presseth  the  actings  and  workings  of  her  own  soul ;  although  she  speaks 
in  the  third  person,  which  is  usual  in  the  Scripture,  yet  she  means  herself : 
ver.  26,  'It  is  good  that  a  man  should  both  hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the 
salvation  of  the  Lord.'  This  was  uttered  when  she  was  under  the  yoke,  and 
so  was  a  fruit  of  patience.  Ver.  27,  '  It  is  good  for  a  man  that  he  bear  the 
yoke  in  his  youth.'  It  is  the  nature  of  faith  to  quiet  the  heart  in  God  ; — Fides 
habet  vim  quietativam.  Isa.  xxvi.  3,  '  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace, 
whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee ;  because  he  trusteth  in  thee.'  And,  chap. 
XXX.  15,  'In  quietness  and  confidence  shall  be  your  strength.'  And  when 
faith  hath  wrought  patience,  it  quiets  the  heart  much  more.  Patience 
speaks  quietness  in  the  very  sound  of  it ;  and  the  reason  is  because  it  hath 
a  strength  accompanies  it.  Col.  i.  11,  '  Strengthened  with  all  might,  unto  all 
patience  and  long-suffering.'  And  thence  so  far  forth  as  faith  and  patience 
do  strengthen  the  heart,  so  far  we  are  able  to  bear,  and  that  with  qmetness. 
'  Let  not  your  hearts  be  troubled,'  saith  Christ,  John  xiv.  Why  ?  '  You 
believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me.'  Faith  on  them  will  cause  trouble  to  fly 
away,  which  is  a  great  part  of  Christ's  meaning  when  he  says,  '  In  patience 
possess  your  souls,' — that  is,  dwell  quietly  in  your  own  spirits,  as  a  man 
doth  in  his  house,  which  our  law  terms  his  castle. 

3.  Patience  carries  on  the  heart  without  fainting  or  discouragement. 
'  For  this  cause  we  faint  not.'  Isa.  xlii.  4 ;  the  meekness  and  patience  of 
Christ  is  there  first  set  forth  :  ver.  2,  '  He  shall  not  cry,  nor  lift  up  his  voice 
in  the  streets.'    Then  foUows,  ver.  4,  '  He  shall  not  fail  nor  be  discouraged,' — 

VOL.  II.  2  F 


450  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PEKFECT  WOEK. 

not  be  broken,  as  the  Hebrew  is, — that  is,  in  spirit,  so  as  to  cease  from  what 
God  had  given  him  to  do  or  suffer ;  he  shoidd  go  on  with  his  work  till  he 
had  perfected  it. 

4.  Patience  in  all  sufferings  submits  to  God,  and  the  will  of  God.  The 
Apostle  sedulously  puts  in  '  if  it  be  the  will  of  God,'  when  he  had  occasion 
to  mention  their  sufferings,  and  he  doth  it  twice  :  1  Peter  iii.  17,  'If  it 
be  the  wdll  of  God  that  ye  suffer;'  and  chap.  iv.  19,  'Wherefore  let  him 
that  suffers  according  to  the  -vidll  of  God,'  <fec.  And  in  chap.  i.  6,  '  If  need 
be,'  that  is,  if  God  see  it  requisite  to  brmg  them  on  you.  And  the  Apostle 
would  needs  bring  these  clauses  in,  though  by  way  of  parenthesis ;  so  in  two 
of  these  places  mentioned.  The  stronger  the  sufferings  are,  the  stronger  is 
the  will  of  God  in  bringing  those  sufferings.  And  it  is  patience  in  the  soul 
that  works  the  heart  to  submission  to  that  will,  Ps.  xxxix.  9,  '  I  was  dumb, 
I  opened  not  my  mouth ;  because  thou  didst  it.'  Then,  when  he  confessed 
his  sia  of  Bathsheba  and  murdering  Uriah,  he  considered  not  the  wrong 
done  them,  in  comparison  of  that  he  had  done  against  God  therein.  '  Against 
thee,  against  thee  only,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  e^dl  in  thy  sight,'  Ps. 
U.  And  now,  when  a  retahation  for  that  sin,  in  the  rebellion  of  his  own  son 
Absalom,  came  upon  him,  and  Shimei  had  likewise  bitterly  cursed  and  re- 
viled him, — which  some  latter  expositors  have  deemed  to  have  been  the  occa- 
sions of  that  psalm,* — he  in  like  manner,  in  this  his  punishment,  layeth  aside 
the  consideration  of  all  instruments  that  had  brought  those  evils  on  him, 
whoever  they  were,  whether  it  were  these  or  some  other,  and  looks  only  unto 
God,  and  submits,  'because  thou  hast  done  it.'  And  though  he  confesseth 
that  he  was  in  a  fume  at  first,  notwithstanding  his  fixed  resolution  to  have 
been  dumb  as  for  speaking  anything  that  should  savour  of  murmuring  before 
men ;  yet  his  flesh  and  corruption  boiled  within  him,  as  that  useth  to  rise 
and  work  in  us  first :  so  ver.  2,  3,  '  I  was  dumb  with  silence,  I  held  my 
peace,  even  from  good :  and  my  sorrow  was  stirred,'  or  my  distemper  wrought 
the  more.  'My  heart  was  hot  within  me,  whilst  I  was  musing  the  fire 
burned  :  then  spake  I  with  my  tongue.'  And  what  he  spake  savours  of  a 
man  weary  of  life  itself.  For  he  would  needs  know  of  God  when  his  life 
should  be  at  end  ;  thus,  ver.  4,  '  so  impatient  was  he.'  Yea,  but  then  when 
his  grace  came  more  deeply  and  thoroughly  to  be  stirred,  and  patience  to 
have  its  perfect  work,  he  then  considers  God's  hand  alone  in  it ;  how  that  it 
was  he  had  stirred  up  the  spirits  of  these  wicked  ones  against  him,  and 
found  that  himself  had  to  do  with  God  alone.  And  then  he  was  dumb  and 
silent  indeed  to  purpose.  And  truly  his  heart  at  that  time,  if  the  occasion 
were  that  of  Shimei  and  Absalom,  had  been  wrought  up  into  as  blessed  a 
frame  of  submission  to  God  as  ever  before  or  after,  in  all  his  lifetime,  as 
his  words  in  that  chapter  before  mentioned  do  declare,  2  Sam.  xv.  25,  26, 
*  And  David  said,  If  I  shall  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  he  will  bring 
me  again,  and  shew  me  both  it,' — viz.,  the  ark, — 'and  his  habitation  :  but  if 
he  thus  say,  I  have  no  delight  in  thee ;  behold,  here  I  am,  let  him  do  to  me 
as  seemeth  good  unto  him.'  He  herein  perfectly  gives  up  himself  to  God's 
good  pleasure.  And  it  is  as  if  he  had  said.  If  it  be  good  in  his  eyes  so  tc 
deal,  it  shall  be  so  in  mine  ;  I  wholly  give  myself  up  unto  whatever  his  de- 

*  See  Piscator  and  the  Dutch  Annotat. — And  the  ground  why  it  may  be  so  judged 
is  the  ct)nformity  which  these  passages  in  the  psalm — ver.  8,  '  Make  me  not  the  re^ 
proach  of  the  foolish,'  and  this  specially,  ver.  9,  '  I  opened  not  my  mouth,  because  thou 
didst  it' — do  hold  with  that  story,  2  Sam.  xvi.  10,  11,  when  Shimei  did  curse  him,  upoa 
occasion  of  which  David  similarly  spake  thus,  'The  Lord  hath  said  to  him.  Curse 
David.  Who  shall  then  say.  Wherefore  hast  thou  done  so?  Let  him  alone;  the  Lord 
hath,  bidden  him.'     Which  is  jufst  as  here,  '  the  Lord  hath  done  it.' 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WOKK.  451 

sign  is  upon  me.  Yea,  he  casts  away  himself  into  the  supposition  of  God's 
having  no  delight  in  him ;  which  is  the  most  afflicting  supposition  a  godly- 
man  can  make  to  himself  of  all  other ;  so  perfectly  did  his  will  apply  itself 
to  God's  will.  He  had  professed  his  waiting  on  God  just  before  in  that 
psalm,  '  Now,  Lord,  what  do  I  wait  for  ?  my  hope  is  in  thee.'  And  now  he 
adds,  *  I  am  dumb,'  so  for  the  present ;  and,  '  I  will  be  dumb,'  so  for  the 
future  :  I  will  never  open  my  mouth  about  it.  Piscator  and  the  Dutch  An- 
notator  read  it  thus,  in  both  tenses. 

5.  Patience  makes  a  man  not  dumb  only,  or  not  to  open  his  mouth 
through  submission,  but  it  makes  him  put  his  mouth  in  the  dust ;  whereby 
a  deeper  humiliation  and  submission  is  yet  expressed.  It  is  a  further  humi- 
liation to  lie  at  God's  feet  with  his  face  on  the  dust,  which  is  as  low  as  the 
person  can  go  :  that  if  God  will  tread  and  trample  upon  him,  there  he  is ; 
and  in  that  posture  presents  and  declares  himself  ready  for  that,  or  any  dis- 
pensation from  God.  Lam.  iii.,  the  church  did  not  ouly  wait,  ver.  25,  and 
'wait  quietly,'  ver.  26,  and  then  'sit  down'  and  'keep  sUence,'  ver.  28,  but 
did  'put  her  mouth  in  the  dust,'  ver.  29. 

But  you  will  say.  All  this  was  done  when  the  soul  had  hope,  as  appears  in 
those  words  in  that  Lam.  iii.  26,  'It  is  good  that  a  man  should  hope  and 
wait  quietly ;'  and,  ver.  29,  '  He  puts  his  mouth  in  the  dust,  if  so  be  there 
may  be  hope.'  And,  indeed,  David,  in  the  39th  Psalm,  and  likewise  in  those 
places  cited  of  him  out  of  Samuel,  had  hope  concerning  that  particular 
thing  he  yet  submitted  unto  God  in,  as  at  the  7th  verse  of  that  psalm 
appears  :  '  And  now,  Lord,  what  do  I  wait  for  %  my  hope  is  in  thee  ; '  and 
then  mentions  the  deliverance  wherein  his  hope  lay,  in  ver.  8-10.  And  thus 
when  Shimei  cursed  him,  his  soul  in  like  manner  did  gather  up  hope  the 
more  upon  it  that  God  would  bless  him:  2  Sam.  xvi,  12,  'It  may  be  the 
Lord  will  look  on  mine  affl[iction,  and  that  the  Lord  will  requite  me  good 
for  his  cursing  this  day.'  But  yet,  I  confess,  his  hope  there,  and  the  church's 
before,  did  each  rise  up  bvit  to  an  '  it  may  be.' 

6.  But  gospel  patience,  sixthly,  will  work  an  effect,  when  there  is  no  hope, 
as  to  the  things  and  concern7nents  of  this  life.  David  and  the  church  said, 
'  If  there  may  be  hope  ; '  but  patience  will  say.  If  there  be  no  hope — that 
is,  in  this  life — that  ever  I  should  come  out  of  this  trouble.  I  differenced 
patience  from  Christian  fortitude  before  by  this.  The  apostles  did  put 
primitive  Christians  over  to  the  day  of  the  restitution  of  all  things,  and  the 
refreshing  that  should  be  then.  Thus,  James  v.  7,  8,  '  Be  patient  therefore, 
brethren,  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold,  the  husbandman  waiteth 
for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for  it,  till  he  re- 
ceive the  early  and  latter  rain.  Be  ye  also  patient ;  stablish  your  hearts  : 
for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh.'  As  if  he  had  said,  As  for  your 
pressures,  I  can  give  you  no  hope  of  release  out  of  them  during  this  life ; 
but  let  your  hearts  fixedly  make  account  of  no  other  outward  refreshment 
but  that  which  shall  be  then  by  the  coming  of  Christ,  which  will  be  spiritual 
in  glory.  And  his  similitude  of  the  husbandman's  waiting  for  the  harvest 
declares  thus  much :  ver.  7,  '  Behold,  the  husbandman  waits  for  the  precious 
fruit  of  the  earth,'  &c.  Poor  man,  he  doth  not  reap  this  precious  fruit  of 
the  earth  until  the  harvest.  He  parts  with  precious  seed,  and  as  unto  him, 
it  is  until  the  harvest-time  as  good  as  lost.  The  Psalmist  hath  the  same 
comparison,  '  They  sow  precious  seed,  and  they  go  weeping,'  as  loath  to  part 
with  it,  *  but  shall  return  rejoicing,  bringing  their  sheaves  with  them.' 
Brethren,  there  is  a  harvest  a-coming,  and  joy  sown  for  the  upright  in 
heart,  against  that  time.     It  is  now  but  sown,  but  must  come  up  one  day. 


452  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK. 

But  althougli  the  husbandman  in  all  appearance  looks  upon  all  as  lost  until 
the  harvest ;  yet,  however,  he  hath  before  then,  in  the  meanwhile,  the  early 
and  the  latter  rain  :  and  they  give  hope  of  a  harvest,  whilst  he  sees  and 
finds  God  blessing  and  following  his  corn  with  rain  upon  his  ground.  This 
as  to  the  husbandman's  hope,  which  is  the  Apostle's  similitude.  And  as  to 
the  Christian's  hope,  I  understand  by  the  early  and  latter  rain,  according  to 
the  course  of  the  similitude,  to  be  signified  those  illapses  from  heaven,  those 
refreshing  bedewmonts  which  the  Holy  Ghost  vouchsafeth  all  along  to  such 
an  expectant's  soul,  as  earnests  of  heaven,  and  pledges  of  God's  certain  in- 
tending to  give  him  his  expected  harvest,  according  to  the  proportion  of  his 
patience  and  waiting.  But  still  all  these  hopes  wholly  respect  that  other 
life ;  but  as  to  this  life,  the  Apostle  gives  no  other  hopes  for  them.  Nor  no 
more  doth  the  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews,  chap.  x.  36,  whilst  he  thus  speaks, 
'  Ye  have  need  of  patience,'  even  to  the  end  of  your  lives ;  for  it  follows, 
*  that  after  you  have  done  the  will  of  God,  you  may  inherit  the  promises.' 
Still  you  will  need  patience  to  your  very  last.  We  use  to  speak  the  same 
to  a  man  whose  case  is  remediless  :  You  had  need  of  patience,  for  your  con- 
dition is  not  like  to  be  bettered.  These  had  sufi^ered  the  spoiling  of  their 
goods  already,  ver.  33,  and  had  '  endured  a  great  fight  of  afflictions,'  as 
there.  Well,  but  the  storm  is  not  yet  over  :  you  have  need  of  patience  still, 
you  are  never  like  to  have  your  goods  and  estates  again,  and  I  can  give  you, 
says  he,  no  other  hope  but  that  you  would  patiently  wait  for  the  restitution 
of  all  things,  which  is  to  be  at  the  day  of  judgment ;  for  so  it  follows,  ver. 
37,  'For  yet  a  little  while,  and  he  that  shall  come  will  come,  and  will  not 
tarry.'  And  therefore  '  cast  not  away  your  confidence,  which  hath  great  re- 
compence  of  reward,'  ver.  35.  So  that  all  the  hope  in  this  life  is,  that  the 
time  will  not  be  long. 

7.  A  seventh  act  or  work  of  patience  is,  it  causeth  the  soul  to  sanctify  God 
in  a  mans  heart,  all  sorts  of  ways.  I  shall  still  instance,  as  I  have  done, 
more  specially  in  Job's  carriage,  whose  patience  is  so  cried  up  by  our 
Apostle.  When  his  outward  losses  of  children,  &c.,  had  their  full  accom- 
plishment, and  the  sad  tidings  thereof  had  filled  his  ears  and  heart,  chap, 
i.,  by  messenger  after  messenger,  till  he  had  no  more  to  lose,  the  text  tells 
us,  ver.  20,  '  He  fell  down  on  the  ground,  and  worshipped.'  He  had  been 
frequent  in  worshipping  before,  and  that  upon  occasion  of  his  children,  that 
they  might  not  sin,  so  you  read,  ver.  5  ;  but  all  those,  his  foregone  worship, 
sacrifices,  and  praj^ers,  could  not  prevail  with  God  to  preserve  them,  nor  his 
goods  neither.  But  now  when  they  are  all  gone,  the  first  thing  he  does  is, 
he  falls  down  and  worships. 

Quest. — What  may  that  contain  in  it  ? 

Ans. — I  shall  limit  myself  unto  what  his  speech  thereupon  doth  utter, 
and  the  posture  of  his  worshippmg  doth  signify,  both  plainly  shewing  what 
was  in  his  heart  that  moved  him  so  to  do,  and  moved  within  him  in  the 
doing  it. 

1.  He  adores  God  in  his  sovereignty,  both  in  his  falling  down,  as  also  in 
those  words,  *  The  Lord  hath  given,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken.'  He  is  Lord, 
says  he,  the  Lord  of  aU.  All  was  his  own  ;  and  shall  he  not  do  what  he  wUl 
with  his  own  ?  as  Matt.  xx.  15.  I  am  the  clay,  he  is  the  potter.  He  is  the 
Lord  of  me,  and  all.  Job  had  prayed  for  his  sons,  as  we  did  for  the  city,  so 
far  as  he  had  then  in  his  view  what  might  then  concern  them ;  but  for  all 
his  good  prayers  for  them,  God  took  them  away  by  a  violent  death  :  and 
herein  God  seemeth  angry  with  his  prayers,  as  with  ours  for  the  city ;  yet 
Job  begins  to  worship  him  afresh,  and  adores  him  after  all.     And  it  was  the 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  453 

first  thing  he  applied  himself  unto.  Faith  and  patience  will  cause  the  heart 
to  apply  itself  to  God  in  all  sorts  of  dealings,  and  will  vent  and  utter  graci- 
ous dispositions  some  way  or  other.  And  to  adore  God,  which  was  most 
suitable  to  this  condition  he  was  in,  is  a  higher  act  than  to  pray,  simply 
considered,  though  it  be  done  mostly  in  prayer.  And  as  thus  at  first,  so 
he  retained  this  practice  and  principle  all  along,  although  he  did  grow  very 
unquiet  when  his  sins  and  God's  wrath  came  in  upon  him.  Yet  however 
impatient  he  otherwise  were,  he  still  aiterwards  continued  in  this  manner  to 
adore,  and  fall  down  before  God  at  times.  Thus,  in  chap,  xxiii.  11,  12,  you 
shall  see  how  this  poor  man  falls  down  before  God,  and  submits  to  him.  He 
first  professeth  his  integrity,  at  ver.  10,  and  his  faith  as  to  the  issue  of  his 
trials,  that  all  would  be  for  good  :  '  He  knoweth  the  way  that  I  take :  when 
he  hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come  forth  as  gold.  My  foot  hath  held  his  steps,' 
&c.  As  if  he  had  said.  But  yet  for  all  he  knew  my  holy  walking  with  him, 
his  resolution  and  design  upon  me,  thus  to  try  me,  went  on.  And  all  my 
prayers  beforehand  could  not  turn  him  therefrom,  as  follows  ver.  13,  14, 
'  But  he  is  of  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him  1  and  what  his  soul  desireth, 
even  that  he  doth :  for  he  performeth  the  thing  that  is  appointed  for  me ;' — 
what  is  my  lot  from  him,  as  this  was,  I  must  take  it  and  submit  to  it ; — 
*  and  many  such  things  are  with  him/  many  such  strange  and  wonderful  un- 
usual dealings  are  with  him,  and  we  must  magnify  him  in  all.  It  is  God's 
sovereignty,  you  see,  which  he  here  adores  and  falls  down  before.  And  this 
passage  you  may  set  upon  the  score  of  those  eminent  speeches  wherein  he 
expressed  his  patience,  which  the  Scripture  commends  it  for;  and  in  the 
issue  of  his  worst  fits,  we  find  him  still  adoring  and  submitting  to  God. 

2.  Secondly,  he  humbles  himself  to  the  dust,  falls  down  to  the  ground. 
First,  as  himself  was  a  creature,  poor  and  emptied  of  all.  Alas  !  what  am 
I,  says  he,  or  what  have  I  to  challenge  or  assume  to  myself  as  mine  ?  What 
have  I,  or  am  I,  that  I  have  not  received  ?  A  poor  naked  thing  I  came 
into  the  world  at  first ;  and  but  as  poor  and  naked  am  I  now,  when  bereft 
of  all  my  goods ;  and  as  naked  I  must  return.  I  had  nothing  at  first,  and  I 
have  but  nothing  now,  and  I  shall  carry  nothing  with  me  into  the  other 
world.     Thus  spake  he. 

When  Jacob  was  in  hazard  of,  and  thought  he  should  lose  his  goods,  and 
children,  and  all,  as  Job  here  actually  lost  both,  see  how  beforehand  he 
humbles  and  debaseth  himself, — as  you  read  in  Gen.  xxxii.  10, — and  how 
greatly,  before  the  Lord  :  '  I  am  less  than  the  least  of  thy  mercies.'  I  am 
not  worthy  of  a  bit  of  bread,  and  thou  gavest  me  all  I  have.  And  what 
was  I  once  ?  He  considers,  as  Job,  his  original  condition,  both  as  to  matter 
of  estate  and  children.  I  came  over  Jordan  but  with  this  stafi";  I  had  no 
more,  says  he,  and  now  I  have  two  bands,  both  of  cattle  and  children.  And 
if  God  take  all,  I  am  but  where  I  was,  and  where  he  once  found  me.  And 
truly  Jacob's  best  policy  and  design  was  to  have  compounded  the  matter, 
and  if  he  could  but  save  half  of  either,  ver.  8 ;  if  he  might  have  half  his 
estate,  and  half  his  children,  he  should  have  been,  considering  the  hazard  of 
all,  something  well  appeased  :  but  now  he  puts  in  with  God  for  the  whole. 
His  thus  humbling  of  himself  was  before  he  had  lost  anything,  to  the  end  to 
preserve  it,  and  Job's  was  when  he  had  lost  all ;  but  both  express  the  same 
humility. 

And  as  you  find  him  here  humbled,  as  a  poor  creature,  as  poor  as  ever 
any  was ;  so  elsewhere  as  deeply  broken  for  his  being  a  sinner,  and  professing 
himself  to  be  as  naked  and  empty  in  respect  of  any  righteousness  of  his  own, 
or  of  anything  he  had  to  stand  upon  in  the  sight  of  God.    The  great  Apostle 


454  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PEEFECT  "WOEK. 

doth  not  more  divest  himself  thereof,  in  Phil,  iii.,  than  holy  Job  doth  in  chap, 
ix.  2,  '  I  know  it  is  so  of  a  truth  :  but  how  should  man  be  just  with  God  ? 
If  he  will  contend  with  him,  he  cannot  answer  him  one  of  a  thousand.'  And 
yet  more  deeply  and  expressly,  ver.  20,  21,  'If  I  justify  myself,  mine  own 
mouth ' — I  sinning  in  all  my  speeches,  and  even  in  this  now  whilst  I  speak 
it — '  shall  condemn  me :  if  I  say,  I  am  perfect,  it  shall  also  prove  me  perverse.' 
His  meaning  further  is.  Had  I  never  so  perfect  an  inherent  holiness,  yet  if  I 
come  before  God  to  be  justified,  '  I  know  not  mine  own  soul,'  *  as  he  there 
adds;  that  is,  I  look  at  nothing  in  my  own  soul,  I  utterly  renounce  all  in  it : 
yea,  '  I  would  despise  my  life  ;'  that  is,  all  that  hoUness  I  have  in  the  course 
of  my  life  exercised,  and  had  in  me,  I  despise  it,  I  count  it  dross  and  dung. 
Though  as  for  an  integrity,  in  point  of  sanctification,  he  stood  upon  his 
points  with  God  himself. 

We  find  other  saints  in  their  distresses  to  have  been  patient  in  the  sense 
of  theu'  sins.  I  might  instance  in  David,  how  he  humbled  himself  in  that 
great  distress  which  we  spake  of,  and  which  silenced  him  so,  as  you  heard  in 
that  fore-cited  Psalm  xxxix.  '  Deliver  me  from  all  my  transgressions,'  saith 
he,  ver  8.  The  remembrance  of  those  struck  him  dumb  before  God ;  for 
that  speech  immediately  follows,  ver.  9.  So  the  church,  Mic.  vii.  9,  '  I  wiU 
bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  for  I  have  sinned  against  him.' 

3.  A  third  act  comprehended  in  Job's  worshipping  God  is  his  blessing 
God,  as  his  words  therewith  also  uttered  shew ;  which  blessed  frame  and 
disposition  of  spirit  his  faith  by  patience  had  wrought  in  him  upon  this  oc- 
casion. Lo  !  his  high  sufferings  cause  him  to  bless  the  Lord.  *  Blessed 
be  the  name  of  the  Lord,'  says  he.  He  blesseth  him  that  he  had  given  him 
at  first,  and  that  he  had  afforded  him  those  blessings  of  children  and  goods 
80  long.  *  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken ;  blessed,'  &c.  And  he 
■was  thankful  for  that ;  and  thought  it  but  reasonable  that  if  he  received  good, 
he  should  also  receive  evil,  as  the  pleasure  of  God  was,  chap,  ii  10.  He 
blesseth  God,  also,  because  he  found  that  God  had  blessed  him  with  such 
things  and  blessings  heavenly,  which  could  not  be  taken  away.  He  found 
the  love  of  God  the  same  stUl.  It  is  a  sure  rule,  we  never  bless  God  but 
when  we  find  that  God  blesseth  us  first ;  as  we  do  not  love  God,  but  because 
God  loves  us  first.  Now  when  the  soul  finds  that  in  afliictions  and  tenta- 
tions  God  doth  bless  it,  this  draws  out  from  the  soul  a  blessing  of  God  again. 
And  then  doth  the  soul  say,  It  is  not  only  the  will  of  my  Father,  and  there- 
fore shall  I  not  drink  the  cup  he  gives  me  ?  but  it  is  the  blessing  of  my 
Father,  and  shall  not  I  bless  him  for  iti  'In  everything  give  thanks,'  saith 
the  holy  Apostle,  1  Thess.  v.  18 ;  that  is,  whatever  the  condition  be,  stiU 
there  is  matter  of  thanks,  and  so  of  blessing  God. 

Third  Branch  of  the  3d  General  Head. — The  fruits  of  patience. 

These  the  Apostle  terms  the  peaceable,  quiet  fruits  of  righteousness,  which 
chastening  yieldeth,  after  ye  have  been  exercised  thereby,  Heb.  xii.,  and  that 
is  through  patience  gained  by  those  afl9.iction3. 

1.  The  first  fruit;  it  works  contentment,  a  holy  contentment;  and  that 
adds  a  perfection  to  the  other  former  works  of  this  grace,  Phil.  iv.  11,  12,  'I 
have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.  I  know  how 
to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound  :  everywhere  and  in  all  things  I 
am  instructed  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and  to  suffer 
need.'  And  he  had  learned  it,  as  Christ  learned  his  obedience,  through 
sufferings ;  and  by  his  having  run  through  so  great  a  variety  of  conditions. 
*  It  is  such  a  phi-ase  as  when  Christ  says,  '  I  know  you  not.' 


PA.T1ENCK  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  i55 

A  man  may  be  content  when  he  is  not  fully  satisfied.  When  God  frames  a 
man's  estate  to  his  will,  then  he  is  satisfied;  as,  Ps.  xvii.  14,  'whose  belly 
thou  fillest  with  thy  hidden  treasure.'  But  to  be  content  is  another  thing. 
It  is  not  when  I  have  an  estate  according  to  my  will,  but  my  will  is  brought 
to  my  estate ;  and  then  I  have  as  much  content  in  that  as  in  the  greatest 
estate;  for  life,  says  Christ, — that  is,  the  comfort  of  life, — lies  not  in  abund- 
ance. It  is  true,  such  a  man  would  choose  rather,  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  a 
full  estate  ;  yet  patience  boweth  his  judgment  to  such  an  approbation  of  his 
present  condition  as  that  which  is  best  for  him,  as  being  that  which  out  of 
God's  judgment  and  wisdom  is  allotted  to  him ;  he  so  bends  his  will  unto 
such  a  correspondency  with  God's  will  as  he  rests  content. 

2.  A  second  fruit  of  patience  is  self-sufficiency ;  the  word  is  so,  1  Tim.  vi. 
6,  *  But  godliness  wth  contentment  is  great  gain.'  The  word  /ast-'  ahrai-A-uai, 
translated  *  contentment,'  is  a  more  reaching  word  by  far.  To  say  '  content- 
ment,' that  is  too  bare  and  scant  a  word  ;  but  this  more  amply  signifies  '  self- 
sufficiency.'  In  2  Cor.  ix.  8,  the  same  word  is  there  translated  suflficiency, 
but  still  in  the  Greek  it  hath  '  self '  added  to  '  sufiiciency,'  which  imports  a 
sufficiency  within  a  man's  self  that  he  needs  not  go  abroad  for  anything ;  he 
is  sufficiently  supplied  from  what  is  within.  The  words  of  that  verse  are, 
'  And  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  towards  you ;  that  ye,  always 
having  all  self-sufficiency  in  aU  things,  may  abound  to  every  good  work:' 
which  let  us  consider. 

It  is  true  that  in  the  word  'all  grace'  he  includes  an  outward  grace, 
of  giving  such  an  abundance  of  external  blessings  as  they  might  '  always ' 
and  *  in  aU  things  '  have  enough  for  themselves,  and  to  spare ;  yea,  to  abound 
in  every  good  work  to  others.  But  yet  the  main  of  that  grace  he  centres  in 
is  an  inward  self-sufiiciency  in  a  man's  own  heart,  as  without  which  they 
would  never  have  satisfaction  at  home,  much  less  a  heart  to  scatter  abroad; 
but  a  man's  natural  self-unsufnciency,  as  oppositely  I  call  it,  would  make  his 
heart  clung  and  narrow,  never  contented  in  himself,  much  less  abounding  to 
others,  though  he  had  all  the  whole  world.  So  as  indeed  that  is  the  grace 
which  the  Apostle  puts  the  weight  upon ;  that  is  the  grace  he  predicates. 

So  as  the  inference  or  corollary,  as  to  our  purpose,  from  thence  may  justly 
be :  that  if,  on  the  other  hand,  a  true  Christian  be  in  never  so  great  want, 
or  fallen  into  a  condition  of  extreme  poverty,  compcvratively  either  unto 
what  himself  once  had,  which  is  the  case  of  many  a  good  soul  now,  or  unto 
others  who  stUl  abound  ;  yet  if  God  give  him  this  '  all  grace '  of  inward  self- 
sufficiency,  he  may  be,  and  is  stUl,  as  content  and  sufficient  within  himself  as 
those  in  that  abounding  condition  which  the  Apostle  wisheth  unto  those 
Corinthians. 

And  the  reason  is,  that  the  self-sufficiency  of  him  that  hath  the  most  of 
such  things  lies  not  in  those  things,  but  depends  utterly  upon  that  inward 
grace  spoken  of,  or  that  inward  frame  of  Spirit,  which  this  grace  composeth 
his  soul  unto. 

And  this  is  evident  from  that  place  to  Timothy  first  cited,  where  it  is 
that  the  Apostle  useth  the  same  word  on  purpose  to  comfort  the  saints,  that 
were  in  a  scant  and  bare  condition  as  to  this  world,  as  the  coherence  of  ver. 
6-8  shews.  '  Godliness  with  self-sufficiency,'  says  he,  '  is  great  gain,'  even 
virtually  as  much,  yea,  infinitely  more,  than  gaining  all  the  world,  as  Christ's 
speech  is,  which,  moreover,  is  spoken  with  a  connexion  to  these  words ;  '  for 
we  brought  nothing  into  this  world,  and  it  is  certain  we  cany  nothing  out.' 
And  therefore,  if  we  have  nothing  but  '  food  and  raiment,  let  us  therewith 
be  content ;'  so  it  follows.     And  for  so  much  God  hath  xindertaken. 


456  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK. 

And  the  hcly  Apostle  verifies  this  in  himself,  that  he  had  learned  thus  to 
be  as  content  when  he  wanted  as  when  he  abounded.  And  in  this  frame  we 
find  elsewhere  his  mind  to  have  been  in  the  midst  of  all,  not  wants  only, 
but  jDressures  of  all  sorts ;  which  also  shews  that  patience  and  endurance 
through  sufferings  had  been  his  tutors  and  instructors  thereunto.  For  in 
2  Cor.  vi.,  he  having  first  reckoned  up  his  sufferings,  ver.  4,  and  made  a 
catalogue  of  them,  then  in  his  final  conclusions,  ver.  10,  he  sums  up  the 
frame  of  his  spirit  all  in  this  :  '  As  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing  ;  as  poor, 
yet  making  many  rich ;  as  having  nothing,  yet  possessing  all  things.'  In 
which  few  words  he  compendiously  speaketh  what  either  out  of  that  to  the 
Corinthians,  chap,  ix.,  I  have  now  insisted  on,  or  that  paradox  in  my  text 
doth  amount  unto.  For  those  words,  '  as  sorrowful'  in  respect  of  divers 
temptations,  '  yet  always  rejoicing,'  are  all  one  with  '  count  it  all  joy  when 
ye  fall  into  divers  tentations,'  as  in  the  text.  And  his  '  having  nothing,  yet 
possessing  all  things'  there,  is  adequate  and  equivalent  to  the  Corinthians' 
supposed  outward  '  abounding  always,  and  in  all  things.'  But  then  his 
*  being  poor,  yet  making  many  rich,'  therein  he  exceeded  and  transcended 
what  they,  or  any  the  most  liberal-hearted  rich  man  that  ever  was  in  the 
world  could  boast  of,  in  any  of  their  or  his  abounding  in  any  or  every 
good  or  charitable  work,  in  relief  to  others.  So  we  see  it  is  possible  and 
attainable  that  a  Christian  may  in  the  want  of  all  have  an  all-self-suffici- 
ency, superabounding  the  fulness  of  him  in  outward  things  who  aboundeth 
most.  And  all  this  was  the  fruit  of  his  patience,  and  continual  abiding  under 
sufferings.  For  he  speaks  this  of  himself,  whilst  he  is  enumerating  his  suf- 
ferings, which  in  that  chapter  he  doth  at  lai-ge.  Thus  perfect  will  patience 
make  you,  that,  as  here  the  Apostle  in  my  text  speaks,  you  shall  want 
nothing,  even  in  outward  things,  when  you  have  lost  all. 

If  you  ask  me.  Whence  hath  a  Christian  this  self-sufficiency  within  him- 
self, and  wherein  lies  it  ? — 

I  answer,  If  God  and  Christ  dwell  in  the  heart ;  if  I  have  the  earnest  of 
the  Spirit  for  my  salvation,  or  am  partaker  of  his  holiness,  and  that  grace 
which  accompanies  salvation  ;  and  do  delight  in  the  will  and  glory  of  God, 
and  in  pleasing  him,  and  the  like  to  these;  then  I  have  a  self-sufficiency 
within  me.  If,  as  in  1  John  iv.  16,  'we  have  known  and  believed  the  love 
that  God  hath  to  us :  God  is  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth 
in  God,  and  God  in  him,' — then  we  have  all  within  ourselves ;  and  is  like 
as  a  man  that  hath  all  provisions  in  and  about  his  own  house  so  plentifully 
as  he  needs  not  go  forth  for  anything ;  so  is  it,  and  will  it  be,  with  us. 

3.  A  third  fruit  is  joy :  Col.  i.  11,  '  Strengthened  with  all  might,  unto  all 
patience  and  long-sufi'ering  with  joyfulness.'  You  have  it  also  in  the  text, 
'count  it  all  joy,'  &c.  And,  Rom.  v.  3,  'We  glory  in  tribulations,  knowing 
that  tribulation  worketh  patience.' 

You  will  say  to  me.  How  can  this  be  1  Doth  not  the  Apostle  say,  Heb, 
xii.  11,  'No  chastening  seems  to  be  for  the  present  joyous,  but  grievous;' 
and  our  Saviour,  '  You  shall  weep  when  the  world  shall  rejoice ;'  and  many 
the  like  1 

I  give  these  answers : — 

First,  The  object  of  your  joy  is  not  simply  your  afflictions.  No,  no  man 
can  delight  in  them  alone ;  they,  indeed,  are  grievous,  thus  saith  the  Apostle. 
But  your  joy  lies  in  looking  unto  what  is  the  issue  and  event,  the  end  and 
reward  of  your  trials  by  them  ;  and  that  is  it  you  are  to  count  the  matter  of 
your  joy,  and  all  joy.  To  rejoice  in  the  thing,  or  the  affliction  itself,  is  one 
thing  ;  and  to  rejoice  in  the  expectation  of  the  event  and  issue,  is  another. 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  457 

Then,  pecondly,  if  you  observe  it,  the  word  in  the  text  is  favourable  :  says 
he,  *  count  it  all  joy;'  that  is,  esteem  it  so.  He  doth  not  say,  you  shall  have 
all  joy  at  present,  but  though  you  have  not,  you  may  count  it  all  joy, — that 
is,  you  may  reckon  it  as  matter  of  all  joy,  as  many  interpreters  paraphrase 
the  words, — and  so  reason  yourselves  into  joy  in  your  judgments,  and  so 
esteem  it  all  joy,  appretiative,  as  the  school  speaks,  though  the  passion  of 
joy  be  wanting. 

Thirdly,  Jesus  Christ  himself,  when  he  did  endure  the  cross,  and  whilso 
he  hung  upon  it,  and  likewise  before,  whilst  within  the  garden,  he  was  not 
in  a  joyous  frame  of  spirit  at  that  present  as  to  the  passion  of  joy;  nay,  his 
soul  was  heavy  unto  death  that  while.  Yet  it  is  said,  Heb.  xii.  1,  that 
*for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him  he  did  endure  the  cross,'  &c. ;  and  ha 
therein  is  set  forth  as  an  example  unto  us,  in  the  same  verse,  '  Let  us  run 
with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus,'  &c.  It  is 
well  if  you  look  to  the  joy  set  before  you,  as  that  which  you  certainly  expect 
to  come,  although  you  want  the  passion  of  joy  in  that  which  you  expect  to 
come. 

Fourthly,  You  may  perhaps  not  rejoice  at  present  with  great  joy,  yet  after- 
wards, through  much  exercise  of  patience,  it  may  grow  up  in  you.  And  this 
answer  the  Apostle  himself  gives  in  that  Heb.  xii.,  distinguishing  between 
what  for  'the  present,'  and  what  for  'afterwards,'  in  time:  ver.  11,  'Now 
DO  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous  :  never- 
theless afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness  unto  them 
which  are  exercised  thereby.'  And  upon  the  hopes  of  that  he  bids  them  ttf 
]ift  up  the  hands  that  hang  down,  and  strengthen  the  feeble  knees. 

Yet,  fifthly,  Some  Christians  have  had,  and  you  may  have,  actual  joy  at 
that  present  in  the  midst  of  your  aMctions.  These  two,  great  trials  and  great 
joys,  may  well  meet  and  stand  together  in  the  heart  at  once,  as  in  divers  re- 
spects ;  for  the  Apostle  hath  reconciled  those  two,  1  Pet.  i.  6,  '  Wherein  ye 
greatly  rejoice,  though  now  for  a  season,  if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness 
through  manifold  temptations.'  That  speech,  '  wherein  ye  greatly  rejoice,' 
reacheth  and  riseth  higher  than  to  an  accounting  it  matter  of  joy  about  what 
is  to  come,  but  doth  further  absolutely  speak  of  joy  for  the  present.  And 
therefore  to  have  the  affection  of  inward  joy  itself  gxeatly  raised  up,  and 
yet  at  that  instant,  in  the  same  '  now '  as  he  speaks,  in  outward  respects  to  be 
in  heaviness,  are  compatible.  And,  Col.  i.  11,  the  Apostle  speaks  of  such 
a  glorious  power  accompanying  the  saints  in  trials  as  shall  work  '  patience 
and  long-suffering  with  joyfulness.'  And  why  else  doth  the  Apostle  also  say, 
'Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always;  and  again  I  say.  Rejoice  V  He  contents  not 
himself  to  have  said  it  once,  as  if  to  have  them  rejoice  a  little,  but  he  pro- 
fesseth  to  say  it  again,  because  they  should  rejoice  abundantly,  and  this 
*  always,'  and  therefore  in  all  times  and  in  all  conditions.  Of  the  co-existence 
of  which  two  himself  proposeth  himself  an  example  :  '  As  sorrowful,  yet 
always  rejoicing.' 

Fourth  Branch  of  the  3d  General  Head. — Some  eminent  propeHics  or  ad- 
juncts of  patience,  which,  added,  do  make  it  and  its  work  perfect. 
1.  When  a  man's  spirit  is  brought  to  do  these  things  with  ease,  so  as  he  shall 
not  need  to  chide  his  spirit  into  a  patient  frame,  nor  force  himself  into  it, 
but  like  as  Ezra  is  said  to  be  a  ready  scribe,  Ezra  vii.  6, — that  is,  he  was  per- 
fect at  his  work,  his  heart  was  prepared  for  it  and  inured  to  it,  ver.  10, — 
thus  patience  hath  had  a  perfect  work  when  it  frames  the  heart  to  a  readiness 
to  those  actings  before  mentioned      Ihus  the  Apostle,  Acts  xxi.  13,  'I  am 


458  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PEEFECT  WORK. 

not  only  ready  to  be  bound,  but  I  am  readj^  to  die  at  Jerusalem,  for  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.'  His  heart  was  so  fully  prepared  as  he  stuck  not 
at  all  at  it ;  yea,  it  was  a  heart-breaking  to  him  that  his  friends  should  offer 
to  dissuade  him  :  '  What  mean  you  to  break  my  heart  1 '  &c.  It  was  his 
being  inured  to  endurance  and  patience  that  had  begotten  that  habit  of  it 
in  him ;  his  heart  was  not  to  seek  for  it. 

2,  A  second  adjunct  or  property  which  adds  a  perfection  to  all  these  is 
when  the  practice  of  it  is  durable,  and  hath  some  constancy  in  it. 

As,  first,  not  by  fits  only.  That  was  Jonah's  fault.  Oh,  he  was  a  broken, 
humble  man  when  in  the  whale's  belly ;  but  how  outrageous  when  out  !  In 
Moses,  patience  had  its  perfect  work,  in  respect  of  the  constant  exercise  of 
that  grace,  and  therefore  it  was  he  had  the  honour  to  be  styled  the  meekest 
man  on  earth ;  and  truly  it  was  not  that  meekness  of  his  natural  temper,  nor 
merely  as  a  moral  vii'tue  in  him,  for  which  he  is  so  extolled,  though  these 
might  contribute  thereto,  but  it  was  a  grace  that  was  spiritual  in  him,  the 
grace  of  meekness,  and  consequently  of  patience,  which  the  Holy  Ghost  had 
wrought  in  him,  and  which  he  by  sufferings  had  learned.  And  my  reason, 
among  others,  principally  is,  that  he  was  a  type  of  Christ  therein,  according 
as  God's  promise  was  to  raise  up  a  prophet  Like  unto  Moses ;  like,  as  in  other 
eminencies,  so  especially  in  this  grace ;  for  which,  as  ^Moses  is  commended 
there,  so  Christ  in  the  Evangelists,  and  therein  proposeth  himself  as  an  ex- 
ample, '  Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek,'  &c.  Now,  how  constantly  did  Moses 
bear  all  along  with  that  perverse,  murmuring,  and  rebelling  nation,  both 
against  God  and  himself,  ■with  an  invincible  patience,  and  still  interceded 
for  them ;  and  thus  Christ  doth  with  us,  and  for  us.  And  although  we 
read  how  ISIoses  was  and  could  be  sometimes  angry,  yea,  exceeding  wroth, 
as  the  words  are,  (whereof  I  gave  the  collection  out  of  Ainsworth,)  yet  it 
was  often  in  God's  cause,  and  stUl  but  so  as  the  usual  and  constant  frame 
of  his  spirit  was  otherwise,  for  which  he  had  that  renowned  denomination, 
and  never  was  greatly  out  or  overcome  with  impatiency,  we  read  of,  but 
once.  Num.  xx.  10,  11,  compared  with  Psalm  cvi.  32,  33. 

Secondly,  Patience  is  then  perfect  when  it  continues  to  the  end.  As  a 
colour  is  said  to  be  perfect  when  it  is  durable,  as  a  dye  in  grain,  or  as  the 
India  colours,  which,  while  the  cloth  remains,  they  endure.  Now  it  is  he 
that  endures  to  the  end,  Matt,  xxiv.,  that  shall  be  saved.  You  shall  there- 
fore find  that  unto  patience,  long-suffering  is  added  in  two  several  places : 
Col.  i,  '  Strengthened  unto  all  patience  and  long-suffering.'  Patience  there 
respects  the  weight  or  grievousness  and  heaviness  of  the  affliction  we  are 
under;  and  long-suffering  respects  the  duration  and  time.  The  other  is  in 
an  instance  of  the  Apostle  of  himself,  1  Tim.  iii.  10,  '  Thou  hast  known  my 
long-suffering,  charity,  patience.'  In  James  v.  7,  it  is  said  of  the  husband- 
man, whose  case  is  made  the  persuasive  imto  patience,  he  '  hath  long  patience.' 
This  is  a  perfection  indeed,  to  bear  long,  and  to  the  end  :  '  Be  thou  faithful 
to  death,'  Eev.  ii.  10.  To  carry  a  great  burden  a  quarter  of  an  hour  is  an 
effect  of  some  patience,  but  to  carry  it  a  day,  or  more,  or  for  a  week,  there  is 
long-suffering.  Why  is  it  said  that  when  you  have  done  the  will  of  God, 
you  have  need  of  patience,  but  because  still,  in  the  last  part  of  your  life, 
after  an  active  life  for  a  long  while  ran  through,  even  then  when  you  are 
near  the  promise,  your  patience  may  be  then  at  last  most  of  all  put  to  it  1 

3.  A  third  property  or  requisite  to  perfect  patience  is,  that  it  be  ^tniversal/ 
which  is  either  when  a  man  hath  been  every  way  tried,  and  hath  passed 
through  all  sorts  of  tentations,  or  when  he  hath  still  come  off  with  patience 
in  some  good  measure  in  all  those  wherein  he  hath  been  tried,  although  his 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PEEFECT  WOKK.  459 

trials  have  not  been  of  all  sorts.  A  man's  natural  spirit  will  help  him  to 
be  patient  in  some  things,  but  in  other  things  his  heart  is  weak,  and  cannot 
bear.  Oh  !  not  such  a  cross,  of  any  other.  But  it  is  certain,  as  God  tried 
Abraham  in  his  Isaac,  so  God  will  the  sons  of  Abraham  in  what  is  dearest 
to  them,  and  yet  enable  them  to  bear  it,  as  1  Cor.  x.,  and  go  through 
therewith.  Hence  in  the  epistles  you  meet  with  all  added  to  patience  and 
long-suffering,  both  when  patience  is  prayed  for,  as  Col.  i.,  and  exhorted 
imto,  as  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  But  though  this  universality  is  to  be  prayed  for  and 
exhorted  unto,  as  that  which  makes  it  perfect ;  yet  it  is  well  if,  in  the  great 
trials  of  our  lives,  we  come  off  with  some  patience  suitable,  and  from  hence- 
forth resolve  with  endurance  so  to  do :  and  so  much  is  expected.  And  it 
may  seem  strange  that  many  that  should  be  able  to  bear  great  trials  between 
God  and  them  with  much  quietness  and  submission,  are  yet  easily  disad- 
vantaged upon  smaller  occasions  between  men  and  them;  for  which  some 
reasons  might  be  given. 


460  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WOEK. 


SECTION  IV. 

Although  I  have  despatclied  the  subject  I  first  intended,  yet  I  find  my- 
self obliged  to  proceed  a  little  further  in  the  opening  ver.  5,  in  order 
unto  a  relieving  against  a  great  discouragement,  which  I  know  hath,  or  may 
have  been,  in  many  readers'  hearts,  whilst  I  have  been  thus  discoursing 
these  great  things  about  the  perfect  work  of  patience,  &c. ;  and  also  to 
leave  behind  me  the  most  apposite  direction  how  to  obtain  this  patience, 
in  the  perfect  work  of  it :  and  I  will  not  go  out  of  my  text  for  these  things 
neither. 

An  Exposition  op  the  5th  Verse. 

If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  tliat  giveth  to  all  men  liber- 
ally, and  uphraideth  not;  and  it  shall  be  given  htm. 

The  discouragement  I  know  is  :  Oh,  how  remote  are  and  have  our  hearts 
been  from  this  perfect  work  of  patience  !  which  yet  some  saints  have  in  so 
great  a  measure  attained,  as  those  great  examples  given  have  shewn,  both  of 
saints  out  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  What  then  shall  I  think  of 
myself  for  the  present  ?  will  such  a  soul  say ;  or  for  the  future,  what  shall 
I  do? 

Why,  truly,  God  hath  provided  sufficiently  in  the  text  for  answer  to  these 
queries  and  complaints  of  yours,  whereby  both  to  relieve  you  against  your 
discouragement  at  your  want  of  the  exercise  of  these  things,  and  also  to 
direct  you  to  the  most  proper  and  effectual,  if  not  the  only  means  to  obtain 
them. 

1.  As  to  this  present  discouragement  about  your  want,  and  so  great 
falling  short  of  this  hitherto,  which  you  are  so  sensible  of,  those  first  words 
in  the  text,  '  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,'  will  be  found  greatly  speaking  to 
your  relief  therein. 

2.  As  to  a  direction  what  you  should  do  for  the  future  to  obtain  it,  those 
other  words,  '  Let  him  ask  of  God,'  point  us  to  the  most  proper  and  effectual 
remedy  and  way  of  supply  in  the  case. 

3.  With  this  great  encouragement  added,  first  drawn  from  the  nature  of 
God,  'Ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  hberally,  and  upbraideth  not;* 
then  seconded  with  this  promise,  '  and  it  shall  be  given  him.' 

Of  these  three  heads  in  what  follows,  briefly : — 

I. — To  the  discouragement. 
The  opening  of  these  words,  *  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,'  will  greatly 
conduce  to  ease  your  heart  as  to  that ;  the  effect  of  which  is,  that  the  Apostle 
plainly  supposeth  that  true  believers  may  both  really,  and  in  their  own  ap- 
prehensions especially,  be  found  greatly  lacking  in  point  of  patience  when 
trials  do  befall  them.  And  this  I  am  sure  hath  reason  to  relieve  you  in 
what  is  like  to  be  the  great  discouragement  that  usually  falls  out. 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  461 

This  to  be  the  supposition  of  the  Apostle  is  made  good  by  opening  four 
things  : — 

1.  That  by  'wisdom'  here  is  plainly  meant  patience,  together  -with  the 
perfect  work  of  it  which  he  had  spoken  of. 

2.  That  he  speaks  this  unto  those  that  were  true  believers;  'if  any  of 
you.' 

3.  How  it  may  or  can  be  said  that  true  believers,  who  have  all  grace  and 
the  principles  thereof  in  them,  lack  such  or  such  a  grace. 

4.  The  intimate  reason  and  occasion  upon  which  the  Apostle  utters  him- 
self in  this  supposition  ;  '  if  any,'  &c. 

For  the  first ;  wisdom  sometimes  is  taken  largely  for  all  grace  and  gra- 
cious actings  whatsoever ;  sometimes  strictly  for  a  particular  grace.  To  find 
out  the  difference  of  which,  the  measure  is  to  be  taken  from  the  scope  of  the 
place  where  either  of  these  is  mentioned.  Now  wisdom,  in  this  place,  is  to 
be  taken  strictly ;  that  is,  for  that  particular  grace,  or  piece  of  gracious  wis- 
dom, whereby  to  know  how  to  be  able  to  manage  a  man's  self  under  trials, 
especially  great,  sore,  and  sudden  ones,  patiently;  which  is  done  when  we 
have  taken  in  and  digested  by  faith  such  principles  as  our  Christianity 
afi^ords  plenty  of,  as  grounds  that  instruct  and  enable  the  soul  joyfully  to 
entertain  such  trials  and  tentations,  and  to  endure  and  go  through  them 
with  a  constancy  of  joy.  For  look,  as  the  word  '  grace '  is  taken  either 
strictly  or  largely ;  that  is,  either  for  all  grace,  and  yet  again  for  any  or 
every  particular  grace,  each  of  which  is  called  grace  also :  '  As  ye  abound  in 
every  grace,  so  ye  abound  in  this  grace  also ; '  thus,  all  grace  is  called 
wisdom  in  a  large  sense,  as  usually  throughout  the  Book  of  Proverbs,  but 
withal  a  particular  grace  is  called  wisdom  too,  as  the  third  chapter  of  this 
epistle,  ver.  13,  shews.  The  grace  of  meekness  shewn  in  speech  and  con- 
versation, he  styles  it  '  meekness  of  wisdom,'  or  a  '  wise  meekness,'  or  a 
meekness  accompanied  with  and  proceeding  out  of  wisdom.  And  thus  Cal- 
vin and  most  others  understand  wisdom  here  in  this  my  text  of  this  special 
grace ;  *  the  scope  and  coherence  with  the  former  words  carrying  it  there- 
unto. True  patience  being  from  such  a  wisdom  as  whereby  the  soul  hath 
the  skill  and  ability  to  manage  a  man's  self  patiently  under  tentations,  to 
such  an  issue  as  that  patience  should  have  a  perfect  work  in  us ;  and  unto 
this  it  is  here  to  be  restrained ;  for  this  grace  it  is  he  had  been,  and  still  is, 
discoursing  of. 

And  there  is  a  special  and  more  peculiar  reason  why  this  skill  of  patience 
should  be  styled  wisdom  in  a  more  eminent  sense.  For  what  he  had  before 
uttered  of  rejoicing  in  afflictions  and  tentations,  and  exhorted  unto,  that 
patience  should  have  its  perfect  work ;  these  things  being  the  hardest  lessons 
in  Christianity,  do  therefore  need  and  require  the  highest  principles  of  divine 
wisdom,  both  doctrinal  and  practical,  to  be  deeply  inlaid  and  fixed  in  the 
soul,  so  as  to  bow  and  frame  the  heart  unto  a  real  practice  and  willing  per- 
formance of  such  dictates  and  conformity  thereunto.  For  then  it  is  that 
knowledge  is  termed  wisdom  ;  and  for  that  reason  it  is  that  our  whole  reli- 
gion is  styled  wisdom,  because  it  rests  not  in  bare  notional  knowledge, 
which  is  a  diflfering  thing  from  wisdom,  but  makes  men  proportionably  wise 
to  the  practice  of  the  things  in  which  it  instructs.  And  particularly  this 
skill  of  enduring  tentations,  such  as  hath  been  described,  doth  deserve  this 
style  more  eminently,  for  it  so  far  outvies,  and  is  above  the  sphere  of  all 
principles,  whether  of  phUosopby  or  what  other  profession  or  professors  of 
patience  whatsoever,  who  whilst,  in  a  sullen  patience,  for  aU  of  theirs  was  no 
•  'Sapientise  nomen  ad  circumstantiam  preesentia  loci  restringo.' — Calvin  in  verb. 


462  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK. 

better,  they  professed  to  be  wise,  they  became  foolish;  and  Christianity  in- 
finitely outshoots  them  in  what  they  most  gloried  in. 

Secondly,  That  he  speaks  this  to  them  whom  he  supposeth  true  believers, 
and  unto  them  as  such,  is  evident;  although  at  the  first  blush,  as  we  say, 
the  words  would  seem  to  point  at  and  speak  to  unregenerate  men  who 
wholly  want  all  true  wisdom  and  grace;  and  so  the  drift  should  be  an 
intended  direction  to  or  for  such  to  seek  true  grace,  which  they  lack,  at  the 
hands  of  God,  by  prayer. 

But  the  coherence  manifestly  shews  that  he  speaks  to  such  whom  he 
supposeth  to  be  already  true  believers.  For  in  the  next  words  he  exhorts 
the  same  persons  whom  he  speaks  to  in  these  words,  to  '  ask  in  faith ; '  and 
therefore  supposeth  them  to  have  true  faith  already  whom  he  directs  this 
exhortation  unto.  And  otherwise  it  had  been  more  proper,  yea,  requisite  to 
have  exhorted  them,  if  he  had  intended  it  of  unregenerate  men,  first  to  seek 
faith  itself,  and  then  out  of  faith  and  in  that  faith  to  seek  for  this  wisdom, 
or  grace  of  endurance.  And  again  he  speaks  to  them  that  were  brethren ; 
so  he  calls  them  ;  and  in  this  passage  says,  '  if  any  of  you,'  and  such  who, 
being  true  professors  of  Christianity,  were  exposed  unto  those  sundry  tenta- 
tions  from  persecutions  especially.  And  it  is  such  also  whom  he  exhorts  to 
'  count  it  all  joy,'  &c.,  and  here  to  ask  a  wisdom  of  God  whereby  to  be  able 
to  suffer  for  their  holy  profession.  Furthermore,  this  wisdom  lying  in 
patience  having  its  perfect  work  in  them,  it  supposeth  the  persons  such  as 
had  some  work  of  patience  and  of  other  graces  begun  in  them  already.  And, 
indeed,  to  have  exhorted  unregenerate  men,  that  were  as  yet  vitterly  destitute 
of  all  grace,  and  so  out  of  harm's  way  as  to  any  sufferings  from  the  gospel, 
and  to  direct  them  to  make  this  the  first  of  their  addresses  to  God,  and  of 
their  requests,  that  they  might  be  able  to  endure  tentations,  and  that 
patience  should  have  a  perfect  work  in  them,  and  so  to  have  taught  them 
that  which  is  the  hardest  lesson  in  Christianity  before  they  had  learned  the 
first  letters  thereof;  this  had  been  utterly  improper,  and  a  lesson  at  too  great 
a  distance  for  men  in  their  natural  state  first  to  learn. — Thus  much  for  the 
persons,  viz.,  that  he  speaks  it  unto  men  already  regenerate,  and  supposed  in 
the  faith. 

The  third  thing  proposed  was,  How  it  could  be  he  should  speak  in  this 
manner  of  believers,  that  they  should  lack  this  grace  of  wisdom ;  whenas,  if 
such,  they  must  be  supposed  to  have  all  true  graces  in  them ;  why  then 
should  he  yet  say,  even  of  them,  '  If  any  of  you  lack,'  &c.  ? 

A  ns. — This  expression,  to  say  such  and  such  a  Christian  '  lacks '  such 
or  such  a  grace,  is  not  uncouth  nor  unusual  in  the  Scriptures,  when 
he  or  they  have  wanted  the  exercise  of  it.  For  though  Christians  do  re- 
ceive the  principles  of  all  graces,  as  2  Pet.  i.  3,  yet  they  may  neglect  to  stir 
up  all  graces,  or  may  have  been  disused  to  the  exercise  of  some.  Why  else, 
and  to  what  end,  doth  the  Apostle  in  the  same  place  stir  them  up  to  add 
grace  to  grace,  as  in  ver.  5  t  And  in  those  cases  a  Christian  may  be  said, 
yea,  charged  to  lack  that  grace  or  graces  which  he  wants  the  exercise  of. 
For  so  in  the  same  chapter,  ver.  9,  speaking  of  a  dozed,  negligent  professor, 
though  true,  he  useth  this  very  language  of  him,  '  He  that  lacks  these 
things,'  as  I  have  elsewhere  opened  that  Scripture.  For  idem  est  non  esse, 
el  non  uti; — it  is  all  one  for  a  thing  not  to  be,  and  not  to  be  used,  when  the 
being  of  a  thing  is  whoUy  ordained  for  use  and  operation.  Now  such  a 
thing  is  grace ;  and  such  a  thing,  if  not  used,  is  as  if  it  were  not.  And  the 
opposition  that  is  between  adding  grace  to  grace,  ver.  5, — that  is,  the  exercise 
of  one  grace  after  another, — and  the  lacking  grace,  in  that  ver.  9,  evidently 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  "WOKK.  463 

stews  that  plirase  to  be  so  understood,  not  of  the  utter  want  of  the  grace, 
but  of  the  exercise. 

The  fourth  thing  is,  the  intimate  reason  or  occasion  whereupon  the  Apostle 
doth  utter  himself  in  such  a  supposition  ;  '  If  any  of  you  lack.' 

This  will  appear  by  considering  these  three  things : — 

First,  In  respect  that  he  had  exhorted  to  so  hard  and  difficult  a  practice ; 
to  '  count  it  all  joy,'  &c. ;  which  requireth  such  high  principles  to  be  drunk  in, 
about  the  good  and  benefit  of  tentations,  in  the  issue  and  end  of  them;* 
which  principles  must  also  have  been  thoroughly  concocted  in  their  hearts 
first  who  shall  attain  to  this. 

And,  secondly,  there  being  many  poor  souls,  as  of  such  that  were  weak, 
and  some  new  converts,  amongst  them  whom  he  wrote  to,  who  might,  and 
did  then,  as  many  now-a-days,  that  yet  are  sincere-hearted,  in  the  sense  of 
their  own  weakness,  find  and  apprehend  themselves  so  far  off  and  remote 
from  such  high  principles  and  attainments,  and  therefore,  upon  his  thus 
discoursing,  were  like  to  be  utterly  discouraged ;  thinking  with  themselves, 
judging  themselves  by  the  present  frame  of  their  infirm  spirits,  both  that 
their  hearts  had  never  yet,  nor  would  ever  be,  wrought  up  to  this  pitcL 
What,  to  count  it  all  joy  !  think  they  ;  is  that  it  you  exhort  us  unto  1 
Alas  !  our  hearts  tremble  at  the  very  thoughts  of  entering  into  such  sudden 
and  so  great  tentations  as  you  here  forewarn  us  of.  And  of  all  graces  else, 
it  is  this  of  a  patient  sufi'ering  frame,  and  strength  of  spirit  thereto,  that  is 
and  hath  been  our  want.  This  is  it  we  '  lack,'  nor  do  we  know  how  to 
manage  ourselves  wisely  under  such  trials,  so  as  to  glorify  God;  yea,  and 
not  shamefully  to  dishonour  him.  Nay,  if  we  should  fall  into  such  trials  and 
sufi"erings,  we  are  liker  utterly  to  fall  away  under  them,  rather  than  to  rejoice 
when  we  fall  into  them. 

Further,  thirdly,  there  might  be  many  strong  Christians,  as  to  the  active 
part  of  the  life  of  Christianity,  who  yet  might  be  to  seek  as  fresh  soldiers  at 
the  first,  when  such  trials  come  unexpectedly,  and  thick  and  threefold  upon 
them  ;  and  that  they  fall  into  them  as  downfalls  and  precipices.  And  in  this 
dreadful  a  manner  he  had  set  them  out  to  them,  as  impendent  on  them,  as 
was  opened.  And  even  such  Christians,  being  surprised,  might  be  at  a  loss 
at  first,  in  respect  of  that  confidence  of  spirit  to  bear  them,  till  by  prayer 
and  faith  recollecting  themselves,  they  should  anew  obtain  or  regain  this 
wisdom.  Even  strong  Christians  are  apt  to  be  stounded  at  first,  as  men  are 
with  a  great  blow,  and  cannot  well  stand  or  keep  their  ground. 

Now  unto  such,  either  of  these,  doth  the  Apostle  in  this  language,  '  If  any 
of  you  lack,'  apply  himself,  and  therein  speaks  to  their  very  hearts;  but 
especially  to  the  first  sort  of  weak  Christians.  And,  indeed,  speaks  their 
very  fears,  and  most  inward  thoughts  and  apprehensions,  they  had  or  might 
have  of  themselves ;  and  so  utters  their  misgivings  of  heart  in  their  own 
language.  Oh,  I  lack  these  things,  says  the  soul.  '  If  any  of  you  lack,' 
says  the  Apostle.  And  it  is  no  small  comfort  to  such  to  hear  an  apostle, 
from  the  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  suppose  that  very  true 
and  sincere  Christians  may  thus  be  lacking  and  thus  surprised. 

Thus  as  to  the  removal  of  their  main  discouragement,  which  was  the  first 
thing  proposed. 

II. — The  direction. 

Let  him,  ask  of  God. — Having  thus  spoken  their  hearts,  as  to  the  fears 
and  apprehensions  of  themselves  in  respect  of  their  falling  short  of  this  high 

*  '  Si  quis  vestrum  non  potest  intelligere  utilitatem  tentationum,  postulet  a  Deo  tribui 
Bibi  senaum' — £eda  in  locum. 


464  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PEEFECT  WORK. 

duty  of  joy  and  patience,  &c.,  he  now  directs  them  to  the  most  proper  and 
sovereign  means  for  the  obtaining  of  it  of  all  other,  and  that  is  faithful,  instant 
prayer  :   '  Let  him  ask  of  God,'  &c. 

And  herein  also  he  speaks  the  hearts  of  all  true  Christians  also,  even  of 
the  weakest ;  whose  refuge  in  all  their  wants  is  to  cry  to  God  for  a  supply 
of  what  they  lack,  especially  when  they  feel,  or  are  ajiprehensive  of  their 
lack  and  want  in  any  grace  that  should  help  them  in  time  of  need.  And 
look,  what  effectual  supply  of  this  grace  in  tentations  aU  the  Apostle's  per- 
suasions alone  would  not  have  effected,  that,  faith  venting  itself  in  constant 
and  fervent  prayer,  will  bring  in  and  obtain ;  and  their  hearts  will  in  the 
end  be  raised  and  wrought  up  unto,  so  as  they  shall  be  able  to  abound  in 
this  grace  also.  Weak  faith,  when  it  cannot  find  in  its  heart  to  suffer,  or  so 
much  as  to  enter  into  trials,  can  yet  pray;  and  so  doth  beg  with  desires  un- 
utterable to  have  this  grace,  to  be  able  to  suffer  these  trials  in  this  joyful 
manner  the  Apostle  exhorts  us  unto.  _And  the  weak  heart  continuing  so  to 
pray  and  importune  God,  m  the  end  this  shall  be  given  him ;  as  here  he 
promiseth.  I  shall  not  enlarge  on  this  further.  For  when  an  apostle  shall 
tingle  forth  a  means,  and  that  one  single  one,  whereby  to  obtain  any  eminent 
grace  one  needs,  that  means  ought  to  be  with  aU  diligence  put  into  use  and 
practice ;  and  so  there  needs  no  more  to  urge  it. 

Only  observe  how  in  this  directive  part  he  puts  them  not  upon  praying 
chiefly  to  have  tentations  and  trials  averted  or  kept  off,  nor  to  ask  deliver- 
ance out  of  them,  though  that  is  lawful  and  may  be  done;  not  a  word  of 
these  in  this  his  exhortation ;  but  he  draws  the  main  and  great  intention  of 
their  souls  unto  praying  for  grace,  how  to  be  patient  and  joyful,  &c. — This  as 
to  the  direction. 

III. — His  encouragements  to  pi-ay. 

His  encouragements,  that  by  seeking  a  believer  shall  obtain,  are  drawn, 
first,  from  that  gracious  wont  and  disposition  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men 
liberally,  &c. 

1.  As  being  a  God  '  that  giveth  to  all  men.'  And  this  also  is  to  be 
limitedly  understood  of  all  those  men  who  thus  do,  have,  or  shall  ajjply 
themselves  unto  God  by  faithful  and  importunate  prayer.'"  For  he  had  said 
first,  'Let  him  ask  of  God;'  and  therefore  God's  giving  here  must  be  sup- 
posed to  be  a  giving  to  him  that  asketh.  Again,  although  it  be  said  that 
faith  works  patience,  yet  it  is  prayer  that  fetcheth  and  brings  down  the 
power  from  God  into  the  heart,  that  works  both  faith  and  patience,  and  alL 
Prayer  is  the  midwife  by  which  faith,  the  mother,  brings  forth  patience  in  the 
heart. 

2.  His  gracious  disposition  in  giving  is  further  set  out — 

(1.)  That  he  giveth  liberally.  The  word  a-TtXug  both  signifies  a  free-hearted 
giving,  in  a  pure  way  of  simplicity  of  heart ;  as  being  neither  moved  by  any 
respect  in  us,  as  of  worthiness,  or  the  like,  but  singly  and  simply  out  of 
such  motives  and  considerations  as  are  in  his  own  heart,  and  which  his  own 
great  and  gracious  divine  nature  prompts  him  to  :  freely.  We  generally  use 
to  say,  '  out  of  his  free  gi'ace,'  which  comes  all  to  one  with  the  import  of  the 
word  which  the  apostle  useth  here.  Therefore  make  that  grace  as  thy  plea 
to  him  in  thy  prayers  for  it,  or  whatever  else  thou  seekest  at  his  hands. 

(2.)  It  signifies  largely,  abundantly,  liberally,  richly;  as  the  word  is  used 
in  2  Cor.  viii.  2,  and  so  translated  there.  You  have  both  in  that  passage 
*  'Cum  dicat  omnibus,  intelligit,  quipetunt.' — Calvin  in  verba. 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  4G5 

of  David's,  2  Sam.  vii.  21,  'According  to  thine  own  heart' — there  is  freely 
or  simply — '  hast  thou  done  all  these  great  things,' — there  is  liberally. 

And  vpbraideth  not. — That  is  a  second  property  or  disposition  in  God  and 
his  giving;  the  sense  •whereof  is,  first,  that  when  he  hath  given  liberally, 
never  so  often,  nor  so  much,  yet  he  upbraideth  not,  as  men  are  wont  to  do. 
Among  men,  he  that  is  most  liberal,  yet  if  the  same  man  he  hath  formerly 
given  unto  will  come  often  to  him  to  be  relieved,  in  the  end  he  at  least  will 
excuse  himself,  or  else  say,  Why  do  you  come  so  often,  thus  again  and  again? 
which  is  a  tacit  and  implicit  way  of  upbraiding,  or  insinuation  of  foregone 
benefits.  Surely  Calvin,  and  Estius  from  him,  have  hit  it,''  who  put  this 
scope  and  drift  upon  this  clause :  that  no  man  should  be  afraid  or  solicitous 
to  come,  though  never  so  often,  to  this  free  and  generous  giver,  nor  be  dis- 
couraged within  himself  that  he  should  need  to  come  so  often  to  him,  nor 
forbear  to  continue  his  incessant  importunities,  though  it  be  never  so  long  a 
time  ere  he  obtains. 

And  thus  understood,  it  is  as  if  he  had  said,  God  is  so  free,  so  simple- 
hearted  and  liberal  in  giving,  as  the  oftener  you  come  the  welcomer,  especially 
when  for  grace ;  yea,  he  hereby  inviteth  us  of  his  own  free  heart  to  come 
always,  to  ask  and  pray  continually  and  incessantly,  as  that  parable,  Luke 
xviii.  1,  made  on  set  purpose,  shews.  So  then,  a  frequent,  constant,  impor- 
tunate continuing  in  prayer  to  obtain  is  hereby  exhorted  unto. 

A  second  scope  in  his  adding  this  clause  is,  that  though  we  find  that  God 
doth  indeed  upbraid  impenitent  men  for  their  sins,  as  Christ  those  cities, 
yet  he  never  did,  or  ever  will  do,  any  sinners  in  this  case  wherein  it  is  pro- 
posed,— namely,  when  they  shall  come  and  humble  themselves  for  their  sins, 
seeking  for  more  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need  against  their  corruption; 
and  this  much  rather  than  from  deliverance  from  or  out  of  troubles, — in  this 
case  he  will  not  twit  them  with  any  of  their  unworthiness  that  hath  been 
past;  he  will  pass  by  their  iniquity,  and  not  upbraid  them.  And  this  is  a 
great  encouragement  indeed ;  for  the  gtiilt  of  sin  and  former  ingratitude  do 
above  all  things  deter  men  from  coming  to  God,  lest  he  should  remember 
their  iniquities  and  upbraid  them  with  them. 

And  it  shall  he  given  him. — He  follows  and  confirms  this  hope  of  obtaining 
with  this  sure  and  certain  promise,  'and  it  shall  be  given  him.'  For  when 
the  souls  of  men,  being  made  thoroughly  apprehensive  of  their  own  want  of 
a  grace,  are  carried  forth  (to  choose)  to  seek  for  grace,  or  such  or  such  a 
gracious  disposition;  and  that  before  and  above  all  deliverance  out  of  the 
trials  they  are  in,  as  was  before  observed  the  Apostle  had  directed;  in  this 
case,  God — that  is,  the  God  of  all  grace — is  the  most  ready  giver  of  grace 
that  he  is  of  anything  else.  There  are  no  requests  more  pleasing  to  him,  or 
that  suit  his  divine  and  blessed  disposition  so  as  this  doth  of  praying  for 
grace,  as  thus  stated.  For  the  bestowing  and  giving  of  grace  thus  prayed  for 
doth  tend,  above  all  things  else,  to  the  glorifying  of  himself;  and  it  is  the 
aiming  thereat  that  must  and  doth  carry  out  such  a  heart  to  make  this  to 
be  the  top  and  chief  of  its  most  earnest  petitions.     The  God  of  grace  is  the 

*  '  "Nee  exprobat:"  Hoc  additum  est,  ne  quis  Deum  sepius  adire  metuat;  qui  ex 
hominibus  maxiine  sunt  liberales,  tametsi  identidem  quispiam  juvari  se  postulet  priora 
beneficia  commemorant :  atque  ita  excusant  in  posterum.' — Calvin  in  verba.  '  Vel  certe 
ideo  addit  ne  quis  Deum  sepius  adire  vereatur' — Calvin's  very  words — '  nonue  enim  dicit, 
jam  toties  dedi ;  quid  adhuc  me  obtundis  ?  Ut  sclent  homines,  etiam  qui  maxime  sunt 
liberales ' — Calvin's  very  vs^ords  again — '  sed  Deus  ut  est  fons  inexhaustus  :  ita  ad  dan- 
dum,  mode  petas  sicut  oportet,  paratissimus,  imo  ipse  ultro  nos  invitans  ad  semper 
petendum,'  &c. — Estius  in  verba. 

VOL.  II.  2  o 


466  PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PEEFECT  WOKK. 

most  free  of  grace.  Thus  Christ  says,  '  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to 
give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  1 '  Our  Apostle  hath  also 
told  us  that  though  the  spirit  that  is  in  us  Listeth  to  envy,  that  yet  God 
gives  more  grace — that  is,  a  counterpoise  of  grace  unto  that  lust — unto  all 
them  that  humbly  seek  for  it ;  as,  chap.  iv.  5-7, '  Do  ye  think  that  the  Scrip- 
ture saith  in  vain,  The  spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us  lusteth  to  envy?  But  he 
giveth  more  grace.     He  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the  humble.' 

I  shall  now  go  forth  of  my  text  but  to  fetch  in  one  thing.  I  observe,  when 
the  Apostle  particularly  comes  to  that  part  of  his  prayer  made  for  the  Colos- 
sians,  that  they  might  have  all  patience  and  long-suffering  with  joyfulness, 
— which  exactly  agrees  with  what  is  the  matter  exhorted  imto  in  this  text, — 
he  implores  the  glorious  power  of  God,  in  these  words.  Col.  i.  11,  '  That  ye 
may  be  strengthened  with  aU  might,  according  to  his  glorious  power,  unto  aU 
patience  and  long-suffering  with  joyfulness.'  And  to  draw  and  fix  your  hearts 
on  this  glorious  power  of  God,  and  point  your  prayers  thereto,  is  the  thing 
which  I  mean  and  intend. 

And  indeed  the  consideration  of  this  one  thing  will  have  a  general  influ- 
ence into  all  those  three  heads  have  been  treated  of  in  this  last  fourth  section. 
As,  first,  it  may  be  no  great  wonder  if  many  of  us  have  been  so  deficient  and 
lacking  in  this  grace ;  for  it  is  not  an  ordinary  power,  such  as  in  ordinary 
walkings  holUy  doth  assist  us,  but  a  glorious  power  is  requisite  to  perfect 
this  grace :  which  argues  this  to  be  so  difficult  an  exercise  above  any  other, 
and  that  our  natures  are  infinitely  remote  from  it  of  ourselves,  which  we  not 
minding  nor  considering,  have  not  perhaps  with  answerable  vehemency  im- 
plored the  aid  of  so  great  a  power.  And,  secondly,  this  gives  us  a  clear  rear 
Bon  why  prayer,  of  aU  other  means,  should  be  directed  by  the  Apo.stle,  and 
extraordinarily  set  upon  by  us,  as  the  most  effectual,  j'ea,  as  an  only  means 
to  obtain  this.  For  seeing  that  power  lies  out  of  ourselves,  in  God,  which, 
must  effect  this  in  us,  then  surely  nothing  can  be  judged  so  prevailing  as 
faith  and  prayer,  which  are  the  graces  in  and  by  which  the  soul,  going  out  of 
itself,  in  a  sense  of  its  utter  insuflicieucy,  supplicates  the  grace  in  God's  heart 
to  exert  this  power  of  his  good  jjleasure,  and  so  do  draw  it  forth  and  bring 
it  do\\Ti  into  the  heart.  And  then,  thirdly,  this  gives  us  the  highest  encou- 
ragement, that  we  may  obtain  this  perfect  work  of  it,  however  remote  from 
it  the  pjresent  temper  of  our  spirits  may  seem  to  be  to  us,  seeing  that  no  less 
thau  such  a  glorious  power  is  requisite  to  effect  it  in  the  strongest  Christians, 
and  a  power  so  glorious  is  able  to  work  it  in  the  weakest. 

Let  us  pray,  therefore,  with  aU  vehemency  for  ourselves,  as  the  Apostle 
did  for  those  Colossians,  that  this  glorious  power  may  come  upon  us,  and 
strengthen  our  inward  man — as  it  is  elsewhere,  Eph.  iii.  16 — with  all  might; 
which  might  in  us  is  the  effect  of  that  power  in  God  as  the  cause. 

For  as  this  patience  is  to  be  an  '  all  patience,'  or  else  it  hath  not  its  per- 
fect work,  so  this  might  must  be  an  '  all  might '  you  must  be  strengthened 
with  unto  such  a  patience,  or  you  will  not  be  perfect  at  it.  That  might 
you  had  in  such  or  such  a  trial  will  not  serve  to  strengthen  you  against  the 
next  trial  that  shall  come  j  but  you  must  stiU  have  a  new  special  might  for 
'  every  new  trial.  Your  dependence,  therefore,  is  gnreat  upon  God  for  this 
perfect  work  of  patience,  and  yet  your  encouragements  are  great.  For  as  it 
must  be  that,  if  God  will  please  to  strengthen  us  under  any  great  unusual 
tentations,  that  he  shovdd  put  forth  no  less  than  this  '  glorious  power  : ' 
BO  we  have  heard  how,  in  our  Apostle,  he  hath  promised  he  wiU  give  it, 
and  give  it  freely  and  liberally  to  them  that  make  it  their  main,  constant, 


PATIENCE  AND  ITS  PERFECT  WORK.  467 

earnest  T^nsiness  to  ask  it ;  and  therefore,  his  grace,  if  applied  to,  is  engaged 
to  put  this  power  forth. 

It  cannot  but  be  a  great  support  to  a  weak  heart  that  finds  itself  so  re- 
mote and  distant  from  such  a  work  of  patience,  and  weak  also  hi  comparison 
of  finding  such  an  inward  might,  that  it  should  have  ground  and  cause  to 
think  and  to  believe  that  God's  glorious  power  is  engaged  most  freely,  to  be 
abundantly  and  readily  put  forth,  if  continued  to  be  sought  unto.  Why, 
this,  says  the  weak  heart,  will  do  it ;  namely,  this  glorious  power ;  and  I 
have  found  by  some  trials  already  that  the  strong  God  and  a  weak  heart 
will  be  too  hard  for  any  thing,  yea,  for  the  whole  world. 

And  therefore,  when  you  think  your  present  trials  that  are  come  upon 
you  far  greater  than  you  can  bear,  think  withal  of  the  glorious  power  of 
God  that  is  at  hand  to  help  you.  It  is  a  great  word  that,  '  his  glorious 
power,' — a  greater  attribute  could  not  have  been  named  or  found  out  for 
our  comfort, — and  is  a  word  of  virtue,  force,  and  power,  to  hearten  to  or 
against  anything  whatever.  It  is  true  thy  present  trial  may  be,  and  is, 
above  that  inward  strength  which  serves  and  hath  served  hitherto  to  act  thy 
graces  in  thy  ordinary  Avalkings  with  God,  holily  and  sincerely.  A  child 
may  by  its  ordinary  strength  be  able  to  walk  up  and  down  a  room  by  stools 
(suppose)  supporting  it,  without  any  other  extraordinary  help;  but  if  it  be 
to  go  up  a  pair  of  stairs,  the  strength  that  enabled  it  to  these  lesser  perfor- 
mances will  not  be  sufficient  thereunto ;  he  must  be  carried  and  held  up  in 
the  arms  of  one  who  is  strong  and  mighty.  And  so  it  is  here.  That  other 
part  of  our  Christian  obedience,  the  active  life  of  a  Christian,  prayed  for  by 
the  Apostle  in  that  place  to  the  Colossians  also,  whereby  he  walks  fruitfully, 
&c.,  as  in  the  seventh  verse  of  that  chapter,  requires  indeed  God's  power,  for 
by  it  it  is  we  are  kept  unto  salvation  all  along.  But  when  it  comes  to 
patience  and  long-suffering,  and  all  patience,  and  that  such  a  trial  comes  as 
will  try  all  patience  in  you ;  then  it  is  he  makes  mention  of  that  glorious 
power,  and  not  before.  For  it  must  be  no  less  that  must  go  to  that  than 
God's  glorious  power.  And  the  promise  therefore  is,  in  such  a  case,  that 
the  Spirit  of  glory  shall  rest  upon  us,  and  not  the  Spirit  of  grace  only,  as 
1  Peter  iv.  14.  Relieve  and  comfort,  therefore,  yourselves  with  these  things, 
and  specially  with  this  :  that  as  your  trials  abound,  so  this  glorious  power 
of  God  will  abound  also  towards  you,  for  your  support.     Amen. 


EWD  OF  VOL.  n., 


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