Private thoughts, in two parts complete. Part I. Upon religion, digested into twelve articles; with practical resolutions, formed thereupon. Part II. Upon a Christian life; or, Necessary directions for its beginning and progress upon earth, in order to its final perfection in the Beatific vision

PRIVATE THOUGHTS,

IN T^'O PARTS COMPLETE. J--r7^DOfir-^w

UPON v

RELIGIO

DIGESTED INTO

TWELVE ARTICLES;

WITH

JPJBACTNKBAIL Effi8©lLIira©HS.

FORMED THEREUPON.

PART II.

UPON A

CHRISTIAN LIFE;

OR, NECESSARY

DIRECTIONS

FOR ITS BEGINNING AND PROGRESS UPON

EARTH,

IN ORDER TO ITS FINAL PERFECTION IN THE

BBATIfflO VISKDH.

BY THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IK GOD,

WILLIAM *BEVERIDGE, D. D.

Late Lord Bishop of St. Asaph.

A NEW EDITION,
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, THE

LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.

DERBY:

PRINTED BY AND FOR HENRY MOZLEY, BROOK-STREET.
1817-

THE

LIFE AND CHARACTER

OF THE

AUTHOR

f I^HIS excellent Prelate, who, by his learning and piety
JL was one of the brightest ornaments to the church of
England in his time, was born at Barrow, in Leicestershire
in the year 1638- — he was educated at St. John's college,
Cambridge, where he applied with great assiduity to the
study of the oriental languages, and made such proficiency
in this part of learning, that at eighteen years of age he
wrote a treatise of the Excellency and Use of the Oriental
Tongues, especially the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic,
and Samaritan, with a Syriac Grammar. The 3d of Ja-
nuary, 1 660-1, he was ordained Deacon by Robert, Bi-
shop of Lincoln, and Priest the 31st of that month, and
about the same time was presented to the viqarage of
Ealing in Middlesex, which he resigned about a year af-
ter, upon his being chosen Rector of St. Peter's, Cornhill,
by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London. He ap-
plied himself to the discharge of his ministry, with the ut-
most zeal and assiduity. He was highly instructive in his
discourses from the pulpit ; and his labours were crowned
with such success that he was styled the great reviver and
restorer of primitive piety. Bishop Hinchman, his dio-
cesan, having conceived a great esteem for him, collated
him to the prebend of Chiswick, in the cathedral of St.
Paul's on the 22d of December, 1674 ; and this bishop's
successor, Dr. Compton, conferred upon him the archdea-
conry of Colchester, on the 3d of November, 1 68 1 . No-
vember the 5th, 1684, he was installed prebendary of
Canterbury, and about the same time was appointed chap-
A 2

* LIFE OP THE AUTHOR.

lain to king William and queen Mary. In 1691 he was
offered, but refused to accept of, the see of Bath and Wells?
vacant by the deprivation of Dr. Kenn, for not taking the
oaths to king William and queen Mary. But some time
after he accepted of that of St. Asaph, and was consecrat-
ed July 1 6, 1 704. Upon his advancement to the episco-
pal chair, he wrote a most pathetic letter to the clergy of
his diocese, recommending to them " The duty of cate-
" chizing and instructing the people committed to their
<f charge, in the principles of the Christian religion, to
u the end they might know what they were to believe,
" and do, in order to salvation." And, to enable them to
do this the more effectually, he, sent them a plain exposi-
tion upon the church catechism. This good Prelate did
not enjoy his episcopal station above three years and some
months, for he died March the 5th, 1707, im the 71st
year of his age, and was buried in St. Paul's cathedral.
He left the greatest part of his estate to the societies for
propagating Christian knowledge. To the curacy of
Mount Sorrel, and vicarage of Barrow, in the county of
Leicester, he bequeathed twenty pounds a-year, on con-
dition that prayers be read morning and evening every
day, according to the liturgy of the church of England,
in the chapel and parish church aforesaid ; with the sum
of forty shillings yearly to be divided equally upon Christ-
mas-eve, among eight poor house-keepers of Barrow, as
the minister and church- wardens should agree.

Bishop Beveridge has had a high character given him by
several writers. The author of a letter published in the
Guardian,, having made an extract out of the I ishop's first
sermon in the second volume relating to the Deity, tells
lis, that it may for acuteness of judgment, ornament of
speech, and true sublime, compare with any of the choic-
est writings of the ancient fathers, or doctors of the church,
who lived nearest to the apostles' times. Dr. Henry Fel-
ton, in his dissertation on reading the classics and form-
ing a just style, written in the year 1709, &c. tells us,
" That our learned and venerable Bishop hath delivered
" himself with those ornaments alone, which his subject
.2

LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. i»

u suggested to him, and hath written in that plainness
" and solemnity of style, that gravity and simplicity, which
" give authority to the sacred truths he teacheth, and un-
" answerable evidence to the doctrines he defendeth ; that
" there is something so great, primitive, and apostolical
" in his writings, that it creates an awe and veneration in
" our mind. That the importance of his subjects is above
" the decoration of words, and what is great and majestic
" in itself, looketh most like itself, the less it is adorned."
The true sublime in the great articles of our faith is lodged
in the plainest words. The divine revelations are best ex-
pressed in the language they were revealed in ; and, as I
observed before of the Scriptures, they will suffer no orna-
ment nor amendment. Thus Dr. Felton.

Another writer gives this character of our excellent
Bishop. ** This great and good Bishop had very early ad-
" dieted himself to piety and a religious course of life, of
" which his Private Thoughts upon Religion will be a last-
' ' ing evidence. They were written in his younger years ;
" and he must a considerable time before this, have de-
' ' voted himself to such practices, otherwise he could ne-
" ver have drawn up so judicious and sound a declaration
" of his faith, nor have formed such excellent resolutions
" so agreeable to the Christian life in all its parts. These
" things shew him to be acquainted with the life and power
" of religion long before, and that even from a child he knew
" the Holy Scriptures. And as his piety was early, so it
" was very eminent and conspicuous, in all the parts and
" stations of his life. As he had formed such good resolu-
" tions, he made suitable improvements upon them ; and
" they, at length, grew up into such settled habits, that
" all his actions savoured of nothing but piety and reli-
" gion. His holy example was a very great ornament to
" our church ; and he honoured his profession and func-
" tion by zealously discharging all the duties thereof.
" How remarkable was his piety towards God ! What an
u awful sense of the divine Majesty did he always express !
" How did he delight in his worship and service and fre-
" quent his house of prayer ! How great was his charity to
A 3

LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

" men ; how earnestly was he concerned for their welfare,
" as his pathetic addresses to them in his discourses plain-
" ly discover ! How did the Christian spirit run through all
" his actions, and what a wonderful pattern was he of
" primitive purity, holiness, and devotion ! As he was re-
w markable for his great piety and zeal for religion, so he
" was highly to be esteemed for his learning, which he
" wholly applied to promote the interest of his great Mas-
" ter. He was one of extensive and almost universal read-
" ing ; he was well skilled in the oriental languages, and
" the Jewish learning, as may appear from many of his
t( sermons ; and, indeed, he was furnished to a very emi-
" nent degree with all useful knowledge. He was very
ec much to be admired for his readiness in the scriptures :
" he had made it his business to acquaint himself tho-
u roughly with those sacred oracles, whereby he was fur-
" nished unto all good works : he was able to produce suit-
" able passages from them on all occasions, and was very
" happy in explaining them to others. Thus he improved
" his time and his abilities in serving God, and doing
u good, till he arrived at a good old age, when it pleased
<* his great Master to give him rest from his labours, and
" to assign him a place in those mansions of bliss, where
" he had always laid up his treasure, and to which his
" heart had been all along devoted through the whole
" course of his life and actions. He was so highly esteem.
" ed among all learned and good men, that when he was
" dying, one of the chief of his order deservedly said of
"him, There goes one of the greatest , and one of the best
" men, that ever England bred."

Notwithstanding these just and candid opinions, it must
not be concealed, that the enemies of the truths, which
this good Bishop maintained, or rather which the church
of England maintains in her articles and homilies (for the
Bishop held no other) made a virulent attack upon his
writings soon after his decease. At that time, as well as
at this, there were people, who could pretend to subscribe
the articles ex animo for preferment, without believing a
word of them ; and, not satisfied with his duplicity, could

LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 7

have the effrontery likewise to be very angry with those,
who conscientiously did believe and honestly professed
them. The Bishop has been charged with absurdities
upon the doctrine of the Trinity, with downright Calva-»
nism, &c. — but, let it be remembered, it was by Antitrini-
tarians, Pelagians, Socinians, &c. who it must be owned, are
not very fair judges upon the case. His Private Thoughts,
than which we have very few more excellent books, have
been a particular object of their animadversion. One hun-
dredth part of this good man's piety, in his adversaries,
would have led them to different conclusions, and have
caused at least a silent reverence for a character, which
very few men of any order are over-disposed to excel. If
such men as Whist on, and Collins his admirer, were to
dictate the rules of orthodoxy ; we can easily guess what
would become of all the confessions and formularies of
faith, which are supported by divine authority and by di-
vine grace witnessing their truth in men's hearts and lives;
and, what sort of respect might be shewn, in a very little
time afterwards, to the Bible itself: for the humour of im-
peaching divine, as well as political, positions knows no
end, but subversion and anarchy. However, we have
reason to be thankful for that gracious promise, that the
gates of hell shall not prevail against the church or truths of
God, to the end of the world ; and, therefore, we need
not be more deeply concerned, than in charity we ought
to be for the self-deluding innovators themselves, con-
cerning a matter, which has the wisdom of God to con-
duct, and the power of God to support it at all times.

Bishop Beveridge left many works. Those published by
himself are as follows : " I. De Linguarum Orientalium,
praesertim Hebraicae, Chaldaica?, Syriacae, Arabicae &
Samaritanicae, praestantia et usu, London, 1658. II. In-
stitutionem Chronologicarum libri duo, una cum totidem
arithmetices chronologicae libellis, London, 1669. III.
Synodekon sive Pandectae Canonum S. S. apostolorum et
conciliorum ab Ecclesia Graeca receptorum, &c. Oxonii,
2 vols, folio ', 1672. IV. Codex Canonum Ecclesiae Primi-
tive vindicatus and illustratus, London, 1679. V. The
A 4

S LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

Church Catechism explained for the Use of the Diocese of
St. Asaph, London, 1704, Mo." reprinted several times
since in a small volume. Besides the above-mentioned
works of this Prelate, we have the following published af-
ter his death. VI. Private Thoughts upon Religion, di-
gested into Twelve Articles, with Practical Resolutions
formed thereupon ; written in his younger years (when
he was but twenty- three years old) for the settling of his
principles and conduct of life, London, 1709- VII. Pri-
vate Thoughts upon a Christian Life ; or Necessary Di-
rections for its Beginning and Progress upon Earth, in or-
der to its Final Perfection in the Beatific Vision, London
1709. VIII. The Great Necessity and Advantage of Pub-
lic Prayer and Frequent Communion. Designed to re-
vive Primitive Piety ; with Meditations, Ejaculations ;
and Prayers, before, at, and after the Sacrament, Lon-
don, 1710. These have been reprinted several times in
4fo. and 12mo. IX. One Hundred and Fifty Sermons and
Discourses on Several Subjects, London, 1708, &c. in
12 vols. 8vo. Reprinted at London, 1 7 1 9, in 2 vols. foL
X. Thesaurus Tkeologiczts ; or, a Complete System of Di-
vinity, summed up in Brief Notes upon Select Parts of
the Old and New Testaments ; wherein the Sacred Text
is reduced under Proper Heads, Explained and Illustrat-
ed with the Opinions and Authorities of the Ancient Fa-
thers, Councils, &c. London, 1711, 4 vols. 8vo. XL A
Defence of the Book of Psalms, Collected into English
Metre, by Thomas Stemhold, John Hopkins, and others,
with Critical Observations on the New Version compared
with the Old, London, 17 10, 8vo. In this book he
gives the Old Version the preference to the New. XII.
Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles, London, 1710,
1716, foL

PREFACE.

AFTER so great a name as that of Bishop Beveridge in
the title, it was as superfluous to attempt any farther
recommendation of these papers, as it would be impossible
to effect it. If any thing can add to the esteem they must
every where meet with, upon the account of so great an
author, it must be a serious perusal and application of
them.

Those that read them with the same spirit of candour,
with which this great man always read the works of others,
and with the same spirit of piety, with which he wrote his
own ; will undoubtedly discover in them such a lively
idea of the great genius of the author, and so sensibly ex-
perience the good influence of them upon their minds, as
will more effectually engage their approbation, than the
highest encomiums from another hand.

The great misfortune is, that those who have most need
to be instructed and reformed, have no true taste or relish
for books of this nature : their eyes are dazzled with the
glittering appearances of the objects of sense, and their
hearts enslaved to the works of darkness ; so that the
beams of divine light are but troublesome and offensive to
them : every point of faith is a contradiction to their prin-
ciples, and every precept enjoined a reproach to their mo-
rals. And therefore, in order to stave off those self-con-
demning thoughts, that naturally arise from the serious
perusal of such sort of treatises ; they scoff at, and despise
them, as dull and insipid ; not worth the consideration of
men of more refined parts and deeper penetration, who
are too wise to be guided by the rule of God's word, and
too obstinate to be persuaded to walk, in any other path,
but that which the devil has chalked out for them, the
path which leads to destruction.

But these men would do well to consider, before they
are wholly under the power of delusion, that this is not
really owing to any flaws or defects in such performances,
but to their own reprobate minds and depraved judgments,
which tarnish the beauty, cast -a mist before the truth ^
frustrate their influence, and pervert the design of them j
like a vitiated palate, which nauseates the most delicious
tastes; or a foul or disordered stomach, that turns tie
most wholesome food into poison and corruption. So ?'<• '
A 5

10

PREFACE.

they must first divest themselves of their lust and pride,
their prejudice and partiality, before they can ever expect
to reap any benefit or advantage by this, or any other dis-
courses, that tend to the promoting of piety and religion.

Having thus opened the way to the reading of this
book, it may not be improper, in order to set it in its
true light, and do justice to the author of it, to say some-
thing more particularly concerning both ; and to adver-
tise the reader, that the following sheets were wrote by
the bishop in his younger years, upon his first entrance
into holy orders. And though they may not perhaps, be
so perfect and correct, as if he himself had lived to give
the finishing stroke to them, and fit them for the press
with his own hand ; yet as the roughness of a jewel doth
not lessen the worth and value of it, when the brightness
of its natural lustre, even under that disadvantage, out-
shines that of others, which are polished and refined by
art; so it is to be hoped, the candid and judicious reader
will, in this well designed piece, however unfinished, dis-
cover such singular beauties and graces, as few others,
even at the highest pitch of their attainments, and with
the utmost care and diligence, are able to come up to.

As to the author's design in writing these papers, it is
sufficiently set forth in the title of them. He considered,
that truth of doctrine, and innocency of life, were both
absolutely necessary to the due exercise of the sacred func-
tion which he had the honour and happiness to be ad-
mitted into. He knew the power of example to prevail
even beyond that of precept, and was very solicitous, with
the blessed apostle, to make his own calling and election
sure, lest that by any means, when he had \weached to
others, he himself should be a cast-away. To the end,
therefore, that he might both save himself, and them that
heard him, that both by his life and doctrine he might set
forth the glory of God, and set forward the salvation of men.
He drew up these articles, to settle his principles in point
of faith, and formed these resolutions upon them, to regu-
late his actions with regard to practice.

What great things might not the church promise herself
from a foundation so well laid ! from principles settled
with so much learning and judgment, and resolutions
formed upon such strict rules of piety and religion ? What
glorious expectations in an age of that degeneracy of faith
and manners, wherein he then lived, might not be justly
jaised from hence, for the future reformation of both?

PREFACE. 11

And, indeed, tins excellent person did even more than
satisfy all these extraordinary hopes which the early and
ample specimens he gave of his virtue and knowledge had
made the world conceive of him. For having taken this
prudent and effectual care to ground and determine his
own faith and practice ; and being ever mindful of the in-
j unction laid upon him, when he was ordained priest,
" To consider the end of his ministry towards the children
" of God, towards the spouse and body of Christ ; he ne-
" ver ceased his labour, care and diligence, until he had
" done all that in him lay (as our holy church does most
" admirably express the duty of that order) to bring all
" such as were committed to his charge unto that agree-
" ment in the faith and knowledge of God, and to that
" ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there should
" be no place left among them for error in religion, or for
" viciousness in life."

While his care of souls was chiefly confined to the
bounds of a single parish, with what labour and zeal did
he apply himself to the discharge of his ministry, in the
several parts and offices of it ! how powerful and instruc-
tive was he in his discourses from the pulpit ! how warm
and affectionate in his private exhortations ! how orthodox
in his doctrine ! how regular and uniform in the public
worship of the church ! in a word, so zealous was he, and
heavenly-minded, in all the spiritual exercises of his pa~
rochial function, and his labours were so , remarkably
crowned with blessing and success, that as he himself was
justly styled the great reviver and restorer of primitive
piety ; so his parish was deservedly proposed, as the best
model and pattern for the rest of its neighbours to copj
after.

Nor was the Archdeacon, or the Bishop, less vigilant
than the Parish-priest : his care and diligence increased
as his power in the church was enlarged ; and as he had
before discharged the duty of a faithful pastor over his sin-
gle fold, so when his authority was extended to larger dis»
tricts, he still pursued the same pious and laborious me*
thods of advancing the honour and interest of religion, by
watching over both clergy and laity, and giving them all"
necessary direction and assistance for the effectual per*
formance of their respective duties.

Accordingly, he was no sooner advanced to the episco«
pal chair, but, in a most pathetic and obliging letter to
the clergy of his diocese, he recommended to them, ft tb •,
A 6

12 PREFACE.

" duty of catechising and instructing the people commit-
" ted to their charge in the principles of the Christian re-
" ligion, to the end that they might know what they
" were to believe, and do, in order to salvation ;" and
told them, " He thought necessary to begin with that,
" without which whatever else he, or they, should do,
" would turn to little or no account, as to the main end of
■" the ministry/' And to enable them to do this, the more
effectually, he sent them a plain and easy exposition upon
the church catechism ; of which I need say nothing more,
and can say nothing greater, than that it was drawn up
by himself; in a method, which, in the opinion of so
great a judge, seemed, of all others, the most proper to
instruct the people.

Thus endeavouring to make himself and others every
day wiser and better, labouring to establish sound prin-
ciples, and settle good manners wherever he came, as it
was the foundation which this holy man laid in these arti-
cles and resolutions ; so we see it was the great work of
his life to build upon it ; as might easily be made appear,
from a faithful and particular relation of the several stages
and passages of it during the course of his ministry ; the
bare enumeration of which would swell this preface into a
book. That fair portrait will, I hope, be drawn down by
some abler pen.

In the mean time, there is yet another instance of his
great concern and unwearied endeavours for the establish-
ing of sound doctrine, which I must not omit the men-
tioning of, because it is a work of so much affinity with
these articles, and what the reader may, with great ad-
vantage, have recourse to for farther satisfaction upon these
general heads of divinity, which he has here given us only
in abridgment; it is his learned Exposition upon the
Thirty-nine Articles ; which is promised, in a short time,
to be committed to the press ; and which is the more earn-
estly desired and expected, as being a performance, which
the church, at this time, so much wants, and which he,
beyond others, was in such an extraordinary manner, qua-
lified for.

Such discourses as these, the one giving a true exposi-
tion of the doctrine of our church, the other endeavour-
ing to establish it by an orthodox faith, and an unspotted
life, were never more seasonable than in this age ; when
the very being of the church is called in question, under a
pretence of maintaining her rights; and the principles of

PREFACE. IS

Christianity are no longer secretly undermined, but open-
ly attacked ; when books are published against all reveal-
ed religion, and Deism insults and triumphs bare-faced,
without restraint, without reproach. In a word, when
we are arrived to that dissoluteness of manners, as well as
principles, that persons of the highest quality and station
are addressed to in print, as patrons of Libertinism ; and
that which has, in all ages, been called, and esteemed, the
greatest wisdom, is scoffed at by false wit ; and Christiani-
ty, under the notion of enthusiasm, exposed to the con-
tempt of the meanest capacities, and hooted out of the
world by the very dregs of the people.

In so general an inundation of profaneness, and licen-
tiousness, Providence seemed indeed to have raised up
this great and good man to stand in the gap, and stem the
tide against it : but where the torrent is so impetuous, and
the forces, that should unite in striving to divert it, so
weak and pusillanimous, there is more danger the very
opposers should be borne down the stream, than there are
hopes of making good the opposition. But, however, the
doctrine and discipline of our church may be represented,
exploded and despised, and our holy religion become only
a name, which is almost every where spoken against ; this
good Bishop will nevertheless have the honour as he alrea-
dy enjoys the reward, not only of bearing testimony
against the growing ill, but of having done all that he
could (and who could do more than he !) to restrain and
subdue it.

It may, perhaps, be thought a bad omen to our church
to have lost so able a champion, Avhen she seems to stand
so much in need of him. But blessed be God, we have
not altogether lost him : he has left us behind him, in these
excellent papers, (to say nothing of his sermons, and other
incomparable writings) such clear reasoning and con-
vincing arguments for the grounding of our principles ;
and such useful rules and directions for the government of
our conversation, that we may yet hope for a happy re-
formation in both, if we are not wanting to ourselves in
the use and application of them.

Would the clergy, the younger sort especially, take this
method, upon their first admission into holy orders, (and
it ought to be no hard matter to persuade them to it, since
it is the very end and design of their ministry) it could
not fail, by the blessing of God, of producing very ad-
mirable effects. Their principles, thus prudently settled,

14 PREFACE.

would stand the shock even of a fiery trial ; and their re-
solutions, thus maturely formed, would undauntedly bear
up against the most powerful temptation.

This, if any thing, would raise the dignity of the priest-
hood to its first institution, silence all the loud clamours,
as well as malicious whispers, that, like echoes, are re-
doubled and reverberated upon them, and gain them such
an interest and reputation among the people, and such an
honour and authority in the discharge of their function,
and from reverencing the person, and . commending the
pattern, they would insensibly proceed to the imitation of
it ; till, by degrees, the flock too, as well as the shep-
herd, would became wise to salvation, would devoutly sanc-
tify the Lord God in their hearts, and not only so, but be
ready always to give an answer to every one that should ask
them a reason of the hope that is in them.

And were both clergy and laity thus rightly principled,
and firmly resolved ; the enemies of our Zion would have
both less encouragement to attack, and less power to hurt
us : our national church might then despise all the wicked
attempts and designs that are daily made and formed
against her, and assume to herself that comfortable pro-
mise and assurance, that our Saviour himself has given,
that even the gates of hell shall never prevail against her.

All that I have farther to say, is only to apologize for hav-
ing said so much upon a subject that so little needs it ; and
to close the whole with my hearty prayers to the throne of
grace, that this pious and excellent book may meet with
that desired effect and success, which the author aimed at
in the composing of it, and may be as useful to others, as it
was to himself.

CONTENTS.

PART FIRST.

Page
THOUGHTS on Religion h

Article I. I believe there is one God, the Being of
all beings 28

Art. II. I believe that whatsoever the most high
God would have me to believe or do, in order to his
glory, and my happiness, he hath revealed to me in
his holy Scriptures 31

Art. III. I believe that as there is one God, so this
one God is three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 49

Art. IV. I believe, that I was conceived in sin,
and brought forth in iniquity ; and that, ever since,
1 have been continually conceiving mischief, and bring-
ing forth vanity 51

Art. V. I believe the Son of God became the Son
of man, that I, the son of man, might become the
Son of God 52

Art. VI. I believe, that Christ iived to God, and
died for sin, that I might die to sin, and live with God 57

Art. VII. I believe that Christ rose from the grave,
that I might rise from sin, and that he is ascended
into heaven, that I might come unto him 59

Art. VIII. I believe that my person is only justifi-
ed by the merit of Christ imputed to me ; and that
my nature is only sanctified by the Spirit of Christ
implanted in me .,,... Q\

Art. IX. I believe God entered into a double cove-
nant with man, the covenant of works made with first,
and the covenant of grace made in the second Adam 71

Art. X. I believe that as God entered into a cove- •
nant of grace with us, so hath he signed his covenant
to us by a double seal, baptism and the Lord's supper 77

Art. XI. I believe, that, after a short separation,
my soul and body shall be united together again, in
order to appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,
and be finally sentenced according to my deserts ... 84

Art. XII. I believe there are two other worlds be-
sides this I live in ; a world of misery for unrepent-
ing sinners, and a world of glory for believing saints 91

l() CONTENTS.

RESOLUTIONS FORMED UPON THE FORE.
GOING ARTICLES.

RESOLUTION I.

JAM resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by
rule, and therefore think it necessary to resolve
upon rules to walk by 97

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
make the divine word the rule of all the rules I propose
to myself 9&

Resol. III. I am resolved, that as I am not able to
think or do any thing that is good without the influ-
ence of the divine grace, so I will not pretend to me-
rit any favour from God upon account of any thing I
do for his glory and service 99

Concerning my Conversation in general.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
make Christ the pattern of my life here, that so Christ
may be the portion of my soul hereafter 101

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
walk by faith, and not by sight, on earth, that so I
may live by sight, and not by faith, in heaven 102

Resol. III. I am resolved by the grace of God al-
ways to be looking upon God, as always looking upon

me 103

Concerning my Thoughts.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
watch as much over the inward motions of my heart

aFthe outward actions of my life 105

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
stop every thought at its first entering into my heart,
and to examine it, whence it comes, and whither it

tends 106

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
be as fearful to let in vain, as careful to keep out sin-
ful thoughts .-.. 107

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be
always exercising my thoughts upon good objects,

that the devil may not exercise them upon bad 1 08

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, so to
marshal may thoughts, that they may not one justle
out another, nor any of them prejudice the business
Iamabout ••• HO

CONTENTS. 17

Concerning my Affections.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, al-
ways to make my affections subservient to the dictates
of my understanding, that my reason may not follow,

but guide my affections ••• H2

■ Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
love God as the best of goods, and to hate sin, as the
worst of evils s • • 1*4

Rend. III. I am resolved, by the assistance of di-
vine grace, to make God the principal object of my
joy, and sin the principal object of my grief and sor-
row ; so as to grieve for sin more than suffering, and
for suffering only for sin's sake * Ho

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
desire spiritual mercies more than temporal ; and tem-
poral mercies only in reference to spiritual US

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
hope for nothing so much as the promises, and to fear
nothing so much as the threatenings of God 119

Resol. VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
arm myself with that spiritual courage and magnani-
mity, as to press through all duties and difficulties
whatsoever, for the advancement of God's glory, and
my own happiness 121

Resol. VII. I am resolved, by the grace of God, so
to be angry, as not to sin, and therefore to be angry
at nothing but sin 123

Concerning my Words.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, never
to speak much, lest I often speak too much, and not
to speak at all, rather than to no purpose 125

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, not
only to avoid the wickedness of swearing falsely, but
likewise the very appearance of swearing at all 127

Resol. 111. I am resolved, by the grace of God, al-
ways to make my tongue and heart to go together, so
as never to speak with the one what I do not think in
the other 128

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the divine grace, to
speak of other men's sins only before their faces, and
of their virtues only behind their backs ISO

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, al-
ways to speak reverently to my superiors, humbly to
my inferiors, and civilly to all •••• 131

18 CONTENTS.

Concerning my Actions.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do
every thing in obedience to the will of God 1 33

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
do every thing with prudence and discretion, as well
as with zeal and affection 135

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God,
never to set my hand, my head, or my heart, about
any thing but what I verily believe is good in itself,
and will be esteemed so by God 136

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
do all things for the glory of God. 138

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
mingle such recreations with my business, as to far-
ther my business by my recreations ., 139

Concerning my Relations.

Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to ho-
nour and obey the king or prince, whom Gt)d is pleas-
ed to set over me, as well as to expect he should safe-
guard and protect me, whom God is pleased to set
under him .-. 141

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the same divine grace,
to be as constant in loving my wife, as cautious in
choosing her 14>8

Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
do my endeavour to give to God whatsoever children
he shall be pleased to give to me, that as they are mine
by nature they may be his by grace 146

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
do my duty to my servants, as well as expect they do
theirstome 148

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
feed the flock that God shall set me over with whole-
some food, neither starving them by idleness, poison-
ing them with error, nor puffing them up with imper-
tinencies 1-50

Resol. VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
be as faithful and constant to my friend, as I would
have my friend to be faithful and constant to me 152

Concerning my Talents.
Resol. I. I am resolved, if possible, to redeem my
time past, by using a double diligence for the future, to
employ and improve all the endowments both of body
and mind, to the glory and service of my great Creator 155

CONTENTS. 19

Resol. II. I am resolved, by the divine grace, to
employ my riches, uTe outward blessings of provi-
dence, to the ?ame end ; and to observe a due medium
in the dispensing of them, as to avoid prodigality on
the one hand and covetousness on the other 156

Re sol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
improve the authority God gives me over others, to
the suppression of vice, and the encouragement of
virtue ; and so for the exaltation of God's name on
earth, an d their souls in heaven 155

Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the divine grace, to
improve the affections God stirs up in others towards
me, to the stirring up their affections towards God... 160

Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
improve every good thought to the producing of good
affections in myself, and as good actions with respect
to God Ita

Resol, VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to
improve every affliction God lays upon me, as an earn-
est or token of his affection towards me * 1 63

PART SECOND.

On the Education of a Ckristia?i.

THE advantage of being well grounded in the Chris-
tian religion • » » ♦ * * * 7 1

The want of this is the occasion of so little true religion

among us 172

The direction of the church in this behalf, and of God

himself 172

The obligation on parents to observe it 173

The church catechism most easy, and yet most full

and comprehensive • 174

The necessity of being made Christians by baptism ... 175

And that for children as well as for adult persons 176'

The promise made at baptism implies the necessity of

Christian instruction 177

The several parts of that promise lead to the know-
ledge of all the rest of the catechism, viz. of the
creed, ten commandments, Lord's prayer, and doc-

trine of 'the sacraments • ••• 177

Directions for instructing children in this catechism 178

They must begin with them betimes .. 178

Employ others to teach them, if they cannot do it
themselves 170

20 CONTENTS.

When taught the catechism, send them for further in-
struction to the minister 180

The great obligation upon parents to instruct their
children ;... 181

Abraham's care in this respect rewarded, and Eli's neg-
lect punished 182

The advantage of it to themselves, and to their children 183

An exhortation to it 184

On the knowledge of God.

Though all men agree about religion in general, yet
they differ about nothing more than the particular

exercise of it 185

Our form of worship incomparably the best 186

To serve God aright, it is necessary to know that God

whom we are to serve '.. 187

To know what he is 187

And what he is, both in himself ; 187

Andtous .\ 18S

To know all his attributes; 188

All his works 188

To know that in the one Godhead there are three

persons 189

Our knowledge of God must also be practical and ex-
perimental 190

That all this knowledge is necessary towards serving

God aright 190

The error of the church of Rome in this particular ... 191
Arguments to induce us to seek after this knowledge 192

How we ought to serve God 192

What it is to serve him 193

Mistakes about this 194>

We must serve him with all we are ; 1 95

And with all we have 195

Pay him sincere and universal obedience 1 96

We must serve him with a perfect heart and willing

mind f.. 197

For what reason we ought thus to serve God 198

An exhortation to it 200

On the Mystery of the Trinity.
It is impossible to be truly religious without knowing

God 202

Which we cannottruly do but by the light of revelation: 203
Which alone discovers to us the mystery of the Trinity 203
Into which our Saviour commands all nations to be

baptized 203

CONTENTS. 21

Where we must consider the work he sends his apos-

* ties about 204

What is meant by teaching 204?

The mistake which occasioned the sect of Anabaptists 205
Our Saviour speaks not of teaching before baptism,

but after it 205

So that infant baptism is commanded in those very-
worlds which are pretended to forbid it 205

The large extent of the commission here given 206

Not understood by the apostles themselves till inter- _

preted from heaven 207

The manner of admitting all nations intoChrist's church 207
The church always baptized in the name of the three

persons 207

The Trinity of persons proved from the scriptures of

the Old Testament 209

And especially of the New 210

The Godhead of each person ; 211

Particularly of the Son 211

(Who otherways could not be our Saviour) m 211

And of the Holy Ghost 212^

The order of the persons 214

Why the Father is the first 215

Why the Son the second 215

Why the Holy Ghost the third 216

His procession from the Son 217

Inferences from the whole 217

The conclusion 219

On Worldly Riches, Section I.
Why Christians, notwithstanding the excellency of

their religion, lead as bad lives as other men 221

This cannot be owing to any defect in the gospel ; ... 221
But proceeds from being too much concerned for the

things of this world 228

The love of money is the root of all evil 223

Where, by money the apostle means the things of this

world 223

In what the love of these consists 224-

How the love of money is the root of all evil 22£

Of all the evils of which we are guilty, viz. of sins of

omission, 226

And commission ; 228

Of all the evil which we suffer in this life, 230

And fear in the next 230

Directions for taking off our affections from the things
of this world 232

CONTENTS.

On Worldly Riches, Section II.

Timothy first bishop of the province of Ephesus 234

He and all ministers enjoined to preach with authority 235

To charge not only the poor but the rich 238

Whom the apostle means by them that are rich 238

Why they are charged not to be high-minded '239

Why not to trust in uncertain riches 240

What good they are enjoined to do 241

Works of piety towards God 241

Works of charity towards the poor 243

And to be rich in good works ; 243

Which are our principal riches 244

Ready to distribute 245

Willing to communicate 245

The reward promised to this duty '. 246

On Self-Denial

The introduction 248

Mistaken notions about Christianity 2 49

How to know what it is to be a true Christian 250

It is not so easy to be as some imagine 251

They that will be such, must deny themselves 251

Deny their reason in matters of divine revelation which

are above it 252

Their wills in submission to God's 253

And their affections 254

And the enjoyment of their estates, when they come

in competition with their duty 255

They must deny themselves in those sins, and lusts

they are used to indulge 255

And must renounce their own righteousness ; 256

Which will not justify, but rather condemn 257

Why we must thus deny ourselves 258

We must also take up the cross ; 260

Which they only do, who- suffer for conscience 261

The reasonableness of this duty 262

An exhortation to it - 263

On Striving to enter in at the Strait Gate.

All must expect ere long to be in another world 264

Either of endless happiness, 264

Or of endless misery %65

Our Saviour's direction in this case - 266

That to happiness narrow and difficult 266

It implies the forsaking of all sin 267

The performance of many hard duties 267

CONTENTS. 23

Yet it is worth striving to obtain it 269

For, though hard, yet it is possible, 273

We are invited to it by God himself ; 274

Who affords us all necessary means to obtain it 274?

The difficulties will soon be over 275

Heaven will make amends for all 276

In order hereto we must first resolve, 276

And then set upon a new life, 278

Depending entirely upon the merits of Christ ; 278

Praying for the assistance of his grace ; 278

And w aiting his answer to our prayers 279

On the Imitation of Christ.

Christ came into the world to save sinners 279

Paying, by his death, the debts we owe to God ; 280

Giving us a pattern of holiness in his life, 281

More perfect than any before or since, 281

Which we are bound to follow 2S2

But we must not presume to follow Christ in what he

didasGod, 282

Nor in what he did as God-man 283

But only in what he did as mere man 284

Both in his behaviour towards men ; 284

In his duty to his parents, 284

And to his governors 285

In his meekness towards all men 286

In his bounty and goodness to all, even to his enemies 286

And in his piety towards God, ^ 287

Increasing in wisdom as in stature 288

Though, as man, his knowledge wras finite, yet that

implies no imperfection or sin 288

Such ignorance is no sin 289

But only the ignorance of what we ought to know ... 289
At least we should thus increase in godly wisdom when

grown up 289

Teach our children after Christ's example 289

WTio as he grew in godly wisdom when a child, also
used that wisdom when grown, and devoted him-
self wholly to the service of God 289

His resignation to God's will, love of him, zeal for

him, trust in him, were also most exemplary 291

So were also his external acts of devotion, frequently

retiring to pray 291

The meaning of proseuche .... 291

Frequenting the synagogue on the sabbath 292

An exhortation to follow Christ 292

24 CONTENTS.

On our Call and Election.

Many are called but few chosen, a hard saying. , 295

The Jews rejecting Christ's invitation, the Gentiles

are called _ 097

What is meant by being called 297

We are called from darkness to light 298

From superstition and idolatry to the true worship ... 298

From sin unto holiness 298

From temporal things to eternal 299

From misery to happiness 300

God hath called some by immediate revelations 300

He calls all by his works and providences 301

But our Saviour means his call by the ministry of his

word .. 301

That many have been, and are thus called, 302

But few chosen 304

Not absolutely, but com paratively few 304

Only such as do God's will 306

No atheistical persons 307

None that are ignorant of the principles of religion... SOS

On the Appearance of Christ the Sun of Righteousness.

Why the scripture represents spiritual things by sen-
sual objects ; 321

As, Christ's coming ; by the rising of the Sun of Righ-
teousness 322

To burn up the wicked 322

But with healing in his wings, to such as Tear God,

that is, to all true believers 323

This Sun is the object only of our faith 324

He gave some light before his rising 324

Christ is often foretold under this emblem 325

Is properly styled the Sun with respect both to what

he is in himself 325

And to what he is to us, the fountain of our light and

of our life. 325

(Who by nature are dead in sins) : 327

And of all our joy and comfort 329

Of our fruitfulness in good works ; 330

Which receive all their lustre from the reflection of his
righteousness, as colours owe their being to the re-
flection of the sun 331

The Sun of righteousness thus displayed, 332

By a lively faith SSS

Would have a great influence on the holiness and hap-
ness of our lives 334

THOUGHTS

ON

RELIGION

Vi^IIEX, in my serious thoughts, and more retired me-
^ dilations, I am got into the closet of my heart, and
there begin to look within myself, and consider what I
am, I presently find myself to be a reasonable creature :
for was I not .so, it would be impossible for me thus to
reason and reflect. But, am I a reasonable creature ?
Why then, I am sure, within this veil of flesh there dwells
a soul, and that of a higher nature, than either plants or
brutes are endued with ; for they have souls indeed, but
yet they know it not, and that because their souls, or ma-
terial forms, as the philosophers term them, are not any
thing really and essentially distinct from the very matter
of their bodies • which being not capable of a reflective
act, though they. arc, they know it not, and though they
act, they know it not ; it being impossible for them to look
within themselves, or to reflect upon their own existence
or actions. But it is not so with me ; I not only know I
have a soul, but that I have such a soul, which can con-
sider of itself, and deliberate of every particular action that
issues from it. Nay, 1 can consider, that I am now con-
sidering of my own actions, and can reflect upon myself,
reflecting; insomuch, that had I nothing else to do, I
could spin out one reflection upon another, to infinity.

And, indeed, was there never another argument in the
world to convince me of the spiritual nature of my soul,
this alone would be sufficient to wrest the belief and con-
fession of it from me : for what below a spirit can thus
reflect upon itself? or, what below a spirit can put forth
itself into such actions, as I find I can exercise myself in ?
My soul can, in a moment, mount from earth to heaven,
fly from pole to pole, and view all the courses and motions
of the celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and stars ; and then
the next moment returning to myself again, I can censi-

B

%6 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

der where I have been, what glorious objects have been
presented to my view ; and wonder at the nimbleness and
activity of my soul, that can run over so many millions of
miles, and finish so great a work in so small a space of
time. And are such like acts as these, the effects of dros-
sy earth, or impenetrable matter ? Can any thing below a
spirit raise itself so much beyond the reach of material
actions.

But stay a little ; what is this soul of mine that I am
now speaking of, that it is so nimble in its actions, and so
spiritual in its nature ? Why, it is that which actuates and
informs the several organs and members of my body, and
enables me not only to perform the natural actions of life
and sense; but likewise to understand, consult, argue,
and conclude ; to will and nill, hope and despair, desire
and abhor, joy and grieve, love and hate ; to be angry
now, and again appeased. It is that by which at this
very time, my head is inditing, my hand is writing, and
my heart resolving, what to believe, and how to practise.
In a word, my soul is myself; and therefore when I speak
of my soul, I speak of no other person but myself.

Not as if I totally excluded this earthly substance of my
body from being a part of myself ; I know it is. But I
think it most proper -and reasonable to denominate myself
from my better part : for, alas ! take away my soul, and
my body falls of course, into its primitive corruption, and
moulders into the dust, from whence it was first taken. All
flesh is grass, says the prophet, and all the goodliness there-
of is as the flower ofthefleld. And this is no metaphorical
expression, but a real truth ; for what is that which [ feed
upon, but merely grass digested into corn, flesh, and the
like ; which by a second digestion, is transfused and con-
verted into the substance of my body ? And thence it is,
that my body is but like the grass, or flower of the field,
fading, transient, and momentary, to-day flourishing in
all its glory, to-morrow cut doWn, dried up, and wither-
ed. But now, how far is this beneath the spiritual and in-
corruptible nature of my immortal soul? which subsists of
itself, and can never be dissolved, being not compounded
of an earthly or elementary matter, as the body is, but is
a pure spiritual substance infused into me by God, to
whom, after a short abode in the body, it is to return,
and to live and continue for ever, either in a state of hap-
piness, or misery, in another life.

But must it so indeed ? How much then does it concern

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 2?

me, seriously to bethink myself, where I had best to lead
this everlasting life, in the heavenly mansions of eternal
glory, or else in the dreadful dungeon of infernal misery ?
but betwixt these, (as there is no medium, so) there is no
comparison ; and therefore, I shall not put it to the ques-
tion, which place to choose to live in ; but without giving
the other that honour to stand in competition with it, I,
this morning, with the leave of the most high God, do
choose the land of Canaan, the kingdom of heaver, to be
the lot of mine inheritance, the only seat of bliss and
glory for my soul to rest and dwell in, to all eternity.

But heaven, they say, is a place hard to come at, yea.
the king of that glorious place hath told me, that strait is
the gate, and narrow is the way, that lends to eternal life,
and that there be but few that find it, Matt. vii. 14. Yea,
and that many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able,
Luke iii. 24. What therefore must I do ? Why, 1 must
either resolve to make it my whole business to get to hea-
ven, or else I must never hope or expect to come thither.
Without any farther dispute, therefore, about it ; I re-
solve, at this time, in the presence of almighty God, that
from this day forward, I will make it my whole business
here upon earth, to look after my happiness in heaven,
and to walk circumspectly in those blessed paths, that
God hath appointed all to walk in, that ever expect to
come to him.

Now, though there be but one way, and that a narrow
one too, that leads to heaven ; yet there are two things
requisite, to all those that walk in it ; and they are faith
and obedience, to believe and to live aright. So that it as
much behoves me, to have my faith rightly confirmed in the
fundamentals of religion, as to have my obedience exactly
conformed to the laws of God. And these two duties are so
inseparably united, that the former cannot well be suppos-
ed without the latter ; for I cannot obey what God hath
commanded me, unless I first believe what he hath taught
me. And they are both equally difficult, as they are ne-
cessary : indeed, of the two, I think it is harder to lay
the sure foundation of faith, than to build the superstruc-
ture of obedience upon it ; for it seems next to impossible,
for one that believes every truth, not to obey every com-
mand that is written in the word of God. But it is not so
easy a thing as it is commonly thought to believe the word
of God, and to be firmly established in the necessary
points of religion ; especially in these wicked times where--
B 2

28 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

in we live ; in which there are so many pernicious errors
and damnable heresies crept into the articles of some men's
faith, as do not only shock the foundation of the church of
Christ but strike at the root of all religion. The first
thing, therefore, that by the grace of God, I am resolved
to do, in reference to my everlasting estate, is to see my
faith, that it be both rightly placed and firmly fixed ; that
I may not be as a wave tossed to and fro with every wind of
doctrine, by the cunning craftiness qf those that lie in wait to
deceive ; but that I may be thoroughly settled in my faith
and judgment concerning those things, the knowledge of,
and assent unto which, is absolutely necessary to my fu-
ture happiness. Let, therefore, what times soever come
upon me ; let what temptations soever be thrown before
me; lam resolved, by the grace of God, steadfastly to
believe as followeth.

ARTICLE I.

/ believe there is One God, the Being qf all beings.

HP HE other articles of my faith I think to be true, be-
-*- cause they are so ; this is true because I think it so :
for if there was no God, and so this article not true, I
could not be, and so not think it true. But in that I think,
I am sure I am ; and in that I am, I am sure there is a
God ; for if there was no God, how came I to be ? How
came I hither ? Who gave me my being ? Myself? That
could not be ; for before I had a being, I was nothing ;
and therefore, could do nothing, much less make myself a
being. Did my parents give me my being ? Alas i they
knew not that I should be, before I was ; and, therefore,
certainly, could not give me my being, when I was not.

As to my soul, (which I call myself) it is plain, they
could not give me that, because it is a being of a spiritual
nature, quite distinct from matter, (as my own experience
tells me) and, therefore, could not be the product of any
natural or material agent : for, that a bodily substance
should give being to a spiritual one, implies a contradic-
tion. And if it could neither make itself, nor take its rise
from any earthly or secondary cause, I may certainly con-
clude, from my own reason, as well as from divine revela-
tion, that it must be infused by God, though I am not
able to determine, either when, or how, it was done.
As to my body ; indeed, I must own it was derived

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 29

from my parents, who were immediately concerned in bring-
ing the materials of it together : but, then, who made up
these coarse materials into the form or figure of a body ?
Was this the effect of natural generation ? But how came
my parents by this generative power ? Did they derive it,
by succession, from our first parents in paradise ? Be it so.
But whence came they ? Did they spring out of the earth ?
No, what then ? Were they made by chance ? This could
not be • for as chance seldom or never produces any one
effect that is regular and uniform, so it cannot be suppos-
ed, that a being of such admirable beauty, symmetry, and
proportion, and such a nice contexture of parts, as the
body of a man is, should ever be jumbled together by a
fortuitous concourse of atoms, which nothing but the chi-
meras of Epicures could ever reduce into a regular form
and composition.

And the like may be said of all other created beings in
the world. For there is no natural cause can give being to
any thing, unless it has that being it gives, in itself; for it is
a received maxim in philosophy, that nothing can give
what it has not. And so, however the bodies of men, or
brutes, or plants, may now, in the ordinary course of na-
ture, be produced by generation, yet there must needs be
some one supreme almighty Being in the world, that has
the being of all other beings in itself; who first created
these several species ; and endued them with this genera-
tive power to propagate their kind. And this supreme
Being is that which we call God.

Hence it is, that there is not a leaf, no not a line, in
this great book of the creation, wherein we may not clear-
ly read the existence and perfections of the great and glo-
rious Creator, and that even by the glimmering light of
nature. For who is it that bedecked yonder stately cano-
py of heaven, with those glittering spangles the stars ?
Who is it that commands the sun to run his course and the
moon to ride her circuit so constantly about the world ?
Who is it that formed me so curiously in my mother's
womb ? Who is it, that gives my stomach power to digest
such variety of meats into chyle, and my heart or liver to
turn them all to blood : and thence to send each particle
to its proper place, and all to keep up this crazy carcase ?
Doubtless, these, and such like things, however ordinary
or natural they may appear to us at present, are in them-
selves very great and wonderful effects, that must, at first,
be produced by some infinitely powerful and supernatural
B 3

zo

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

agent, the high and mighty God, who is not only the
chiefest of beings, but the Being of all beings whatsoever.

I say, the Being- of all beings, because whatsoever ex-
cellency or perfection is in any other thing, is eminently,
yea, infinitely comprehended in him ; so that he is not
only the creature's perfection in the concrete, but in the
abstract too ; he is not only all-wise, all-good, all-mighty,
&c. but he is all-wisdom, all-goodness, all-might, all-mer-
cy, all-justice, all-glory, &c. And as he is the ocean and
abyss of all these perfections in himself; so is he the foun-
tain of them all to us. Insomuch that we have nothing,
not so much as the least moment of life, but what is com-
municated to us from this everliving God. And not only
what we, poor sinful worms are, or have, but even what-
soever those nobler creatures the angels have, it is but a
•beam darted from this sun, it is but a stream flowing from,
this overflowing fountain.

Lift up thine eyes therefore, O my soul, and fix them a
little upon this glorious object ! How glorious, how tran-
scendently glorious, must he needs be, who is the Being
of all beings, the perfection of all perfections, the very
glory of all glories, the eternal God ! He is the glory of
love and goodness, who is good, and doth good continu-
ally unto me, though I be evil, and do evil continually
against him. He is the glory of wisdom and knowledge,
unto whom all the secret thoughts, the inward motions
and retirements of my soul, are exactly known and mani-
fest. Never did a thought lurk so secretly in my heart,
but that his all-seeing eye could espy it out : even at this
time, he knows what I am now thinking of, and what I
am doing, as well as myself. And indeed, well may he
know what I think, and speak, and do, when I can nei-
ther think nor speak, nor do any thing, unless himself be
pleased to give me strength to do it. He is the glory of
might and power, who did but speak the word, and there
presently went out that commanding power from him, by
which this stately fabric of the world was formed and fa-
shioned. And as he created all things by the word of his
power, so I believe, he preserves and governs all things
by the power of the same word : yea, so great is his pow-
er and sovereignty, that he can as easily throw my soul
from my body into hell, or nothing, as I can throw this
book out of my hand to the ground : nay, he need not
throw me into nothing ; but, as if I should let go my hold,
the book would presently fall ; so should God but take

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 31

away his supporting hand from under me, I should, of
myself, immediately fall down to nothing. This, there-
fore, is that God, whom I believe to be the Being of all
beings ; and so the Creator, preserver, governor, and dis-
poser of all things in the world.

ARTICLE II.

J believe, that whatsoever the most high God would have mt
to believe or do, in order to his glory, and my happi-
ness, he hath revealed to me in his holy scriptures.

UPON the same account that I believe there is a God, I
believe, likewise, that this God is to be worshipped ;
the same light that discovers the one, discovering the other
too. And therefore it is, that as there is no nation or peo-
ple in the world, but acknowledge some deity : so there is
none, but worship that deity which they acknowledge ; yea,
though it be but a stick or a stone, yet if they fancy any
thing of divinity in it, they presently perform worship and
homage to it. Nay, that God is to be worshipped, is a
truth more generally acknowledged, than that there is a
God. No nation, I confess, ever denied the latter, but
no particular person ever denied the former : so that the
very persons, who through diabolical delusions, and their
own prevalent corruptions, have suspected the existence
of a deity, could not but acknowledge that he was to be
worshipped, if he did exist ; worship being that which is
contained in the very notion of a deity ; which is, that he
is the Being of all beings, upon whom all other things or
beings do depend, and unto whom they are beholden both
for their essence and subsistence. And if there be such a
Being, that is the spring and fountain of all other L-ings,
it is necessary that all others should reverence and worship
him, without whom they could not subsist. And there-
fore it is that men are generally more supers- titious in their
worshipping than they ought to be, rather than deny that
worship to him, which they ought to give.

That, therefore, there is a God, and that this God is
to be woBshipped, I do not doubt, but the great question,
is, who is this God whom I ought to worship ? And, what
is that worship which I ought to perforin unto him ? The
former I have resolved upon in the foregoing article, as the
light of reason and my natural conscience suggested to me;
the latter I am resolved to search out in this, viz. Which
B 4

32 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

of all the several kinds of worship, that men perform to
the deity, and the several religions that men profess in the
world, I had best make choice of to profess and adhere to.
The general inclinations which are naturally implanted in
my soul to some religion, it is impossible for me to shift
off : but there being such a multiplicity of religions in the
world, I desire now seriously to consider with myself,
which of them all to restrain these my general inclinations
to.

And the reason of this my inquiry is not, that I am in
the least dissatisfied with that religion I have already em-
braced ; but because it is natural for all men to have an
overbearing opinion and esteem for that particular religion
they are born and bred up in. That, therefore, I may
not seem biassed by the prejudice of education, I am re-
solved to prove and examine them all, that I may see and
hold fast to that which is best. For though I do not, in
the least, question, but that I shall upon inquiry, find the
christian religion to be the only true religion in the world,
yet I cannot say it is, unless I find it, upon good grounds,
to be so indeed : for, to profess myself a christian, and be-
lieve that christians are only in the right, because my fore-
fathers were so, is no more than the heathens and Maho-
metans have to say for themselves.

Indeed, there was never any religion so barbarous and
diabolical, but it was preferred before all other religions
whatsoever, by them that did profess it : otherwise they
would not have professed it. The Indians, that worship
the devil, would think it as strange doctrine to say that
Christ is to be feared more than the devil ; as such as be-
lieve in Christ, think it is, to say the devil is to be pre-
ferred before Christ. So do the Mahometans call all that
believe not in Mahomet, as well as christians call those
that believe not in Christ, infidels. And why, say they,
may not you be mistaken, as well as we? Especially,
when there is at least, six to one against your christian re-
ligion ; all of which think they serve God aright, arid ex-
pect happiness thereby as well as you. So that to be a
christian, only upon the grounds of birth or education, is
all one, as if I was a Turk or a heathen ; for if I had been
born amongst them, I should have had the same reason
for their religion, as now I have for my own : the pre-
mises are the same, though the conclusion be ever so dif-
rerent. It is still upon the same grounds, that I profess
feligion, though it be another religion which I profess

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 33

upon these grounds ; so that I can see but very little dif-
ference, betwixt being a Turk by profession, and a chris-
tian only by education ; which commonly is the means and
occasion, but ought by no means to be the ground of any
religion. And hence it is that in my looking out for the
truest religion, being conscious to myself how great an as-
cendant Christianity hath over me, beyond the rest, as be-
ing that religion whereinto I was born and baptized, that
which the supreme authority has enjoined and my parents
educated me in, that which every one I meet withal high-
ly approves of, that which I myself have, by a long con-
tinued profession, made almost natural to me; I am re-
solved to be more jealous and suspicious of this religion,
than of the rest, and be sure not to entertain it any longer
without being convinced, by solid and substantial argu-
ments, of the truth and certainty of it.

That, therefore, I may make diligent and impartial in-
quiry into all religions, and so be sure to find out the best,
I shall for a time, look upon myself as one not at all inte-
rested in any particular religion whatsoever, much less in
the christian religion ; but only as one who desires, in ge-
neral, to serve and obey him that made me, in a right
manner, and thereby to be made partaker of that happi-
ness my nature is capable of. In order to this, it will be
necessary to propose to myself some certain marks or cha-
racters, whereby I may be able to judge and make choice
of the religion I intend to embrace : and they are, in ge-
neral, these two, viz.

First, That is the best religion, wherein God is wor-
shipped and served most like himself, i. e. most suitably
and conformably to his nature and will. And,

Secondly, Since all men naturally desire, and aspire af-
ter happiness, and our greatest happiness consists in the
fruition of God, that is certainly the best religion, which
gives me the best and most comfortable assurances of be-*
ing happy with God to all eternity.

To embrace a religion without these marks,, would be
worse than to have no religion at all ; for better it is to
perform no worship to God, tlmn such as is displeasing to
him ; to do him no service, than such as will be ineffec-
tual to make me happy, and not only frustrate my expec-
tations of bliss, but make me for ever miserable.

The religion, then, that I am to look after, must be
such a one, wherein I may be sure to please God, and to
be made happy with him ; and, by consequence, such a
B 5

34 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

one, wherein all the cause of his displeasure and my mise-
ry may be removed ; and that is sin. For sin being infi-
nitely opposite to him, as he is a Being of infinite purity
and holiness, must certainly set me at the greatest distance
from him, and render me most odious in his sight ; and
whosoever does so, must make me as miserable, as mise-
ry can make me. For as our holiness consisteth in like-
ness, so doth our happiness in nearness to God : and if it
be our happiness to be near unto him, it must certainly
be our misery to be at a distance from him. In enjoying
him we enjoy all things, he being and having all things in
himself ; and so in not enjoying him, we are not only de-
prived of all that we can enjoy, but made liable to the pu-
nishments that are the consequence of it.

That there is no such thing in nature, as virtue and vice,
as good and evil, as grace and sin, is what I can by no
means persuade myself to, for my conscience tells me, that
there is : and not only mine, but every one that ever yet
lived upon the face of the earth ; all people of whatsoever
nation or language, still acknowledging sin, to be sin, and
that the displeasing the deity, which they worship, is in-
deed an evil that ought to be carefully avoided. And
therefore, the very heathens did not only upbraid others
with it, but likewise often checked themselves for it ; and
all men naturally desire to seem though not to be holy.
But let others say what they will, I, for my own part,
cannot but see sin in myself, by the very light of nature.
For, my reason tells me, that if God be God, he must be
just and perfect ; and if I be not so too, I am not like him;
and, therefore, must needs displease him ; it being impos-
sible any thing should please him but what is like unto
him. And this deformity to the will and nature of God is
that which we call sin, or which the word sin in its proper
notion, brings into my mind.

And being thus conscious to myself, that I have sinned
against my Maker, I may reasonably conclude, that as he
is omniscient, and, by consequence, a witness of these my
offences, so must he iikewise be just in the punishment of
them ; for it cannot stand with his justice, to put up with
such offences, without laying suitable punishments upon
the offender. And these punishments must be infinite
and eternal ; for wherein doth the nature of divine justice
consist, but in giving to sin its just punishments as well as
to virtue its due rewards ? Now that the punishment of sin
in this world, is not so much as it deserves, nor, by conse-
quence, as much as, injustice, ought to be laid upon it, to

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 35

me it is clear, in that every sin being committed against
an infinite God, deserves infinite punishment ; whereas all
the punishments we suffer in this world cannot be any
more than finite, the world itself being no more than finite,
that we suffer them in.

Upon these grounds, therefore it is, that I am fully sa-
tisfied in my conscience, that I am a sinner; that it
cannot stand with the justice, nor the existence of God
that made me, to pardon my sins, without satisfaction
made to his divine justice for them ; and yet, that unless
they be pardoned, it is impossible for me to be happy here,
or hereafter. And therefore must I look after some reli-
gion, wherein I may be sure, my sins may be thus par-
doned, and my soul made happy, wherein I may please
God and God may bless me. Which, that I may be the
better able to discover, I shall take a brief survey of all the
religions 1 ever heard of, or believe to be in the world.

Now, though there be as many kinds of religions as na-
tions ; yea, almost as particular persons in the world ; yet
may they all be reduced to these four ; the Paganish, Ma-
hometan, Jewish, and Christian religion.

As to the first, it is indeed of a very large extent, and
comprehends under it all such as neither acknowledge
Mahomet to be a prophet, nor expect a promised Messiah,
nor believe in a crucified Jesus : and, since it is the majo-
rity of numbers, that usually carries the vogue, let me see
whether the paganish religion, being farther extended, and
more generally professed than any, or indeed all the rest,
be not the true religion, wherein God is most rightly wor-
shipped, and I may be the most certainly saved. And here,
when I take a view of this religion, as it is dispersed
through several parts of Asia, Africa, and America, I find
them very devout in worshipping their deities, such as
they are, and they have great numbers of them : some
worship the sun, others the moon and stars, others the
earth, and other elements, serpents, trees, and the like.
And others again pay homage and adoration to images and
statues, in the fashion of men and women, hogs, horses, and
other shapes ; and some to the devil himself, as in Pegu, &e.

But now, to go no farther, this seems to me, at first
sight to be a very strange and absurd sort of religion ; or
rather, it is quite the reverse of it. For the true notion
we have of religion, is the worshipping the true God, in a
true manner ; and this is the worshipping false gods in a
false manner. For, I cannot entertain any other notion of
B 6

86 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

God, than as one supreme almighty Being, who made
and governs all things, and who, as he is a spirit ought to
be worshipped in a spiritual manner. And therefore, as
the very supposing more deities than one implies a contra-
diction ; so the paying divine homage, in a gross, carnal
manner, to material and corporeal beings, which are ei-
ther the work of men's hands, or at best, but creatures like
ourselves, which can neither hear nor understand what we
say to them, much less give us what we desire of them, is
not religion, but idolatry and superstition, or rather mad-
ness and delusion. So that this religion, I see, if I should
embrace it, would be so far from making me happy, that
the more zealous I should be for it, the more miserable I
should be by it. For he that made these things cannot
but be very angry at me, if I should give that worship to
them, which is only due to himself; and so, the way
whereby I expect my sins should be pardoned, they would
be more increased ; it being a sin against the very light of
nature, to prefer any thing before God, or to worship any
thing in his stead ; therefore, leaving these to their super-
stitious idolatries, and diabolical delusions, I must go and
seek for the true religion somewhere else.

The next religion, that hath the most suffrages and votes
on its side, is the Mahometan religion, so called from one
Mahomet an Arabian, who, about a thousand years ago,
by the assistance of one Sergius, a Nestorian monk, com-
piled a book in the Arabian tongue, which he called Alco-
ran, which he made the rule of his followers' faith and
manners, pretending that it was sent from heaven to him,
by the hand of the angel Gabriel.

* This book I have perused, and must confess, find many
things in it agreeable to right reason : as that there is but
one God, gracious and merciful, the Lord of the whole
universe ; that this God we are to resign ourselves wholly
to ; that all that obey him shall be certainly rewarded,
and all that disobey him, as certainly punished ; and the
like. But yet, I . dare not venture my soul upon it, nor
become one of the professors of it; because, as there are
many things consonant, so there are many things dissonant
to the natural light that is implanted in me ; as, that God
should swear by figs and olives, by mount Sinai, as this
book makes him to do, in the chapter of the figs : that So-
lomon should have an army composed of men, and devils,
and birds ; and that he should discourse with a bird, which
acquainted him with the affairs of the queen of Sheba, and
the like.

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 37

As to the argument whereby he would persuade us, that
this book was" sent from God, viz. that there are no con-
tradictions in it, I take to be very false and frivolous. For
besides that there are many books compiled by men, which
have no contradictions in them, it is certain, there are a
great many plain contradictions in this book, which over-
throw his suppositions. Thus, in the chapter of the table,
he saith, that " all that believe in God, and the resurrec-
tion of the dead, and have done good works, shall be sav-
ed :" but, Hi the chapter of gratification, he saith, " all
that do not believe in the Alcoran shall be destroyed :" and
so in the chapter of Hod. In like manner, he tells us
again, in the chapter of the table, that the books of the
Old and New Testaments were sent from God, and at the
same time, supposes that the Alcoran was sent from him
too ; which to me, seems impossible. For, my reason
tells me that God, who is truth and wisdom itself, can-
not be guilty of falsehood and contradiction. And if these
books contradict one another, as it is evident they do in
many instances ■ it is plain, God could not be the author
of both ; and by consequence, if the Scripture be true the
Alcoran must of necessity be false. To instance but in
one particular, the Alcoran says, m the chapter of wo-
men, " God hath no son :" the scripture, in Matt. iii. 17-
God said of Jesus, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased ; and Heb. iv. 14, it expressly calls that Jesus,
the Son of God; and so in many other things. Now it is
impossible, that both these should be true, or, by conse-
quence, that that should be true which says both are so.

But if this were granted, there is still another objection
against this religion ; and that is, that the rewards therein
promised will not avail to make me happy, though I should
be partaker of them. For all the promises made to us in
this paradise, are but mere sensible pleasures ; as that we
shall have all manner of herbs, and fruits, and drinks, and
women with exceeding great and black eyes, as in the
chapter of the merciful and judgment, and elsewhere;
and such pleasures as these, though they may, indeed, af-
fect my body, yet they cannot be the happiness of my soul.
Indeed, I know not how this book should promise any
higher happiness than that of the body, because it shews
no means of attaining -to it ; it shows no way, how my
sins may be pardoned, and so my soul made happy. It
saith, I confess, that God is gracious and merciful, and
therefore will pardon sin ; so he is also just and righteous,

38 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

and therefore must punish it. And how these two can
stand together, is not manifested in the Alcoran; and
therefore, I dare not trust my soul with it.

Thus, upon diligent search, have I found the two reli-
gions, that are most generally professed, to have little or
nothing of religion in them. I shall therefore in the next
place, take a view of that religion which hath the fewest
followers, and that is the Jewish. A religion, not esta-
blished by any human laws, nor, indeed, generally pro-
fessed in any nation, but only by a company of despicable
people, scattered up and down the world, which as the pro-
phet expresses it, are become a proverb of reproach, and a
by-word among all nations whither they are driven. The
principles of this religion are contained in a book written
in the Hebrew tongue, which they call the Torah, or law
composed of several precepts, promises, and threatenings ;
together with histories of things past, and prophecies of
things to come : this book, they say, was written by men
inspired by God himself; and therefore they avouch it
not to be of human invention, but merely of divine insti-
tution.

This book also I have diligently read and examined into,
and must ingenuously confess, that at the very first glance,
methought I read divinity in it, and could not but con-
clude, from the majesty of its style, the purity of its pre-
cepts, the harmony of its parts, the certainty of its pro-
mises, and the excellency of its rewards, that it could be
derived from no other author but God himself. It is here
only that I find my Maker worshipped under the proper no-
tion of a deity as he is Jehovah, and that is the right man-
ner, for we are here commanded to love and serve him with
all our hearts, with all our souls, our might and mind, Deut.
iv. 5. chap. x. 12. which is indeed, the perfection of all
true worship whatsoever. And as God is here worship-
ped aright, so is the, happiness which is here entailed upon
this true worship, the highest that it is possible a creature
should be made capable of, being nothing less than the
enjoyment of him we worship, so as to have him to be a
God to us, and ourselves to be a people to him, Jer. xxxi. 33.

But that which I look upon, still, as the surest charac-
ter of the true religion, is, its holding forth the way, how
I being a sinner, can be invested with this happiness, or
Low God can shew his justice, in punishing sin itself, and
yet be so merciful, as to pardon and remit it to me, and
so receive me to his favour ; which the religions I viewed

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 3(J

before did not so much as pretend to, nor offer at all at.
And this is what this book of the law does likewise disco-
ver to me, by shewing that God almighty would not visit
our sins upon ourselves but upon another person ; that he
would appoint and ordain one to be our sponsor or Media-
tor ; who by his infinite merit, should bear and atone for
our iniquities, and to shew his love and mercy, in justify-
ing and acquitting us from our sins, at the same time that
he manifests his justice, in inflicting the punishment of
them upon this person in our stead. A method so deep
and mysterious ; that if God himself had not revealed it, I
am confident no mortal man could ever have discovered or
thought of it !

Neither are there any doubts and scruples concerning
this great mystery, but what this book does clearly an-
swer and resolve ; as will appear more plainly from a dis-
tinct consideration of the several objections that are urged
against it.

As, 1 . That it does not seem agreeable either to reason or
scripture that one man should bear the sins of another ; be-
cause evert/ man has enough to do to bear his own burden ;
and since sin is committed against an infinite God, and there-
fore deserves infinite punishment, Iiorv can any finite creature
bear this infinite punishment ? especially, it being due to so
many thousands of people as there are in the world!

But this book sufficiently unties this knot for me, by
shewing me, that it is not a mere man, but God himself,
that would bear these my sins ; even he, whose name is,
Jehovah Tsidkenu, The Lord our righteousness, Jer.
xxxiii. 6*. where the essential name of the most high God,
which cannot possibly be given to any, but to him, who
is the Being of all beings, is here given to him, who should
thus bear my sins, and justify my person ; whence David
also calleth him Lord, Psalm ex. 1. Isaiah calleth him, The
mighty God, Isa. ix. (). Yea, and the Lord of hosts him-
self, with his own mouth, calls him his fellow, Zech. xiii. 7.

Objec. 2. But my reason tells me, God is a pure act, and,
therefore, how can he suffer any punishments ? or, suppose
he could, how can one nature satisfy for the offences of ano-
ther ? It was man that stood guilty ; and how can it stand
with the justice of God, not to punish man j or the sins he is
guilty qf?

To resolve this doubt, this holy book assures me, that
God should become man, expressly telling me, that as his
name is, Wonderful, Counsello?', the Mighty God, the

40 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, so should he be
born a child, and given as a son, Isa. ix. 6. And there-
fore, at the same time that the Lord of hosts calls him his
fellow, he calls him a man too, Against the man that is my
fellow, says the Lord of hosts, Zech. xiii. 7.

Objec. 3. But if he be born as other men are, he must
needs be a sinner, as other men be ; for such as are born by
natural generation, must necessarily be born also in natural
corruption.

To remove this obstacle, this holy book tells me, that
A virgin shall conceive and bear this Son, and his name shall
be Emmanuel, Isa. vii. 14. And so being begotten, but
not by a sinful man, himself shall be a man, but not a sin-
ful man : and so being God and man, he is every way fit
to meditate betwixt God and man ; to reconcile God to me,
and me to God, that my sins may be pardoned, God's
wrath appeased , and so my soul made happy in the en-
joyment of him.

But there is one thing more yet, that keeps me from set-
tling upon this religion ; and that is, the expiration of the
time in which this book promiseth this person should come
into this world ; for it is expressly said, Dan. ix. 24. that
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon the
city, to finish the transgressions, and to make an end of sins,
and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in ever-
lasting righteousness, and to seal tip the vision, and the pro-
phecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. From which anoint-
ing he is, in the next verse, called Messiah, the Anointed,
(under which name he is, from hence, expected by the
Jews) and the beginning of these seventy weeks is express-
ly said, ver. 25. to be at the going forth of the command'
ment to build and restore Jerusalem. Now if we understand
these seventy weeks in the largest sense for seventy weeks,
or sabbaths of years, as it is expressed Lev. xxv. 8. the
time of the Messmh's coming must have been but 490 years
after the commandment for the building of the city ; where-
as-whether we understand it of the decree and command
that Cyrus made, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22, 23. Ezra i. 1,2, 3.
or that which Darius made, Ezra vi. or that Artaxerxes
made, chap. vii. I say, whichsoever of these decrees we
understand this prophecy of, it is evident that it is above
2000 years since they were all made ; and therefore,' the
time of this person's coming hath been expired above l600
years at least.

So likewise doth this book of the law, (as they call it)

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 41

assure us, that the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor
a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come, Gen.
xlix. 10. where the Jews themselves, Jonathan and Onke-
los, expound the word Shiloh by Messiah ; and so doth
the Jerusalem targum too. Now it is plain that there hath
been neither sceptre nor lawgiver in Judah, nor any poli-
tical government at all among the Jews, for above 1600
years ; which plainly shews either their prophecies and
expectations of a Messiah are false, or that he came into
the world so many ages since, as were here prefixed.

So likewise it was expressly foretold in this book, that
the glory of the second temple should be greater than the glo-
ry of the formers, Hag. ii. 9. Now the Jews themselves
acknowledge, that there were, five of the principal things
which were in the first, wanting in the second temple,
viz. 1. The ark with the mercy-seat and cherubim. 2. The
Shechinah, or divine presence. 3. The holy prophetical
Spirit. 4. The Urim and Thummim. 5. The heavenly
fire : and from the want of these five things they say, the
words / will be glorified, Hag. i. 8. wants an he at the
end, which in numeration denotes five. Yea, and when
the very foundation of the second temple was laid, the old
men that had seen the first, wept to see how far short it
was likely to come of the former, Ezra iii. 12. To make
up therefore the glory of the second temple, to be greater
than the glory of the first, notwithstanding the want of so
many glorious things they must of necessity, understand
it of the coming of the Messiah into it, who, ver. 8. is
called, The desire of all nations. Whereas the Jews them-
selves cannot but confess that this temple hath been de-
molished above 1600 years; and therefore, it is impossible
for the Messiah to come into it, and for its glory to be great-
er than the glory of the first temple ; and, by consequence,
for the word which they profess to believe in to be true.

Indeed, the time of the Messiah's coming was so ex-
pressly set down in these and the like places, that Elias,
one of their great rabbies, gathered from hence that the
world should last 6000 years, 2000 without the law, 2000
under the law, and 2000 under the Messiah, Sanh. c. 11.
which computation of the Messiah's coming after 4000
years, from the beginning of the world, comes near the
time of the sceptre's departing from Judah, and the end of
Daniel's seventy weeks. Which shews,- that this rabbi
was fully convinced, that it was about that time that the
Messiah should come. And therefore, it was, likewise,

4-2 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

that about iGOO years ago, the Jews did so generally ex-
pect his coming ; and that so many did pretend to be the
person, as Baz-Cozbah, who about that time, vaunting
himself to be the man, almost the whole nation unani-
mously concurred in following him, insomuch, that, as
the Jews report, there were no less than 400,000, or as
others, 500,000 men slain by Adrian the emperor, in the
city Bitter, all fighting in defence of this pretended Mes-
siah. There were likewise many others that fancied them-
selves to be the man, and were esteemed by some, till ma-
nifestedly convinced of their error, as we may read in some
of then* books. And unto this day many of them hold that
he is already come, but that, by reason of their sins, he
is not yet revealed unto them.

Hence it is, that my natural reason draws me into this
dilemma, that either that book which the Jews receive as
the word of God is indeed not so ; or else that they do not
rightly apply it : and so, that either their religion is a false
religion, or else their profession of it a false profession :
and therefore, I must go hence and seek me some other
religion to fix my soul upon. Not as if my reason told
me, that all the prophecies which I have mentioned here,
were false in themselves, but only that they appear so to
this sort of professors ; for, for my own part, I cannot
shake off my faith in this law, which they profess to be-
lieve in ; especially now I have so seriously perused it, and
so deliberately weighed and considered of it. Neither can
I believe that ever any Mahometan or Indian, that did,
without prejudice, set himself to read it through, and to
examine every particular, by the light of unbiassed reason,
could say, it was ever hatched in a human brain ; but
that it is indeed of a heavenly stamp and divine authority.
And, therefore, though I am forced by the strength of
reason to shake hands with this religion, yet the same rea-
son will not suffer me to lay aside that law, which they do
profess, but only their profession of it. So that whatso-
ever religion I settle upon, my natural conscience still
commands me to stick close to this book of the Jewish law,
and to receive and entertain it as the word of the glorious
Jehovah, the Being of all beings.

Well, there is but one religion more generally professed
in the world, that I am to search into ; which, if upon
good grounds, I cannot fix upon, I shall be the most mi-
serable of all creatures ; and that is, the christian religion,
so named from Jesus Christ, whose doctrine, life^ and

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 48

death, is recorded by four several persons, in a book which
they call the Gospel. And this book appears to me to be
of undoubted authority, as to the truth and certainty of
those things that are therein recorded. For, if they had
been false, both the persons that wrote them, and he of
whom they wrote had so many malicious enemies ready,
upon all occasions, to accuse them, that they had long ago
been condemned for lies and forgeries. But now, these
writings have been extant for above l600 years, and ne-
ver so much as suspected, but even by the worst of ene-
mies, acknowledged to be a true relation of what passed in
the world about that time ; my reason will not permit me
to be their first accuser, but enjoins me to receive them,
under that notion, in which they have been brought down
to me through so many generations, without any inter-
ruption whatsoever. For this general reception on all
hands, is a sufficient ground for me to build my faith
upon, as to the truth of the relation, though not a suffici-
ent ground to believe every thing contained in the book,
to be the word of God himself; for, in this particular, it
is not the testimony of others that I am to build upon, but
its own ; I may read its verity in man's testimony, but its
divinity onjy in its own doctrines.

This book, therefore, I have also diligently perused,
and find it expressly asserts, that Jesus Christ, whose life
and death it records, was indeed that person, who was
long promised by God, and expected by the JewTs : and,
that all the prophecies under the old law, concerning that
Messiah, God-man, were actually fulfilled in this person :
which if, upon diligent search, I can find to be true, I
shall presently subscribe both with hand and heart, to this
religion. It is a comfort to me that it acknowledgeth the
Jewish law to be sent from God ; for, truly, if it did not,
my conscience would scarcely permit me to give any cre-
dit to it ; being so fully convinced that that book is indeed
of a higher extract than human invention, and of greater
authority than human institution. And therefore it is that
I cannot, I dare not believe, but that every particular pro-
phecy contained in it, either is, or shall be, certainly ful-
filled, according to every circumstance of time and place
mentioned therein ; and by consequence, that this pro-
phecy, in particular, concerning the Messiah's coming, is
already past ; the time wherein it was foretold he should
come, being so long ago expired. So that I do not now
doubt whether the Messiah be come or no, but whether

41 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

this Jesus Christ, whom this book of the gospel speaks of,
was indeed the person. And this I shall best find out by
comparing the Christian's gospel with the Jewish laAv ; or
the histories of Christ under the one, with the prophecies
of the Messiah, under the other ; still concluding, that if
whatsoever was foretold concerning the Messiah, was ful-
filled in this Jesus Christ, then he was indeed the Messiah
that was to come into the world. And to make this com-
parison the more exact, I shall run through the several
circumstances that attended his birth, life, death, resur-
rection, and ascension, and shew how punctually the pro-
phecies were fulfilled in every particular.

And first, for the birth of the Messiah, the law saith, he
was to be born of the seed of Abraham, Gen. xxii. 18. and
David, 2 Sam. vii. 17. and of the stem of Jesse, Isa. xi. 1.
from whence he is frequently called by the Jews, Bar-
David, the son of David. The gospel saith, Jesus Christ
mas the son of David, the son of Abraham, Matt. i. 1. The
law, that he was to be bom of a virgin, Isa. vii. 14. The
gospel, that Mary, a virgin, brought forth this Jesus, Matt,
i. 18. Lukei. 17, 31, 85. chap. ii. 5, 6, 7- The law, that
he was to be bom at Bethlehem Ephratah, Mic. v. 2. The
gospel, that this Jesus was born there, Matt. ii. 1 . Luke
iv. 5, 6.

The law says, that he was to be brought out of Egypt,
Hos. xi. 1. The gospel, that Jesus was called thence,
Matt. ii. 19, 20. The law saith, that one should go before
the Messiah, Mai. iii. 5. and should cry in the wilderness,
Isa. xl. 3. The gospel, that John Baptist did so before
Christ, Matt. iii. I, 2. Mark i. 2, 3. The law, that the
Messiah should preach the doctrine of salvation in Galilee,
who sitting before in darkness should see great light, Isa.
ix. 1, 2. The gospel, that Jesus did so, Matt. iv. 12, 23.
The law, that in the Messiah's days, the eyes of the blind
should be opened, and the ears of the deaf should be. unstop-
ped, and the lame leap, and the tongue of the dumb sing, Isa.
xxxv. 5, 6. The gospel, that it was so in the days of Je-
sus Christ, Matt. iv. 23. chap. xi. 5. But for all these
wonders and miracles, the law saith, they should hear, but
not understand, and see, yet not perceive, Isa. vi. <). And
the gospel, that seeing they did not see, and hearing^ they
did not hear, neither did they understand, Matt. xiii. 13.
Mark iv. 12. The law, that he should be despised andre->
jected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,
Isa. liii. 3. The gospel, that Jesus Christ had no where to

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 45

lay his head, Matt. viii. 20. His soul was exceeding sor-
rowful even unto death, Matt. xxvi. 38. yea, he was in. an ago-
ny, and his sweat jvas as drops of blood, Luke xxii. 24. so
well was he acquainted with grief. The law says, that
he should ride into Jerusalem, upon an ass, and upon a colt,
the foal of an ass, Zech. ix. 9- And the gospel, that Je-
sus Christ, as he was going to Jerusalem, having found an
ass, sat thereon, John xii. 14. Matt. xxi. 6. At which
time, the law saith, the people should cry, Hosanna,
blessed is he that comcth in the name of the Lord, Psal. cxviii.
26. The gospel, that the multitude did so to Christ, Matt.
xxi. 9« The law, that one of his own familiar friends, in
whom he trusted, which did eat of his bread, should lift up
his heel against him, Psal. xli. 9- The gospel, that Judas
who was one of Christ's disciples, and so eat of his bread,
did betray him into the hands of the Jews, Matt. xxvi. 47.
Luke xxii. 46. The law, that he should be prized at, and
sold for thirty pieces of silver, with which should be bought
the potter's field, Zech. xi. 12, 13. The gospel, that
they covenanted with Judas, to betray Jesus for thirty
pieces of silver, Matt. xxvi. 15. with which they after-
wards bought the potter's field, chap, xxvii. 7. The law,
that he should be numbered amongst transgressors, Isa. liii.
12. The gospel, that Jesus was crucified betwixt two thieves,
Mark xv. 27- Matt, xxvii. 38. The law, that he should be
wounded and bruised, Isa. liii. 5. The gospel,, that they
scourged Jesus, Matt, xxvii. 20. and smote him, Mark xv.
19. The law saith, they should pierce his hands and feet,
Psal. xxii. 16. Zech. xii. 10. The gospel, that they cruci-
fied Jesus, Matt, xxvii. 35. Luke xxiii. which was a death,
wherein they used to pierce the hands and feet of those
that were put to death, and nailed them to the cross. But
though they should pierce his rlesh, yet the law saith, that
they should not break his bones, no not one of them, Exod.
xii. 46. Numb. xi. 12. Psal. xxxiv. 20. The gospel, that
they brake not the legs of Christ, John xix. 33, 36. The
law, that they who should see him, should laugh him to
scorn, shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying, he
trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him, let him deliver
him, seeing he delighted in him, Psal. xxii. 8. The gospel,
that the scribes and elders did so to Christ, Matt, xxvii. 42,
43. The law saith, they should give him gall for meat,
and vinegar to drink, Psal. Ixix. 21. And the gospel, that
they gave Christ vinegar to drink, mingled with gall, Matt,
xxvii. 34, 48. The law, that they should part his gar-

46 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

merits amongst them, and cast lots upon his vesture, Psal.
xxii. 19. The gospel, that they parted Jesus' garments,
casting losts, Matt, xxvii. 34. John xix. 23. Mark xv. 24.

And as for the time of this Jesus' coming into the world,
it is certain, that this Jesus came before the second temple
was demolished; for it is said, that he went into it, Luke
xix. 45 ; yea, himself, taught daily in it, ver. 17. by which
means the glory of the second temple was greater than
the glory of the first, according to the prophecy, Hag.
ii. 9. And as for Jacob's prophecy, that the sceptre should
not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver, till Shiloh, or the
Messiah came, Gen. xlix. 10. it is certain that it did not
depart from Judah, till Herod, by the senate of Rome, was
made king of Judea, in whose days this Jesus was born.
Matt. ii. 1 . Luke i. 5. And so did Daniel's 70 weeks, or
490 years, exactly reach unto, and were determined in,
the days of this Jesus, as might easily be demonstrated.
So that all the old prophecies, concerning the time of the
Messiah's coming, are perfectly fulfilled in this Jesus of
Nazareth.

But farther, the law saith that though the Messiah
should be crucified, yet God will not leave, his soul in hclu
nor buffer his holy one to see corruption, Psal. xvi. 10. and
that when God should make his sold an offering for sin, he
should see his seed, and prolong his days, Isa. liii. 10. which
plainly implies, that though the Messiah should die, yet
he should rise again, and that within a few days too, other-
wise he would have seen corruption. Now the gospel saith,
that this Jesus rose from the dead, Matt, xxviii. 6. Luke
xxiv. 6. and that he was seen of several after his resurrec-
tion, as of Mary Magdalen, Matt, xxviii. 9. of the eleven
disciples, ver. 16, 17, 18. Mark xvi. 14, of the two that
were going to Emmaus, Luke xxiv, 13, 14, 15. of Peter,
ver. 34. and of the disciples that were gathered together, the
door being shut, John xx. 19. And, to be sure it was
himself and not an apparition, Thomas, one of the twelve,
thrust his hands into his side, and found it flesh and blood,
indeed as before, John xx. 27- And he eat before them,
Luke xx. 43. which it is impossible for a spirit to do ; yea,
he was seen of above five hundred at one time, 1 Cor. xv. 6.
and cfPaul himself, ver. 8. Neither did he lie so long as
to see corruption, for he was buried but the day before the
sabbath, Mark xv. 42. and rose the day after, chap. xv. 1 .

Lastly, He was not only to rise again, but the lav; saith,
he was to ascend on high, to lead captivity captive, and to

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 47

give gifts to men, Psal. lxviii. 18. Now this cannot but be
an undoubted character of the Messiah, not only to rise
from the dead, but to ascend up to heaven, and thence to
disperse his gifts among the children of men ; and that
Jesus did so, is likewise evident from the gospel ; for, af-
ter he had spoken with them, he was received up into heaven,
and there sat at the right hand of God, Mark xvi. 19. Luke
xxiv. 51. And he gave such gifts to men, as that his dis-
ciples, of a sudden, were enabled to speak all manner of
languages, Acts ii. 8. to work many signs and wonders, chap,
v. 12. to heal all manner of diseases, ver. 15, 16. yea, with
a word speaking, to cure a man lame from his mother s womb,
chap. iii. 6", 7.

Thus the gospel seems to me to be a perfect transcript
of the law, and the histories of Jesus nothing else but the
prophecies of Christ turned into a history. And, when to
this I join the consideration of the piety of the life which
this man led, the purity of the doctrine which he taught,
and the miraculousness of the works he wrought, I can-
not but be farther confirmed in the truth of what is here
related. For the miracles which he wrought, as the heal-
ing of the sick with a word of his mouth, raising the dead,
feeding so many thousa?ids with five loaves, and the like,
were powerful and convincing, that his very enemies, that
would not believe him to be the Messiah, could scarce
deny him to be a God, Joseph. Antq. 1. xviii. c. 4. And
it is to this day, a tenet amongst some of them, that the
miracles which Jesus did, were not the delusions and jug-
glements of the devil, but real miracles, wrought as they
say, by the virtue of the name of God, Jehovah, which
he had gotten out of the temple. By which it is plain,
they acknowledged God to be the author of them, which
I cannot see how he should be, unless they were agreeable
to his will, and for the glory of his name.

Neither was the doctrine of. the gospel only established
at the first, but likewise propagated by miracles afterwards,
as it was necessary it should be, for, if it had been propa-
gated without miracles, itself had been the greatest mira-
cle of all. It was, no doubt, a great miracle, that a doc-
trine so much contrary to flesh and blood, should be propa-
gated by any means whatsoever ; but a far greater, that it
should be propagated by a company of simple and illiterate
men, who had neither power to force, nor eloquence to
persuade men to the embracing of it. For who would
have thought that such persons as these were, should fever

48 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

make any of the Jews, who expected a king for their Mes-
siah, to advance them to temporal dignities, or believe,
that that Jesus, whom themselves scourged and crucified
at Jerusalem, was the person ? Or, that they should be
able to propagate the gospel amongst the Gentiles also,
who neither believed in the true God, nor expected any
thing of a Messiah to come and redeem them ? But this
they did, and brought over not only many persons, but
whole nations and countries to the profession of the gos-
pel ; propagating this most holy doctrine among the most
barbarous and sinful people in the world, maugre all the
opposition that the world, the flesh, and the devil, could
make against it. Now can any man, that exerciseth his
reason think they did all this purely by their own strength?
No sure, none of these wonderful effects could ever have
been produced by any thing less than the wisdom, and
power, and faithfulness of their Lord and master, whose
service they were engaged in, and who promised to be
with them to the end of the world, Matt, xxviii. 20. Ques-
tionless, it was nothing else but the Spirit of the most high
God, that went along with them, and accompanied the
word they preached ; otherwise, it never could have made
such deep impression upon the hearts of them that heard
it, as not only to command their attention, but to hinder
them from resisting, when they strove and endeavoured
to do it, the power and authority by which the disciples
spake.

And now, methinks, 1 begin to perceive this divine spi-
rit is come upon me too, and seems, by its powerful influ-
ence, to be working up my heart into a thorough persua-
sion, that it is Christ, and Christ alone, I am to cast my
soul upon ; that it is he alone, that is the way to life, and
his word alone, the word of life, which whosoever believes,
and is baptized into, shall be saved, and he that believcth not,
shall be damned. Away, then, with your Pagan idola-
tries, your Mahometan superstitions, and Jewish ceremo-
nies ; it is the Christian religion alone, that I am resolved
to live and die in, because it is this alone, in which I am
taught to worship God aright, to obtain the pardon and re-
mission of my sins, and to be made eternally happy. And,
since all its doctrines and precepts are contained in the holy
scriptures, it is necessary that I shall assent unto them, as
a standing revelation of God's will, and an eternal treasure
of divine knowledge ; whereby all, that sincerely believe

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 4<)

in Christ, may be sufficiently instructed, as well as tho-
roughly furnished, unto every good word and work.

Without any more ado, therefore, I believe, and am
verily persuaded, that all the books of the ancient law,
with all those that have been received into the canon of the
scripture by the church of God, since the coming of Christ,
which we call the New Testament ; I say, that all these
books, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the
Revelations, are indeed the word of the eternal God, dic-
tated by his own Spirit, unto such as himself was pleased
to employ in the writing of them ; and that they contain
in them a perfect and complete rule of faith and manners ;
upon the due observance of which, I cannot fail of wor-
shipping and serving God, in such a manner, as will be
acceptable to him here, and of enjoying hereafter those ex-
ceeding great and precious jjromises, that he has reserved in
heaven, for such as do so.

Unto these books, therefore, of the law and gospel, I am
resolved by his grace that wrote them, to conform all the
ensuing articles of my faith, and all the actions and reso-
lutions of my life. Insomuch that whatsoever I find it
hath pleased his Sacred Majesty herein to insert, I believe
it is my duty to believe; and whatsoever he hath been
pleased to command me, I believe it is my duty to perform.

ARTICLE III.

/ believe that as there is one God, so this one God is three
Persons—Father, Son, and Hohj Ghost.

HpHIS, I confess, is a mystery which I cannot possibly
-■- conceive, yet it is a truth which I can easily believe ;
yea, therefore it is so true, that I can easilv believe it «
because it is so high, that I cannot possibly conceive it •
for it is impossible any thing should be true of the infinite
Creator, which can be fully expressed to the capacities of
a finite creature : and, for this reason, I ever did, and
ever shajl, look upon those apprehensions of God to be
the truest, whereby we apprehend him to be the most in-
comprehensible : and that to be the most true of God
which seems most impossible unto us.

Upon this ground, therefore, it is, that the mysteries
of the gospel, which I am less able to conceive, I think my-
self the more obliged to believe ; especially this mystery ef

50 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

mysteries, the Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, which
I am so far from being able to comprehend, or indeed to appre-
hend, that I cannot set myself seriously to think of it, or to
screw up my thoughts a little concerning it, but I immedi-
ately lose myself, as in a trance, or ecstacy : that God the
Father should be one perfect God of himself, God the Son
one perfect God of himself, and God the Holy Ghost one
perfect God of himself : and yet that these three should be
but one perfect God of himself; so that one should be per-
fectly three, and three perfectly one ; that the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost should be three, and yet but one ;
but one and yet three ! O heart-amazing, thought-devour-
ing, unconceivable mystery ! Who cannot believe it to be
true of the glorious Deity ? Certainly, none but such as
are able to apprehend it, which, I am sure, I cannot, and
believe, no other creature can. And, because no creature
can possibly conceive how it should be so, I therefore be-
lieve it really to be so, viz; That the Being of all beings
is but one in essence, yet three in substance ; but one na-
ture, yet three persons ; and that those three persons in
that one nature, though absolutely distinct from one ano-
ther, are yet but the same God. And I believe, these
three persons, in this one nature, are indeed to one ano-
ther as they are expressed to be to us, that the one is really
a Father to the other, that the other is really a Son to him,
the third the product of both : and yet, that there is nei-
ther first, second, nor third amongst them, either in time
or nature. So that he that begat was not at all before him
that was begotten, nor he that proceeded from them both,
any whit after either of them. And therefore, that God
is not termed Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as if the di-
vine nature of the one should beget the divine nature of
the second : or the divine nature of the first and second
should issue forth the divine nature of the third ; (for then
there would be three divine natures, and so three Gods
essentially distinct from one another ; by this means also,
only the Father would be truly God, because he only
would be essentially of and from himself, and the other
two from him :) but what I think myself obliged to be-
lieve, is, that it was not the divine nature, but the divine
person of the Father which did, from eternity, beget the
divine person of the Son ; and from the divine persons of
the Father, and of the Son, did, from eternity, proceed
the divine person of the Holy Ghost ; and so one not be-
ing before the other, in time or nature, as they are from

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 51

eternity three perfectly distinct persons, so they are but
one co-essential God. But dive not, O my soul, too deep
into this bottomless ocean, this abyss of mysteries ! It is
the holy of holies, presume not to enter into it ; but let this
suffice thee, that he, who best knows himself, hath avouch-
ed it to himself, and therefore thou oughtest to believe it,
see Matt, xxviii. lp. Go ye therefore and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost. And again, 1 John v. 7. There are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

ARTICLE IV.

/ believe that I was conceived in sin, and brought forth in
iniquity ; and that, ever since, I have been continually
conceiving mischief, and bringing forth vanity.

HP HIS article of my faith, I must of necessity believe,
-*-■ whether I will or no; for if I could not believe it to
be true, I should therefore have the more cause to believe
it to be so ; because unless my heart was naturally very
sinful and corrupt, it would be impossible for me not to
believe that which I have so much cause continually to be-
wail ; or, if I do not bewail it, I have still the more cause
to believe it ; and, therefore, am so much the more per-
suaded of it, by how much the less I find myself affected
with it. For, certainly, I must be a hard-hearted wretch
indeed, steeped in sin, and fraught with corruption to the
highest, if I know myself so oft to have incensed the wrath
of the most high God against me, as I do, and yet not be
sensible of my natural corruption, nor acknowledge my-
self to be, by nature, a child of wrath, as well as others.
For, I verily believe, that the want of such a due sense of
myself argues as much original corruption, as murder and
whoredom do actual pollution. And, I shall ever suspect
those to be most under the power of that corruption, that
labour most, by arguments, to divest it of its power.

And, therefore, for my own part, I am resolved by the
grace of God never to go about to confute that by wilful
arguments, which I find so true by woeful experience. If
there be not a. bitter root in my heart, whence proceeds so
much bitter fruit in my life and conversation ? Alas ! I can
neither set my hand nor heart about any thing, but I still
C 2

52 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

shew myself to be the sinful offspring of sinful parents, by
being the sinful parent of a sinful offspring. Nay, I do
not only betray the in-bred venom of my heart, by poi-
soning my common actions, but even my most religious
performances also, with sin. I cannot pray, but I sin ;
nay, I cannot hear, or preach a sermon, but I sin ; I can-
not give an alms, or receive the sacrament, but I sin ; nay,
I cannot so much as confess my sins, but my very confes-
sions are still aggravations of them ; my repentance needs
to be repented of, my tears want washing, and the very
washing of my tears need still to be washed over again
with the blood of my Redeemer. Thus, not only the
worst of my sins, but even the best of my duties, speak
me a child of Adam : insomuch that whensoever I reflect
upon my past actions, methinks I cannot but look upon my
whole life, from the time of my conception to this very
moment, to be but as one continued act of sin.

And whence can such a continued stream of corruption
flow, but from the corrupt cistern of my heart? And
whence can that corrupt cistern of my heart be filled, but
from the corrupt fountain of my nature ? Cease therefore,
O my soul, to gainsay the power of original sin within
thee, and labour now to subdue it under thee. But, why
do I speak of my subduing this sin myself ? Surely, this
would be both an argument of it, and an addition to it.
" It is to thee, O my God, who art both the searcher and
" cleanser of hearts, that I desire to make my moan !
" It is to thee I cry out in the bitterness of my soul, 0
" wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the
" body of this death ? Who shall ? Oh ! Who can do it,
" but thyself ? Arise thou, therefore, O my God, and
" shew thyself as infinitely merciful in the pardoning, as
i( thou art infinitely powerful in the purging away of my
" sins."

ARTICLE V.

1 believe the Son of God became the Son of man, that J the
son of man, ?night become the son tfGod.

OH ! how comfortably does this raise me from the low-
est abasement of sin and misery, which I have before
acknowledged to be my natural state, to the highest exal-
tation of happiness and glory, in a spiritual one ! This is

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 53

that great article of faith, by which all the benefits of our
Saviour's death and passion are made over to me in the new
covenant, and by which, if I perform the conditions there-
in required, I shall not only be retrieved from the bond-
age and corruption that is inherent in me, as a child of
wrath, but be justified and accepted as the son of God,
and be made a joint heir with Christ. This a point of the
greatest moment and concern, which, by the grace and
assistance of him of whom I speak, and in whom I thus
believe, I shall therefore be the more exact and particular
in the searching and examining into.

Now, when I say, and believe, that God became man,
I do not so understand it, as if the divine nature took upon
it a human person, but that a divine person took upon him
the human nature, i. e. it was not the divine nature, in ge-
neral, without respect to the persons, but one of the per-
sons in the divine nature, which took flesh upon him, and
yet, to speak precisely, it was not the divine person ab-
stracted or distinct from the divine nature, but it was the
divine nature in that person which thus took upon it the
human. And this was not the first or third, but the se-
cond person only in the sacred Trinity, that thus assumed
our nature; and, considering the mysterious order and
economy of the divine persons, it seems to be necessary
that it should.

For, first, the Father could not have become this Son
of man, because, theh, he, that had begotten from eter-
nity, should have been begotten in time ; by which means,
as he was the Father to the Son, so would the Son also
have been the Father unto him ; and so the order betwixt
the Father and Son destroyed.

Nor, secondly, could the Holy Ghost have taken our
nature upon him, because the bond of personal union be-
twixt the divine and human nature is from the Spirit, (and
thence it is, that every one that is partaker of Christ's per-
son, is partaker of his Spirit also) which could not be if
the Spirit itself had been the person assuming. For, I
cannot conceive, how the same person could unite itself,
by itself, to the assumed nature : and therefore we read, that
in the virgin's conception of our Saviour, it was neither
the Father nor the Son himself, but the Spirit of the most
high, which did overshadow her, Luke i. 25.

And, farther, if the Holy Ghost had been my Redeem-
er, who should have been my sanctifier ? If he had died
personally for me, who should have applied his death ef-
C 3

54 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

fectually to me ? That I could not do it myself is, beyond
contradiction, evident ; and that either the Father, or the
Son, should do it, is not agreeable to the nature or order
of the divine operations ; they, as I believe, never acting
any thing ad extra, personally, but by the Spirit proceed-
ing from them both. And, therefore it is, that Christ, to
comfort his disciples after his death, promiseth them in his
life-time, that he would send them the Comforter, John
xvi. 7. which is the Spirit of truth, ver. 13. He doth not
say he will come again personally, but mystically to them,
by his Spirit.

But now, that the Spirit, whose office it is to apply the
merit and mediation of God-man to me could not have
done it, if himself had been that God-man, seems to me as
clear and manifest as the other : for, if he had done it, he
should either have done it by the Father, by the Son, or
by himself. Fie could not do it by the Father, nor the
Son, because he does nothing by them, but all things from
them. The Father acts in the Son by the Spirit, the Son
from the Father by the Spirit, the Spirit from the Father
and the .Son. And therefore it likewise follows, that as
the Spirit could not unite itself before, so neither can it
apply itself here, to the human nature ; for, to assume
the human nature into the divine, and to apply the divine
nature to the human, are two distinct offices ; and, there-
fore, to be performed by two distinct persons. The first
could have been done only by one that was really man, as
well as God ; the other, only by one that was merely God,
and not man.

And that must needs be so : for, otherwise, God should
act upon man by man, by the person man, as well as
God ; and, by consequence, all the dispensations of his
grace towards us, would have been stopped in the frailty
of the human, though perfect nature. So that it would
have availed me nothing, if the Spirit had taken my na-
ture upon him ; because, though he had assumed the hu-
man, I could not thence have participated of the divine
nature ; nay, therefore, I could not have participated of
this, because he had assumed that, by which alone I could
be brought into this capacity ; and so by this means, I
should be farther off than I was before.

And lastly, as, if the Father had become man, there
would have been two Fathers ; so if the Spirit had become
man, there would have been two Sons, the second per-
son begotten from eternity, and the third person begotten

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 55

in time. But now, by the Son's taking our nature upon
him, these and far greater difficulties are avoided, which
we might easily perceive, could we sufficiently dive into
the depth of that wisdom of the Father, in sending his Son,
rather than his Spirit, or coming himself in his own per-
son. However, to us, it cannot but seem most equita-
ble, (if reason may hold the balance) that he, who is the
middle person, between the Father and the Spirit, should
become the mediator betwixt God and man ; and that he,
who is the Son of God in the glorious Trinity, should be-
come the Son of man in his gracious mystery.

But, on the other side, as it wasfnot the divine nature,
but a divine person that did assume, so neither was it a
human person, but the human nature that was assumed ;
for otherwise, if he had assumed the person of any one
man in the world, his death had been beneficial to none
but him, whose person he thus assumed and represented.
Whereas, now that he has assumed the nature of man in
general, all that partake of that nature, are capable of
partaking of the benefit he purchased for us, by dying in
our stead. And thus under each, Adam, as the represen-
tation was universal, so were the effects designed to be ;
For as in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive, 1 Cor. xv. 22.

Again, when I say, the Son of God became the Son of
man, I do not mean, as if, by this, he should cease to be
what he was before, the Son of God, for he did not leave
his Godhead to take upon him the manhood ; but I believe
he took the manhood into his Godhead ; he did not put
off the one, to put on the other, but he put one upon the
other : neither do I believe that the human nature, when
assumed into the divine, ceased to be human ; but as the
divine person so assumed the human nature, as still to re-
main a divine person, so the human nature was so assum-
ed into a divine person, as still to remain a human na-
ture : God, therefore, so became man, as to be both per-
fectly God, and perfectly man, united together in one
person.

I say, in one person ; for if he should be God and man
in distinct persons, this would avail me no more, than if
he should be God only, and not man, or man only, and
not God; because the merit and value both of his active
and passive obedience is grounded merely upon the union
of the two natures in one and the same person. He there-
fore, by his life and death, merited so much for us, be*
C 4

56 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

cause the same person, that so lived and died, was God as
well as man ; and every action that he did, and every pas-
sion that he suffered, was done and suffered by him that
was God, as well as man. And hence it is, that Christ, of all
the persons in the world, is so fit, yea, only fit, to be my Re-
deemer, Mediator, and Surety ; because he alone is both
God and man in one person. If he was not man, he could
not undertake that office ; if he was not God, he could not
perform it : if he was not man, he could not be capable of
being bound for me ; if he was not God, he would not be
able to pay my debt. It was man by whom the covenant
was broken ; and, therefore, man must have suitable pu-
nishment laid upon him : it was God with whom it was
broken ; and, therefore, God must have sufficient satis-
faction made unto him : and, as for that satisfaction, it
Was man that had offended, and, therefore, man alone
could make it suitable ; it was God that was offended, and,
therefore, God alone could make it sufficient.

The sum of all this is : man can suffer, but he cannot
satisfy ; God can satisfy, but he cannot suffer ; but Christ
being both God and man, can both suffer and satisfy too ;
and so is perfectly fit both to suffer for man, and to make
satisfaction unto God, to reconcile God to man, and man
to God. And thus, Christ having assumed my nature
» his person, ice fbr my sins,

i Ban re -:' ■•'■. ed ; ■ ■ . ■■ I . ' agdn with the most

high God.

Upon this principle, I believe, that I, by nature the
son of man, am made, by grace, the son of God, as really
as Christ, by nature the Son of God, was made by office,
the Son of man : and so, though in myself, / may say to
corruption thou art my mother, yet in Christ I may say to
God, Abba Father. Neither do I believe this to be a me-
taphorical expression, viz. because he doth that for me,
which a father doth for his child, even provide for me
whilst young, and give me my portion when come to age;
but I believe, that in the same propriety of speech that my
earthly father was called the father of my natural self, is
God the father of my spiritual self : for, why was my
earthly father called my father, but because that I, as to
my natural being, was born of what proceeded from him,
viz. his seed ? Why so, as to my spiritual being, am I
born of what proceeds from God, his Spirit : and as I was
not bom of the very substance of my natural parents, but
only of what came from them ,• so neither is my spiritual

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 57

self begotten again, quickened and constituted of the very
substance of my heavenly Father, God, but of the Spirit
and spiritual influences proceeding fron lim. Thus,
therefore, it is, that I believe that Christ, th 3 Son of God,
became the Son of man ; and thus it is that I believe my-
self the son of man to be made, thereby, the son of God,
« I believe, O my God and Father, do thou help mine un-
" belief ! and every day more and more increase my faith,
u till itself shall be done away, and turned into the most
i* perfect vision and fruition of thine own glorious God-
« head !"

ARTICLE VI.

/ believe that Christ lived to God, and died for sin, that I
migkl die to sin, and live with God.

4 ND thus, by faith, I follow my Saviour from the
ii womb to the tomb, from his incarnation to his death
and passion, believing all that he did or suffered, to be for
my sake ; for Christ did not only take my nature upon
him, but he suffered and obeyed; he underwent miseries,
and undertook duties for me ; so that not only his passive,
but likewise his active obedience unto God, in that na-
ture, was still for me. Not as if I believed, his duty as
man was not God's debt, by the law of creation ; yes ; I
believe that he owed that obedience unto God, that if he
had committed but one sin, and that of the lightest tine-*
ture, in all his life-time, he would have been so far from
being able to satisfy for my sins, that he could not have
satisfied for his own ; For such an high priest became us,
who is holy, harmless, separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens ; who needed not daily, as those high
priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then
for the peoples, Heb. vii. 26, 27. So that if he had not
had these qualifications in their absolute perfection, he
could not have been our high priest, nor, by consequence,
have made atonement for, nor expiated any sins whatso-
ever. But now, though both as man, and as God-man or
Mediator too, it behoved him to be thus faithful and spoU
less; yet, as being God, co-equal and co-essential with
the Father, it was not out of duty, but merely upon our
account, that he thus subjected his neck to the yoke of his
own law ; himself, as God, being the legislator or law*
giver, and so no more under it, than the Father himself,
C 5

58 THOUGHTS OX RELIGION.

And hereupon it is, that I verily believe, that whatso-
ever Christ either did or suffered in the flesh, was merito-
rious ; not that his life was righteous towards God, only
that his death might be meritorious for us (which I believe
otherwise it could not have been) but that his life was
equally meritorious, as righteous. So, that I believe my
person is as realty accepted, as perfectly righteous, by the
righteousness of his life imputed to me, as my sins are par-
doned by God, for the bitterness of the death he suffered
for them ; his righteousness being as really by faith im-
puted to me, as my sins were laid upon him : as those are
jet upon his, so is that set upon my score; and so every
thing he did in his life, as well as every thing lie suffered in
his deaths is mine ; by the latter God looks upon me as per-
fectly innocent, and therefore not to be thrown down to
hell j by the former he looks upon me as perfectly righ-
teous, and, therefore, to be brought up to heaven.

And, as for his death, I believe it was not only as much,
but infinitely more, satisfactory to divine justice, than
though I should have died to eternity. For, by that
means, justice is actually and perfectly satisfied already,
which it could never have been, for my suffering for my
sins myself; for if justice by that means could ever be sa-
tisfied/ if it could ever say, // is enough ; it could not
stand with the same justice, now satisfied, still to inflict
punishment, nor, by consequence, could the damned just-
ly scorch in the flames of God's wrath for ever. Neither
did the death of my Saviour reach only to the condemn-
ing, but likewise to the commanding power of sin ; it did
not on! v pluck out its sting, but likewise deprive it of its
strength ; so that he did not only merit by his death, that
I should never die for sin, but likewise, that I should die
to it. Neither did he only merit by his life, that I should
be accounted righteous in him before God; but likewise
that I should be made righteous in myself by God. Yea,
I believe that Christ by his death hath so fully discharged
the debt I owe to God, that now, for the remission of my
sins, and the accepting of my person (if I perform the con-
dition he requires in his covenant) I may not only appeal
to the throne of grace, but likewise to the judgment-seat
of God ; I may not only cry, u Mercy, mercy, O gracious
" Father, but, justice, justice, my righteous God ;" I may
not only say, Lord, be gracious and merciful, but be just
and faithful, to acquit me from that debt, and cancel that
bond which my surety hath paid for me, and which thou

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. $9

Tiast promised to accept of; being not only gracious and mer-
ciful, but just and faithful, to forgive me my sins, and to
cleanse me from all unrighteousness, 1 John i. 9.

ARTICLE VII.

/ believe that Christ rose from the grave, that I might rise
from sin, and that he is ascended into heaven that I may
come unto him.

A

S Christ came from heaven to earth, so I believe he
went from earth to heaven, and all for the accomplish-
ment of my salvation ; that after he had lived a most holy
life, he died a most cruel death ; that he was apprehended,
arraigned, accused, and condemned, by such as could not
pronounce the sentence against him, did not himself, at the
same time, vouchsafe them breath to do it ; and that he
that came into the world to take away the sins of it, to
bring sinners to the joys of life, was himself by those very-
sinners brought into the pangs of death. But yet, as it
was not in the power of death long to detain the Lord of
life ; so, though the worms had power to send him to the
grave, yet I believe they had not power or time to feed
upon him there ; for he rose again from the dead the third
day : he lay three days, that I might believe he was not
alive, but dead ; he arose the third day, that I might be-
lieve he is not dead, but lives ; he descended down to hell,
that he might make full satisfaction to God's justice for
my sins ; but he is now ascended up into heaven, that he
might make intercession to God's mercy for my soul : thi-
ther I believe he is gone, and there I believe he is, not as
a private person, but as the head and Saviour of his church.
And under this capacity, as I believe that Christ is there
for me, so I am there in him : For where the head is, there
must the members be also; that is, I am as really there in him,
my representative now, as I shall be in my own proper
person hereafter ; and he is as really preparing my man-
sion for me there, as I am preparing myself for that man-
sion here. Nay, I believe, that he is not only preparing
a mansion for me in heaven, but that himself is likewise
preparing me for this mansion upon earth, continually
sending down and issuing forth from himself fresh sup-
plies and influences of his grace and Spirit ; and all to
qualify me for his service, and make me meet to be partaker
of his inheritance with the saints in light*
C 6

60 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

Which inheritance, I believe, he doth so much desire
his Father tc bestow upon me, as he claims it for me ;
himself having purchased it with the price of his own
blood. And as he hath purchased the inheritance itself,
so likewise the way unto it for me ; and, therefore, sues
out for the pardon of those sins, and subduing those cor-
ruptions which would make me unworthy of it ; and for
the conveyance of those graces to me, whereby I may
walk directly to it ; not only saying to his Father, con-
cerning me, as Paul said to Philemon, concerning Onesi-
mus, If this thy servant oweth thee any thing, set it upon my
account ; I will repay it. But what is this thy servant
ovveth thee, see, it is set upon my score already, and I
have paid it ; what punishments he is indebted to thee,
for all the offences he hath committed against thee, be-
hold I have borne them already ; see how I have been
wounded for his transgressions, and bruised for his iniqui-
ties ; the chastisement of his peace was upon me : with my
stripes therefore let him be healed, Isa. liii. 5. And thus, as
he once shed his blood for me amongst men, he now
pleads it for me before God ; and that not only for the
washing out the guilt of my transgressions, but likewise
lor the washing away the filth of my corruptions ; himself
having purchased the donation of the Spirit from the Fa-
ther, he there claims the communication of it unto me.

And that he hath thus undertaken to plead my cause for
me, I have it under his own hand and seal ; himself by his
Spirit assuring me, that if / sin, I have an advocate with
the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous, 1 John ii. 1 .
So that I believe, he is not so much my solicitor at the
mercy-seat, as my advocate at the judgment-seat of God,
there pleading my right and title to the crown of glory,
and to every step of the way that I must go through the
kingdom of grace unto it. In a word, I believe, that
Christ, upon promise and engagement to pay such a price
for it in time, did purchase this inheritance for me from
eternity ; whereupon I was even then immediately chosen
and elected into it ; and had, by this means, a place in
heaven before 1 had any being upon earth ; and when the
time appointed, by covenant, was come, I believe, Christ,
according to his promise, paid the purchase-money, even
laid down his life for me ; and then forthwith went up and
took possession of this my kingdom, not for himself, but
for me as my proxy and representative : so that whilst I
am in my infancy, under age, I am in possession, though

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 6l

I have not as yet the enjoyment of this my inheritance ;
but that is reserved for me till I come at age. And how-
soever, though I do not enjoy the whole as yet, my Father
allows me as much of it as he sees convenient, so much
grace and so much comfort as he thinks best ; which are
as a pledge of what he has laid up for me in his kingdom
which is above.

ARTICLE VIII.

/ believe that my person is only justified by the merit of
Christ imputed to me ; and that my nature is only sancti-
fied by the Spirit of Christ implanted in me.

\ ND thus I do not only believe Christ to be my Savi-
-£*- our, but I believe only Christ to be my Saviour. It
was he alone that trod the ivine-p7'ess of his Father's wrath
filled with the sour and bitter grapes of my sins. It was
he that carried on the great work of my salvation, being
himself both the author and the finisher of it. I say it was
he, and he alone ; for what person or persons in the world
could do it, besides himself? the angels could not if they
would, the devils would not if they could ; and as for my
fellow-creatures, I may as well satisfy for their sins, as
they for mine ; and how little able even the best of us are
to do either, i. e. to atone either for our own transgressions,
or those of others, every man's experience will sufficiently
inform him. For how should we, poor worms of the
earth, ever hope, by our slime and mortar (if I may so
speak) of our own natural abilities, to raise up a tower,
whose top may reach to heaven ? Can we expect by the
strength of our own hands, to take heaven by violence ? or
by the price of our own works to purchase eternal glory ?
It is a matter of admiration to me, how any one, that pre-
tends to the use of his reason, can imagine, that he should
be accepted before God for what comes from himself? For,
how is it possible that I should be j ustified by good works,
when I can do no good works at all before 1 be first justi-
fied ? My works cannot be accepted as good, until my
person be so ; nor can my person be accepted by God,
till first ingrafted into Christ : before which ingrafting into
the true vine, it is impossible I should bring forth good
fruit; for the plowing of the wicked is sin, says Solomon,
Prov. xxi. 4. yea, the sacrifices of the wicked are an abomi-
nation to the Lord, chap. xv. 8. And if, both the civil

62' "thoughts on religion.

and spiritual actions of the wicked be sin, which of all
their actions, shall have the honour to justify them before
God ? I know not how it is with others, but for my own
part, I do not remember, neither do I believe, that I ever
prayed in all my life-time, with that reverence, or heard
with that attention, or received the sacrament with that
faith, or did any other work whatsoever, with that pure
heart and single eye, as I ought to have done. Insomuch
that I look upon all my righteousness asJUtky rags ; and it
is in the robes only of the righteousness of the Son of God
that I dare appear before the majesty of heaven. Nay,
suppose I could at length, attain to that perfection, as to
do good works, exactly conformable to the will of God,
yet must they have better eyes than I, that can see how
my obedience in one kind, can satisfy for my disobedience
in another ; or how that which God commands from me,
should merit any thing from him.

No, I believe there is -no person can merit any thing
from God, but he that can do more than is required of
him ; which it is impossible any creature should do. For,
in that it is a creature, it continually depends upon God,
and therefore is bound to do every thing it can, by any
means possible to do for him ; especially, considering, that
the creature's dependence upon God is such, that it is be-
holden to him even for every action that issues from it ;
without whom, as it is impossible any thing should be,
so likewise that any thing should act, especially, what is
good. So that to say, a man of himself can merit any
thing from God, is as much as to say, that he can merit
by that which of himself he doth not do ; or that one per-
son can merit by that which another performs ; which is a
plain contradiction. For in that it merits, it is necessarily
implied, that itself acts that by which it is said to merit,
but in that it doth not depend upon itself, but on another
in what it acts, it is as necessarily implied, that itself doth
not do that by which it is said to merit.

Upon this account, I shall never be induced to believe,
that any creature, by any thing it doth, or can do, can
merit, or deserve any thing at the hand of God, till it can
be proved, that a creature can merit by that which God
doth ; or that God can be bound to bestow any thing upon
us, for that which himself alone is pleased to work in us,
and by us ; which, in plain terms, would be as much as
to say, that because God hath been pleased to do one good
turn for us, he is therefore bound to do more ; and, be-

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 63

cause God hath enabled us to do our duty, he should
therefore be bound to give us glory.

It is not, therefore, in the power of any person in the
world to merit any thing from God, but such a one who
is absolutely co-essential with him, and so depends not
upon him either for his existence or actions. And, as
there is no person can merit any thing from God, unless
he be essentially the same with him, so likewise, unless
he be personally distinct from him : forasmuch as, though
a person may be said to merit for himself, yet he cannot
be said, without a gross solecism, to merit any thing from
himself. So that he that is not as perfectly another per-
son from God, as really as the same in nature with him,
can never be said to merit any thing at his hands.

But farther, God the Father could not properly be said
to do it in his own person, because, being (according to
our conception) the party offended, should he have under-
taken this work for me, he, in his own person, must have
undertaken to make satisfaction to his own person, for the
offences committed against himself; which if he should
have done, his mercy might have been much exalted, but
his justice could not have been satisfied by it. For justice
requires, either that the party offended should be punish-
ed for these offences, or, at least some fit person in his
stead, which the Father himself cannot be said to be, in
that he was the party offended, to whom the satisfaction
was to be made : and it is absurd to suppose, that the
same person should be capable of making satisfaction, both
by and to himself, at the same time.

It remains, therefore, that there were only two per-
sons in the holy Trinity, who could possibly be invested
with this capacity ; the Son and the Spirit : as to the lat-
ter, though he be indeed the same in nature with the Fa-~
ther, and a distinct person from him, and so far in a ca-
pacity to make satisfaction to him ; yet not being capable
both of assuming the human nature into the divine, and
also uniting and applying the divine nature to the human,
(as I have shewed before in the fifth article) he was not in
a capacity of making satisfaction foreman ; none being fit
to take that office upon him, but he that, of himself, was
perfectly God, and likewise capable of becoming perfectly
man, by uniting both natures in the same person ; which
the Holy Ghost could not do, because he was the person
by whom, and therefore could not be the person also in
whom, this union of the two natures was to be perfected,

#4 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

And yet it was by this means, and this method only, that
any person could have been completely capacitated to have
borne the punishment of our sins : he that was only man
could not do it, because the sin was committed against
God ; and he that was only God could not do it, because
the sin was committed by man.

From all which, as I may fairly infer, so I hope, I may
safely fix my faith in this article, viz, That there was only
one person in the whole world that could do this great
work for me, of justifying my person before God, and so
glorifying my soul with him ; and that was the Son of
God, the second person in the glorious Trinity, begotten
of the substance of the Father from all eternity ; whom I
apprehend and believe to have brought about the great
work of my justification before God, after this or the like
manner.

He being, in and of himself, perfectly co-equal, co-
essential, and co-eternal with the Father, was in no sort
bound to do more than the Father himself did ; and so
whatsoever he should do, which the Father did not, might
justly be accounted as a work of supererogation ; which,
without any violation of divine justice, might be set upon
the account of some other persons, even of such whom he
pleased to do it for. And hereupon, out of mercy and
compassion to fallen man, he covenants with his Father,
that if it pleased his majesty to accept it, he would take
upon him the suffering of those punishments which were
due from him to man, and the performance of those duties
which were due from man to him : so that whatsoever he
should thus humble himself to do or suffer, should wholly
be upon the account of man, himself not being any ways
bound to do or suffer more in time, than he had from eter-
nity.

This motion, the Father, out of the riches of his grace
and mercy, was pleased to consent unto : and hereupon,
the Son assuming our nature into his deity, becomes sub-
ject and obedient both to the moral and ceremonial laws of
his Father, and, at last, to death itself, even the death of
the cross. In the one, he paid an active, in the other a
passive, obedience ; and so did not only fulfil the will oi'
his Father, in obeying what he had commanded, but sa-
tisfied liis justice in suffering the punishment due to us for
the transgressing of it. His active obedience, as it was
infinitely pure and perfect, did, without doubt, infinitely
transcend a>U the obedience of the sons of men, even of

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 65

Adam too, in his primitive state. For, the obedience of
Adam, make the best of it, "was but the obedience of a
finite creature ; whereas the obedience of Christ was the
obedience of one that was infinite God, as well as man. By
which means, the laws of God had higher obedience per-
formed to them, than themselves in their primitive insti-
tution required ; for being made only to finite creatures,
they could command no more than the obedience of finite
creatures ; whereas the obedience of Christ was the obe-
dience of one who was the infinite Creator, as well as a fi-
nite creature.

Now, this obedience being more than Christ was bound
to, and only performed upon the account of those whose
nature he had assumed ; as we, by faith, lay hold upon it,
so God, through grace, imputes it to us, as if it had been
performed by us in our own persons. And hence it is,
that as, in one place, Christ is said to be made sin for us,
2 Cor. v. 21. so in another place, he is said to be made our
righteousness, 1 Cor. i. 30. And in the forecited place,
2 Cor. v. 21. as he is said to be made sin for us, so we are
said to be made righteousness in him : but what righteous-
ness ? our own ? No, the righteousness of God, radically
his, but imputatively ours : and this is the only way,
whereby we are said to be made the righteousness of God,
even by the righteousness of Christ's being made ours, by
which we are accounted and reputed as righteous before
God.

These things considered, I very much wonder, how
any man can presume to exclude the active obedience of
Christ from our justification before God, as if what Christ
did in the flesh, was only of duty, not at all of merit ; or,
as if it was for himself, and not for us. Especially, when
I consider, that suffering the penalty is not what the law
primarily requireth ; for the law of God requires perfect
obedience, the penalty being only threatened to (not pro-
perly required of) the breakers of it. For, let a man suf-
fer the penalty of the law in never so high a manner, he
is not therefore accounted obedient to it ; his punishment
doth not speak his innocence, but rather his transgression
of the law.

Hence it is, that I cannot look upon Christ, as having
made full satisfaction to God's justice for me, unless he had
performed the obedience I owe to God's laws, as well as
borne the punishment that is due to my sins : for though
he should have borne my sins, I cannot see how that could

66 - THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

denominate me righteous or obedient to the law, so as to
entitle me to eternal life, according to the tenor of the old
law, Do this and live, Lev. xviii. 5. Which old covenant
is not disannulled or abrogated by the covenant of grace,
but rather established, Rom. iii. 31. especially as to the
obedience it requires from us, in order to the life it promis-
eth ; otherwise, the laws of God would be mutable, and so
come short of the laws of the very Medes and Persians, which
alter not. Obedience, therefore, is as strictly required
under the New, as it was under the Old Testament, but
with this difference : there obedience in our own persons
was required as absolutely necessary ; here, obedience in
our surety is accepted as completely sufficient.

But now, if we have no such obedience in our surety, as
we cannot have, if he did not live, as well as die, for us ;
let any one tell me what title he hath, or can have, to eter-
nal life ? I suppose he will tell me, he hath none in him-
self, because he hath not performed perfect obedience to
the law. And I tell him, he hath none in Christ, unless
Christ performed that obedience for him, which none can
say he did, that doth not believe his active, as well as pas-
sive obedience, to be wholly upon our account.

And now I speak of Christ's being our surety, as the
apostle calls him, Heb. vii. 22. methinks this gives much
light to the truth in hand : for, what is a surety, but one
that undertakes to pay whatsoever he, whose surety he is,
is bound to pay, in case the debtor proves nonsolvent, or
unable to pay it himself? And thus is Christ, under the
notion of a surety, bound to pay whatever we owe to
God, because we ourselves are not able to pay it in our
own persons.

Now, there are two things that we owe to God, which
this our surety is bound to pay for us, viz. First, and prin-
cipally, obedience to his laws, as he is our Creator and
governor ; and, secondly, by consequence, the punish-
ment that is annexed to the breach of these laws, of which
we are guilty. Now, though Christ should pay the latter
part of our debt for us, by bearing the punishment that is
due unto us ; yet, if he did not pay the former and prin-
cipal part of it too, i. e. perform the obedience which we
owe to God, he would not fully have performed the office
of suretyship, which he undertook for us ; and so would
be but a half-mediator, or half-saviour, which are such
words as I dare scarce pronounce, for fear of blasphemy.
So that, though it is the death of Christ by which I be-

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. #7

lieve my sins are pardoned ; yet it is the life of Christ, by
which I believe my person is accepted. His passion God
accounts as suffered by me, and therefore I shall not die
for sin : his obedience God accounts as performed by me,
and therefore I shall live with him. Not if as [ believed,
that Christ so performed obedience for me, that I should
be discharged from my duty to him : but only that 1 should
not be condemned by God, in not discharging my duty to
him in so strict a manner, as is required. I believe that
the active obedience of Christ will stand me in no stead,
unless I endeavour after sincere obedience in my own
person ; his active, as well as his passive obedience, being
imputed unto none, but only to such as apply it to them-
selves by faith ; which faith in Christ will certainly put
such as are possessed of it upon obedience unto God. This,
therefore, is the righteousness, and the manner of that justi-
fication, whereby I hope to stand before the judgment-seat
of God ; even by God's imputing my sins to Christ, and
Christ's righteousness to me ; looking upon me as one not
to be punished for my sins, because Christ hath suffered,
but to be received into the joys of glory, because Christ
hath performed obedience for me, and does, by faith,
through grace, impute it to me.

And thus it is into the merit of Christ that I resolve the
whole work of my salvation ; and this, not only, as to
that which is wrought without me, for the justification of
my person, but likewise as to what is wrought within me
for the sanctification of my nature. As I cannot have a
sin pardoned without Christ, so neither can I have a sin
subdued without him ; neither the fire of God's wrath can
be quenched, nor yet the filth of my sins washed away,
but by the blood of Christ.

So that I wonder as much at the doctrine that some men
have advanced concerning free-will, as I do at that which
others have broached in favour of good works ; and it is a
mystery to me, how any that ever had experience of Jtipd's
method in working out sin, and planting grace in our
hearts, should think they can do it by themselves, or any
thing in order to it. Not that I do in the least question,
but that every man may be saved that will ; (for this, I
believe, is a real truth) but I do not believe, that any man
of himself can will to be saved. Wheresoever God en-
ables a soul effectually to will salvation, he will certainly
give salvation to that soul ; but I believe, it is as impossi-
ble for my soul to will salvation of itself, as to enjoy salva-
tion without God.

6S THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

And this my faith is not grounded upon a roving fancy,
but the most solid reasons ; forasmuch as, of ourselves,
we are not able, in our understandings, to discern the
evil from the good, much less then, are we able, in our
wills, to prefer the good before the evil ; the will never
settling upon any thing, but what the judgment discovers
to it. But now, that my natural judgment is unable to
apprehend and represent to my will the true and only
good under its proper notion, my own too sad experience
would sufficiently persuade me, though I had neither
scripture nor reason for it. And yet the scripture also is
so clear in this point, that I could not have denied it,
though I should never have had any experience of it ; the
Most High expressly telling me, that the natural man re-
cciveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are fool-
ishness to him ; neither can he hioiv them, because they are
spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Neither can he know
them, i. e. There is an absolute impossibility in it, that any
one remaining in his natural principles, without the assist-
ance of God, should apprehend or conceive the excellency
of spiritual objects. So that a man may as soon read the
letter of the scripture without eyes, as understand the
mysteries of the gospel without grace. And this is not at
all to be wondered at ; especially, if we consider the vast
and infinite disproportion betwixt the object and the facul-
ty ; the object to be apprehended being nothing less than
the best of beings, God : and the faculty whereby we ap-
prehend it, nothing more than the power of a finite crea-
ture polluted with the worst of evils, sin.

So that I believe it a thousand times easier for a worm, a
fly, or any other despicable insect whatsoever, to understand
the affairs of men, than for the best of men in a natural
state to apprehend the things of God. No ; there is none
can know God, nor, by consequence, any thing that is
really good, but only so far as they are partakers of the
divr^e nature : we must, in some measure, be like to God,
before we can have any true conceptions of him, or be
really delighted with him : we must have a spiritual sight,
before we can behold spiritual things ; which every natu-
ral man being destitute of, he can see no comeliness in
Christ, why he should be desired ; nor any amiableness
in religion, why it should be embraced.

And hence it is, that I believe, the first work that God
puts forth upon the soul in order to its conversion, is, to
raise up a spiritual light within it, to clear up its appre-

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 6^

hensions about spiritual matters, so as to enable the soul to
look upon God as the chiefest good, and the enjoyment of
him as the greatest bliss ; whereby the soul may clearly
discern between good and evil, and evidently perceive, that
nothing is good, but so far as it is like to God ; and no-
thing evil, but so far as it resembles sin.

But this is not all the work that God hath to do upon a
sinful soul, to bring it to himself; for though I must con-
fess that in natural things, the will always follows the ulti-
mate dictates of the understanding, so as to choose and em-
brace what the understanding represents to it, under the
comely dress of good and amiable, and to refuse and abhor
whatever, under the same representation, appears to be
evil and dangerous ; I say, though I must confess, it is so
m natural, yet I believe, it is not so in spiritual matters.
For, though the understanding may have never such clear
apprehensions of spiritual good, yet the will is not at all af-
fected with it, without the joint operations of the grace of
God upon us ; all of us too sadly experiencing what St.
Paul long ago bewailed in himself, that what we do, wc
allow not, Rom. vii. 15. that though our judgments con-
demn what we do, yet we cannot choose but do it ; though
our understandings clearly discover to us the excellence^
grace and glory, yet our wills overpowered with their own
corruptions, are strangely hurried into sin and misery, I
must confess, it is a truth which I should scarcely have
ever believed, if I had not such daily experience of *it; but
alas ! there is scarce an hour in the day, but I may <r0
about lamenting, with Medea in Seneca, Video mcliwa,
proboque ; deieriora seqnor ; though I see what is good,
yea, and judge it to be the better, yet I very often choose
the worse.

And the reason of it is, because, as by our fall from
God, the whole soul was desperately corrupted ; so it is
not the rectifying of one faculty, which can make the
whole straight ; but as the whole was changed from ho-
liness to sin, so must the whole be changed again from sin
to holiness, before it can be inserted into a state of grace,
or so much as an act of grace to be exerted by it.

Now, therefore, the understanding and will being two
distinct faculties, or, at least two distinct acts in the souk
it is impossible for the understanding to be so enlightened,
as to prefer the good before the evil, and yet for the will
to remain so corrupt, as to choose the evil before the good.
And hence it is, that where God intends to work over a

70 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

soul to himself, he doth not only pass an enlightening act
upon the understanding and its apprehensions, but like-
wise a sancifying act upon the will and its affections, that
when the soul perceives the glory of God, and the beauty
of holiness, it may presently close with, and entertain it
with the choicest of its affections. And without God's thus
drawing it, the understanding could never allure the soul
to good.

And therefore it is, that for all the clear discoveries which
the understanding may make to itself concerning the glo-
ries of the invisible world, yet God assures us, it is him-
self alone that effects the soul with them, by inclining its
will to them : for it is God which workelh in us both to will
and to do of his good pleasure, Phil. ii. 13. So that, though
God offer heaven to all that will accept of it, in the holy
scriptures ; yet none can accept of it, but such whom him-
self stirs up by his holy Spirit to endeavour after it. And
thus we find it was in Israel's return from Babylon to Je-
rusalem, though king Cyrus made a proclamation, that
whosoever would might go up to worship at the holy city,
Ezra i. 3. yet there was none that accepted of the offer,
but those whose spirit God had raised to go up, ver. 5. So
here, though God doth, as it were, proclaim to all the
world, that whosoever will come to Christ shall certainly
be saved, yet it doth not follow, that all shall receive sal-
vation from him, because it is certain all will not come ;
or rather, none can will to come unless God enable him.

I am sure, to say none shall be saved, but those that
will of themselves, would be sad news for me, whose will
is naturally so backward to every thing that is good. But
this is my comfort, I am as certain, my salvation is of God,
as I am certain it cannot be of myself. It is Christ who
vouchsafed to die for me, who hath likewise promised to
live within me : it is he that will work all my works, both
for me and in me too. In a word, it is to him I am be-
holden, not only for my spiritual blessings and enjoy-
ments, but even for my temporal ones too, which, in and
through his .name, I daily put up my petitions for. So
that I have not so much as a morsel of bread, in mercy,
from God, but only upon the account of Christ ; not a
drop of drink, but what flows to me in his blood. It is
he that is the very blessing of all my blessings, without
whom my very mercies would prove but curses, and my
prosperity would but work my ruin.

" Whither, therefore, should I go, my dear and bles-

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 71

u sed Saviour, but unto thee ? Thou hast the words ofeter-
" nal life. And how shall I come, but by thee ? Thou
" hast the treasures of all grace. O thou, that hast
" wrought out my salvation for me, be pleased likewise to
" work this salvation in me ; give me, I beseech thee,
" such a measure of thy grace, as to believe in thee here
" upon earth : and then give me such degrees of glory, as
ee fully to enjoy thee for ever in heaven."

ARTICLE IX.

I believe God entered into a double covenant with man, the
covenant of works made with the first ', and the covenant of
grace made in the second Adam.

np HAT the most high God should take a piece of earth,
-*- work it up into the frame and fashion of a man, and
breathe into his nostrils the breath of life, and then should
enter into a covenant with it, and should say, Do this and
live, when man was bound to do it, whether he could
live by it or no, was without doubt, a great and amazing
act of love and condescension > but that, when this cove-
nant was unhappily broken by the first, God should in-
stantly vouchsafe to renew it in the second Adam ; and
that too upon better terms, and more easy conditions than
the former, was yet a more surprising mercy : for the same
day that Adam eat the forbidden fruit did God make him
this promise, that the seed of the woman should bruise the
serpent's head, Gen. hi. 15. And this promise he afterwards
explained and confirmed by the mouth of his prophet Jere-
miah, saying, This is the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel, after those days ; I will put my law into
their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and I will
be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, Jer. xxxi.
33. And again, by St. Paul under the New Testament,
almost in the self-same words, Heb. viii. 10.

A covenant so gracious and condescending, that it seems
to be made up of nothing else but promises. The first
was, properly speaking, a covenant of works, requiring
on man's part a perfect and unsinning obedience, without
any extraordinary grace or assistance from God to enable
him to perform it ; but here, in the second, God under-
takes both for himself and for man too, having digested
the conditions to be performed by us, into promises, to be
fulfilled by himself, viz. that he will not only pardon our

?2 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

sins, if we do repent, but that he will give us repentance,
that so we may deserve Ins pardon • that he will not only
give us life, if we come to Christ, but even draw us to
Christ, that so he may give us life ; and so not only make
us happy, if we will be holy, but make us holy, that so
we may be happy : for the covenant is, not that he will
be our God, if we will be his people, but he will be our
God, and we shall be his people. But still, all this is in
and through Christ, the surety and mediator of this cove-
nant, in whom all the promises are yea and amen, 2 Cor.
i. 20. so that Christ may be looked upon, not only as a
surety, but as a party in this covenant of grace, being not
only bound to God, but likewise covenanting with him
for us. As God-man, he is a surety for us, but as man he
must needs be a party with us, even our head in the cove-
nant of grace, as Adam was in the covenant of works.

What therefore, though I can do nothing in this cove-
nant of myself? yet this is my comfort, that he hath un-
dertaken for me, who can do all things. And therefore it
is called a covenant of grace, and not of works, because
in it there is no work required from me, but what, by
grace, I shall be enabled to perform.

And as for the tenor in which this Covenant runs, or the
Habendum and grant which each party covenants for, it is
expressed in these words, / will be your God, and you shall be
my people; God covenants with us, that we shall be his peo-
ple, we covenant with God, that lie shall be our God.
And what can God stipulate more to us, or we stipulate
more to him than this ? What doth not God promise to us,
when he promises to be our God ? and what doth he not
require from us, when he requires us to be his people.

First, He doth not say, I will be your hope, your help,
your light, your life, your sun, your shield, and your ex-
ceeding great reward ; but I will be your God, which is
ten thousand times more than possibly can be couched un-
der any other expressions whatsoever, as containing under
it whatsoever God is, whatsoever God hath, and whatso-
ever God can do. All his essential attributes are still en-
gaged for us ; we may lay claim to them, and take hold
on them : So that what the prophet saith of his righteous-
ness and strength, surely shall one say, in the Lord have J
righteousness and strength, Isa. xiv. 24. I may extend to all
his other attributes, and say, surely in the Lord have I mer-
cy to pardon me, wisdom to instruct me, power to protect
me, truth to direct me, grace to crown my heart on earth,

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 13

and glory to crown my head in heaven : and, if what he
is, then much more what he hath, is here made over by
covenant to me. He that spared not his own Son, saith
the apostle, but delivered him up for us all ; how shall he
not but with him likewise freely give us all things ? Rom.
viii. 32. But what hath God to give me? Why, all that he
hath is briefly summed up in this short inventory ; what-
soever is in heaven above, or the earth beneath, is his ;
and that this inventory is true, I have several witnesses
to prove it, Melchizedec, Gen. xiv. 19- and Moses, Deut.
x. 14. and David, 1 Chron. xxix. 11. Indeed, reason it-
self will conclude this, that he that is the Creator and Pre-
server, must, of necessity, be the owner and possessor of
all things ; so that let me imagine what possibly I can in
all the world, I may with the pen of reason write under
it, this is God's ; and if I take but the pen of faith with it,
I may write, this is mine in Jesus Christ.

As for example ; hath he a Son ? He hath died for me.
Hath he a Spirit ? It shall live within me. Is earth his ?
It shall be my provision. Is heaven his ? It shall be my
portion. Hath he angels ? They shall guard me. Hath
he comforts ? They shall support me. Hath he grace ?
That shall make me holy. Hath he glory? That shall
make me happy, For the Lord will give grace and glory,
and no good thing will he withhold from those that walk up-
rightly, Psal.lxxxiv.il.

And as he is nothing but what he is unto us, so he doth
nothing but what he doth for us. So that whatsoever God
doth by his ordinary providence, or (if our necessity re-
quires) whatsoever he can do by his extraordinary power,
I may be sure, he doth and will do for me. Now he hath
given himself to me, and taken me unto himself, what
will he not do for me that he can ? And what can he not
do for me that he will ? Do I want food ? God can dron
down manna from the clouds, Exod. xvi. 4. or bid the
quails come down and feed me with their own flesh, as
they did the Israelites, ver. 13. or he can send the ravens
to bring me bread and flesh, as they did the prophet Eli-
jah, 1 Kings xvh. 6. Am I thirsty ? God can broach the
rocks, and dissolve the flints into floods of water as he did
for Israel, Deut. vii. 25. Am I cast into a fiery furnace ?
he can suspend the fury of the raging flames, as he did for
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Dan. hi. 23. Am I
thrown among the devouring lions ? he can stop their
mouths, and make them as harmless as lambs, as he did

D

74 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

for Daniel, Dan. vi. 22. Am I ready to be swallowed up
by the merciless waves of the tempestuous ocean ? God
can command a fish to come and ship me safe to land, and
that in its own belly, as he did for his prophet Jonah, Jo-
nah ii. 10. Am I in prison ? God can speak the word, as
he did for St. Peter, and the chains shall immediately fall
off, and the doors fly open, and I shall be set at liberty,
as he was, Acts xii. j, 8, 9, 10. And thus I can have no
wants, but God can supply them, no doubts, but God can
resolve them, no fears, but God can dispel them, no dan-
gers, but God can prevent them. And it is as certain that
he will, as that he can, do these things for me, himself
having, by covenant, engaged and given himself unto me.

And as, in God's giving himself, he hath given whatso-
ever he is, and whatsoever he hath unto me, and will do
whatsoever he can do for me ; so in my giving myself to
him, whatsoever I have I am to give to him, and whatso-
ever I do I am to do for him. But now, though we should
thus wholly give up ourselves to God, and do whatsoever
he requires of us (which none, I fear, without some de-
gree of presumption, can say he has done) yet there is an
infinite disproportion between the grant on God's part, and
that on ours, in that he is God, and we but creatures, the
workmanship of hisoivn hands, to whom it was our duty to
give ourselves, whether he had ever given himself to us or
no : he is ours by covenant only, not by nature ; we are
his both by covenant and nature too.

Hence we may infer, that it is not only our duty to do
what he hath commanded us, because he hath said, Do
this and live ; but because he hath said, Do this ; yea,
though he should say, Do this and die, it would still be
our duty to do it, because we are his, wholly of his mak-
ing, and therefore wholly at his disposing ; insomuch that
should he put me upon the doing that which would inevi-
tably bring ruin upon me, I am not to neglect obeying him
for fear of destroying myself, his will and pleasure being
infinitely to be preferred before my life and salvation.

But, if it were my duty to obey his commands, though
I should die for it, how much more3 when he hath pro-
mised, I shall live by it ? nay, I shall not only live, if I
obey him, but my obedience itself shall be my life and
happiness ; for if I be obedient unto him, he is pleased to
account himself as glorified by me : for herein is my Fa-
ther glorified, if ye bring forth mueh fruit, John xv. 8.
Now, what greater glory can possibly be desired, than to

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 75

glorify my Maker ? How can I be more glorified by God
than to have God glorified by me ; it is the glory of God
to glorify himself; and what a higher glory can a creature
aspire after, than that which is the infinite glory of its all-
glorious Creator ? It is not, therefore, my duty only, but
my glory to give myself, and whatsoever I am, unto him,
io glorify him both in my body and in my spirit which arc his%
1 Cor. vi. 20. to lay out whatsoever I have for him, io ho-
nour him with all my substance, Prov. iii. 9. and whether I
eat or drink, or whatsoever I do, to do all to his glory, 1 Cor.
x. 31. Not as if it wras possible for God to receive more
glory from me now, than he had in himself from all eterni-
ty. No : he was infinitely glorious then, and it is impos-
sible for him to be more glorious now ; all that we can do,
is duly to acknowledge that glory which he hath in him-
self, and to manifest it, as we ought, before others ;
which, though it be no addition to his glory, yet it is
the perfection of ours, which he is pleased to account as
his.

As for the grant, therefore, in the covenant of grace ; I
believe it to be the same on our parts, with that in the co-
venant of works, i. e. That we Christians are as much
bound to obey the commands he lays upon us now, as the
Jews under the old covenant were. What difference there
is, is wholly and solely on God's part ; who, instead of
expecting obedience from us, is pleased, in this new cove-
nant, to give this obedience to us. Instead of saying, Do
this and live, he hath, in effect, said, I will enable you to
do this, that so you may live. I will put my laws into your
minds, and write them in your hearts ; and I will be to you a
God, and you shall be to me a people, Heb. viii. 10. Not,
I will, if you will, but I will, and you shall. Not, if you
will do this, you shall live, but, you shall do this, and
live. So that God doth not require less from us, but only
hath promised more to us, in the newT, than he did in the
old covenant. There, we were to perform obedience to
God ; but it was by our own strength : here, we are to
perform the same obedience still ; but it is by his strength.
Nay, as we have more obligations to obedience upon us
now, than we had before, by reason of God's expressing
more grace and favour to us than formerly he did ; so I
believe God expects more from us, under the new, than
he did under the old covenant. In that, he expected the
obedience of men ; in this, he expects the obedience of
Christians, such as are by faith united unto Christ, and,
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76 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

in Christ, unto himself; and so are to do what they do,
not by the strength of man, as before, but by the strength
of the eternal God himself; who, as he at first created me
for himself, so he hath now purchased me to himself, re-
ceived me into covenant with him, and promised to en-
able me with grace to perform that obedience he requires
from me ; and, therefore, he now expects I should lay out
myself, even whatsoever I have or I am, wholly for him
and his glory.

This, therefore, being the tenor of this covenant of
grace, it follows, that I am none of my own, but wholly
God's : I am his by creation, and his by redemption, and,
therefore, ought to be his by conversion. Why, there-
fore, should I live any longer to myself, who am not my
own, but God's ? And why should I grudge to give my-
self to him, who did not grudge to give himself for me ?
or rather, Why should I steal myself from him, who have
already given myself to him ? But did I say, I have given
myself to my God? Alas ! it is but the restoring myself to
him, whose I was ever since I had a being, and to whom
I am still infinitely more engaged, than I can thus cordi-
ally engage myself to him ; for, as I am not my own, but
his, so the very giving of myself to him, is not from my-
self, but from him. I could not have given myself to him,
had he not first given himself to me, and even wrought
my mind into this resolution of giving myself to him.

But, having thus solemnly by covenant given myself to
him, how doth it behove me to improve myself for him ;
my soul is his, my body his, my parts his, my gifts his,
my graces his, and whatsoever is mine, is his ; for, with-
out him I could not have been, and therefore could have
had nothing. So that I have no more cause to be proud
of any thing I have, or am, than a page hath to be proud
of his fine clothes, which are not his, but his master's;
who bestows all his finery upon him, not for his page's ho-
nour or credit, but for his own.

And thus it is with the best of us, in respect of God ; he
gives men parts and learning, and riches and grace, and
desires and expects that we should make a due use of them:
but to what end ? Not to gain honour and esteem to our-
selves, and make us proud and haughty ; but to give him
the honour due to his name, and so employ them as in-
struments in promoting his glory and service. So that,
whensoever Ave do not lay out ourselves to the utmost of
our power for him, it is downright sacrilege ; it is robbing

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 77

God of that which is more properly his, than any man in
the world can call any thing he hath his own.

Having, therefore, thus wholly surrendered and given
up myself to God, so long as it shall please his majesty to
entrust me with myself, to lend me my being in the lower
world, or to put any thing else into my hands, as time,
health, strength, parts, or the like ; I am resolved, by his
grace, to lay out all for his glory. All the faculties of my
soul, as I have given them to him, so will I endeavour to
improve them for him ; they shall still be at his most no-
ble service ; my understanding shall be his, to know him ;
my will his, to choose him ; my affections his, to embrace
him : and all the members of my body shall act in sub-
serviency to him.

And thus, having given myself to God on earth, I hope
God in a short time will take me to himself in heaven :
where, as I give my self to him in time, he will give him-
self to me unto all eternity.

ARTICLE X.

/ believe, that as God entered into a covenant of grace with
us, so hath he signed this covenant to us by a double seal,
baptism and the Lord's supper.

\ S the covenant of works had two sacraments, viz. the
*£*- tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil;
the first signifying and sealing life and happiness to the
performance, the other death and misery to the breach of
it : so the covenant of grace was likewise sealed with two
typical sacraments, circumcision and the passover. The
former was annexed at God's first making his covenant
with Abraham's person ; the other was added, at his ful-
filling the promises of it, to his seed or posterity, which
were therefore styled, the promised seed. But these being
only typical of the true and spiritual sacraments, that were
afterwards to take place upon the coming of the Messiah,
there were then, in the fulness of time, two other sacraments
substituted in their stead, viz. baptism and the supper of the
Lord. And these sacraments were both correspondent to
the types by which they were represented.

As to the first, viz. Circumcision, whether I consider
the time of conferring it, or the end of its institution, I
find it exactly answers to the sacrament of baptism in both
these respects. For, as the children under the law were to
be circumcised in their infancy, at eight days old; so are
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78 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

the children under the gospel to be baptized in their infan-
cy too. And as the principal thing intended in the rite of
circumcision, was to initiate or admit the children of the
faithful into the Jewish church ; so the chief -design of
baptism now, is to admit the children of such as profess
themselves Christians, into the church of Christ. And,
for this reason, I believe, that as, under the Old Testa-
ment, children had the grant of covenant privileges, and
church-membership, as really as their parents had ; so
this grant was not repealed, as is intimated, Acts ii. 39.
but farther confirmed in the New Testament, in that the
apostle calls the children of believing parents holy, 1 Cor.
xii. 14. Which cannot be understood of a real and inhe-
rent, but only of a relative and covenanted holiness, by
virtue of which, being born of believing parents, them-
selves are accounted in the number of believers, and are
therefore called holy children under the gospel, in the
same sense that the people of Israel were called a holy
people under the law, Deut. vii. 6. and xiv. 2, 21. as be-
ing all within the covenant of grace, which, through the
faith of their parents, is thus sealed to them in baptism.

Not that I think it necessary, that all parents should be
endued with what we call a saving faith, to entitle their
children to these privileges (for then none but the chil-
dren of such who have the Spirit of Christ truly implanted
in them, would be qualified to partake of the covenant)
but even such, who by an outward historical faith have
taken the name of Christ upon them, are by that means
in covenant with God, and so accounted holy in respect of
their profession, whatever they may be in point of prac-
tice. And if they are themselves holy, it follows of
course, that their children must be so too, they being
esteemed as parts of their parents, till made distinct mem-
bers in the body of Christ, or, at least, till they come to
the use of their reason, and the improvement of their na-
tural abilities.

And therefore, though the seal be changed, yet the co-
venant privileges, wherewith the parties stipulating unto
God were before invested, are no whit altered or dimi-
nished ; believers' children being as really confederates
with their parents, in the covenant of grace now, as they
were before under the Jewish administration of it. And
this seems to be altogether necessary ; for otherwise, in-
fants should be invested with privileges under the type,
and be deprived of, or excluded from them, under the

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 79

more perfect accomplishment of the same covenant in the
thing typified ; and so the dispensations of God's grace
would be more strait and narrow since, than they were
before the coming of our Saviour, which I look upon to
be no less than blasphemy to assert.

And, upon this ground, I believe, it is as really the
duty of Christians to baptize their children now, as ever it
was the duty of the Israelites to circumcise theirs ; and
therefore St. Peter's question, Can any man forbid water,
that these should not be baptized, who luive received the Holy
Ghost as well as we c4 Acts x. 47- may very properly be
applied to this case. Can any man forbid water, that chil-
dren should not be baptized, who are in covenant with the
most high God as well as we ? For what is it, I pray, that
the right to baptism doth depend upon ? Surely, not upon
performing the conditions of the covenant ; for then none
shall be baptized, but such as are true believers in them-
selves, and known to be so by us, and, by consequence,
none at all ; it being only God's prerogative to search their
hearts, and to know the truth of that grace, which him-
self hath been pleased to bestow upon them. But chil-
dren's right to baptism is grounded upon the outward pro-
fession of their believing parents ; so that as a king may be
crowned in his cradle, not because he is able to weild the
sceptre, or manage the affairs of his kingdom, but because
he is heir to his father : so here, children are not therefore
baptized because they are able to perform the conditions of
the covenant, which is sealed to them, but because they
are children to believing parents. And this seems yet to
be farther evident, from the very nature of seals, which
are not administered or annexed to any covenant, because
the conditions are already performed, but rather that they
may be performed ; and so children are not baptized be-
cause they are already true Christians, but that they may
be so hereafter.

As for a command for infant baptism, I believe, that the
same law that enjoined circumcision to the Jewish, enjoins
baptism likewise to Christian children, there being the
same reason for both. The reason why the Jewish chil-
dren were to be circumcised, was because they were Jew-
ish children, bom of such as professed the true worship of
God, and were in covenant with him ; and there is the
same reason why Christian children are to be baptized,
even because they are Christian children, born of such as
profess the true worship of the same God, and are confe-
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80 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

derates in the same covenant with the Jews themselves.
And, as there is the same reason, so likewise the same end
for both, viz. That the children might be actually admit-
ted into the same covenant with their parents, and have it
visibly confirmed to them by this initiating seal put upon
them : so that circumcision and baptism are not two dis-
tinct seals, but the same seal diversely applied ; the one
being but as a type of the other, and so to give place to
it, whensoever, by the institution of Christ, it should be
brought into the church of God. And therefore, the com-
mand for initiating children into the church by baptism,
remains still in force, though circumcision, which was the
type and shadow of it, be done away. And for this rea-
l believe, that was there never a command in the
Sev; Testament for infant baptism, yet, seeing there is
one for circumcision in the Old, and for baptism, as com-
ing into the place of it, in the New, I should bok upon
baptism as necessarily to be applied to infants now, as cir-
cumcision was then.

But why should it be supposed, that there is no com-
mand in the New Testament for infant baptism ? There
are several texts that seem to imply its hieing jeiwactiaed in
the first preaching of the gosrjet, as particularly in \'<\e case
of Lydia and the keeper of the prison, Acts xvi. 15, 33.
who had their whole families baptized, and we no where
nnd that children were excepted. On the contrary, St,
Peter exhorting the converted Jews to be baptized, makes
use of this argument to bring them to it, For the promise,
says he, is unto you and to your children, Acts ii. 38, 39-
which may as reasonably be understood of their infants, as
of their adult posterity. But, besides, it was the express
command of Christ to his disciples, that they should go,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Fa-
ther, Son, ami Holy Ghost, Matt, xxviii. ip. The mean-
ing of which words I take to be this ; go ye, and preach
the gospel among all nations, and endeavour thereby to
bring them over to the embracing of it ; that leaving all
Jewish ceremonies and heathenish idolatries, they may
profess my name, and become my disciples, receive the
truth, and follow me ; which if they do, I charge you to
baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost ; for the word Matheteu.mte doth not signify to teach,
but to make disciples, denoting the same here, that mathe-
taspoiein doth upon the like occasion, John iv. 1.

And this is the sense that all the ancient translations

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 81

agree in : nor, indeed, will the text itself bear any other •
especially, not that of teaching ; for though the apostles
should have taught all nations, yet they were not present-
ly to baptize them unless they became disciples, and pro-
fessors of the doctrine that they were taught. A man may
be taught the doctrine of the gospel, and yet not believe
it ; and even though he should believe, yet unless he open-
ly profess his faith in it, he ought not presently to be bap-
tized. For, without this outward profession, the very
professing of Christ cannot entitle a man to this privilege
before men, though it doth before God ; because we can-
not know how any one stands affected towards Christ, but
only by his outward profession of him. It is the inward
profession of Christ's person that entitles us to the inward
spiritual grace: but it is the outward profession of his
name only, that entitles us to the outward visible sign in
baptism : so that a man must, of necessity, be a profess-
ed disciple of the gospel, before he can be admitted into
the church of Christ. And hence it is, that the words
must necessarily be understood of discipling, or bringing
the nations over to the profession of the Christian religion ;
or else we must suppose, what ought not to be granted,
that our Saviour must command many that were visible
enemies to his cross, to be received into his church ; for
many of the Jews were taught and instructed in the doc-
trine of the gospel, who, notwithstanding, were invete-
rate enemies unto Christ. They were taught that he was
the Messiah, and saviour of the world, and that whosoever
believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life;
and they had all the reason in the world to be convinced
of it : yet, I hope, there is none will say, that the bare
knowledge of, or tacit assent unto, these things, are a suf-
ficient ground for their reception into the church.

Now, as it was in the Jewish church, when any one
became a proselyte, not only himself, but whatsoever chil-
dren he had, were to be circumcised ; so in the church
of Christ, whensoever any person is brought over into the
profession of the Christian religion, his seed are equally
invested with the outward privileges of it with himself
though they be not as yet come to years of discretion, nor
able, of themselves, to make their profession of that reli-
gion they are to be received and baptized into. For, so
long as children are in their infancy, they are (as I before
observed) looked upon as parts of their parents, and are
therefore accounted holy, by the outward profession which
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82 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

their parents, under whom they are comprehended, make
of it; and in this sense, 1 Cor. viii. 14. the unbelieving hus-
band is said to be sanctified by the believing wife, and the un-
believing wife by the believing husband, that is, man and
wife being made one flesh, they are denominated, from
the better part holy, and so are their children too.

And hence it is, that I verily believe, that in the com-
mission which our Saviour gave to his apostles, to disciple
and baptize all nations, he meant, that they should preach
the gospel in all nations, and thereby bring over all per-
sons of understanding and discretion to the profession of
his name, and in them, their children ; and to engraft
both root and branch into himself, the true vine, by bap-
tizing both parents and children in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost.

The main objection against this is, that infants are not
in a capacity either to learn and understand their duty in
this covenant, or to stipulate and promise for their future
performance of the conditions of it. But this difficulty is
easily removed, when I consider, that it is not by virtue
of their own faith and knowledge, but that of their pa-
rents, that they are admitted to this sacrament ; nor is it
required, that they should stipulate or promise in their own
persons, but by their god-fathers or sponsors, who enter
into this engagement for them, and oblige them, when
they come to age, to take it upon themselves ; which ac-
cordingly they do. And this engagement by proxy, does
as effectually bind them to the performance of the condi-
tions, as if they were actually in a capacity to have stipu-
lated for themselves, or sealed the covenant in their own
persons. For these spiritual signs or seals are not design-
ed to make God's word surer to us, but only to make our
faith stronger in him ; nor are they of the substance of the
covenant, but only for the better confirmation of it.

And, as baptism thus comes in the place of the Jews'
circumcision, so doth our Lord's supper answer to their
passover. Their paschal lamb represented our Saviour
Christ, and the sacrificing it the shedding of his blood
upon the cross ; and as the passover was the memorial of
the Israelites' redemption from Egypt's bondage, Exod.
xii. 14. so is the Lord's supper the memorial of our re-
demption from the slavery of sin, and assertion into Chris-
tian liberty ; or rather, it is a solemn and lively represen-
tation of the death of Christ and offering it again to God3
as an atonement for sin, and reconciliation to his favour.

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 83

. So that, 1 believe, this sacrament of the Lord's supper
under the gospel, succeeds to the rite of sacrificing under
the law ; and is properly called the Christian sacrifice, as
representing the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. And
the end of both is the same : for, as the sacrifices under
the law were designed as a propitiation or atonement for
sins, by transferring the punishment from the offerer to
the thing offered, which is therefore called the accursed
thing, as we read, Lev. xvii. 11. So, under the gospel,
we are told, that it was for this end that our Saviour died,
and suffered in our stead, that he might obtain the pardon
of our sins, and reconcile us to his Father, by laying the
guilt of them upon his own person. And accordingly, he
says of himself, that he came to give his life a ransom for
many, Matt. xx. 28. And St. Paul tells us, 2 Cor. v. 21.
that he was made sin for us, who knew no sin.

And as the end of both institutions was the same, so
they were both equally extended. The paschal lamb was
ordered for all the congregation of Israel, and so is the sa-
crament of the Lord's supper to be administered to all the
faithful people in Christ, that do not exclude themselves
from it. And for this reason, I believe, that as all the
congregation of Israel was to eat the passover, so is all the
society of Christians to receive the Lord's supper ; those
only to be excepted, who are altogether ignorant of the
nature of that covenant it seals, or openly and scandalous-
ly guilty of the breach of the conditions it requires.

But why, say some, should there be any exception ?
Did not Christ die for all mankind ? And is not that death
said to be a, full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation,
and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world ? All this is
true, but it does not from hence follow, that all men must
be actually saved and absolved from their sins, by virtue
of his death. No, it is only they, who apply to themselves
the merit of his passion, by partaking duly of this holy-
sacrament, which is the proper means by which these bles-
sings are conveyed to us, whereby we are sealed to the day
if redemption. I say, duly, because though this sacrament
was ordained for all, yet all will not make themselves wor-
thy of it ; and those that are not so, are so far from reap-
ing any benefit from it, that, as the apostle says, they eat
and drink their own damnation, not discerning the Lo?-d's body,
1 Cor. xi. 29. And therefore/ I believe, that' as in the in-
stitution of the passover there were some particular duties
and ceremonies enjoined for the better solemnization of it ;
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84 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

so there are some preparatory duties and qualifications ne-
cessarily required for the celebration of the Lord's supper,
which, before I presume to partake of it, I must always
use my utmost endeavours to exercise myself in. And
these are,

First, That I should examine, confess, and bewail my
.sins before God, with a true sense of, and sorrow for
them ; and taking firm resolutions for the time to come,
Utterly to relinquish, and forsake them, solemnly engage
myself in a new and truly Christian course of life.

Secondly, That I should be in perfect charity with all
men, i. e. That I should heartily forgive those who have
any ways injured or offended me ; and make restitution or
satisfaction to such whom I have, in any respect, injured
or offended myself.

Thirdly, That I should, with an humble and obedient
heart, exercise the acts of faith, and love, and devotion,
during the celebration of that holy mystery ; and express
the sense I have of this mystery, by devout praises and
thanksgivings for the great mercies and favours that God
vouchsafes to me therein ; and by all the ways and mea-
sures of charity that he has prescribed, manifest my love
and beneficence to my Christian brethren.

These are the proper graces, this the wedding-garment
that every true Christian, who comes to be a guest at this
holy supper, ought to be clothed and invested with.

" Do thou, O blessed Jesus, adorn me with this holy
** robe, and inspire my soul with such heavenly qualities
'< and dispositions as these ; and then I need not fear, but
" that as oft as I eat the jiesh of Christ, and drink his blood,
" I shall effectually obtain the pardon and remission of my
*' sins, the sanctifying influences of his holy Spirit, and a
" certain interest in the kingdom -of glory."

See farther, Treatise of the Sacrament.

ARTICLE XI.

/ believe that after a short separation, my soul and body shall
be united together again, in order to appear before the
judgme?rt-seat of Christ, and be finally sentenced aeconU
ing to my deserts.

I KNOW this body, which, for the present, I am tied
to, is nothing else but a piece of clay, made up into the

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. $5

frame and fashion of man ; and therefore, as it was first
taken from the dust, so shall it return to dust again :
but then 1 believe, on the other hand, that it shall be as
really raised from the earth, as ever it shall be carried to
it ; yea, though perhaps it may go through a hundred, or
a thousand changes, before that day come. There are, I
confess, some points in this article, which are hardly to
be solved by human reason ; but, I believe, there are none
so difficult, but what may be reconciled by a divine faith :
though it be too hard for me to know, yet it is not too hard
for God to do. He that should have told me some years
ago, that my body then was, or should be a mixture of
particles fetched from so many parts of the world, and un-
dergo so many changes and alterations, as to become in a
manner new, should scarce have extorted the belief of it
from me, though now I perceive it to be a real truth ; the
meats, fruits, and spices, which we eat, being transport-
ed from several different places and nations, and, by natu-
ral digestion, transfused into the constitution of the body.
And why should not I believe, that the same almighty
power, who made these several beings or particles of mat-
ter, by which I am fed and sustained, can as easily, with
his word, recall each particle again from the most secret
or remote place that it can possibly be transported to ? Or,
that he who framed me out of the dust, can with as much
ease gather all the scattered parts of the body, and put
them together again, as he at first formed them into such
a shape, and infused into it a spiritual being.

And this article of my faith/ 1 believe, is not only
grounded upon, but may, even by the force of reason, be
deduced from, the principles of justice and equity; justice
requiring that they who are co-partners in vice and virtue,
should be Co-partners also in punishments and rewards.
There is scarce a sin a man commits, but his body hath a
share in it • for though the sin committed would not be a sin
without the soul, yet it could not be committed without
the body ; the sinfulness of it depends upon the former,
but the commission of it may lawfully be charged upon the
latter : the body could not sin, if the soul did not consent ;
nor could the soul sin (especially so oft) if the body did not
tempt to it. And this is particularly observable in the sins
of adultery, drunkenness and gluttony, which the soul of
itself cannot commit, neither would it ever consent unto
them, did not the prevalent humours of the body, sfe it
were, force it to do so. For, in these sins, the act that is

86 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

sinful is wholly performed by the body, though the ful-
ness of that act doth principally depend upon the soul.

Neither is the body only partner with the soul in these
grosser sins ; but even the more spiritual sins, which seem
to be most abstracted from the temperature of the body, as
if they depended only upon the pravity and corruption of
the soul : I say, even these are partly to be ascribed to the
body. For instance, an atheistical thought, which, one
would think, was to be laid upon the soul, because the
thought takes its rise from thence ; yet if we seriously
weigh and consider the matter, we shall find, that it is
usually the sinful affections of the body that thus debauch
the mind into these blasphemous thoughts : and that it is
the pleasures of sense that first suggested them to us, and
raise them in us. And this appears, in that there was no
person that ever was, or indeed ever can be, an atheist at
all times ; but such thoughts spring up in the fountain of
the soul, only when mudded with fleshly pleasures, And
thus it is in most other sins ; the carnal appetite having
gotten the reins into his hand, it misleads the reason, and
hurries the soul wheresoever it pleaseth. And, what then
can be more reasonable, than that the body should be pu-
nished, both for its usurping the soul's prerogative, and
for its tyrannizing so much over that, which, at the first,
it was made to be subject to ?

But farther, it is the body that enjoys the pleasure, and
therefore, good reason, that the body should likewise bear
the punishment of the sin. Indeed, I cannot perceive,,
how it can stand with the principles of justice, but that the
body, which both accompanies the soul in sin, enjoys
the pleasures of it, and leads the soul into it, should
bear a share in the miseries which are due to, and inflicted
upon it. For what doth justice require, but to punish the
person that offends, for the offence he commits ? whereas
if the soul only, and not the body, were to suffer, the per-
son would not suffer at all, the body being part of the per-
son, as well as the soul, and therefore the soul no person
without the body.

Hence it is, that though the scriptures had been silent
in. this point, yet methinks I could not but have believ-
ed : how much more firm and steadfast, then, ought I to
be in my faith, when truth itself hath been pleased so ex-
pressly to affirm it ? For this saith the Lord of hosts, Thy
dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they
arise, Isaiah xxvi. 19. And many of them, that sleep in the
dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 87

some to shame and everlasting contempt, Dan. xii. 2. And
thus saith the Saviour of the world, who is the way, the
truth, and the life : the hour is coming, in which all that
are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ;
the}) that have done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and
theij that have done evil, imto the resurrection of damnation,
John v. 28, 2.9. The same hath it pleased his divine Ma-
jesty to assert and prove with his own mouth, Matt. xxii.
31, 32. and by his Spirit, 2 Cor. xv. and in many other
places : from all which, I may, with comfort and confi-
dence, draw the same conclusion that holy Job did, and
say, / know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth ; and though after my ski?i,
worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God ;
whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and
not another, though my reins be consumed within me, Job
xix. 25, 26, 27.

And, as 1 believe my body shall be thus raised from the
grave, so I believe the other part of me, my soul, shall ne-
ver be carried to it ; I mean it shall never die, but shall be
as much, yea, more alive, when I am dying, than it is
now ; so much my soul shall be the more active in itself,
by how much it is less tied and subjected to the body.

And farther I believe, that so soon as ever my breath
is out of my nostrils, my soul shall remove her lodging
into the other world, there to live as really to eternity, as
I now live here in time. Yea, I am more certain, that my
soul shall return to God who gave it, than that my body
shall return to the earth, out of which I had it. For I
know, it is possible my body may be made immortal, but
I am sure my soul shall never be mortal. I know, that
at the first, the body did equally participate of immortali-
ty with the soul, and that had not sin made the divorce,
they had lived together, like loving mates, to all eternity.
And I dare not affirm that Enoch and Elias underwent the
common fate ; or suppose they did, yet sure I am, the
time will come, when thousands of men and women shall
not be dissolved and die, but be immediately changed and
caught up into heaven, or to their eternal confusion, thrust
down into hell; whose bodies, therefore, shall undergo
no such thing as rotting in the grave, " or being eaten up of
worms, but, together with their souls, shall immediately
launch into the vast ocean of eternity. But who ever yet
read or heard of a soul's funeral ? Who is it ? Where is
the man ? Qir, what is his name, that wrote the history of

8S THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

her life and death ? Can any disease arise in a spiritual
substance, wherein there is no such thing as contrariety of
principles or qualities to occasion any disorder or distem-
per ? Can an angel be sick or die ? And, if not an angel,
why a soul, which is endowed with the same spiritual
nature here, and shall be adorned with the same eternal
glory hereafter ? No, no, deceive not thyself, my soul ;
for it is more certain, that thou shalt always live, than
that thy body shall ever die.

Not that I think my soul must always live, in despite
of omnipotence itself, as if it was not in the poAver of the
Almighty, to take my being and existence from me ; for
I know, I am but a potsherd in the potter's hands, and
that it is as easy for him to dash me in pieces now, as it
was to raise it up at the first. I believe, it is as easy for
him to command my soul out of its being, as out of its
body ; and to send me back into my mother's nothing, out
of whose womb he took me, as- it was at first to fetch me
thence. I know he could do it, if he would, but himself
hath said, he will not, and therefore, I am sure, he can-
not do it ; and that, not because he hath not power, but
because he hath not will to do it ; it being impossible for
him to do that which he doth not will to do. And that it
is not his will or pleasure even to annihilate my soul, I
have it under his own hand, that my dust shall return to
the earth as it was ; and my spirit to God that gave it, Eccl.
xii. 7. And if it return to God, it is so far from return-
ing to nothing, that it returns to the Being of all beings ;
and so death to me, will be nothing more than going home
to my father and mother ; my soul goes to my father, God;
and my body to my mother, earth.

Thus, likewise, hath it pleased his sacred Majesty to
assure me, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, wc have a building of God, an house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens, 2 Cor. v. 1. so clearly hath
the great God brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10. The light of nature shews the
soul can never perish or be dissolved, without the imme-
diate interposition of God's omnipotence, and we have his
own divine word for it, that he will never use that power,
in the dissolution of it. And therefore I may, with the
greatest assurance, affirm and believe, that as really as I
now live, so really shall I never die ; but that my soul, at
the very moment of its departure from the flesh, shall im-
mediately mount up to the tribunal of the most high God,

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 8J)

thereto be judged, first privately, by itself, (or perhaps
with some other souls that shall be summoned to appear
before God the same moment :) and then, from these pri-
vate sessions, I believe that every soul that ever' was, or
shall be separated from the body, must either be received
into the mansions of heaven, or else sent down to the dun-
geon of hell, there to remain till the grand assizes, the
judgment of the great day, token the trumpet shall sound, a?id
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and ire shall be chang-
ed, 1 Cor. xv. 52. And when our bodies, by the word of
the almighty God, shall be thus called together again, I
believe that our souls shall be all prepared to meet them,
and be united again to them, and so both appear before the
judgment-seat qf Christ, to receive sentence according to what
the j have done in the flesh, whether it be good, or whether it
be evil. And, though it is very difficult, or rather impos-
sible, for me to conceive or determine the particular cir-
cumstance of this grand assize, or manner and method
how it shall be managed, yet, from the light and intima-
tions that God has vouchsafed to give us of it, I have
ground to believe, it will be ordered and carried after this,
or the like manner.

The day and place being appointed by the King of kings,
the glorious Majesty of heaven, and Saviour of the world,
Jesus Ghrist, who lcag ago received his commission from
the Father to be the judge qf the quick and dead, John v.
22. Acts xvii. 31. shall descend from heaven with the shout
of the archangel, and with the trump of God, 1 Thess. iv. 16.
royally attended with an innumerable company of gloiious
angels, Matt. xxv. 51. These he shall send with the great
sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his
elect from the four winds, from the one end of heaven to
the other, chap. xxiv. 31. yea, and the wicked too, from
whatsoever place they shall be in ; and then shall he sever
the wicked from the just, Matt. xiii. 49« So that all nations,
and every particular person, that ever did, or ever shall
live upon the face of the earth, shall be gathered together
before him, and he shall separate the one from the other,
as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the" goats, and he
shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats upon
the left, Matt. xxv. 32, 33.

Things being thus set in order, the judge shall read his
commission, i. e. declare and manifest himself to be the judge
of all the earth, sent by the God of heaven to judge them
that had condemned him, and, in that very body, that

1)0 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

was once crucified upon the cross, at Jerusalem, for our
sins. So that all the world shall then behold him shining
in all his glory and majesty, and shall acknowledge him
to be now, what they would not believe him to be before,
even both God and man, and so the judge of all the world,
from whom there can be no appeal.

And having thus declared his commission, I believe the
first work he will go upon, will be to open the book of
God's remembrance, and to cause all the indictments to be
read, that are there found on record against those on his
right hand ; but behold, all the black lines of their sins
being blotted out, with the red lines of their Saviour's
blood, and nothing but their good works, their prayers,
their sermons, their meditations, their alms and the like,
to be found there ; the righteous judge, before whom they
stand, turning himself before them, with a serene and smil-
ing countenance, will declare to them before all the world,
that their sins are pardoned, and their persons accepted
by him, as having believed in him ; and therefore will he
immediately proceed to pronounce the happy sentence of
election on them, saying, Come, ye blessed of my Father, in^.
herit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world.

The sentence being thus pronounced, the righteous (and
I hope myself amongst the rest) shall go up with shouts of
joy and triumph, to sit with our blessed Redeemer, to
judge the other parts of the world, who sit at the left hand
of the tribunal, with ghastly countenances and trembling
hearts, to receive their last and dreadful doom. Against
these all the sins that they committed, or were guilty of,
shall be brought up in judgment against them, as they are
found on record in the book of God's remembrance, and
the indictments read against every particular person, high
or low, for every particular sin, great or small which they
have committed.

And the truth of this indictment shall be attested by
their own consciences, crying, Guilty, guilty ; I say, by
their own consciences, which are as a thousand witnesses :
yea, and by the omniscience of God too, which is as a
thousand consciences. And therefore, without any far-
ther delay, shall the judge proceed to pronounce ths sen-
tence, the doleful sentence of condemnation upon them,
Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting f re prepared for the devil
and his angels.

This, I believe, or such like, will be the method of

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 91

Christ's proceeding with us in that great and terrible day
of trial and retribution.

" Oil ! may those awful thoughts and ideas of it always
" accompany me, and strike such a deep and lively im-
" pression upon my heart, in every action of life, as to de-
" ter me from offending this just and Almighty being, in
<c whose power it is to destroy both soul and body in hell ;
" and engage me in such a regular, strict, and conscien-
" tious course of life, as to be always ready, whenever
" he shall please to summon me, to give in my accounts
" at the great audit, and with an holy assurance fly for
" mercy and succour into the hands of my Redeemer, and
" be permitted to enter into the joys of his rest ?"

ARTICLE XII.

/ believe there are two other worlds, besides this I live in ; a
world of misery for unrepenting sinners, and a world of
glory for believing saints.

Tl/^HEN death hath opened the cage of flesh, wherein
* * the soul is penned up, whither it flies, or how it sub-
sists, I think it not easy to determine, or indeed to con-
ceive. As for the Platonic serial and eetherial vehicles, suc-
ceeding this terrestrial one, I find neither mention of, nor
warrant for them in the word of God. And, indeed, to
suppose that a spiritual substance cannot subsist of itself,
without being supported by a corporeal vehicle, is, in my
opinion, too gross a conceit for any philosopher, much
more for one that professes himself a divine, to advance or
entertain. Only this I am sure of, that according to the
distinction of lives here into good or bad, and the sen-
tence passed upon all hereafter, of absolution or condemna-
tion, there will be a twofold receptacle for the souls of
men, the one of happiness, the other of misery.

As to the first, I believe, that at the great and general
assizes of the world, there will be a glorious entrance open-
ed for the righteous into the holy of holies, the seat and
fountain of all bliss and happiness, where they shall draw
nigh to the most high God, behold his presence in righte-
ousness, and reign with him for ever in glory, where we
shall see himfacetojace, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. and know him the
only true God, and Jesus Christ ivhom he hath sent, John
xvii. 3. And this knowing and beholding God face to
face, is, I believe, the very heaven of heavens, even the
highest happiness that it is possible a creature should be

92 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

made capable of : for in having a perfect knowledge of
God, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all things, that
ever were, are, shall, yea, or can be in the world. For
God being the Being of all beings, in seeing him, we shall
not only see whatsoever hath been, but whatsoever can
be communicated from him. The contemplation of which,
cannot but ravish and transport my spirit beyond itself ;
especially, when I consider, that in knowing this One
All- things, God, I cannot but enjoy whatsoever it is pos-
sible any creature should enjoy. For the knowing of a
thing is the soul's enjoyment of it ; the understanding be-
ing to the soul, what the senses are to the body. And,
therefore, as the body enjoys nothing but by its senses, so
neither doth the soul enjoy any thing but by its understand-
ing. And, as the body is said to have whatsoever affects
its proper senses, so may the soul be said to have whatso-
ever comes under its knowledge. Nay, the soul so far
hath what it knows, that in a manner, it is what it knows ;
itself being, in a spiritual manner, enlarged, according to
the extent of the objects which it knows, as the body is
by the meat it eats ; the truths we know turning into sub-
stance of our souls, as the meat we eat doth into the sub-
stance of our bodies.

But oh ! what a rare soul shall I then have, when it
shall be extended to every thing that ever was, or ever
could have been ! What a happy creature shall I then be,
when I shall know, and so enjoy him that is all things in
himself ! What can a creature desire more ? yea, what
more can a creature be made capable of enjoying or desir-
ing ! And that which always will accompany this our know-
ledge and enjoyment, is, perfect love to what we enjoy
and know, without which we should take pleasure in no-
thing, though we should have all things to take pleasure
in. But who will be able not to love the chiefest good,
that knows and enjoys him, and therefore enjoys him be-
cause he knows him ? Questionless, in heaven, as I shall
enjoy whatsoever I can love, so shall I love whatsoever I
enjoy. And this, therefore, I believe to be the perfection
of my happiness, and the happiness of my perfection,
in the other world ; that I shall perfectly know and love,
and so, perfectly enjoy and rejoice in the most high God ;
and shall be, as known, so perfectly loved, and rejoiced in
him. And questionless, for all our shallow apprehensions
and low estimations of these things now, they cannot
choose but be vast and inconceivable pleasures, too great
for any creature to enjoy whilst here below,

THOUGHTS ON RELIGION. 0,3

If we have but the least drop of these pleasures distilled
into us here upon earth, how strangely do they make us,
as it were, beside ourselves, by lifting us above ourselves !
If we can but at any time get a glimpse of God, and of his
love to us, how are we immediately carried beyond all
other pleasures and contentments whatsoever ! How apt
are we to say with Peter, It is good for us to be here ! and
if the foretastes of the blessings of Canaan, if the dark in-
timation of God's love to us, be so unspeakably pleasant,
so ravishing delightsome ; Oh ! what will the full posses-
sion of him be ! What transporting ecstasies of love and
joy shall those blessed souls be possessed with, who shall
behold the king of glory smiling upon them, rejoicing
over them, and shining forth in all his love and glory upon
them ! Oh ! what astonishing beauty will they then be-
hold ! What flowing, what refreshing pleasures shall then
solace and delight their spirits, unto all eternity ! Pleasures !
far greater then I am able either to express or conceive,
much less to enjoy, on this side heaven ! my faculties are
now too narrow and scanty for such an entertainment, and
therefore, till they are spiritualized and enlarged, they
cannot receive it ! This is the portion only of another
world, this the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the
righteous judge reserves in heaven for me, and which at his
second coming, he has promised to bestow upon me, and
not upon me only, hutuponallthem also that love his appearing.

As to the other state, viz. that of the wicked in another
life, I believe,' it will be as exquisitely miserable and
wretched, as that of the righteous is happy and glorious.
They will he driven for ever from the presence of the Lord,
from those bright and blessed regions above, where Christ
sits at the right hand of God, to those dark and dismal dun-
geons below, where the devil and his angels are for ever
doomed to be tormented.

What sort of torments or punishments they are there
to undergo, I am as unable to express, as I am unwilling
ever to experience ; but according to the notions which
scripture and reason give me of these matters, I believe
they will be twofold, viz. 1. Primitive, and 2. Positive,
that is, The wicked will not only be deprived of all that
is good and happy, but actually condemned to all that
is evil and miserable ; and this in the most transcendent
degree.

The first part of their punishment will consist in envi-
ous melancholy, and self-condemning reflections upon

94 THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.

their having defeated and deprived themselves, not onfy of
their carnal mirth and sensual enjoyments, their friends,
fortunes, and estates in this world, out also of all the infi-
nite joys and glories of the next, the presence of God, the
society of saints and angels, and all the refreshing and ra-
vishing delights which flow from the fruition of the chief-
est good. And what adds yet farther to their anguish and
remorse, is that they have lost the hopes of ever regaining
any of these enjoyments !

Oh ! how infinitely tormenting and vexatious must such
a condition be, which at once gives them a view botli of
the greatest happiness and the greatest misery, without the
least hopes either of recovering the one, or being deliver-
ed from the other ! How must they tear, torment, and
curse themselves for their former follies ; and too late,
wish that they had been stifled in the womb, or drowned
in the font which was to be their second birth ?

And, if the late privation of heaven and happiness be
so miserable and tormenting, how will it rack their con-
sciences, and fill their souls with horror and amazement,
to behold the eternal God, the glorious Jehovah, in the
fierceness of his wrath, continually threatenening to pour
out his vengeance upon them ! how much more, when he
positively consigns them over to the power of the devil, to
execute his judgment in full measure ! when they are
gnawed upon by the worm of their own consciences, feel
the wrath of the Almighty flaming in their hearts, and
fire and brimstone their continual torture ! and all this
without the least alloy or mixture of refreshment, or the
least hopes of ending or cessation.

In a word, when they have nothing else to expect but
misery for their portion, weeping and wailing for their
constant employment, and the devil and damned fiends
their only companions to all eternity: and this is that
world of misery, which all that will not be persuaded to
believe in Christ here, must be doomed for ever to live in
hereafter.

I know the subjects of this article were never the objects
of my sight, though they are of my faith. I never yet
saw heaven or hell, the places I am now speaking of ; but
why should my faith be staggered or diminished because
of that; I never saw Rome, Constantinople, or the flam-
ing Sicilian hill Etna, yet I believe there is such a burning
mountain, and such-glorious cities; because others, who
have been there, have told me so, and faithful writers

RESOLUTIONS. §&

have related and described them to me. And shall I be-
lieve my fellow- worms, and not my great Creator, who is
Truth itself? What though I never did see the New Je-
rusalem that is above, nor the flaming tophet that is be-
low ; yet since God himself hath both related and describ-
ed them to me, why should I doubt of them ? Why should
not I, a thousand times sooner, believe them to be, than
if I had seen them with my own eyes ? I cannot so much
believe, that I now have a pen in my hand, have a book
before me, and am writing, as I do and ought to believe-
that I shall, one day, and that ere long, be either in hea-
ven or hell ; in the height of happiness, or in the depth of
misery.

I know my senses are fallible, and therefore may de-
ceive me, but my God, I am sure, cannot. And there-
fore let others raise doubts and scruples as they please, I
am as fully satisfied and convinced of the truth of this ar-
ticle, as any of the rest.

" Do thou, O my God, keep me steadfast in this faith,
" and give me grace so to fit and prepare myself to appear
" before thee, in the white robes of purity and holiness in
" another World, that whenever my dissolution comes, 1
'" may cheerfully resign my spirit into the hands of my
iC Creator and Redeemer ; and from this crazy house of
" clay, take my flight into the mansions of glory ; where
" Christ sits at the right hand of God ; and with the joy-
<: ful choir of saints and angels, and the blessed spirits of
"just men made perfect, chant forth thy praises to all
** eternity."

.«--vw\«.-v

RESOLUTIONS

FORMED UPON THE FOREGOING ARTICLES,

AS obedience without faith is impossible, so faith with-
out obedience is vain and unprofitable : For as the bo-
dy, says St. James, without the spirit is dead, so faith with-
out good ?vorks is dead also, James ii. 26. Having there-
fore, I hope laid a sure foundation, by resolving what,
and how, to believe, I shall now, by the grace of God,
resolve so to order my conversation, in all circumstances
and conditions of life, as to raise a good superstructure
upon it, and to finish the work God has given me to do,

(jQ RESOLUTIONS.

L e. so as to love and please God in this world, as to enjoy
and be happy with him for ever in the next. And it is ab-
solutely necessary that I should be speedy and serious in
these resolutions ; especially when I reflect with myself
how much of my time I have already spent upon the va-
nities and follies of youth, and how much enhanced and
increased this work, by acquired guilt, by settled and re-
peated habits of sin, which are not without great difficulty
to be atoned for, and removed. My heart, alas ! is now
more hardened in iniquity, more puffed with pride, and
more averse from God, than when I first entered into cove-
nant with him ; and I have added many actual sins and
provocations to my original guilt and pollution ; instead
of glorifying God, I have dishonoured him: and, instead
of working out my own salvation, I have taken a pleasure
and delight in such things, as would in the end, be my
ruin and destruction. So that, before I can be able to
make any progress in the duties of religion, or walk in the
paths that lead to life, I must first be freed and disentan-
gled from these weights and incumbrances that clog and
retard me in my spiritual course ; I must have my heart
cleansed and softened, humbled and converted to God,
and all my transgressions purged and pardoned by the me-
rits of my Redeemer. And then being fully persuaded.,
that there is no way for me to come to the joys of heaven,
but by walking according to the strictest rules of holiness
upon earth, I must endeavour for the future, by a thorough
change and reformation of my life, to act in conformity to
the divine will and pleasure in all things and perfect holi-
jiess in the fear of the Lord : for the Most High has told
me in his word/ that without holiness no man shall see the
Lord.

In order, therefore, to qualify myself for this happiness,
it will be necessary for me to settle firm and steady reso-
lutions, to fulfil my duty, in all the several branches of it
to God, my neighbour, and myself; and to take care
these resolutions be put in practice according to the follow-
ing method.

RESOLUTIONS. 97

RESOLUTION I.

1 am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by ride, and
therefore think it necessary to resolve upon the rides to walk
by.

\ ND this rather, because I perceive the want of such
-*-*- rules has been the occasion of all, or most of my mis-
carriages. For, what other reason can I assign to myself,
for having trifled and sinned away so much time, as I
have done in my younger years, but because I did not
thoroughly resolve to spend it better? What is the reason
I have hitherto lived so unserviceably to God, so unpro-
fitably to others, and so sinfully against my own soul ;
but because I did not apply myself with that sincerity of
resolution, diligence, and circumspection, as a wise man
ought to have done, to discharge my duty in these parti-
culars ? I have, indeed, often resolved to bid adieu to my
sins and follies, and to enter upon a new course of life ;
but these resolutions being not rightly formed upon steady
principles, the first temptation made way for a relapse,
and the same bait that first allured me, has no sooner been
tin-own in my way, but I have been as ready to catch at it
again, and as greedy to swallow it, as ever. At other
times again, 1 have acted without any thought or resolu-
tion at all ; and then, though some of my actions might be
good in themselves, yet being done by chance, and with-
out any true design or intention, they could not be imputed
to me as good, but rather the quite contrary : so that, in this
respect, the want of resolution has not only been the oc-
casion of my sinful actions, but the corruption of my
good ones too. And shall I still go on in this loose and
careless manner, as I have formerly done ? No, I now re-
solve with myself, in the presence of the most high and
eternal God, not only in general, to walk by rule, "but to
fix the rule I design to walk by ; so that, in all my thoughts
and words, and actions, in all places, companies, relations,
and conditions, I may still have a sure guide at hand to
direct me, such a one as I can safely depend upon without
any danger of being deceived or misled; that is, the holy
scripture. And therefore,

E

tyS RESOLUTIONS.

RESOLUTION II.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to make the divine word
the rule of all the rules I propose to myself.

AS the will of God is the rule and measure of all that is
good, so there is nothing deserves that name, but
what is agreeable and conformable thereto : and this will
being fully revealed and contained in the holy scripture,
it will be necessary for me in directing my course over the
ocean of this world, that I should fix my eye continually
upon this star, steer by this compass, and make it the
only land mark, by which I am to be guided to my wish*
ed-for haven. I must not, therefore, have recourse to the
inward workings of my own roving fancy, or the corrupt
dictates of my own carnal reason : these are but blind
guides, and will certainly lead me into the ditch of error,
heresy and irreligion, which in these our self-admiring
days, so many poor souls have been plunged in. Alas !
how many hath the impetuous torrent of blind zeal and er-
roneous conscience borne down into a will-worship and vo-
luntary subjection of themselves to the spurious offspring
of their own deluded fancies ! If the light that is within
them doth but dictate any thing to be done ; or rather if
the whimsy doth but take them, that they must do thus
or thus, they presently set about it, without ever consult-
ing the sacred writings, to see whether it is acceptable to
God, or displeasing to him. Whereas, for my own part,
I know not how any thing should be worthy of God's ac-
cepting, that is not of God's commanding. I am sure the
word of God is the good old way that will certainly bring
me to my father's house ; for how should that way but lead
to heaven, which truth itself hath chalked out for me ?
Not as if it was necessary, that every one of my resolutions
should be contained word for word in the holy scriptures;
it is sufficient that they be implied in, and agreeable there-
to. So that, though the manner of my expressions may
not be found in the word of God, yet the matter of my re-
solutions may be clearly drawn from thence. But let me
dive a little into the depth of my sinful heart ! What is the
reason of my thus resolving upon such an exact conformi-
ty to the will and word of God ? Is it to work my way to
heaven with my own hands ? to purchase an inheritance
in the land of Canaan, with the price of my own holiness

UESOLUTIONS. 9<)

and religion? or to swim over the ocean of this world, into
the haven of happiness, upon the empty bladders of my
own resolutions ? No.

RESOLUTION III.

/ am resolved, that as I am not able to think or do any thing
that is good, without the influence of the divine grace ; so
I will not pretend to merit any favour from Gods upon ac-
count of any thing I do for his glory and service.

\ ND indeed, I may very well put this resolution
-£*- amongst the rest ; for should I resolve to perform my
resolutions by mine own strength, I might as well resolve
never to perform them at all : for truth itself, and mine
own woeful experience hath convinced me, that I am not
able of myself, so much as to think a good thought ; and
how then shall I be able of myself, to resolve upon rules
of holiness according to the word of God, or to order my
conversation according to these resolutions, without the
concurrence of the divine grace ? Alas ! should the great
God be pleased to leave me to myself to resolve upon what
is agreeable to my corrupt nature, what strange kind of
resolutions should I make ? What should I resolve upon ?
Certainly, only nothing but to gratify my carnal appetite
with sensual and sinful pleasures, to indulge myself in riot
and excess, to spend my time, and revel out my parts and
talents, in the revels of sin and vanity. But no, to live
holily, righteously, and godly in this present world, to deny
my own "will, that I may fulfil the will of God ; alas !
such resolutions as, these would never so much as come
into my thoughts, much less would they discover them-
selves in my outward conversation.

But, suppose I should be able to make good resolutions,
and fulfil them exactly in my life and actions ; yet, what
should J do more than my duty ? And what should I be
esteemed of for doing that ? Alas ! this is so far from puf-
fing me up, that I am verily persuaded should I spend all
my time, my parts, my strength, my gifts, for God, and
all my estate upon the poor ; should I water my couch
continually with my tears, and fast my body into a skele-
ton ; should I employ each moment of my life in the im-
mediate worship of my glorious Creator ; so that all my nc-
tions, from my birth to my death, should be but one continu-
ed act of holiness and obedience ; in a word, should I live
E 2 "

100 RESOLUTIONS.

like an angel in heaven, and die like a saint on earth, yet
I know no truer, nor should I desire any better epitaph to
be engraven upon my tomb than this, Here lies an unpro-
fitable servant. No, no ; it is Christ, and Christ alone,
that my soul must support itself upon. It is holiness,
indeed, that is the way to heaven ; but there is none,
none but Christ can lead me to it. As the worst of my
sins are pardonable by Christ, so are the best of my
duties damnable without him.

But if so, then whither tend my resolutions ? Why so
strick, so circumspect a conversation ? Why, it is to justi-
fy that faith before others, and mine own conscience, which,
I hope, through Christ, shall justify my soul before God.
And I believe farther, that the holier I live here, the hap-
pier I shall live hereafter, for though I shall not be saved
for my works, yet I believe, I shall be saved according to
them. And thus, as I dare not expect to be saved by the
performance of my resolutions without Christ's merit, so
neither do I ever expect to be enabled to perform my reso-
lutions, without his Spirit assisting me therein.

No, " it is thyself, my God, and my guide, that I
wholly and solely depend upon ! Oh ! for thine own sake,
for thy Son's sake, and for thy promise sake, do thou both
make me to know what thou wouldst have me to do, and
.then help me to do what thou wouldst have me to know !
Teach me first what to resolve upon, and then enable me
to perform my resolutions ; that I may Avalk with thee in
the ways of holiness here, and rest with thee in the joys
of happines-3 hereafter !"

CONCERNING MY CONVERSATION IN
GENERAL.

HAVING thus far determined in general, to form re-
solutions for the better regulating of my life, I must
liow descend to particulars, and settle some rules with
myself, to resolve my future life and conversation wholly
into holiness and religion. 1 know this is a hard task to
do ; but I am sure, it is no more than What my God and
my Father has set me ; why therefore should I think
much to do it ? Shall I grudge to spend my life for him,
who did not grudge to spend his own blood for me ! Shall
not I^o live, that he may be glorified here on earth, who
died that I might be glorified in heaven, especially consi*

RESOLUTIONS. 101

dering, that if my whole life could be sublimated into ho-
liness, and moulded into an exact conformity unto the
will of the Most High, I should be happy beyond expres-
sion ? Oh ! what a heaven should 1 then have on earth !
What ravishments of love and joy would my soul be con-
tinually possessed with ! Well ; I am resolved, by the
grace of God, to try ; and to that end, do, this morning,
wholly sequester and set myself apart for God, resolving,
by the assistance of his grace, to make all and every
thought, word, and action, to pay their tribute unto him.
Let this man mind his profit ; a second, his pleasures ; a
third, his honours ; a fourth, himself; and all their sins ;
I am resolved to mind and serve my God, so as to make
him the Alpha and Omega, the first and last of my whole
life. And, that I may always have an exact copy before
me, to write and frame every letter of this my life by ;

RESOLUTION I.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to make Christ the
pattern of my life here, that so Christ may be the portion,
of my soid hereof ter.

LET the whole world go whither it will, I am resolved
to walk in the steps that my Saviour went in before
me : I shall endeavour in all places I come into, in all
companies I converse with, in all the duties I undertake,
in all the miseries I undergo, still to behave myself as my
Saviour would do, was he in my place. So that where-
soever I am, or whatsoever I am about, I shall still put
this question to myself, Would my Saviour go hither ?
Would he do this or that ? And, every morning, consider
with myself, Suppose my Saviour was in my stead, had
my business to do, how would he demean himself this day?
How meek and lowly would he be in his carriage and de-
portment ? How circumspect in his walking ? How sa-
voury in his discourse ? How heavenly in all, even his
earthly employments ? well, and I am resolved, by strength
from himself, to follow him as near as possible. I know,
I can never hope perfectly to transcribe this copy, but I
must endeavour to imitate it in the best manner I can, that
so by doing as he did, in time I may be where he is to all
eternity. But alas ! his life was spiritual, and / am car-
nal, sold under sin ; and every pretty object that doth but
please my senses, will be apt to divert and draw away my
E 3

102 RESOLUTIONS,

soul from following his steps. In order, therefore, to pre-
vent this,

RESOLUTION II.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by faith, and not
by sight, on earth, that so I may live by sight, and not by
faith, in heaven.

AND truly, this resolution is so necessary to the per-
formance of all the rest, that without it I can do no-
thing, with it I can do every thing that is required. The
reason why I am so much taken with the garnish and
seeming beauty of this world's vanities, so as to step out
of the road of holiness to catch at, or delight myself in
them, is only because I look upon them with an eye of
sense. For could I behold every thing with the eye of
faith, I should judge of them, not as they seem tome, but
as they are in themselves, Vanity and vexation of spirit.
For, faith has a quick and piercing eye, that can look
through the outward superficies, into the inward essence
of things. It can look through the pleasing bait to the hid-
den hook, view the sting, as well as the honey, the ever-
lasting punishment, as well as the temporal contentment
there is in sin. It is, as the apostle very well defines it,
the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things
not seen, Heb. xi. 1. It is the substance of whatsoever is
promised by God to me, or expected by me from him : So
that, by faith, whatsoever I hope for in heaven, I may
have the substance of upon earth: and it is the evidence of
things not see?i, the presence of what is absent, the clear
demonstration of what would otherwise seem impossible ;
so that I can clearly discern, as through a perspective, hid-
den things, and things afar off, as if they were open, and
just at hand ; I can look into the deepest mysteries, as ful-
ly revealed, and see heaven and eternity as just ready to
receive me.

And, Oh, could I but always look through this glass,
and be constantly upon the mount, taking a view of the
land of Canaan, what dreams and shadows would all things
here below appear to be ? Well, by the grace of God, I
am resolved no longer to tie myself to sense and sight, the
6ordid and trifling affairs of this life, but always to walk
as one of the other world, to behave myself in ^ all places,
and at all times, as one already possessed of my inheritance,

*

RESOLUTIONS. 103

and an inhabitant of the New Jerusalem : by faith assur-
ing myself I have but a few more days to live below, a
little more work to do : and then I shall lay aside my glass,
and be admitted to a nearer vision and fruition of God,
and see him face to face.

By this means, I shall always live, as if I was daily to
die ; always speak, as if my tongue, the next moment,
were to cleave to the roof of my mouth : and continually
order my thoughts and affections in such a manner, as if
my soul were just ready to depart, and take its flight into
the other world. By this means, whatsoever place I am
in, or whatsoever work I am about I shall still be with my
God, and demean myself so, as if, with St. Jerome, I
heard the voice of the trumpet crying out, Awake ye dead,
and come to judgment.

And thus, though I am at present here in the flesh, yet
I shall look upon myself as more really an inhabitant of
heaven, than I am upon earth. Here I am but as bPilgrhn,
or a Sojourner, that has no abiding city ; but there I have a
sure and everlasting inheritance, which Christ has pur-
chased and prepared for me, and which faith has given
me the possession of. And, therefore, as it is my duty,
so I will constantly make it my endeavour, to live up to
the character of a true christian, whose portion and con-
versation is in heaven, and think it a disgrace and dispa-
ragement to my profession, to stoop to, or entangle myself
with such toys and trifles, as the men of the world busy
themselves about ; or to feed upon husks with swine here
below, when it is in my power, by faith, to be continual-
ly supplied with spiritual manna from heaven, till at last I
am admitted to it. And that I may awe my spirit into the
performance of these, and all other my resolutions,

RESOLUTION III.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, always to be looking upon
God, as always looking upon me.

^ll^HERESOEVER I am, or whatsoever I am doing,
* * must still consider the eye of the great God, as di-
rectly intent upon me, viewing and observing all my
thoughts, words, and actions, and writing them down in
the book of his remembrance, and that all these, unless
they be washed out with the tears of repentance, and
crossed with the blood of my crucified Saviour, must still
E 4

KH RESOLUTIONS.

remain on record, and be brought in judgment against me
at the great day. That therefore, I may always behave
myself as in his presence, it behoves me thoroughly to con-
sider, and be persuaded, not only that my outward man,
but even also, the secret thoughts, the inward motions
and retirements of my soul, all the several windings and
turnings of my heart, are exactly known and manifest, as
anatomized before him. He knows what I am now think-
ing, doing, and writing, as well as I do myself ; yea, he
sees every word whilst it is in my heart, before it be
brought forth and set down. He knows all the resolu-
tions I have made, and how often, poor creature ! I have
broken them already, since I made them.

Upon this consideration, I resolve to stand my ground
against all temptations, and whenever I find myself in
danger to be drawn aside by them, to oppose the bent of
my corrupt affections, by these or the like questions : Am
I really in the presence of the Almighty, the great Lord
of heaven and earth, and shall I presume to affront him to
his face, by doing such things as 1 know are odious and
displeasing to him ! I would not commit adultery in the
presence of my fellow-creatures, and shall I do it in the
presence of the glorious Jehovah? I would not steal in the
sight of an earthly judge, and shall I do it before the judge
of all the world : if fear and shame from men have such an
influence upon me, as to deter me from the commission of
sin, how ought I to be moved with the apprehensions of
God's inspection, who does not only know my transgres-
sions, but will eternally punish me for them ?

May these thoughts and considerations always take place
in my heart, and be accompanied with such happy effects
in ray conversation, that I may live with God upon earth,
and so love and fear his presence in this world, that I may
for ever enjoy his glory in the next ?

CONCERNING MY THOUGHTS.

BUT who am I, poor, proud, sinful dust and ashes,
that I should expect to live so holy, so heavenly, as in-
here supposed ! Can grapes be gathered from thorns, or Jigs
from thistles ? Can the fruit be sweet, when the root is
bitter ? Or the streams healthful, when the fountain is
(poisoned ? No, I must either get me a new and better

RESOLUTIONS. 105

heart, or else it will be impossible for me ever to lead a
new and better life. But how must I come by this pearl
of inestimable value, a new heart? Can I purchase it with
my own riches ? or find it in my own field ? Can I raise it
from sin to holiness ? from earth to heaven ? or from my-
self to God? Alas! I have endeavoured it, but I find by
woeful experience, I cannot attain to it : I have been lift-
ing and heaving again and again, to raise it out of the mire
and clay of sin and corruption ; but alas ! it will not stir ;
I have rubbed and chaffed it with one threatening after
another, and all to get heat and life into it ; but still it is
as cold and dead as ever : I have brought it to the pro-
mises, and set it under the dropping of the sanctuary ; I
have shewn it the beauty of Christ, and the deformity of
sin ; but yet it is a hard and sinful, an earthly and sensual
heart still* What, .therefore, shall I do with it ? O my
God, I bring it unto thee ! thou that madest it a heart at
first, can only make it a new heart now ! O do thou puri-
fy and refine it, and renew a right spirit within me I Do
thou take it into thy hands, and out of thine infinite good-
ness, new mould it up, by thine own grace, into an exact
conformity to thy own will ? Do thou but give me a new
heart, and I shall promise thee, by thy grace, to lead a
new life, and become a new creature ! Do thou but clear
the fountain, and I shall endeavour to look to the streams
that flow from it, which that I may be able to do with the
better success,

RESOLUTION I.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to watch as much over
the inward motions of my heart, as the outward actions of
my life.

T^OR, my heart, I perceive is the womb, in which all
■*- sin is first conceived, and from which, my Saviour telis
me, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil
eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, Mark vii. 21, 22. So
that, as ever I would prevent the commission of these sins
in my life, I must endeavour to hinder their conception in
my heart, following the wise man's counsel, to keep my heart
with all diligence, because out of it are the issues of life, Prov.
iy. 23. Neither is this the only reason, why I should set
E 5

106 RESOLUTION'S.

so strict a watch over my heart, because sinful thoughts
lead to sinful acts ; but because the thoughts themselves
are sinful, yea, the very first-born of iniquity ; which
though men cannot pry into or discover, yet the all-seeing
God knows and observes, and remembers them, as well as
the greatest actions of all my life. And oh ! what wicked
and profane thoughts have I formerly entertained, not only
against Cod, but against Christ, by questioning the jus-
tice of his laws, and doubting of the truth of his revela-
tion, so as to make both his life and death of none effect to
me ! which that they may never be laid to my charge
hereafter, I humbly beseech God to pardon and absolve
me from them, and to give me grace for the remainder of
my life, to be as careful of thinking, as of doing well,
and as fearful of offending him in my heart, as of trans-
gressing his laws in my life and conversation. To tkis
end,

RESOLUTION II.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to stop every thought, at
itsjirst entering into my heart, and to examine it whence
it comes, and whither it tends.

CO soon as ever any new thought begins to bubble in my
^-* soul, I am resolved to examine what stamp it is of,
whether it springs from the pure fountain of living wa-
ters, or the polluted streams of my own affections ; as
also, which way it tends, or takes its course, towards the
ocean of happiness, or pit of destruction. And the reason
of this my resolution, I draw from the experience I have
had of the devil's temptations, and the Working of my own
corruptions ; by which I find that there is no sin I am be-
trayed into, but what takes its rise from my inward
thoughts. These are the tempters that first present some
pleasing object to my view, and then bias my under-
standing, and prevent my will, to comply with the sug-
gestion. So that, though the Spirit of God is pleased to
dart a beam into my heart at the same time, and shew me
the odious and dangerous effects of such thoughts ; yet I
know not how or why, I find a prevailing suggestion
within, that tells me, it is but a thought, and that so long
as it goes no farther, it cannot do me much hurt. Under
this specious colour and pretence, I secretly persuade my-
self to dwell a little longer upon it ; and finding my heart

RESOLUTIONS.

107

pleased and delighted with its natural issue, I give it a lit-
tle farther indulgence, till at last my desire breaks out
into a flame, and will be satisfied with nothing less than
the enjoyment of the object it is exercised upon. And
what water can quench such a raging fire, as is thus kind-
led by the devil, and blown up by the bellows- of my own
inordinate affections, which the more I think of, the more
I increase the flame ? How nearly therefore does it con-
cern me to take up this resolution, of setting a constant
watch and guard at the door of my heart, that nothing may
enter in, without a strict examination ? Not as if I could
examine every particular thought that arises in my heart,
for by that means I could do nothing else but examine my
thoughts without intermission. But this I must do : when-
soever I find any thought that bears the face or appear-
ance of sin, I must throw it aside with the utmost abhor-
rence ; and when it comes in disguise, as the devil under
Samuel's mantle, or when it is a thought I never conceiv-
ed before, and know not but it may be bad, as well as
good ; then, before I suffer it to settle upon my spirits, I
must examine as well as I can, whether it be sent from hea-
ven or hell, and what message it comes about, and what
will be the issue of it. And thus, by the divine assist-
ance, I shall let nothing into my heart, but what will bring
me nearer to my God, and set me at a greater distance
from the evil and punishment of sin. Neither do I think
it my duty only to be so watchful against such thoughts as
are in themselves sinful ; but,

RESOLUTION III.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to be as fearful to let in
vain, as careful to keep out sinful, thoughts.

I DO not look upon vain thoughts as only tending to sin,
but as in themselves sinful; for that which makes sin
to be sin, is the want of conformity to the will of God ; and
that vain thoughts are not conformable and agreeable to
the divine will, appears, in that God himself, by the mouth
of his royal prophet, expressly saith, / hate vain thoughts,
Psal. cxix. 113. Again', vain thoughts are therefore sin-
ful, because they have in them nothing that can denomi-
nate them good : for, as in a moral sense, there is never a
particular individual act, so neither is there any particular
thought, but what is either good or bad, in some respect
E 6

108 RESOLUTIONS.

or other. There is not a moment of my life, but it is my
duty either to be thinking, or speaking, or doing good ;
so that whensoever I am not thus employed, I come short
of my duty, and by consequence, am guilty of sin.

But what are these vain thoughts, I am thus resolving
against ? Why all wanderings and distraction in prayer,
or hearing the word of God ; all useless, trifling, and im-
pertinent thoughts, that do not belong to, nor further the
work I am about, the grand affair of my salvation ; may
properly be called vain thoughts. And alas ! what swarms
of these are continually crowding into my heart ? How
have I thought away whole hours together, about I know
not what chimeras, whereof one scarce ever depends upon
another : sometimes entertaining myself with the pleasure
of sense, as eating and drinking, and such like earthly en-
joyments ; sometimes building castles in the air, and
climbing up to the pinnacle of wealth and honour, which
I am not half way got up to, but down I fall again into a
fool's paradise ?

Or, if I chance, at any time, to think a good while upon
ctie thing, it is just to as much purpose as the man's
thoughts were, which I have sometimes heard of, and
smiled at, who having an egg in his hand, by a sort of
-chimerical climax, improved it into an estate ; but while
he was thus pleasing himself with these imaginary pro-
ducts, down drops the egg, and all his hens, and cattle,
and house, and lands, that he had raised from it, vanished
in the fall. These, and such like, are vain thoughts, that
I must, for the future, endeavour to avoid; and though it
will be impossible for me wholly to prevent their first en-
tering into my mind, yet I resolve, by the grace of God,
not to harbour or dwell upon, or delight myself with them.
And then notwithstanding they are, in some sense, sinful,
yet they will not be imputed to me as such, provided I
use my utmost endeavours to avoid them. Which that I
may be the better able to do,

RESOLUTION IV.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to be always exercising
my thoughts upon good objects, that the devil may not ex-
ercise them upon bad,

F|nHE soul being a spiritual substance, is always in ao-
-°- tion, and its proper and immediate act is thinking,

RESOLUTIONS. 10$

which is as natural and proper to the soul, as extension is
to the body : it is that upon which all the other actings of
the soul are grounded ; so that neither our apprehensions
of, nor affections to, any object can be acted without it.
And hence it is, that I think the soul is very properly de-
fined, Substantia cogitans, a thinking substance ; for there
is nothing else but a spirit can think, and there is no spi-
rit but always doth think. And this I find by experience
to be so true and certain, that if at any time I have endea-
voured to think of nothing (as I have oftentimes done) I
have spent all the time in thinking upon that very thought.

How much, therefore, doth it concern me to keep my
soul in continual exercise upon what is good ; for be sure,
if I do not set it on work, the devil will ; and if it do not
work for God, it will work for him ; I know sinful ob-
jects are more agreeable to a sinful soul ; but I am sure,
holy thoughts are more conformable to a holy God. Why,
therefore, should I spend and revel out my thoughts upon
that which will destroy my soul ? No, no ; I shall hence-
forth endeavour always to be employing my thoughts upon
something that is good : and, therefore, to have good sub-
jects constantly at hand to think upon, as the attributes of
God, the glory of heaven, the misery of hell, the merits
of Christ, the corruption of my nature, the sinfulness of
sin, the beauty of holiness, the vanity of the world, the
immortality of the soul, and the like ; and likewise to take
occasion from the objects I meet or converse with in the
world, to make such remarks and reflections, as may be
for my advantage or improvement in my spiritual affairs.
For, there is nothing in the world, though it be never so
bad, but that I may exercise good thoughts upon : and
my neglect in this kind has been the real occasion of all
those vain thoughts that have hitherto possessed my soul.
I have not kept them close to their work, to think upon
what is good, and therefore, they have run out into those
extravagancies, which, by the blessing of God in the per-
formance of these resolutions, I shall endeavour to avoid.

It is, indeed, a singular advantage of that high and
heavenly calling, in which the Most High, of his wis-
dom and goodness, has been pleased to place me, that
all the objects we converse with, and all the subjects
we exercise our thoughts upon, are either God and hea-
ven, or something relating to them. So that we need
not go out of our common road to meet with this hea-
venly company, good thoughts. But then, I do not ac-»

110 RESOLUTIONS.

count every thought of God, or heaven, which only swims
in my brain, to be a good and holy thought, unless it
sinks down into my heart and affections, i. e. unless to my
meditations of God, and another world, I join a longing
for him, a rejoicing in him, and a solacing myself in the
hopes of a future enjoyment of him. Neither will this be
any hinderance, but a furtherance to my studies ; for, as
I know no divine truths as I ought, unless I know them
practically and experimentally ; so I never think I have
any clear apprehensions of God, till I find my affections
are inflamed towards him ; or that ever I understand any
divine truth aright, till my heart be brought into subjec-
tion to it.

This resolution, therefore, extends itself, not only to
the subject matter of my thoughts, but also to the quality
of them, with regard to practice, that they may influence
my life and conversation, that whether I speak, or write,
or eat, or drink, or whatsoever I do, I may still season all,
even my commonest actions, with heavenly meditations ;
there being nothing I can set my hand to, but I may like-
wise set my heart a working upon it. Which accordingly
I shall endeavour, by the blessing of God, to do. And,
for the better ordering of my thoughts,

RESOLUTION V.

Jam resolved, by the grace of God, so to marshal my thoughts,
tlwt they may not just le one another, nor any of them pre-
judice the business I am about.

MY soul being by nature swift and nimble, and by cor-
ruption inordinate and irregular in its operations, I
can never set myself to think upon one thing, but present-
ly another presses in, and another after that, and so on,
till by thinking of so many things at once, I can think
upon nothing to any purpose. And hence it is, that I
throw away thousands of thoughts each day for nothing,
which, if well managed, might prove very profitable and
advantageous to me. To prevent, therefore, this tumul-
tuous, desultory, and useless working of my thoughts, as
I have already resolved to fix my heart upon necessary,
and useful and good objects, so to prevent my thoughts
rolling from one thing to another, or leaping from the top
of one t0 the heigKt of another object, I must now endeavour
to rank and digest them into order and metljod, that they

RESOLUTIONS. Ill

may for the future be more steady and regular in their
pursuits. I know the devil and my own corrupt nature
will labour to break the ranks, and confound the order of
them ; what stratagem, therefore, shall I use to prevent
this confusion ? I shall endeavour, by the grace of God,
whensoever I find any idle thoughts begin to frisk and
rove out of the way, to call them in again, and set them
to work upon one or other of those objects before mention-
ed, and to keep them, for some time, fixed and intent
upon it ; and, considering the relations and dependencies
Of one thing upon another, not to suffer any foreign ideas
such, I mean, as are impertinent to the chain of thoughts
I am upon, to justle them out, or divert my mind another
way. No, not though they be otherwise good thoughts ;
for thoughts in themselves good, when they crowd in un-
seasonably, are sometimes attended with very ill effects, by
interrupting and preventing some good purposes and reso-
lutions, which might prove more effectual for promoting
God's glory, the good of others, and the comfort of our
own souls.

These, and such like, are the methods by which I de-
sign and resolve to regulate my thoughts : and, since I can
do nothing without the divine assistance, I earnestly beg
of God to give me such a measure of his grace, as may en-
able me effectually to put these resolutions in practice, that
I may not think and resolve in vain.

CONCERNING MY AFFECTIONS,

EUT whilst I am thus ranging my thoughts, I find some-
thing of a passion or inclination within me, either
drawing me to, or driving me from, every thing I think
on ; so that I cannot so much as think upon a thought, but
it is either pleasing or displeasing to me, according to the
agreeableness or disagreeableness of the object it is placed
upon, or to my natural affections. If it comes under the
pleasing dress and appearance of good, I readily choose
and embrace it ; if otherwise, I am as eagerly bent to re-
fuse and reject it. And these two acts of the will are na-
turally founded in those two reigning passions of the soul,
love and hatred, which I cannot but look upon as the
grounds of all its other motions and affections. For what
are those other passions of desire, hope, joy, .and the like,

112 resolutions;

but love in its several postures ? and what else can we
conceive of fear, grief, abhorrence, &c. but so many dif-
ferent expressions of hatred, according to the several cir-
cumstances that the displeasing object appears to be under.
Doth my understanding represent any thing to my will,
under the notion of good and pleasant ? My will is pre-
sently taken and delighted with it, and so places its love
upon it ; and this love, if the object be present, inclines
me to embrace it with joy ; if absent, it puts forth itself
into desire, if easy to be attained, it comforts itself with
hope ; if difficult, it arms itself with courage ; if impossi-
ble, it boils up into anger ; if obstructed, it presently, falls
down into despair.

On the other hand, doth my understanding represent
any object to my will, as evil, painful, or deformed ? How
doth it immediately shrink and gather up itself into a
loathing and hatred of it ! and this hatred, if the ungrate-
ful object be present, put on the mournful sables of grief
and sorrow : if it be at any distance from it, it boils up
into detestation and abhorrence ; if ready to fall upon it, it
shakes for fear ; if difficult to be prevented, it .strengthens
itself with courage and magnanimity, either to conqueror
undergo it. These affections, therefore, being thus the
constant attendants of my thoughts, it behoves me as
much to look to those, as to the other, especially, when I
consider, that not only my thoughts, but even my actions
too, are generally determined to good or bad, accordingly
as they are influenced by them. That my affections, there-
fore as well as my thoughts, may be duly regulated,

RESOLUTION I.

I a?n resolvedj by the grace of God, always to make my af-
fections subservient to the dictates of my understanding,
that my reason may not follow, but guide my affections.

THE affections, being of themselves blind and inordi-
nate, unless they are directed by reason and judg-
ment, they either move towards a wrong object, or pur-
sue the right a wrong way. And this judgment must be
mature and deliberate, such as arises from a clear appre-
hension of the nature of the object that affects me, and a
thorough consideration of the several circumstances that
attend it. And great care must be taken, that I do not im-
poses upon myself by fancy and imagination, that I do not
mistake fancy for judgment, or the capricious humours of

RESOLUTIONS. 113

my roving imagination, for the solid dictates of a well-guid-
ed reason. For, my fancy is as wild as my affections : and,
if the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into the ditch.

And alas ! how oft am I deceived in this manner ! If I
do but fancy a thing good and lovely, how eager are my
affections in the pursuit of it ? If I do but fancy any thing
evil and hurtful to me, how doth my heart presently rise
up against it, or grieve or sorrow for it ? and this, I be-
lieve hath been the occasion of all the enormities and ex-
travagancies I have been guilty of, through the whole
course of my past life, divesting me of my reasonable fa-
culties, as to the acts and exercises of them, and subject-
ing my soul to the powers of sense, that I could not raise
my affections above them. Thus, for instance, I have
not loved grace, because my fancy could not see its beau-
ty ; I have not loathed sin, because my fancy could not
comprehend its misery ; and I have not truly desired hea-
ven, because my fane}' could not reach its glory : where-
as, if the transient beauty and lustre of this world's vani-
ties was but presented to my view, how has my fancy
mounted up to the highest pitch of pleasure and ambition,
and inflamed my heart with the desire of them ?

And thus, poor wretch, have I been carried about with
the powerful charms of sense, without having any other
guide of my affections, but what is common to the very
brutes that perish : fancy supplying that place in the sen-
sitive, which reason does in the rational, soul. And, alas!
what is this, but, with Nebuchadnezzar, to leave com-
munion with men, and herd myself with the flocks of the
beasts of the field? And what a shame and reproach is this
to the image of God, in which I was created ?

Oh ! Thou, that art the author of my nature, help me,
I beseech thee, to act more conformably to it, for the time
to come ; that I may no longer be bewildered or misled by
the blind conduct of my straggling fancy ; this ignis fat una,
that hurries me over bogs and precipices to the pit of de-
struction, but that I may bring all my affections and ac-
tions to the standard of a sound and clear judgment ; and
let that judgment be guided by the unerring light of thy
divine word : that so I may neither love, desire, fear, nor
detest any thing, but what my judgment, thus formed,
tells me I ought to do.

I know it will be very hard thus to subdue my affection*
to the dictates and commands of my judgment: but how-
soever, it is my resolution, this morning, in the presence

114 RESOLUTIONS.

of almighty God, to endeavour it, and never to suffer my
heart to settle its affections upon any object, till my
judgment hath passed its sentence upon it. And, as
I will not suffer my affections to run before my judg-
ment ; so whenever that is determined, I steadfastly re-
solved to follow it : that so, my apprehensions and affec-
tions always going together, I may be sure to walk in the
direct path of God's commandments, and enter the gate
that leads to everlasting life. And, the better to facilitate
the performance of this general resolution, it being neces-
sary to descend to particulars ;

RESOLUTION II.

J am resolved, by the grace of God, to love God, as the best
of goods, and to hate sin, as the worst of evils.

\ S God is the centre of our concupiscible affections, so
-^*- sin is the object of those we call irascible ; and the af-
fections of love and hatred being the ground of all the rest,
I must have a great care that I do not mistake or miscarry
in them : for if these be placed upon wrong objects, it is
impossible any of the rest should be placed upon right
ones. In order, therefore, to prevent such a miscarriage,
as God is the greatest good, and sin the greatest evil, I re-
solve to love God above all things else in the world, and
to hate sin to the same degree ; and so to love other things,
only in relation to God, and to hate nothing but in refe-
rence to sin.

As for the first, the loving God above all things, there
is nothing seems more reasonable, inasmuch as there is no-
thing lovely in any creature, but what it receives from
God ; and by how much the more it is like to God, by so
much the more it is lovely unto us. Hence it is that beau-
ty, or an exact symmetry and proportion of parts and co-
lours, so attracts our love, because it so much resembles
God, who is beauty and perfection itself. And hence it is
likewise, that grace is the most lovely thing in the world,
next to God, as being the image of God himself stamped
upon the soul ; nay, it is not only the image and represen-
tation, but it is the influence and communication of him-
self* to us ; so that the more we have of grace, we may
safely say, so much the more we have of God within us.
Why, therefore, should I grudge my love to him, who
only deserves it ? who is not only infinitely lovely in him-
self, but the author and perfection of all loveliness in his

RESOLUTIONS. 115

creatures ? why, the true reason is, that my affections
have run a gadding without my judgment, or else my
judgment hath been baulked or anticipated by my fancy ;
whereas, now, that my apprehensions of God are a little
cleared up, and my judgment leads the way, though no-
body sees me, yet methinks I cannot but blush at myself,
that I should ever lie doating upon these dreams and sha-
dows here below, and not fix my affections upon the infi-
nite beauty and all-sufficiency of God above, who deserves
my love and admiration so infinitely beyond them. How-
ever, therefore, I have heretofore placed my affections
upon other things above God, I am now resolved to love
God, not only above many, or most things, but above all
things else in the world.

And here, by loving God, I do not understand that sen-
sitive affection I place upon material objects ; for it is im-
possible, that that should be fixed upon God, who is a
pure spiritual being ; but that, as by the deliberate choice
of my will I take him for my chiefest good, so I ought to
prefer him as such, before my nearest and dearest posses-
sions, interests, or relations, and whatsoever else may at
any time stand in competition with him.

And thus, as I shall endeavour to love God, so likewise
to hate sin, above all things ; and this is as necessary as
the former ; for all things have something of good in them,
as they are made by God ; but sin being, in its own na-
ture, a privation of good, and directly opposite to the na-
ture and will of God (as I have before shewed) it has no-
thing of beauty or amiableness to recommend it to my af-
fections. On the contrary, it is a compound of deformity
and defilement, that is always attended with punishment
and misery : and must, therefore, be the object of my ha-
tred and abhorrence, wheresoever I find it. For, as God
is the centre of all that is good, so is sin the fountain of
all the evil in the world. All the strife and contention, ig-
nominy and disgrace, misfortunes and afflictions that I ob-
serve in the world ; all the diseases of my body, and in-
firmities of my mind ; all the errors of my understanding,
and irregularities of my will and affections ; in a word, all
the evils whatsoever, that I am affected with, or subject
to, in this world, are still the fruits and effects of sin : for
if man had never offended the chiefest good, he had never
been subject to this train of evils whielvattended his trans-
gression. Whensoever, therefore, I find myself begin to
detest and abhor any evil, I shall, for the future, endea-
vour to turn my eyes to the spring-head, and loath and

116 RESOLUTIONS.

detest the fountain that sends forth all those bitter and on-
whole some streams, as well as the channels of those corrupt
hearts in which they flow. And for this reason I resolve
to hate sin wheresoever I find it, whether in myself or in
Others, in the best of friends, as well as the worst of ene-
mies. Love, I know, and charity, covers a multitude of
sins, and where we love the man, we are all of us but too
apt to overlook, or excuse his faults. For the prevention
of this, therefore, I firmly resolve, in all my expressions
of love to my fellow-creatures, so to love the person, as
yet to hate his sins ; and so to hate his sins, as yet to love
his person. The last of which I hope, I shall not find
hard to practise, my nature, by the blessing of God, be-
ing not easily inclined to hate any man's person whatso-
ever ; and the former will not be much more difficult,
when I consider, that by how much more I love my
friend, by so much more should I hate whatsoever will
be offensive or destructive to him.

Having thus fixed my resolutions with regard to those
two commanding passions of my soul, love and hatred ;

RESOLUTION III.

I am resolved, by the assistance of divine grace, to make God
the principal object of my joy, and sin the principal object
of my grief and sorrow ; so as to grieve for sin more than
suffering, and for suffering only for sin's sake.

HP HE affections of joy and grief are the immediate is-
-*- sues of love and hatred, and, therefore, not at all to
be separated in their object. Having, therefore, resolved
to love, I cannot but resolve likewise to rejoice in God
above all things ; for the same measure of love I have to-
wards any thing, the same measure of complacency and
delight I must necessarily have in the enjoyment of it. As,
therefore, I love God above all things, and other things
only in subserviency to him, so much I rejoice in God
above all things, and in other things only as coming from
him. I know, I not only may, but must rejoice, in the
mercies and blessings that God confers upon me ; out it is
still my duty to rejoice more in what God is in himself,
than in what he is pleased to communicate to me : so that
I am not only bound to rejoice in God, when I have no-
thing else, but when I have all things else to rejoice in.
Let therefore my riches, honours, or my friends fail me ;
let my pleasure, my health and hope, and all fail me ;
I am still resolved, by his grace, to rejoice in the Lord*

RESOLUTIONS. 117

and to joy in the God of my salvation. On the other hand,
let honour or riches be multiplied upon me ; let joy and
pleasure, and all that a carnal heart (like mine) can wish
for or desire, be thrown upon me ; yet am I still resolv-
ed, that as it is my business to serve God, so shall it be my
delight and comfort to rejoice in him.

And, as God shall be my chiefest joy, so shall sin be my
greatest grief ; for I account no condition miserable, but
that which results from, or leads me into sin ; so that
when any thing befals me, which may bear the face of suf-
fering, and fill my heart with sorrow, I shall still endea-
vour to keep off the smart till I know from whence it
comes. If sin has kindled the fire of God's wrath against
me, and brought these judgments upon me, Oh ! what a
heavy load shall I then feel upon my soul ? and how shall
1 groan and complain under the burden of it : but if there
be nothing of the poison of sin dropt into this cup of sor-
rows, though it may perhaps prove bitter to my senses,
yet it will in the end prove healthful to my soul, as being
not kindled at the furnace of God's wrath, but at the
names of his love and affection for me. So that I am so
far from having cause to be sorry for the sufferings he
brings upon me, that I have much greater cause to re-
joice in them, as being an argument of the love and affec-
tion he bears to me ; For whom the Lord loveth, he chasten*
cth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, Heb. xii. 6.

And having thus resolved to rejoice in nothing but
God, and grieve for nothing but sin, I must not be cast
down and dejected at every providence which the men
here below account a loss or affliction ; for, certainly, all
the misery I find in any thing extrinsical, is created by
myself ; nothing but what is in me being properly an af-
fliction to me ; so that it is my fancy that is the ground of*
misery in all things without myself. If I did not fancy
some evil or misery in the loss of such an enjoyment, it
would be no misery at all to me, because I am still the
same as I was, and have still as much as I had before.
For it is God that is the portion of my soul ; and, there-
fore, should I lose every thing I have in the world be*
sides, yet having God, I cannot be said to lose any thing,
because I have Him that hath, and is, all things in him-
self. Whensoever, therefore, any thing befals me, that
uses to be matter of sorrow and dejection to me, I must
not presently be affected with or dejected at it, but still
behave myself like an heir of heaven, and living above the

113 RESOLUTIONS.

smiles and frowns of this world, account nothing matter
of joy, but so far as I enjoy of God's love ; nor any thing
matter of sorrow, but so much as I see of his anger in it.

RESOLUTION IV.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to desire spiritual mer-
cies more than temporal ; and temporal mercies only in re-
ference to spiritual.

HAVING rectified the balance of my judgment accord-
ing to the scripture ; when I would begin to weigh
temporal things with spiritual, I find there is no propor-
tion, and so no comparison to be made betwixt them.
And will any wise man, then, that pretends to reason, be
at a stand which of these to choose, which to esteem the
•best, or desire most ? Alas ! what is there in the world,
that can fill the vast desires of my soul, but only he, who
is infinitely above me and my desires too ? Will riches do
it ? No, I may as soon undertake to fill my barns with
grace, as my heart with gold, and as easily stuff my bags
with virtue, as ever satisfy my desires with wealth. Do I
hunt after pleasures ? These may, indeed, charm and de-
light my brutish senses, but can never be agreeable or pro-
portionate to my spiritual faculties. Do I grasp at honour
and popularity ? These, again, are as empty and unsatis-
fying as the former; they may make me look high and
great in the eye of the world, turn my head giddy with
applause, or puff up my heart with pride, but they can
never fill up the measure of its desires. And thus, if I
should have the whole world at command, and could, with
Alexander, wield both sword and sceptre over all the na-
tions and languages of it, would this content me ? or ra-
ther, should I not sit down, and weep with him, that I
had not another world to conquer and possess ? Whereas,
God being an infinite good, it is impossible for me to de-
sire any thing, which I may not enjoy in him and his mer-
cies : let me, or any other creature, extend our desires
never so far, still the graces and blessings of this infinite
God will be infinitely beyond them all : insomuch that
though ten ■ thousand worlds are not able to satisfy one
soul, yet one God is able to satisfy ten thousand souls ;
yea, and ten millions more to them, as well as if there
was only one soul in all the world to satisfy.

Come, therefore, my dear Lord and Saviour! whilst

RESOLUTIONS. 119

thy servant is breathing after thee ; and possess my heart
with the spiritual blessings of grace and faith, peace and
charity ; and let none of these empty and transient de-
lights of this world stand in competition witli them ! Thou
art the source and centre of all my wishes and desires ;
even as the, hart pa?itcth after the water-brook ; so pantcth
my soul after thee, 0 God ! When shall I appear in thy pre-
sence ? When, wrhen shall that blessed time come, that I
shall see thy sacred majesty face to face ? This is a mercy,
( confess, which I cannot expect, whilst imprisoned in the
body ; but, howsoever, though I must not yet appear be-
fore thee, do thou vouchsafe to appear in me, and give me
such glimpses of thy love and graces here, as may be an
earnest of the bliss and glory I am to enjoy hereafter.

RESOLUTION V.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to hope for nothing so
much as the promises, and to fear nothing so much as the
threatenings, of God.

TVT Y soul being inflamed with holy desires after God, my
•^■▼A heart cannot but be big with the hopes and expecta-
tions of him : and, truly, as there is nothing that I can
absolutely desire, so neither is there any thing that I can
assuredly hope for and depend upon but God himself, and
the promises he has made to me in his divine word. For,
as all things derive their being and subsistence from him,
so they are all at his beck and command, and are acted and
influenced as his wisdom and pleasure sees fit to order
them. All the secondary causes are in his hand, and he
turns them which way soever he will ; so that, however
improbable and disproportionate the means he uses may
appear to be, he never fails to accomplish the end, or
whatever he wills or decrees to be done. And, therefore,
wherever I meet with any promises made over to the faith-
ful in his sacred word (since they are the promises of one
who is infinitely just and true, who can neither dissemble
nor deceive) I cannot in the least doubt but they will be
punctually fulfilled ; and if I am of that happy number (as
I trust through the merits of Christ, and my own sincere
endeavours, I shall approve myself to be) I have as much
assurance of being partaker of them, as if I had them ac-
tually in possession, or as any of the faithful servants of
God, who have already experienced the accomplishment
of them.

120 RESOLUTIONS.

But suppose God should not favour me with the bright
part of his promises, but, instead of the blessings of health
and prosperity, should visit me with crosses and afflic-
tions ; yet I have still the same grounds for my hope and
confidence in him, and may say, with the Psalmist, The
Lord is my helper, I will not fear what the devil or man can
do miio me. For, though their spite and malice may some-
times cross, torment, afflict, and persecute me ; yet, since
I am assured, they are only as instruments in the hand of
God, that cannot go beyond their commission, nor make
me suffer more than I am able to bear, I may comfort my-
self, under all these afflictions, by the same divine pro-
mise that St. Paul had recourse to, on the like occasion, to
wit, That all shall work together for good, to them that love
God, who are called according to his purpose, Rom. viii.28.
The devil could not touch the possessions of Job, till he
had received a commission from God ; nor could he come
near his body till that commission was renewed ; and so,
neither can he, nor any creature whatsoever, throw any
evil upon me, without the divine permission ; and even
that, though it seems to be evil, shall really, in the end,
turn to my benefit and advantage. Oh ! what a sovereign
antidote is this against all despondency and despair, even
under the deepest and severest trials ? Permit me, O my
God, to apply this sacred promise to myself, and say, I
am assured of it by my own experience. For I can hard-
ly remember any one thing that ever happened to me, in
the whole course of my life, even to the crossing of my
most earnest desires, and highest expectations, but what I
must confess, to the praise of thy grace and goodness, has
really, in the end, turned to my advantage another way :
Oh ! make me truly sensible of all thy promises to, and
dealings with me, that whatever storms and surges may
arise, in the tempestuous ocean of this transient world, I
may still fix the anchor of my hope and happiness in thee,
who art the source and spring of all blessings, and with-
out whom no evil or calamity could ever befall me !

And as the promises of God, upon all these accounts,
are to be the object of my hope ; so are his threatenings
to be of my fear and aversion ; as the former are of excel-
lent use to raise and revive the most drooping hearts, so
the latter are of weight enough to sink and depress the
stoutest and most undaunted spirits, and make them lick
up the dust of horror and despair. Not to mention any
thing of the exquisite and eternal miseries denounced
4

RESOLUTIONS. 151

against the wicked in the next world, with which the
scriptures every where .abound, there is one punishment
threatened to be inflicted here, which is, of itself, suffici-
ent to do this ; and that is, in Mai. ii. 2. If ye will not
hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my
name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon
you, and curse your blessings. Most dreadful sentence!
which none, that consider aright, can be able to read with-
out trembling and astonishment. Alas ! if God should
curse me, where should I seek for blessing, since He is
the only fountain from which it flows, and by which it is
conveyed and communicated to me ? And if he should
curse my very blessings, what could I hope for but mise-
ry and despair ? my health, my wealth, my preferments,
my relations, nay, my very life itself, would all be ac-
cursed to me ; and, what is yet worse, even my spiritual
exercises and performances, upon which I chiefly build my
hopes of happiness, my preaching, praying, and commu-
nicating, would all become a snare and a curse to me :
yea, and Christ himself, who came into the world to bless
and redeem me, if I walk not in his fear, believe not his
gospel, or give not glory to his name, will himself be a
curse and condemnation to me. So that I may say of
every thing I have, or enjoy, or expect, All these God
has made curses to me, because I have not blessed and
glorified him in them. Oh ! who would not tremble and
be wrought upon by these threatenings ? who would not
fear thee, O King of nations, who art thus terrible in thy
judgments ; who would not love and obey thee, who art
so gracious in thy promises ? Teach me, I beseech thee,
so to place my fear upon the former, that I may still fix
my. hope upon the latter, that though I fear thy dreadful
curses, yet I may never despair of thy tender mercies!

RESOLUTION VI.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to arm myself with thai
spiritual courage and magnanimity, as to press through
all duties and difficulties whatsoever, for the advancement
of God's glory, and my own happiness.

/CHRISTIANITY is well termed a warfare, for a war-
^^ fare it is, wherein no danger can be prevented, no
enemy conquered, no victory obtained, without much
courage and resolution. I have not only many outward

F

122 RESOLUTIONS.

enemies to grapple with, but I have myself, my worst
enemy, to encounter and subdue. As for those enemies
which are not near me, by the assistance of God's spirit,
I can make pretty good shift to keep them at the sword's
point : but this enemy, that is gotten within me, has so
often foiled and disarmed me, that I have reason to say,
as David did of his enemies, It is too strong for me ; and,
as he said of the chief of his, / shall one day fall by the
hands of Saul : so I have too much occasion to say, I
shall fall by myself, as being myself the greatest enemy
to my own spiritual interest and concerns. How neces-
sary is it, then, that I should raise and muster up all
my force and courage, put on my spiritual armour, and
make myself strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might ? I know I must strive, before I can enter in at the
strait gate ; I must win the crown, before I can wear
it, and be a member of the church militant, before I can
be admitted into the church triumphant. In a word, I
must go through a solitary wilderness, and conquer many
enemies, before I come to the land of Canaan ; or else I
must never be possessed of it. What then ? Shall I lose my
glory, to balk my duty ? Shall I let go my glorious and
eternal possession, to save myself from a seeming hard-
ship, which the devil would persuade me to be a trouble
and affliction ? Alas ! if Christ had laid aside the great
work of my redemption, to avoid the undergoing of God's
anger and man's malice, what a miserable condition had I
been in ? And, therefore, whatever taunts and reproaches
I meet with from the presumptuous and profane, the infi-
del and atheistical reprobates of the age ; let them laugh
at my profession, or mock at what they are pleased to call
preciseness ; let them defraud me of my just rights, or
traduce and bereave me of my good name and reputation ;
let them vent the utmost of their poisonous malice and
envy against me ; I have this comfortable reflection still
to support me, that if I suffer all this for Christ's sake, it
is in the cause of one who suffered a thousand times more
for mine; and, therefore, it ought to be matter of joy and
triumph, rather than of grief and dejection to me; especi-
ally considering that these my light afflictions, which are but
for a moment, will work out for me afar more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory. Upon ;the prospect of which, I
firmly resolve, notwithstanding the growing strength of
sin, and the overbearing prevalency of my own corrupt
.iftections, to undertake all duties, and undergo all mise-

RESOLUTIONS. 125

ries, that God in his infinite wisdom, thinks fit to lay upon
me, or exercise my patience in.

RESOLUTION VII.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, so to be angry, as not to
sin ; and, therefore, to be angry at nothing but sin.

THE former part of the resolution is founded in the ex-
press command of St. Paul, Be ye angry, and sin not,
Eph. iv. 26. And the latter is an explication of, as well as
an inference drawn from it. For, if anger be not only
lawful, but a duty, as is here supposed, when it does not
involve us in sin ; the only difficulty is, to know how that
passion ought to be qualified, to justify the exercise of it
without being guilty of sin : and the circumstances or qua-
lifications required for this, are first, That it be placed
upon a due object ; and, secondly, That it do not exceed
its proper bounds.

Now, as nothing can deserve my anger, but what is
disagreeable to my nature, and offensive to the author of
it, so nothing but sin can properly be called its object.
The chief thing that I am to aim at in my actions, is the
honouring, serving and pleasing of God, and how can I
serve and please God in being angry at any thing but
what I know is displeasing to him ? I may be scorned,
reproached, and vilified among my equals, or accused,
condemned, and punished by my superiors; and these
are treatments that are but too apt to raise and transport
men into anger and revenge : but then, before I suffer
this passion to boil up in me, I ought to consider whether
1 have not behaved myself so as to deserve this sort of
treatment; if I have, then there is no injury or injustice
done me thereby, and, therefore, I ought not to be angry
at it : if I have not, I must not be angry at the persons
who act thus falsely and unjustly against me, but only
at their sin ; for, to speak properly, it is not the per-
son that offends me, but the sin. And this, not because it
is injurious to me, but because it is offensive and displeas-
ing to God himself: for to be angry at any thing but
what displeases God, is to displease God in being angry.
Whenever, therefore, I receive any affronts or provoca-
tions of this nature, I am resolved, by God's grace assist-
ing my endeavours, never to be moved or troubled at
them, farther than they are in their own nature sinful,
F 2

124 RESOLUTIONS,

and at the same time abstracting the sin from the persons.,
to pray for the pardon of those that are guilty of it ; and
not only so, but, according to the command and example
of my Saviour, even to love them too.

But, how shall I be sure to be angiy at nothing but sin,
and so not to sin in my anger, when every petty trifle or
cross accident is so apt to raise this passion in me ? Why,
the best method I can take, is, that which the wise man
directs me to, not be hasty in my spirit, Eccl. vii. 9. but to
dej cr my danger according to discretion, Pro v. xix. 11. So
that, whensoever any thing happens, that may incense
and inflame my passion, I must immediately stop its ca-
reer, and suspend the acts of it, till I have duly consider-
ed the motives and occasions that raised it. And as this
will be a very good means to regulate the object of my an-
ger, so likewise the measure of it : for, he that is slow to
wrath, takes time to consider, and, by consequence, puts
his passion under the conduct of his reason ; and, whoever
does so, it will never suffer it to be transported bej^ond its
proper bounds : whereas he whose anger is like tinder, that
catches as soon as the spark is upon it, and who uses no
means to stop its spreading, is presently blown up into a
furious flame, which, before it is extinguished, may do
more mischief than he is ever able to repair ; for, no man
knows whither his anger may hurry him, when once it
has got the mastery of him. In order, therefore, to pre-
vent the fatal consequences of this passion, I now resolve
never to speak or do any thing, while I am under the in-
fluence of it, but take time to consider with myself, and
reflect upon the several circumstances of the action or ob-
ject it arises from, as well as the occasion and tendency of
it ; and, as oft as I find any thing in it displeasing to God,
to be regularly angry at that, to correct, rebuke, and reprove
it, with a zeal and fervour of spirit, suitable to the occasion ;
but, still to keep within the bounds of the truly christian
temper, which is always distinguished by love and charity,
and exercises itself in meekness and moderation. And,
Oh ! what a sedate and contented spirit will this resolution
breed in me ! How easy and quiet shall I be under all cir-
cumstances ? Whilst others are peevish and fretful, and
torment themselves with every petty trifle that does but
cross their inclinations, or seem to be injurious to them ;
or fall into the other extreme, of a stoical apathy or insen-
sibility ; I shall, by this resolution, maintain a medium be-
twixt both, and possess my soul in peace and patience.

RESOLUTIONS. 1&5

CONCERNING MY WORDS.

HAVING thus far cleansed the fountain of my heart,
with regard to my thoughts and affections, which
are the immediate issues of my active soul, the next thing
incumbent upon me, is to regulate my outward conversa-
tion, both with respect to my words and actions. As to
the first, the holy scripture assures me, that the tongue is
a world of iniquity, James iii. 6. And again, that it is an
unruly evil, which no man can tame, ver. 8. But is it, in-
deed, so unruly ? Then there is the more occasion to have
it governed and subdued ; and, since that is not to be done
by man alone, it is still more necessary, that I should call
in the assistance of that divine Spirit that gives this cha-
racter of it, first to fix my resohdio?is, and then to strength-
en me in the performance of them. I steadfastly purpose
to imitate the royal Psalmist in this particular, and to take
heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue, Psal.
xxxix. 1. Yea, I am resolved, with holy Job, that all the
while my breath, and the Spirit of God, is in my nostrils, my
lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit, Job
xxvii. 8, 4. But, since it is such an unruly instrument, so
very difficult to be bridled or restrained, do thou, O God,
who first madest it, enable me to get the mastery of it !
Set a watch, 0 Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of
my lips, that, with St. Paul, / may speak forth the words
of truth and soberness, and make this unruly evil a happy
instrument of much good ! Which that I may do,

RESOLUTION I.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, never to speak much,
lest I often speak too much, and not to speak at all, rather
than to no purpose, r

T T is the voice of fools that is known by the multitude of
-*- words, Eccl. v. 3, In which there are diverse vanities,
ver. 6. and sin too, Prov. x. ig. whereas he that refrainetk
his lips is wise. This is that piece of christian wisdom,
which I am now resolving to look after ; and therefore ne-
ver to deliver my words out to the world by number, but
by weight, not by quantity, but quality : not hiding any
meaning under ambiguous terms and expressions, but fit-
ting words exactly to express my meaning ; not amusing
F 3

126 RESOLUTIONS.

those I converse with, with circles of impertinence and
circumlocution, but coming directly to the matter by the
straight line of apt expressions, so as never to speak more
than the matter requireth ; nor to speak at all, when no
matter requireth. For, why should I spend my breath
for nothing ? Alas ! that is not all ; if I spend it ill, it will
be far worse, than spending it for nothing ; for, our bless-
ed Saviour has told me that I must answers/or ever?/ idle
and unprofitable as well as profane word, Matt. xii. 36.
But now, if the vain word, if all the vain words I ever
spoke should be written, as I have cause to believe they
are, in the book of God's remembrance, how many vast
volumes must they make ! and if an index should be made,
where to find profitable, and where idle words, how few
references would there be to the former ? what multitudes
to the latter ? and (what is }^et more terrifying) if all these
words should be brought in judgment against me at the
last day, how would those very words then make me
speechless ? and what shame and confusion of face would
they then strike me with ? But I trust, through the blood
of my Redeemer, and the tears of my repentance, they
will be all washed and blotted out, before 1 come to ap-
pear before Mm. In order to this, as I heartily bewail
and detest my former follies in this respect ; so I firmly
purpose and resolve to use my utmost endeavours for the
time to come, not to give way any more to such idle words
and expressions, as are likely to be thus prejudicial to my
eternal interest ; but always to consider well beforehand,
what, and how, and why I speak, and suffer no corrupt
communication to proceed out of my mouth, but that which
is good, to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to
the hearers, Eph. iv. 2£).

I know there are some words, *hat are purely jocose,
spoken with no other intent but only to promote mirth,
and divert melancholy ; and these words, so long as they
are harmless and innocent, so long as they do not reflect
dishonour upon God, nor injure the character and repu-
tation of my neighbour, are very lawful and allowable ;
inasmuch as they conduce to the refreshing and reviving
of my spirits, and the preservation of my health. But
then, I must always take care so to wind and turn my dis-
course, that what recreates me in speaking, may pro-
fit others when spoke ; that my words may not only be
such as have no malignity in them, but such as may be
useful and beneficial ; not only such as do no hurt, but

RESOLUTIONS. 127

likewise such as may do much good to others as well as
myself. To this end, I firmly resolve, by the grace of
God, never to speak only for the sake of speaking, but to
weigh each word before I speak it, and to consider the
consequence and tendency of it, whether it may be really
the occasion of good or evil, or tend to the edifying or
scandalizing o£ the person I speak it to.

RESOLUTION II.

/ am resolved 3 by the grace of God, not only to avoid the ?vick-
edness of swearing falsely, bid likewise the very appear-
ance of swearing at all.

]3ERJURY is a sin condemned by the very laws of na-
- ture ; insomuch that I should wrong my natural fa-
culties, should I give way to, or be guilty of it. For the
same nature that tells me, the person of God is to be adored,
tells me likewise his name is to be reverenced ; and what
more horrid impiety can possibly be imagined, than to
prostitute the most sacred name of the most high God, to
confirm the lies of sinful men ? I know swearing in a just
matter, and right manner, may be as lawful under the
New, as under the Old Testament ; for thus I find St.
Paul saying, As God is true, c2 Cor. i. 18. and ver. c23. I
call God for a record upon my soul, wherein is contained
the very nature of an oath, which is the calling God for a
record and a witness to the truth of what we speak ; but
when it is to maintain falsehood, which is to an ill pur-
pose, or lightly and vain, which is to no purpose at all,
it is a sin of the highest aggravation, that ought, with the
greatest detestation and abhorrence, to be shunned and
avoided. God saith, by Moses, Lev. xix. 12. Thou shaft
not swear by my name falsely, neither shall thou profane the
name of thy God: I am the Lord. And Exod. xx. 7. Deut.
V. 11. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his
name in vain. But farther, God says, by Christ, Swear
mot at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne ; nor by
ihe earth, for it is his footstool, &c. So that not only, "by
God, and by Jesus, are oaths, but swearing b) any of
God's creatures, is, in a manner, to swear by God him-
self: I swear by the heavens; can the heavens hear, or
witness what I say? No; it is the glorious Majesty that
rules there, that I call upon to witness the truth of the
F 4

1 28 RESOLUTIONS.

■words I speak, and the sinfulness of my heart for swear-
ing to them. Do I swear by my faith ? But how is that?
Can faith testify what I say ? No, it is only he that wrought
this faith in my heart, can witness the truth of my words.
And if I swear by the gifts of God, I do in effect swear by
God himself; otherwise, I ascribe that to the creature,
which is only compatible to the glorious Creator, even the
knowledge of the thoughts of my heart, how secret soever
they be.

But, again, there is more in the third commandment
than the devil would persuade the world there is : for,
when God commands me not to take his name in vain, it is
more than if he had commanded me not only to swear by
it : for, I cannot persuade myself, but that every time I
speak of God, when I do not think of him, 1 take his
name in vain : and, therefore, I ought to endeavour to
avoid even the mentioning of God, as well as swearing by
him, unless upon urgent occasions, and with reverence
and respect becoming his Majesty ; for, questionless, O
Lord, and O God, may be spoken as vainly, as, By Lord,
and By God : and, therefore, I ought never to speak such
words, without thinking really in my heart, what I speak
openly with my mouth, lest my name be written amongst
those that take the name of God in vain. But farther still,
I am resolved not only to avoid downright swearing, but
likewise the very appearance of it : so that what doth but
look like an oath, shall be as odious to me, as what looks
like nothing else.

RESOLUTION III.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, always to make my
tongue and heart go together, so as never to speak with the
one, what I do not think in the other.

AS my happiness consisteth in nearness and vicinity, so
doth my holiness in likeness and conformity to the
chiefest good, I am so much the better, as I am the liker
the best ; and so much the holier, as I am more conforma-
ble to the holiest, or rather to him who is holiness itself.
Now, one great title which the most High is pleased to
give himself, and by which he is pleased to reveal himself
to us, is the God of truth : so that I shall be so much the
liker to the God of truth, by how much I am the more con-

RESOLUTIONS. 129

stant to the truth of God. And, the farther I deviate from
this, the nearer I approach to the nature of the devil, who
is the father of lies, and liars too, John viii. 44. And hence
it is, that of all the sins the men of fashion are guilty of,
they can least endure to be charged with lying. To give
a man the lie, or to say, You lie, is looked upon as the
greatest affront that can be put upon them. And why so ?
But only because this sin of lying makes them so like their
father the devil, that a man had almost as well call them
devils, as liars ; and therefore to avoid the scandal and re-
proach, as well as the dangerous malignity of this damna-
ble sin, I am resolved, by the blessing of God, always to
tune my tongue in unison to my heart, so as never to speak
any thing, but what I think really to be true. So that, if
ever I speak what is not true, it shall not be the error of
my will, but of my understanding.

I know lies are commonly distinguished into officious,
pernicious, and jocose: and some may fancy some of them,
more tolerable than others. But, for my own part, I
think they are all pernicious, and therefore, not to be jest-
ed withal, nor indulged, upon any pretence or colour
whatsoever. Not as if it was a sin, not to speak exactly as
a thing is in itself, or as it seems to me in its literal mean-
ing, without some liberty granted to rhetorical tropes and
figures ; (for, so the scripture itself would be chargeable
with lies ; many things being contained in it, which are
not true in a literal sense:) but, I must so use rhetorical,
as not to abuse my Christian liberty ; and, therefore, never
to make use of hyperboles, ironies, or other tropes and
figures, to deceive or impose upon my auditors, but only
for the better adorning, illustrating, or confirming the
matter.

But, there is another sort of lies most men are apt to
fall into, and they are promissory lies ; to avoid which, I
am resolved never to promise any thing with my mouth,
but what I intend to perform in my heart ; and never to
intend to perform any thing, but what I am sure I can per-
form. For, this is the caiise and occasion of most promis-
sory lies, that we promise that absolutely, which we should
promise only conditionally. For, though I may intend
to do as I say now, yet there are a thousand, weighty
things may intervene, which may turn the balance of my
intentions, or otherwise hinder the performance of my
promise. So that, unless I be absolutely sure I can do a
thing, I must never absolutely promise to do it ; anclj
F 5

130 RESOLUTIONS.

therefore, in all such promises, shall still put in God will-
ing, or by the help of God, at the same time lifting up
my heart to God, lest I take his name in vain.

RESOLUTION IV.

Tarn resolved, by the grace of God, to speak of other mens
sins only before their faces, and of their virtues only behind
their backs.

npO commend men when they are present, I esteem al-
-"- most as great a piece of folly as to reprove them when
they are absent ; though I do confess, in some cases, and
to some persons, it may be commendable ; especially when
the person is not apt to be puffed up, but spurred on by
it. But to rail at others, when they hear me not, is the
highest piece of folly imaginable ; for, as it is impossible
they should get any good, so is it. impossible but that I
should get much hurt by it. For, such sort of words,
make the very best we can of them, are but idle and un-
profitable, and may not only prove injurious to the person
of whom, but even to whom they are spoken, by wound-
ing the credit of the former, and the charity of the latter ;
and so, by consequence, my own soul ; nay, even though
I speak that which is true in itself, and known to be so to
me : and, therefore, this way of backbiting ought by all
means to be avoided.

But, I must, much more, have a care of raising false
reports concerning any one, or of giving credit to them
that raise them, or of passing my judgment, till I have
weighed the matter ; lest I transgress the rules of mercy
and charity, which command me not to censure any one
upon other's rumours, or my own surmises ; nay, if the
thing be in itself true, still to interpret it in the best sense.
But, if I must needs be raking in other men's sores, it must
not be behind their backs, but before their faces ; for, the
one is a great sin, and the other may be as great a duty,
even to reprove my neighbour for doing any thing offen-
sive unto God, or destructive to his own soul ; still endea-
vouring so to manage the reproof, as to make his sin loath-
some to him, and prevail upon him, if possible, to forsake
it : but there is a great deal of Christian prudence and dis-
cretion to be used in this, lest others may justly reprove
me for my indiscreet reproof of others. I must still fit my
reproof to the time when, the person to whom, and the

RESOLUTIONS. 131

sin against which it is designed ; still contriving with my-
self how to carry on this duty so, as that by converting a
sinner from the evil of his ways, I may save a soul from death,
and cover a multitude of sins, James v. 20. Not venting
my anger against the person, but my soitoav for the sin
that is reproved. Hot, passionate, and reviling words,
will not so much exasperate a man against his sin that is
reproved, as against the person that doth reprove it. It is
not the wrath of man that worketh the righteousness of God,
James i. 10. But this, of all duties, must be performed
with the spirit of love and meekness ; I must first insinu-
ate myself into his affections, and then press his sin upon
his conscience, and that directly or indirectly, as the per-
son, matter, or occasion shall require ; that so he that is
reproved by me now, may have cause to bless God for me
to all eternity.

RESOLUTION V.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, always to speak reve*
rently to my superiors, humbly to my inferiors, and civilly
to aU.

HP HE most high God, the master of this great family,
-*- the world, for the more orderly government of it,
hath, according to his infinite wisdom, set some in higher,
some in lower places, hath made some as stewards, others
as under servants ; and according to every man's work
that he expects from him, he measures out his talents to
him. Blessed be his name for it, he hath set me in a mid-
dle form, giving me Agar's wish, subject neither to envy
on one hand, nor pity on the other ; so that I have both
superiors to reverence, and inferiors to condescend to„
And accordingly, it is my duty so to behave myself to-
wards them, that the reverent expressions of my mouth
may manifest the obedient subjection of my heart to the
power and authority God has given them over me. It is
the express command of the gospel, that we should ren-
der to every man his due, Fear to whom fear, honour to
whom Jwnour belongeth, Rom. xiii. 13. which words plain-
ly imply, both that it is some men's due to receive honour,
and other men's duty to give it. And accordingly, we find
Paul, when he was brought before Festus, doth not say,,
Art thou he, whom they call Festus ? or thou Festus, as the
misguided enthusiasts, in our days, would have said ; but,
F 6

132 RESOLUTIONS.

Most voblc Festus, Acts xxvi. 25. In like manner St. John
doth not call her he writes to, in his second epistle, being
a person of quality, Woman, but, Elect lady. And this
sort of reverence is farther confirmed to us, not only by
the constant custom of all nations in all ages of the world,
but it is likewise highly agreeable to the rules of right
reason, as well as the order of government. For, as there
is both a natural and civil superiority, a superiority in
gifts and age, and a superiority likewise in office and sta-
tion ■ so there is nothing can be more necessary, than that
there should be, in both these respects, a reverence and
respect paid to the persons of men, answerable to these
distinctions. And therefore I cannot but condemn that
rude and unmannerly behaviour of some of our schismatics
towards their superiors, as factious and unreasonable, as
well as repugnant to the dictates of the divine Spirit, which
the prophets and apostles were inspired and influenced by.
And, as there is a reverence due from inferiors to supe-
riors in point of conversation, so likewise are there some
decent regards and civilities to be shewed even by superi-
ors to their inferiors, who are always treated with candour
and condescension, in their ordinary capacities ; and even
when they are considered as criminals, with meekness and
moderation. Insomuch that methinks, it is one of the
worst sights in the world, to see some men that are gotten
upon a little higher ground than their neighbours are, to
look proudly and scornfully down upon all that are be-
low them, disdaining to vouchsafe them the least favour or
respect whatsoever. Such churlish, haughty, and foul-
mouthed Nabals as these, are not only very unjust, and
unreasonable in their behaviour to others, but they are
certainly the greatest enemies to themselves, that they
have in all the world besides ; not only by drawing upon
them the hatred and enmity of all that are about them, but
likewise by tormenting themselves with such frivolous
things, as such spirits commonly do. Wherefore, that I
may please Gcd, my neighbour, and myself, in what I
speak, though I could exceed other men (which is impossi-
ble for me tOvSuppose) in every thing ; I resolve, by God's
grace, always to behave myself so, as if I excelled them
in nothing : and not only to speak reverently to them that
are above me, but humbly and civilly to those that are be-
neath me too. I will always endeavour to use such hum-
ble and winning words, as to manifest more of my love to
them than my power over them : I will always season my

RESOLUTIONS. 133

tongue with savoury, not bitter expressions, not making
my mouth a vent for my fury and passion to fume out at,
but rather an instrument to draw others' love and affection
in by ; still speaking as civilly unto others, as I would
have them speak civilly to me.

■k-v^-vwvv-w *•■*»•»

CONCERNING MY ACTIONS.

THE other way of my soul's putting forth, and shew-
ing herself to the world, is by her actions, which it
concerns me as much to look to and regulate, as my words;
forasmuch as there is not the least ill circumstance in any
action, but what, unless it be repented of, must be brought
into question, and answered for at the last day : for, though
an action cannot be denominated good, unless it be good
in all circumstances and respects ; yet it is always deno-
minated bad, if it is bad only in one. As it is in music, if
but one string jar, or be out of tune, the whole harmony
is spoiled ; so here, if but one circumstance in an action
be wanting or defective, the whole action is thereby ren-
dered immoral.

How much, therefore, doth it behove me to keep a
strict watch over myself, and so to perform every action,
and place every circumstance in it, that it may have its ap-
probation in the court of heaven? Well, I am resolved, by
the grace of God, to try what I can do. I know it is im-
possible for me to resolve upon particular actions: but
howsoever I shall resolve upon such general rules, the ap-
plication of which to particular acts may make them pleas-
ing and acceptable in the sight of God ; always premising
this which I have resolved upon before, as the best foun-
dation, viz. to square all my actions by the scripture rule,
and to do nothing but what I have some way or other, a
warrant from the word of God. Upon this fixed and stea-
dy principle,

RESOLUTION I.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to do every thing in
obedience to tJie will of God.

IT is not sufficient, that what I do is the will of God,
but I must therefore do it because it is the will of God.
For, what saith my Father, My son, give me thine heart,

134- RESOLUTIONS.

and let thine eyes observe my ways, Prov. xxiii. 26. So that
my Father will not only have my hand, but my heart too.
And my feet must not walk in the ways of God, till my
eyes have observed and discerned them to be so. I may
do an action that is in itself good ; and yet, at the same
time, not do a good action, if I do not therefore do it, be-
cause it is so : for example, I may give an alms to the
poor, feed the hungry, or clothe the naked ; but let me
examine and consider well, upon what principle these ac-
tions are founded, whether I therefore do them, because
God hath commanded them ; if not, my feeding the poor
will be no more a good action, than the ravens feeding the
prophet was, 1 Kings xvii. 6. Their feeding of the pro-
phet was commanded by God, as well as my feeding of
the poor, but I cannot say, they did a good action, be-
cause though they did do this, which was commanded by
God, yet being irrational creatures, they could not reflect
upon that command, and so could not do this in obedience
to it.

There are some persons, to the very frame and dispo-
sitions of whose spirits some sins are, in then* nature, odi-
ous and abominable. Thus I have known some whose
very constitutions have carried them into an antipathy to
lust and luxury ; and others again, who could never en-
dure to drink beyond their thirst, much less to unman and
be-beast themselves, by drinking to excess. And the like
may be observed of covetonsness which Luther was such
an enemy to, that it is said to be against his very nature.
Now, I say, though the abstaining from these sins be high-
ly commendable in all sorts of persons, yet, unless, toge-
ther with the streams of their natural disposition, there run
likewise a spiritual desire to please God, and obey his com-
mands, their abstaining from these vices, is no more than
the brute beasts themselves do, who always act according
to the temper of their bodies, and are never guilty of any
excesses that are prejudicial to them.

Hence servants are commanded to be obedient to their
masters, with good will doing service as to the Lord, and not
to men, Eph. vi. 5, 6, 7- which clearly shews, that though
a servant doth obey his master, yet if he doth not do it in
obedience to God, he will not find acceptance with him.
So that, whensoever I set my hand to any action that is
good, I must still fix my eye upon God's commanding of
it, and do it only in respect to that ; as knowing, that if I
give but a tarthing to the poor, in all my life, and do it in

Jlfci5UL,U 11UAS. J,)J

obedience to God's commands, it shall be accepted sooner
than theirs, who feed hundreds at their table every day,
and have not respect to the same command.

Do I see a poor wretch ready to fall down to the earth
for want of a little support, and my bowels begin to yearn
towards him ? Let me search into my heart, and see what
it is that raises this compassion in me. If it flows only
from a natural tenderness to a brother in misery, without
regard to the love of God, who has commanded and en-
joined it, the poor man may be succoured and relieved,
but God will not be pleased or delighted with it. Again,
do my friends stir me up to pray or hear, or do any other
spiritual or civil action, and I therefore only do it because
of their importunity? I may satisfy my friends' desire, but
cannot properly be said to obey the commands of God, in
such a performance: so that the great and only foundation
that I must resolve to build all the actions of my life upon,
is an uniform obedience to that God, by whom alone I am
enabled to perform them.

RESOLUTION II.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, io do every thing with
prudence and discretion, as well as with zeal and affection.

TlirHILST I am penned up in this earthly tabernacle,
* * I live almost as in a darksome dungeon, having no
light to work by, but a little that springs in at the narrow
crevices of my understanding. So that I had need to
make use of all that little light and knowledge I have, to
regulate the heat and zeal that sometimes sit upon my spi-
rit. For good passions may sometimes carry me into bad
actions : my zeal, when hot in the pursuit of God's glory,
may sometimes hurry me beyond his laws; especially,
when Christian prudence hath not first chalked out the
way, and set the bounds for it : as, in discourse, my zeal
may put me upon throwing pearls before swine, or using
words, whence silence may be more commendable : so in
my actions too, unless wisdom and discretion govern and
command my affections, I shall frequently run into such
as would be altogether needless and impertinent, and there-
fore ought to be omitted ; and daily neglect several du-
ties, which ought to be performed.

But, my understanding and discretion is chiefly requi-
site for the ordering of time and place, and other partial*

136 RESOLUTIONS.

lar circumstances, the irregular management of which may
easily spoil the best of actions. For instance, that may be
a good work at one time and place, which is not at ano-
ther ; and may be very innocent and becoming in one per-
son, though quite contrary in another. It is therefore the
proper office of my understanding to point out the fittest
time and place, and person, for the performance of each
action I engage in. As for example, in distributing to
the poor, my hand of charity must be either guided by
the eye of understanding, where, when, how much, and
to whom to give ; or else I may, at the same time, not
only offend God, but wrong my neighbour and myself
too. And so for all other actions whatsoever, which I
ought therefore never to set myself about, though it be of
the lowest rank, without consulting the rules of wisdom,
modelled by the law of God.

RESOLUTION III.

J am resolved, by the grace of God, never to set my hand,
my head, or my heart, about any thing but what I verily
believe is good in itself, and will be esteemed so by God.

WITHOUT faith, the apostle tells me, it is impossible
to please God, Heb. xi. 5. For whatsoever is not of
faith, is sin, Rom. xiv. 23. Where, by faith, we are not
'to understand that saving faith, whereby I believe that my
person is justified through Christ ; but that, whereby I
believe that my works shall be accepted by God : for faith
here is opposed to doubting ; and that, not about Christ's
dying for me, or my living in him, but about the particu-
lar actions of my life. He that doubteth, saith the apostle,
is damned if he eats, that is, He that eateth that which he
doubteth whether it may be lawfully eat or no, is damned,
because he sins in doing it, and therefore may be damned
for it. But why so ? because he eateth not qf faith ; be-
cause he doth that which he knows not whether he may do
or no, not believing it to be really good in itself, or accept-
able unto God. And, though the apostle here instances
only in that particular action of eating, yet what he says
with relation to that, is properly applicable to all the other
actions of life : for he afterwards subjoins, Whatsoever is
not of faith, is sin : whatsoever it is, good or bad, if not
done by faith, it is sin.

And truly, this particular will be of great use through

RESOLUTIONS. 157

my whole life for the avoiding of many sins, and for the
doing of much good : for, many things which are good in
themselves, may, for want of faith, become quite other-
wise to me ; my heart not believing what I do is good,
my hand can never make it so. Or, if I think what I do
is bad, though it be not so in itself, yet my very tlunking
it so, will make it so to me.

And this is what we call doing a thing with a good con-
science, or keeping, as St. Paul did, our conscience void of
offence. And to go contrary to the dictates of my consci-
ence in this particular, is to transgress the commands of
God. For in this, conscience is as God's vicegerent in my
soid ; what conscience commands, God commands ; what
conscience forbids, God forbids ; that is, I am as really
under the power of conscience, as the commands of God,
in such a case. So that, if I do not obey the former, it is
impossible for me to obey the latter. But how much then
doth it behove me to see, that my conscience be rightly
informed in every thing ? For as if a judge be misinform-
ed, it is impossible he should pass righteous judgment ;
so, if conscience be misinformed, it is impossible I should
do a righteous act. And, what a miserable case shall I
then be in ? If I do what is in itself sinful, though my con-
science tells me it is good, yet I sin, because the act in it-
self is sinful ; and if I do what in itself is goodr and my
conscience tells me it is bad, because my conscience tells
me it is bad, I sin because my conscience tells me it is so :
so that as my conscience is, so will my actions be.

For this reason, I resolve, in the presence of my great
Creator, never to do any thing, till I have first informed
my conscience from the word of God, whether it be lawful
for me to do it, or no ; or in case it be not determined
there, to make a strict search and inquiry into each cir-
cumstance of it, considering with myself what good or evil
may issue from it, and so what good or evil there is in it ;
and according as my conscience, upon the hearing of the
argument on both sides, shall decide the matter, I shall
do, or not do it ; never undertaking any thing upon mere
surmises, because it may be good, but upon a real and tho«
rough persuasion that it is so.

138 RESOLUTIONS.

RESOLUTION IV.

/ am resolved, by ike grace of God, to do all things for the
glory of God.

A SI was not made by, so neither for myself; for God,
-^*- says the wise man, made all things for himself, Prov.
xvi. 4. And being thus made for God, it follows of course,
that I ought to act for God ; otherwise I shall frustrate the
end of my creation. Insomuch that whatsoever I make
my chief aim in what I do, 1 make that my God : Do I
aim at the glory of the all-glorious Jehovah ? it is him I
make my God : Do I aim at riches ? then it is mammon I
make my God : and therefore it is that covetousness is call-
ed idolatry, Col. iii. 5. Do I aim at pleasure, it is my
senses I make my God, Phil. iii. 19. Do I aim at popu-
lar applause, or worldly advancement ? or, do I aim at
my own health or life ? these are my gods. For what is
worshipping, but making all the powers of my soul, and
actions of my body, to bow and stoop to them ? Hence it
is, that the most high God, who hath said, He will not
give his glory to another, hath been so express in command-
ing me to do all things to his glory, Whether ye eat or drink,
says the apostle, or whatsoever you do, do all things to the
glory of God, 1 Cor. x. 31.

But how can I, poor worm, be said to do any thing to
the glory of the eternal God ? Why, in the same manner
as he is said to do what he doth for his own glory ; and
how is that ? By manifesting his glory to others. Thus,
if I can but so live and act, as thereby to evidence, that
the God I serve is a glorious God, glorious in holiness, glo-
rious in goodness, glorious in wisdom, glorious in power,
and the like ; this is doing all things to the glory of God.
For example, by praying to God, I avouch him to be a
God infinite in knowledge, that he is present with me,
and hears me pray, wheresoever I am ; and I own him to
be infinite in mercy, in that he will suffer such a sinful
creature as I am to address myself to him, &c. And so
there is not the least action I undertake, but I am so to
manage it, as to manifest the glory of God by it, making
it my end and design so to do ; otherwise let me do what
I will I am sure to sin ; for though I confess, a good end
can never make a bad action good, yet a bad end will al-
ways make a good action bad : so that, as ever I would do
any thing that is good, I must be sure to do it to the glory
efGod.

RESOLUTIONS. tSQ

RESOLUTION V.

1 a >n resolved, by the grace of God, to mingle such recrea-
tions with thy business, as to further my business by my
recreations.

XXAVING wholly, devoted myself to God, all I have,
JLX or am^ js still i0 be improved for him ; insomuch that
was it not for the necessities of nature, every moment of
my life should and ought to be spent in the immediate wor-
ship and service of him. But though nature requires some
time" from my solemn serving him, for the recreating of
myself; yet grace requireth, that this recreating of myself
should still be for the promoting his service ; so that my
recreations do not only fit me for farther service, but they,
in themselves, should some way or other, be serviceable
to him ; which that they may be Pmust have as great a
care in the choice, as in the use of my recreations.

There are some recreations that are so far from conduc-
ing to his service, that they may make more for the incens-
ing of his wrath : as drinking and gaming, which though
in themselves lawful, yet, as they often prove an occasion
of swearing, lying, cheating, and contention amongst men,
and, by consequence of wrath in God ; so they ought, by
all means, to be shunned and avoided. Indeed, it may
be questioned, whether gaming be ever a lawful recrea-
tion ? For, either it is a lottery, or not. If it be a lottery,
it is not lawful, because it is a great presumption and sin
to set God at work to recreate ourselves ; for poor nothings
to employ the chiefest good, immediately to determine
such frivolous and trifling impertinencies. If it be not a
lottery, then it is not a pure recreation, for if it depends
upon man's wit and study, it exercises his brain and spi-
rits, as much as if he were about other things : so that be-
ing on one side not lawful, on the other side no recreation ;
it can, on no side, be a lawful recreation.

For, what is the end of recreation, but to revive my lan-
guishing spirits, to let them rest and be quiet a little, when
they are tired with too much exercise, that they be fresher,
livelier, and fitter for work afterwards ? hence it is, that
God indeed hath provided a recreation for all sensible
creatures ; sleep, which is the rest of the spirits in the
nerves. When the little animal spirits have been all the
day running up and down upon the soul's errands^ to lis

140 RESOLUTIONS.

down still and quiet, is a great refreshment and revivement
to them, provided still, that it be moderately used. Where-
as the indulging ourselves too much in it, is rather a clog-
ging and stupifying of them ; as we see in our bodies,
which, when not accustomed to, are most averse from,
and unfit for exercise.

So that the chief and only time for recreation, is, when my
spirits are either weary with labour anjd study, or else call-
ed in to some necessary employment in some other place ;
as at and after meals, especially such as are of a hard di-
gestion ; for then the spirits have enough to do, to turn
the food we eat into good nourishment. And, therefore,
the intenseness of study, running, wrestling, and such like
violent exercises, are not proper at such a time ; because
in studying, we draw the spirits from the stomach to the
head ; so in the other exercises, such as moderate walking,
conference, and free discourse about common but necessa-
ry points, we send them from the stomach^into other parts
of the body, where they are to be set on work.

But, that which I have found the best recreation, both
to my body and mind, whensoever either of them stands
in need of it, is music, which exercises, at once, both my
body and my soul ; especially when I play myself. For
then, methinks, the same motion that my hand makes
upon the instrument, the instrument makes upon my heart;
it calls in my spirits, composes my thoughts, delights my
ear, recreates my mind, and so, not only fits me for after
business, but fills my heart, at the present, with pure and
useful thoughts, so that when the music sounds the sweet-
liest in my ears, truth commonly flows the clearest into
my mind. And hence it is, that I find my soul is become
more harmonious, by being accustomed so much to har-
mony, and so averse to all manner of discord, that the least
jarring sounds, either in notes or words, seem very harsh
and unpleasant to me.

That there is something more than ordinary in music,
appears from David's making use of it, for driving away
the evil spirit from Saul, and Elisha for the bringing of the
good spirit upon himself. From which I am induced to
believe, that there is really a sort of secret and charming
power in it, that naturally dispels, from the mind, all ox-
most of those black humours, which the evil spirit uses to
brood upon, and by composing it into a more regular,
sweet, and docible disposition, renders it the fitter for the
holy Spirit to work upon, the more susceptible of divine

RESOLUTIONS. 141

grace, and more faithful messenger, whereby to convey
truth to the understanding. But however that be, I must
necessarily acknowledge, that of all recreations, that is by
far the more suitable to my temper and disposition, in that
it is not only an exercise to my body, but to my mind too ;
my spirits being thereby made the more nimble and active,
and, by consequence, the fitter to wait upon my soul, and
be employed by her, in whatever business she is engaged.
But in this and all other recreations, I must always take
care not to exceed my measure, either in point of time or
intention ; I must not follow them too close, nor spend
too many hours in them, but still resolve to use them, as
they may not become a snare to me, but answer the ends
for which they were designed, that when God shall call
me to it, I may give him as good an account of my recrea-
tions, as of my necessary duties.

%^w-w»-vv-vvwv

CONCERNING MY RELATIONS.

BUT be not deceived, O my soul ; thou art not yet ad-
vanced far enough ; it is not sufficient to pretend to
holiness in my thoughts and affections, and in my words
and actions ; unless I express it likewise in all the rela-
tions and conditions of life. The commandments of God are
said to be exceeding broad : they extend themselves to eve-
ry capacity I can possibly be in, not only enjoining me to
live soberly in respect to myself, but righteously to my
neighbour, obediently to my sovereign, lovingly to my
wife, and faithfully to my people ; otherwise I cannot live
holily unto God ; and, therefore, if I would be thoroughly
religious, I must farther endeavour to fix my resolutions
with regard to the several duties the most High expects
from me, in all these particular relations I bear to him,
during my sojourning here on earth.

RESOLUTION I.

/ am resolved, hij the grace of God, to honour and ohey the
king, or prince, wliom God is pleased to set over me, as
well as to expect that he should safeguard and protect me,
whom God is pleased to set under him.

THE King of kings, and Lord of lords, the great and
glorious monarch of all the world, having enacted

142 RESOLUTIONS.

many gracious laws, is pleased to set over every kingdom
and nation such persons as may put them in execution.
So that I cannot but look upon a lawful king, as truly a re-
presentative of the most high God, as a parliament is of the
people ; and am therefore persuaded, that whoever rebels
against him, rebels against God himself; not only in that
he rebels against the ordinance of God,, and so, against
the God of that ordinance, but because he rebels against
him, whom God hath set up as his vicegerent, to repre-
sent his person, and execute his laws in such a part of his
dominions.

Hence it is, that these two precepts, Fear God, and ho-
nour the king, are so often joined together in holy writ;
for he that fears God's power cannot but honour his autho-
rity ; and he that honours not the king, that represents
God, cannot be said to fear God, who is represented by
him. And hence, likewise, it is, that God has been as
strict and express in enjoining us obedience to our govern-
ors as to himself; for, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Rom.
xiii. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. Why ?
because there is no power hit of God ; the powers that be,
are ordained of God.

And he hath denounced as great a judgment against
such as rebel against the magistrate he hath ordained, as
against those that rebel against himself ; For whosoever re-
sisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God ; and they
that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation, ver. 2. So
that the wrath of God shall as certainly fall upon those
that rise up against the king, as upon those that fight
against God. And no wonder that the punishment should
be the same, when the fault is the same : for he that fights
against his king, fights against God himself, who hath in-
vested him with that power and authority to govern his
people, representing his own glorious majesty before them.

Upon this ground it is, that I believe the wickedness
of a prince cannot be a sufficient plea for the disobedience
of his subjects ; for it is not the holiness, but the authori-
ty of God that he represents, which the most wicked, as
well as the most holy person, may be endowed with ; and
therefore, when the gospel first began to spread itself over
the earth, though there was no Christian king, or supreme
magistrate, of what title soever, to cherish and protect it ;
nay, though the civil powers were then the greatest ene-
mies to it ; yet, even then were the disciples of Christ en-
joined to submit themselves to every ordinance of man, for
the Lord's sake.

RESOLUTIONS. 143

Insomuch, that did I live among the Turks, I should
look upon it as my duty to obey the Grand Seignior, in all
his lawful edicts, as well as the most Christian and pious
king in the world. For, suppose a prince be never so
wicked, and never so negligent in his duty of protecting
me, it doth not follow, that I must neglect mine of obey-
ing him. In such a case, I have another duty added to
this : and that is to pray for him, and intercede with God
for his conversion : for thus hath the King of kings com-
manded, that prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giv-
ing of thanks, be made for all men, so more especially, for
kings and those that are in authority, that we may live a quiet
and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty, 1 Tim. ii.
1, 2. So that whensoever I address to the court of hea-
ven, I must be sure to remember my sovereign upon earth,
that God would be pleased to enable his servant to reign
on earth as himself doth in heaven, in righteousness and
mercy. But especially, in case of any seeming or real de-
fault or defect, thoiigh I do not think it a subject's duty to
judge or censure their sovereign's actions, I am to be the
more earnest in my prayers and intercessions for him ; but,
upon no account to fight or rebel against him.

And, if I am thus strictly obliged to honour, obey, and
pray for a bad prince, how much more should I pay those
duties to one, who represents God, not only in his autho-
rity, but in his holiness too ? In this case, sure, as there
is a double engagement to reverence and obedience, so I
am doubly punishable, if I neglect to shew it, either to
the prince himself, or those that are set under him ; for
the same obligations that lie upon me, for my obedience
to the king, bind me likewise to obey his inferior officers
and magistrates, that act under him ; and that for this
reason, because, as he represents God, so they repre-
sent him ; and, therefore, whatever they command, in
his name, I look upon it as much my duty to obey, as if
it was commanded by his own mouth ; and, accordingly,
do, from this moment, by the grace of God, resolve to
put this duty in practice.

RESOLUTION II.

/ am resolved, by the same divine grace, to be as constant in
loving of my wife, as cautious in choosing her.

nnHOUGH it be not necessary for me to resolve upon
-*- marrying, yet it may not be improper to resolve, in
case I should, to follow these rules of duty ; first in the

144 RESOLUTION.-.

choice of a wife ; and secondly, in the affection that I
ought to bear towards her.

As for the first, I shall always endeavour to make choice
of such a woman for my spouse, who hath first made
choice of Christ as a spouse for herself; that none may be
made one flesh with me, who is not also made one spirit
with Christ my Saviour. For I look upon the image of
Christ as the best mark of beauty I can behold in her ; and
the grace of God as the best portion I can receive with her.
These are excellencies, which, though not visible to carnal
eyes, are nevertheless agreeable to a spiritual heart ; and
such as all wise and good men cannot choose but be ena-
moured with. For my own part, they seem to me such
necessary qualifications, that my heart trembles at the
thought of ever having a wife without them. What ! shall
I marry one that is wedded already to her sins, or have
possession of her body only, when the devil hath pos-
session of her soul? shall such a one be united to me
here, who shall be separated from me for ever hereafter,
and be condemned to scorch in everlasting burning ? No,
if it ever be my lot to enter into that state, I beg of God,
that lie would direct me in the choice of a such a wife only
to lie in my bosom here, as may afterwards be admitted to
rest in Abraham's bosom to all eternity ; such a one, as
will so live and pray, and converse with me upon earth,
that we may be both entitled to sing, to rejoice, and be
blessed together, for ever in heaven.

That this, therefore, may be my portion and felicity, I
firmly resolve, never to set upon a design, before I have
first solicited the throne of grace, and begged of my hea-
venly Father, to honour me with the partnership of one of
his beloved children ; and shall afterwards be as careful
and cautious as I can, never to fix my affections upon any
woman for a wife, till I am thoroughly persuaded of the
grounds I have to love her, as a true Christian.

If I could be thus happy, as to meet with a wife of these
qualities and endowments, it would be impossible for me
not to be hearty and sincere in my affection toward her,
even though I had the greatest temptations to place them
upon another : for, how could I choose but love her, who
has God for her father, the church for her mother, and
heaven for her portion ; who loves God, and is beloved of
him ? especially, when I consider, that this love to her,
will not only be my duty but my happiness too.

As to the duty, it is frequently inculcated in the scrip-

RESOLUTIONS. 145

ture, that husbands shall love their wives, and that not with
a common love, but as Christ loved his church, Eph. v. 25.
yea, as their own body, ver. 28. or, as themselves, ver. 33.
and they are so to love them, as not to be bitter against
them, Col. iii. 1Q. not to be passionate or angry withthein
upon every light matter, nor suffer their resentments to
rise to that height, upon any occasion whatsoever, as to
abate the least spark of conjugal affection towards them,
but to nourish and cherish them even as the Lord the church.
In a word, to do all the kind offices they can for them,
in their civil capacities, and to help and forward them, by
all means possible, in the way that leads to heaven ; that
as they are united in the flesh, so they may likewise be
united in the spirit, and raised and rewarded together at
the general resurrection.

And, as love is the great duty, so it is likewise the chief
happiness of a married state. I do not mean that love
whereby she loves me, but that wherewith I love her ;
for, if I myself have not a cordial esteem and affection for
her, what happiness will it be to me, to be beloved by
her ? or rather, what a misery would it be to be forced to
live with one I know I cannot love ? As ever, therefore,
I desire to be happy, I must perform my duty in this
particular, and never aim at any other end, in the choice
of a wife, nor expect any other happiness in the enjoy-
ment of her, but what is founded in the principle of pure
and inviolable love. If I should court and marry a wo-
man for riches, then, whensoever they fail, or take their
flight, my love and my happiness must drop and vanish
together with them. If I choose her for beauty only, I
shall love her no longer than while that continues, which
is only till age or sickness blasts it, and then farewell at
once, both duty and delight.

But if I love her for her virtues, and for the sake of
God, who has enjoined it as a duty, that our affections
should not be alienated, or separated by any thing but
death ; then, though all the other sandy foundations fail,
yet will my happiness remain entire ; even though I should
not perceive those mutual returns of love, which are due
from her to me upon the same bottom. But, oh ! the hap-
piness of that couple, whose inclinations to each other
are as mutual as their duties ; whose affections, as well as
persons, are linked together with the same tie ! this is the
chief condition required to make the state of matrimony
happy or desirable, and shall be the chief motive, with

14t> RESOLUTIONS.

me, to influence me to enter into it. For, though it be
no happiness to be beloved by one I do not love ; yet it is
certainly a very great one to be beloved by one I do. If
this, then, be my lot, to have mutual expressions of love
from the person I fix my affections upon, what joy and
comfort will it raise in my heart ? with what peace and
amity shall we live together here ? and what glory and
felicity may we not promise ourselves hereafter ?

What is here said of the duty in choosing and loving of
a wife, may be likewise applied to a woman's duty in choos-
ing and loving her husband. But being not so immediate-
ly concerned in this, I pass on to my next resolution.

RESOLUTION III.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do my endeavours
/ogive to God whatsoever children he shall be pleased to give
me ; that as they are mine by nature, they may be his by
grace.

1HAVE sometimes wondered at the providence of God,
in bringing so many millions of people out of the loins
of one man ; and cannot but make this use of it, even to
stir up myself to a double diligence, in bringing up my
children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. For
who knows, but the salvation of ten thousand souls may
depend upon the education of one single child ?

If I train up my son in the ways of religion, and teach
him what it is to keep a conscience void of offence towards
God, and towards man ; he will then not only have an in-
ward sen^e of his own duty, but take all possible care to
instil it into others, whether children or servants, that are
committed to his charge ; and these, again, will do the
same to theirs, by teaching them to walk in the same
patli ; till, by degrees, the piety and holiness of one man
has diffused itself to all succeeding generations. But now,
on the other hand, if I neglect the care of my son's educa-
tion, and suffer the leprosy of sin and wickedness to taint
and corrupt him, it is great odds, without an extraordi-
nary interposition of divine grace, but the infection may
spread itself over all my posterity ; and so draw down upon
me the curses and accusations of ten thousand souls in hell,
which might otherwise have been praising and blessing
God for me, to all eternity, in heaven.

Hence it is, that I am resolved to endeavour to be a

RESOLUTIONS. 147

spiritual, as well as natural father to my children ; yea, to
take more care to get a portion for their souls in heaven,
than to make provision for their bodies upon earth. For,
if he be accounted worse than an infidel that provides not for
his family, the sustenance of their bodies, what is he that
suffers his family to neglect the salvation of their souls ?

That nothing of this, therefore, may be laid to my
charge, if ever providence sees fit to bless me with chil-
dren of my own, I will take effectual care, so soon as con-
veniently I can, to devote them unto God by baptism ;
that what guilt they have contracted, by coming through
my loins, may be washed away by the laver of regenera-
tion ; and then to be constantly soliciting at the throne of
grace, that he who hath given them to me, would be pleas-
ed likewise to give himself to them.

The next thing to be done, as soon as they come to be
capable of instruction, is to take all occasions and make
use of all means, to work the knowledge of God into their
heads, and the grace of Christ into their hearts ; by teach-
ing them to remember their Creator in the days of their youth;
by acquainting them with the duties that he that made
them expects from them ; with the rewards they shall have,
if dutiful; and the punishments they shall feel, if disobe-
dient children ; still accommodating my expressions to the
shallow capacity of their tender years. And, according
to their doing, or not doing, of what they have been told,
I shall reward them with what is most pleasing, or punish
them with what is most displeasing to their years. To
speak to them of heaven and eternal glory, will not encou-
rage them so much, as to give them their childish plea-
sures and desires : and the denouncing of a future hell will
not affright them so much as the inflicting a present smart.
Hence it is, that Solomon so often inculcates this upon pa-
rents, as their duty to their children, that they should not
spare the rod, lest they spoil the child.

But I must still take care to let them understand, that
what I do is from a principle of love and affection to them,
not of fury and indignation against them : for, by this
means God may correct me for correcting them : I may
set before my children such an example of indiscreet and
sinful passion, as they will be apt enough to learn, with-
out my teaching them. On the other hand, it behoves
me, if possible, so to order my family, that my children
may not see or hear, and so not learn, any thing but good-
ness in it ; for commonly, according to what we learn
G 2

148 RESOLUTIONS.

when we are young, we practise when we are old. And,
therefore, as I shall take great care, that my children learn
nothing that is evil or sinful at home ; so likewise that they
do not come into such company abroad, where their inno-
cence may be assaulted with swearing, cursing, or any
kind of profane or obscene discourse, which the generality
of our youth are so obnoxious to.

Or at least, if this is not wholly to be avoided, to pre-
vent those poisonous weeds from taking root in the heart,
it behoves me to take all opportunities of discoursing to
them of God and Christ, of the immortality of their souls,
and the future state they are to be doomed to in another
world, when they have lived a little while in this ; that
according as they grow in years, they may grow in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
And when they come to years of discretion, capable of do-
ing farther honour and service to God and their country,
by some calling or profession, I must be sure to place
them in such a one as may be no hinderance to that high
and heavenly calling, which they have in Christ Jesus,
but rather contribute to further and promote it ; that, be-
ing like tender plants engrafted into the true vine, they
may bring forth much fruit, to God's glory, to my com-
fort, and their own salvation,

RESOLUTION IV.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do my duty to my ser«
vants as well as expect they should do theirs to me.

IT was Joshua's, and, by God's grace, it shall be my
resolution, that / and my house fear the Lord. I, in
the first place, and then my house ; for if I myself do not,
I cannot expect that they should. So that, for the order-
ing of my family in general, I must not only press their
duty upon them, but likewise practise my own duty, in
suppressing all vicious and lewd conversation, and com-
posing all strife and contention amongst them ; in pray-
ing every day, at least twice with them ; in catechising
and expounding the principles of religion to them, and in
calling for an account of every sermon and godly discourse
they hear, either in private or in public ; in seeing that
they constantly frequent the divine ordinances, and that
they behave themselves so conscientiously therein, that
they may be, some way or other, the better by them.

RESOLUTIONS. 1 4ty

And to these ends, I think it my duty to allow my ser-
vants some time, every day, wherein to serve God, as
well as to see they spend their other hours in serving me ;
and to make them sensible that they do not serve me only
for myself, but ultimately and principally in reference unto
God ; their serving me making way for my better serving
God.

And, for this reason, I cannot believe, but it is as great
a sin to cumber my servants, as myself, with too much
worldly business. For how can they spend any time in
the service of God, when I require all their time in my
own? And how justly should I be condemned, if by this
means I should bring them into a sort of necessity of sin-
ning, either in not obeying God, or not obeying me ; not
that I think it a servant's duty to neglect his Creator to
serve his master ; on the contrary, he is obliged, in all
cases, where their commands interfere, to obey God, ra-
ther than man. But where they do not, there is a strict
injunction upon all servants, that they should be obedient
to their masters according to the flesh, with fear and trem-
bling, in singleness of heart, as unto Christ, Eph. vi. 5.
But how with fear and trembling ? why, fearing lest they
should offend God, in offending them, and trembling at
the thoughts of being disobedient to the divine command,
which enjoins them to be obedient to their masters in all
things, not answering again, Tit. ii. Q. that is, not repin-
ing at their master's lawful commands, not muttering and
maundering against them, as some are apt to do : for it is
as great a sin in servants to speak irreverently to their mas-
ters, as in masters to speak passionately to their servants.

But how are servants to give obedience to their mas-
ters, with singleness of heart, as unto Christ ? why, by
obeying them only in obedience unto Christ ; that is, they
are therefore to do their master's will, because it is the
Lord's will they should do it ; serving them, not with eye-
service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing
the will of God from the heart, with good-will doing service,
■ as unto the Lord, and not to men, Eph. vi. 6, 7. Col. hi.
22. This is the duty therefore that I shall be oft incul-
cating upon my servants, and shall as oft be reflecting
upon myself, that what I require for my own service may
be always in subordination to God's, who is our common
Lord and master, whose laws are equally obliging to all
ranks and conditions of men, and in whose sight there is
no respect of persons.

G S

J 50 RESOLUTIONS.

RESOLUTION V.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to feed the flock thai
God shall set me over, with wholesome food, neither starv-
ing them byK idleness, poisoning with error, nor puffing
them up with impertinence.

ND here I cannot but declare, that ever since I knew
what it was to study, I have found by experience,
that spiritual and intellectual pleasures do as far surpass
those that are temporal and sensual, as the soul exceeds
the body. And, for this reason, as I always thought the
study and profession of divinity to be the noblest and most
agreeable of all others, as carrying with it its own encou-
ragement and reward ; so I have often wondered with
myself, that the greatest persons in the world should not
be desirous and ambitious of exercising their part in the
study of this necessaiy, as well as sublime science, and
even devoting themselves to the profession of it. For, do
they aspire after honour ? What greater honour can there
be, than to be the mouth of God to the people, and of the
people unto God ; to have the most High himself, not only
to speak by them, but in them too? What greater honour
than to have a commission from the King of kings, to re-
present himself before his people, and call them, in his
name, to return J) om the error of their ways, and walk in
the paths of God to everlasting glory ? What greater ho-
nour than to be an instrument, in his hand, to bring poor
souls from the gates of hell, to set them among princes in
the court of heaven ? Do they thirst after pleasures ? What
greater pleasures can they have, than to make it their bu-
siness to feed themselves and others with the bread and
water of life ?

But stay, my soul, let not thy thoughts run only upon
the dignity of thy function, and the spiritual pleasures that
attend the faithful discharge of it; but think likewise upon
the strict account thou must give of it in another life : the
serious consideration of which, as it cannot but be a great
comfort to the true and faithful pastor, who has diligently
fed his flock with the sincere milk of God's word ; so must
it be a great terror and confusion to the slothful and negli-
gent, the false and deceitful dispensers of the divine mys-
teries, who have either carelessly lost, or treacherously de-
luded the souls of those committed to their charge, which

RESOLUTIONS.

they must one day answer for, as well as for their own.
And, therefore, that nothing of this kind may ever be laid
to my charge, I solemnly promise and resolve, before God,
so to demean myself in the exercise of my ministerial func-
tion, as to make the care of souls, especially of those com-
mitted to my charge, the chief study and business of my
life.

And that without partiality or exception, I must not sin-
gle out some of the best of my flock, such as I have the
highest respect for, or have received the greatest obliga-
tions from ; but minister to every one according to their se-
veral necessities. If I meet with men of knowledge and
virtue, my business must be to confirm and establish them
therein ; if with those that are ignorant and immoral, to
teach and instruct them in the ways of religion, and by all
means possible, to reclaim and reduce them to the exer-
cise of their duty ; always remembering, that as the bless-
ed Jesus, the great shepherd and bishop of our souls, was
not sent, save unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and
came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance ; so
it is the indispensable duty of his apostles and ministers
(and by the grace of God I shall make it mine) to follow
his example in this particular ; to spare no time nor pains
in the reformation of sinners, though it be never so irk-
some and difficult to accomplish ; even though I should
meet with such as the prophet David speaks of, who hate
to be reformed, and cast my words behind them. And there-
fore as I know it is my duty, so I shall always endeavour
to take pleasure in the several offices I perform of this
kind, to strengthen Ike weak, heal the wounded, and bind up
the broken heart ; to call in those that err and go astray,
and seek and save them that are lost.

To these ends, though preaching is, without doubt, a
most excellent and useful, as well as necessary duty, (es-
pecially if it be performed, as it ought, with zeal and re-
verence, and the doctrine applied and pressed home, with
sincerity of affection) yet, I shall not think it sufficient to
instruct my people only from the pulpit, but take all op-
portunities to instil good thoughts and principles into their
minds in my private conversation. I know it is impossi-
ble for all ministers frequently to visit every particular per-
son or family in their parish, there being, in some parishes,
especially in and about London, so many thousands of
souls : but, howsoever, if it should please the Lord to call
me to such a flock, though I cannot visit all, I shall visit as
G 4

m

RESOLUTIONS.

many as I can ; especially those that are sick or infirm,
and be sure to feed them with the sincere milk of the word,
such as may turn to their spiritual nourishment, and make
them grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. I will not fill their heads with specu-
lative notions and niceties in divinity ; (which, among the
less judicious, are very often the occasion of heresy and
error, and sometimes also, of delusion and distraction:)
but my chief care shall be to instruct them in those neces-
sary truths which their Christian faith indispensably ob-
liges them to know and believe, and press them to the per-
formance of those duties, without which they cannot be
saved ; meekly and impartially reproving the particular
vices they are most inclined and addicted to, and cheer-
fully encouraging and improving whatever virtuous ac-
tions they are, any of them, exemplary in, and whatever
good habits and inclinations the divine grace has put into
their hearts.

And since love and charity is the great characteristic of
our profession, the bond and cement of all other Christian
duties, in order to make my ministry the more successful,
I resolve, in the last place, not only to avoid all differences
and disputes with them myself, but amicably to compose
all such as may arise among the neighbours. In a word,
I shall make it my endeavour, in all things, so to approve
myself as a faithful minister, both in life and doctrine be-
fore them, that at the last day, when the great God shall
call for my parish, and myself to appear before him, I
may be prepared to give an account of both ; at least, to
answer for as many of them as he requires ; and may, with
joy and comfort pronounce this sentence of my Saviour,
if it may, without offence, be applied to his ministers, be-
hold I, and the children which thou hast given me.

RESOLUTION VI.

lam resolved, by the grace of God, to be as faithful and con-
stant to my friend, as I would have my friend to be faith-
fal and constant to me.

HAVING before resolved to be zealous in loving God,
I here resolve to be as constant in loving my friend.
But why do I resolve upon this ? Is it possible to live and
not to love ? This to me seems as plain a contradiction, as
to live and not to live. For love, in my opinion, is as

RESOLUTIONS. 153

much the life of the soul, as the soul is the life of the body.
So that, for my own part, I shall expect to cease to live,
at the very moment that I cease to love ; nay, I do not look
upon love only as my life, but as the joy and comfort of it
too. And, for this reason, I shall never envy any man his
riches, pleasures, or preferments, provided that I can but
enjoy the persons my soul delight in, viz. Christ in the
first place, and my friend and neighbour in the second.

But then I must have a great care where and how I
place this affection ; for if 1 place it wrong, my very lov-
ing will be sinning. And therefore, I shall always en-
deavour to make such only my friends, as are friends to
God. Not that I look upon it as necessary to love my
friends always under that notion only as they are friends
of God ; for then, no love but that which is spiritual
would be lawful ; whereas there is, doubtless, a natural
love, that is no less a duty, and, by consequence, no less
lawful, than the other ; as, the love of parents towards
their children, and children towards their parents ; and
the mutual complacency that arises betwixt friends, as well
as relations, from the harmony and agreement of humours
and tempers. Thus our Saviour is said to have loved St.
John more than any of his other disciples, which cannot
be understood of a spiritual love ; for this, undoubtedly,
was equal to all ; but being a man subject to the like pas-
sions (though not imperfections) as we are, he placed
more natural affection upon, and might have more natural
complacency in John than in his other disciples.

And, therefore, when I say, I am to make such my
friends only, as are friends to God, my meaning is, that
I will make none my friends, but such as I know to be
good men and good Christians, such as deserve my love in
a spiritual as well as a natural sense ; and since I may law-
fully love my friend in both these senses, the one is so
far from being exclusive, that it is really perfective of the
other. And for this reason, as the spiritual good of my
friend is always to be preferred before that which is tem-
poral, I am resolved to found the one upon the other. I
will always be ready, as oft as he stands in need, either
of my advice, encouragement, or assistance, to do him
all the kind offices I can in his worldly affairs, to promote
his interest, vindicate his character from secret aspersions,
and defend his person from open assaults : to be faithful
and punctual in the performance of my promises to him,
as well as in keeping the secrets he has entrusted me with.
G 5

154< RESOLUTIONS.

But all these things are to be done with a tender regard to
the honour of God, and the duties of religion ; so that the
services I do him in his temporal concerns, must be still
consistent with, and subservient to, the spiritual interest
and welfare of his immortal soul, in which I am principal-
ly obliged to manifest my friendship towards him. If I
see him wander out of the right way, I must immediately
take care to advertise him of it, and use the best means I
can to bring him back to it. Or if I know him to be guil-
ty of any reigning vices, I must endeavour to convince
him of the danger and malignity of them, and importune
and persuade him to amend and forsake them. And last-
ly, I must be as constant in keeping my friend, as cauti-
ous in choosing him, still continuing the heat of my af-
fections towards him, in the day of his affliction, as well as
in the height of his prosperity.

These are the rules whereby. I resolve to express my
friendship unto others, and whereby I would have others
to express their friendship unto me.

CONCERNING MY TALENTS.

AVING so solemnly devoted myself to God, accord-
ing to the covenant he hath made with me, and the
duty I owe to him ; not only what I am, and what I do,
but likewise what I have, is still to be improved for him.
And this I am bound to, not only upon a federal, but even
a natural account ; for whatsoever I have, I received from
him, and therefore, all the reason in the world, whatso-
ever I have should be improved for him. For, I look
upon nryself as having no other property in what I enjoy,
than a servant hath in what he is intrusted with to im-
prove for his master's use : thus, though I should have
ten thousand pounds a year, I should have no more of my
own, than if I had but twopence in all the world. For it
is only committed to my care for a season, to be employed
and improved to the best advantage, and will be called
for again at the grand audit, when I must answer for the
use or abuse of it ; so that, whatsoever in a civil sense I
can call my own, that, in a spiritual -sense, I must esteem
as God's. And therefore it nearly concerns me to manage
all the talents I am entrusted with as things I must give a

JiJ^aw-uu iiuma«

strict account for at the day of judgment. As God be-
stows his mercies upon me, through the greatness of his
love and affection, so I am to restore his mercies back
again to him by the holiness of my life and conversation.
In a word, whatever I receive from his bounty, I must,
some way or other, lay out for his glory, accounting^ no-
thing my own, any farther than as I improve it for God's
sake&and the spiritual comfort of my own soul.

In order to this, I shall make it my endeavour, by the
blessing of God, to put in practice the following resolu-
tions.

RESOLUTION I.

£ am resolved, if possible, to redeem my time past, by using
a double diligence for the future, to employ and improve all
the gifts and endowments, both of body and mind, to the
glory and service of my great Creator.

npiME, health, and parts, are three precious talents,
-*- generally bestowed upon men, but seldom improved
for God. To go no farther than myself, how much time
and health have I enjoyed, by God's grace ? and how lit-
tle of it have I laid out for his honour ? On the contrary,
how oft have I offended, affronted, and provoked him,
even when he has been courting me with his favours, and
daily pouring forth his benefits upon me ? this, alas ! is a
sad truth, which whensoever I seriously reflect upon, I
cannot but acknowledge the continuance of my life as the
greatest instance of God's mercy and goodness, as well as
the greatest motive to my gratitude and obedience. In a
due sense, therefore, of the vanities and follies of my
younger years, I desire to take shame to myself for what is
past, and do this morning humbly prostrate myself before
the throne of grace, to implore God's pardon, and to make
solemn promises and resolutions, for the future, to cast off
the works of darkness, and to put on the armour of light, and
not only so, but to redeem the precious minutes I have
squandered away, by husbanding those that remain, to
the best advantage. I will not trifle and sin away my time
in the pleasures of sense, or the impertinencies of business,
but shall always employ it in things that are necessary,
useful, and proportion it to the weight and importance of
the work or business I engage myself in ; allotting such a
part of it for this business, and such a part for that, so a§
G 6

'156 RESOLUTIONS.

to leave no intervals for unlawful or unnecessary actions,
to thrust themselves in, and pollute my life and conversa-
tion.

For, since it has pleased God to favour me with the
blessing of health, and I am not certain how soon I may
be deprived of it, and thrown upon a bed of sickness,
which may deprive me of the use of my reason, or make
me incapable of any thing else, but grapple with my dis-
temper ; it highly concerns me to make a due use of this
blessing, while I have it : to improve these parts and gifts
that God has endowed me with, to the manifestation of
his glory, the salvation of my soul, and the public good of
the community whereof I am a member.

To these ends, it will be requisite for me frequently to
consider with myself, which way my weak parts may be
the most usefully employed, and to bend them to those stu-
dies and actions, which they are naturally the most inclin-
ed to, and delighted in, with the utmost vigour and ap-
plication ; more particularly in spiritual matters, to make
use of all opportunities for the convincing others of God's
love to them, and their sins against God ; of their misery
by nature, and happiness by Christ, and when the truth
of God happens to be any way traduced or opposed, to be
as valiant in the defence of it, as its enemies are violent in
their assaults against it. And as I thus resolve to employ
my inward gifts and faculties for the glory and service of
God; so,

RESOLUTION II.

J" am resolved, by the divine grace, to employ my riches the
ouhvard blcssi?igs of providence, to the same end ; and to
observe such a due medium in the dispensing erf them, as
to avoid prodigality on the one hand, and covetousness on
the other.

THIS, without doubt, is a necessary resolution, but it
is likewise very difficult to put in practice, without a
careful observance of the following rules.

First, never to lavish out my substance, like the prodi-
gal, in the revels of sin and vanity, but, after a due provi-
sion for the necessities and conveniencies of life, to lay up
the overplus for acts of love and charity towards my indi-
gent brethren. I must consider the uses and ends for
which God has entrusted me with such and such posses-

RESOLUTIONS. 137

sions ; that they were not given me for the pampering my
body, the feeding my lusts, or puffing me up with pride
and ambition ; but for advancing his glory, and my own,
and the public good. But why do I say given? when, as
I before observed, I have no property in the riches I pos-
sess ; they are only lent me for a few years to be dispens-
ed and distributed, as my great Lord and Master sees fit
to appoint, viz. for the benefit of the poor and necessitous,
which he has made his deputies to call for and receive his
money at my hands. And this, indeed, is the best use I
can put it to, for my own advantage, as well as theirs : for
the money I bestow upon the poor, I give to God to lay
up for me, and I have his infallible word and promise for
it, that it shall be paid me again with unlimited- interest
out of his heavenly treasury, which is infinite, eternal, and
inexhaustible. Hence it is, that whensoever I see any fit
object of charity, methinks I hear the Most High say unto
me, give this poor brother so much of my stock, which
thou hast in thy hand, and I will place it to thy account,
as given to myself; and look what thou lay est out, and it
shall be paid thee again.

The second rule is, never to spend a penny, where it
can be better spared ; nor to spare it, when it can be bet-
ter spent. And this will oblige me, whensoever any occa-
sion offers of laying out money, considerately to weigh
the "circumstances of it, and, according • as the matter,
upon mature deliberation, requires, I must not grudge to
spend it : or, if at any time, I find more reason to spare,
I must not dare to spend it ; still remembering, that as I
am strictly to account for the money God has given me, so
I ought neither to be covetous in saving, or hoarding it
up, nor profuse in throwing it away, without a just occa-
sion. The main thing to be regarded, is the end I pro-
pose to myself in my expences, whether it be really the
glory of God, or my own carnal humour andappetite.

For instance, if I lay out my money in clothing my
body, the question must be, whether I do this only for
warmth and decency, or to gratify my pride and vanity ?
If the former, my money is better spent ; if the latter, it
is better spared than spent : again, do I lay it out in eat-
ing and drinking ? if this be only to satisfy the necessities
of nature, and make my life more easy and comfortable, it
is, without doubt, very well spent ; but if it be to feed
my luxury and intemperance, it is much better spared ;
better for my soul in keeping it from sin, and better for

158 RESOLUTIONS.

my body in preserving it from sickness ; and this rule is
the more strictly to be observed, because it is as great a
fault in a servant not to lay out his master's money when
he should, as to lay it out when he should not.

In order, therefore, to avoid both these extremes, there
is a third rule to be observed under this resolution ; and
that is to keep a particular account of all my receipts and
disbursements, to set down in a book every penny I re-
ceive at the hands of the Almighty, and every penny I lay
out for his honour and service. By this means I shall be,
in a manner, forced both to get my money lawfully, and
to lay it out carefully ; but how can I put that amongst the
money I have received from Gad, which I have got by
unlawful means ? certainly, such money I may rather ac-
count as received from the devil for his use, than from
God, for his. And so must I either lay every penny out
for God, or otherwise I shall not know where to set it
down, for I must set down nothing but what I lay out
for his use ; and if it be not for his use, with what face
can I say it was ? And, by this means also, when God
shall be pleased to call me to an account for what I re-
ceived from him, I may with comfort appear before him ;
and having improved the talents he had committed to my
charge, I may be received into his heavenly kingdom,
with a well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into
thy master s joy.

RESOLUTION III.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve the authority
God gives me over others, to the suppression of vice, and
the encouragement of virtue ; and so for the exaltation of
God's name on earth, and their souls in heaven.

rfl HAT all power and authority hath its original from
A God, and that one creature is not over another, but
by the providence and will of him, who is over all ; and
so, by consequence, that all the authority we have over
men/ is to be improved for God, is clear, not only from
that question, Who made thee to differ from another ? and,
what hast thou, which thou didst not receive, 1 Cor. iv. 7.
but likewise, and that more clearly, from that positive as-
sertion, the powers that be arc ordained of God, Rom. xm.
] . That, therefore, I may follow my commission, I must
stick close to my present resolution, even in all the power

RESOLUTIONS. lof)

God gives me, to behave myself as one invested with that
power from above, to restrain vice and encourage virtue,
as oft as I have an opportunity so to do, always looking
upon myself as one commissioned by him, and acting un-
der him. For this reason, I must still endeavour to exer-
cise my authority, as if the most high God was in my
place in person as well as power. I must not follow the
dictates of my own carnal reason, much less the humours
of my own biassed reason, but still keep to the acts Avhich
God himself hath made either in the general statute-book
for all the world, the holy scriptures, or in the particular
laws and statutes of the nation wherein I live.

And questionless, if I discharge this duty as I ought,
whatever sphere of authority I move in, 1 am capable of
doing a great deal of good, not only by my power, but
but by my influence and example. For common experi-
ence teaches us, that even the inclinations and desires of
of those that are eminent for their quality or station, are
more powerful than the very commands of God himself;
especially among persons of an inferior rank, and more
servile disposition, who are apt to be more wrought upon
by the fear of present purtishment, or the loss of some
temporal advantage, than any thing that is future or spi-
ritual. Hence it is, that all those whom God entrusteth
with this precious talent, have a great advantage and op-
portunity in their hand, for the suppressing sin, and the
exalting holiness in the world : a word from their mouths
against whoredom, drunkenness, and the profanation of
the sabbath, or the like ; yea, their very example and si-
lent gestures being able to do more than the threatenings
of almighty God, either pronounced by himself in his
word, or by his ministers in his holy ordinances.

This, therefore, is my resolution, that whatsoever au-
thority the most high God shall be pleased to put upon
me, I will look upon it as my duty, and always make it
my endeavour, to demolish the kingdom of sin and Satan,
and establish that of Christ and holiness in the hearts of
all those to whom my commission extends ; looking more
at the duty God expects from me, than at the dignity he
confers upon me. In a word, I will so exercise the pow-
er and authority God puts into my hands here, that when
the particular circuit of my life is ended, and I shall be
brought to the general assize to give an account of this
among my other talents, I may give it up with joy ; and
so exchange my temporal authority upon earth, for aii
eternal crown of glory in heaven.

ifef) RESOLUTIONS.

RESOLUTION IV.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve the affections
God stirs up in others toivards me, to the stirring up of
their affections toivards God.

IF the authority I have over others, then questionless
the affection others have to me, is to be improved for
God ; and that because the affection they bear to me in a
natural sense hath a kind of authority in me over them in
a spiritual one. And this I gather from my own experi-
ence ; for I find none to have a greater command over me,
than they that manifest the greatest affections for me. In-
deed, it is a truth generally agreed on, that a real and sin-
cere esteem for any person is always attended with a fear
of displeasing that person ; and where there is fear in the
subject, there will, doubtless, be authority in the object ;
because fear is the ground of authority, as love is, or ought
to be, the ground of that fear. The greatest potentate, if
not feared, will not be obeyed ; if his subjects stand in no
awe of him, he can never strike any awe upon them. Nor
will that awe have its proper effects in curbing and re-
straining them from sin and disobedience, unless it pro-
ceeds from, and is joined with love.

I know the scripture tells me, There is no fear in love,
hut that perfect love castcth out fear, 1 John i v. 18. But
that is to be understood of our love to God, not to men,
and that a perfect love too, such as can only be exercised
in heaven. There, I know, our love will be con; ummate,
without mixture, as well as without defect ; there will be
a perfect expression of love on both sides, and so no fear
of displeasure on either. But this is a happiness which is
not to be expected here on earth ; so" long as we are cloth-
ed with flesh and blood, we shall, in one degree or other,
be still under the influence of our passions and affections.
And therefore as there is no person we can love upon earth,
but who may sometimes see occasion to be displeased with
us ; so he will always, upon this account, be feared by us.
This I look upon as the chief occasion of one man's having
so much power and influence over another.

But how comes this under the notion of a talent receiv-
ed from God, and so to be improved for him ? Why, be-
cause it is he, and he alone, that kindles and blows up the
sparks of pure love and affection in us, and that by the

RESOLUTIONS. l6l

breathings of his own Spirit. It was the Lord that gave
Joseph favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison, Gen.
xxxix. 21 . And who brought Daniel into favour and ten-
der love with the prince of the eunuchs, Dan. i. <). And
so of all others in the world : for we are told elsewhere,
that as Godfashionelh the hearts of men, so he turneth them
which tray soever he nill. Insomuch that I can never see
any express their love to me, but I must express my thank-
fulness to God for it ; nor can I feel in myself any warmth
of affection towards others, without considering it as a ta-
lent hid in my breast, which I am obliged in duty to im-
prove for him by stirring up their affections unto him
whose affections himself hath stirred up towards me. And
this will be the more easy to effect, if I take care in the
first place, to express the zeal and sincerity of my own
love to God, by making him the chief object of my esteem
and adoration ; and manifest my aversion to the sins they
are guilty of, by representing them as most loathsome and
abominable, as well as most dangerous and damnable.
For, wherever there is a true and cordial affection to any
person, it is apt to bias those that are under the influence
of it, to choose the same objects for their love or aversion,
that such a person does, that is, to love what he loves, and
to hate what he hates. This, therefore, is the first thing
to be done, to stir up the affections of others to love and
serve God.

Another way of my improving the affections of others
to this end, is by setting them a good example ; for com-
monly what a friend doth, be it good or bad, is pleasing
to us, because we look not at the goodness of the thing
that is done, but at the loveliness of-the person that doth
it. And if the vices of a friend seem amiable, how much
more will their virtues shine ? For this reason, therefore,
whensoever I perceive any person to shew a respect for,
or affection to me, I shall always look upon it as an op-
portunity put into my hands to serve and glorify my great
Creator, and shall look upon it as a call from heaven, as
much as if I heard the Almighty say to me, I desire to
have this person love me, and therefore have I made him
to love thee ; do thou but set before him an example of
goodness and virtue, and his love to thy person shall in-
duce and engage him to direct his actions according to it.
This, therefore, is the rule that I fully resolve to guide
myself by, with relation to those who are pleased to allow
me a share in their esteem and affection, which I hope to

162 RESOLUTIONS.

improve to their advantage in the end ; that as they love
me, and I love them now, so we may all love God, and
God love us to all eternity.

RESOLUTION V.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve every good
thought to the profiting of good affections in myself and,
as good actions with respect to God.

"If WHATSOEVER comes from God, being a talent to
*7 be improved to him, I cannot but think good
thoughts to be as precious talents, as it is possible a crea-
ture can be blessed with. But let me esteem them as I
will, I am sure my master will reckon them amongst the
talents he entrusts me with, and will call me to an account
for ; and, therefore, I ought not to neglect them. The
scripture tells me, / am, not sufficient qf myself to think any
thing as of myself, but that my sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor.
iii. 5. And if I be not sufficient to think any thing, much
less am I able of myself to think of that which is good ;
forasmuch as to good thoughts there must always be sup-
posed a special concurrence of God's Spirit ; whereas to
other thoughts there is only the general concurrence of his
presence. Seeing, therefore, they, come from God, how
must I lay them out for him ? Why, by sublimating good
thoughts unto good affections. Does God vouchsafe to
send down into my heart a thought of himself? I am to
send up this thought to him again, in the fiery chariot of
love, desire and joy. Doth he dart into my soul a thought
of holiness and purity ? I am to dwell and meditate upon
it till it break out into a flame of love and affection for him.
Doth he raise up in my spirit a thought of sin, and shew
me the ugliness and deformity of it ? I must let it work
its desired effect, by making it as loathsome and detestable
as that thought represents it to be.

But good thoughts must not only be improved to pro-
duce good affections in my heart, but likewise good ae-
tions|in my life* So that the thoughts of God should not
only make me more taken with his beauty, but more ac-
tive for his glory ; and the thoughts of sin should not only
damp my affection to it, but likewise deter and restrain me
from the commission of it.

And thus every good thought that God puts into my
heart, instead of slipping out, as it does with some others
without regard, will be cherished and improved to the pro-

RESOLUTIONS. 163

ducino- of o'ooc! actions : these actions will entitle me to the
blessing of God, and that to the kingdom of glory.

RESOLUTION VI.

/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve every afflic-
tion God Itys upon me, as an earnest token of his affection
towards vie.

EVERY thing that flows from God to his servants, com-
ing under the notion of talents, to be improved for
himself, I am sure afflictions, as well as other mercies,
must needs be reckoned amongst those talents God is
pleased to vouchsafe. Indeed it is a talent, without which
I should be apt to forget the improvement of all the rest ;
and which, if well improved, itself will work out for me afar
more exceeding and eternal weight qf glory, 2 Cor. iv. 7. ^ It
is the non-improvement of an affliction that makes it a
curse ; whereas, if improved, it is as great a blessing as
any God is pleased to scatter amongst the children of
men. And therefore it is, that God most frequently en-
trusteth this precious talent with his own peculiar people :
You only have I known of all the families of the earth ; there-
fore will I punish you for your iniquities, Amos iii. 2. Those
that God knows 'the best, with them will he entrust the
most, if not of other talents, yet be sure of this, which is
so useful and necessary to bring us to the knowledge of
ourselves and our Creator, that without it we should be
apt to forget both.

It is this that shews us the folly and pride of presump-
tion, as well as the vanity and emptiness of all worldly en-
joyments ; and deters us from incensing and provoking
him, from whom all our happiness as well as our afflic-
tions, flow ; let, therefore, what crosses or calamities so-
ever befal me, I am still resolved to bear them all, not
only with a patient resignation to the divine will, but even
to comfort and rejoice myself in them, as the greatest
blessings. For instance, am I seized with pain and sick-
ness ? I shall look upon it as a message from God, sent on
purpose to put me in mind of death, and to convince me
of the necessity of being always prepared for it by a good
life, which a state of uninterrupted health is apt to make
us unmindful of. Do I sustain any losses or crosses ? The
true use of this is, to make me sensible of the fickleness
and 'inconstancv of this world's blessings, which we can

164 RESOLUTIONS.

no sooner cast our eye upon, but they immediately take t<*
themselves wings, and fly away from us. And so, all other
afflictions God sees fit to lay upon me, may in like manner
be, some way or other, improved for my happiness.

But, besides the particular improvements of particular
chastisments, the general improvement of all is„the increas-
ing of my love and affection to that God, who brings these
afflictions upon me. For how runs the mittimus, whereby
he is pleased to send me to the dungeon of afflictions ? De-
liver such a o?ie to Satan to be hiffetted in the flesh : that the
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. v.
5. By this it appears, that the furnace of afflictions, which
God is pleased at any time to throw me into, is not heated
at the fire of his wrath, but at the flames of his affection to
me. The consideration whereof, as it should more inflame
my love to him, so shall it likewise engage me to express a
greater degree of gratitude towards him, when he singles
me out, not only to suffer from him, but for him too. For
this is an honour indeed peculiar to the saints of God,
which if he should be pleased ever to prefer me to, I shall
look upon it as upon other afflictions, to be improved for
his glory, the good of others, and the everlasting com-
fort of my own soul.

Thus have I reckoned up the talents God hath, or may
put into my hands, to be improved for his glory. May
the same divine being that entrusted me with them, and
inspired me with these good resolutions concerning them,
enable me, by his grace, to make a due use of them, and
carefully to put in practice what I have thus religiously re-
solved upon.

There are some other mercies, which might be set down
in the catalogue of talents, as the graces and motions of
God's holy Spirit, and the use of his holy ordinances, un-
der the ministry of the gospel ; but these being included
and insisted on, under several of the foregoing heads, will
not require a distinct consideration.

PRIVATE THOUGHTS

UPON A

CHRISTIAN LIFE;

OR, NECESSARY

DIRECTIONS

FOR ITS BEGINNING AND PROGRESS UPON

EARTH,

IN ORDER TO ITS FINAL PERFECTION IN THR

PART SECOND.

THE

PREFACE.

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THE kind reception which has been given to all the
other works of this incomparable author, particularly
to his private thoughts, written in his younger years, has
encouraged the publishing of another volume of his
thoughts, upon subjects of the most importance to the
Christian life, in all the chief scenes of it ; and those com-
posed when age and experience in the course of his paro-
chial ministry had taught him, what directions were most
necessary for the conduct of every disciple of Christ,
through all the stages of that race that is set before us, that
he may so rim that he may obtain. Accordingly, the read-
er is here furnished, not only with such instructions, as
are most proper for the entrance upon this race, and the
early discipline of those who are new listed under Christ's
banner ; but also with such other points both of faith and
practice, as are most fit to be afterwards inculcated and
pressed upon them, for their successful carrying on of this
holy warfare, and finishing their course, so as at last to
attain the crown of righteousness, laid up for all those that
continue Christ's faithful soldiers and servants to their lives
end.

And as in his private thoughts. and resolutions, this ex-
cellent bishop seems chiefly to have aimed at settling his
own principles, and regulating his practice, as became a
follower of the holy Jesus, and a minister of his gospel :
so in these which are more public, he carries on the same
pious design with respect to others, and executes that sa-
cred office, for which those were to prepare him. Indeed,
great and indefatigable as his labours were (for few ever
laboured more) the end of them was always the salvation of
soids. And as the spirit of piety which runs through all
his writings, together with his plain, unaffected, familiar,
and yet solid way of argument and persuasion, are both
admirably adapted to this great end ; (to say nothing of all
his other daily and unwearied pains in the ministry whih?

l6S PREFACE.

living) so, through God's great blessing upon his endea-
vours, they were then, and have been since crowned with
great success ; and it is the hopes and prayers of all good
men, that they may continue so to the end of the world,
and daily add to our holiness and his happiness.

Among many instances that might be given of this hap-
py success, I have now one before me in a relation of the
behaviour of one of this vigilant pastor's fiock, in his last
sickness, as it is attested by an eye-witness of it. I will
not trouble the reader with the particulars ; the sum is,
that this pious gentleman, with his last breath, expressed
so much resignation to God's will, and so little fear of
death, such comfort in reflecting upon the better part of
his life, especially his charity to the poor ; and so much
zeal in recommending that duty to those about him ; and
above all such an anticipation of those extasies of joy and
happiness which he was going to in another world, and so
uncommon and enlarged an understanding of the great
mysteries of religion ; that if, in the midst of these holy
raptures, he had not owned his great obligations to Dr.
Beveridge for these spiritual blessings, yet we might have
easily judged, that so great a proficient in the school of re-
ligion could be indebted, under God, to the care and in-
struction of no less a master for such extraordinary acquire-
ments.

And, with respect to that good, which it is piously hop-
ed this great prelate's works have done since his death,
and may continue ^o do daily, it has been observed by
some persons, that since the publication of them, our
churches have been generally fuller than they used to be ;
to which, as nothing would contribute more, than that
spirit of devotion and true piety, which, in all his practi-
cal writings, this holy man both expresses himself and la-
bours to create in others ; so, if after all these pious en-
deavours to cultivate and promote it in the world, we are
sensible of the least growth of it, I know not why we may
not ascribe so good an effect to the blessing of God upon
so probable a cause.

However, if the piety of some among us, which we hope
increaseth, be not a sufficient argument of a probable in-
crease of true religion, to be expected from the influence
of this great man's works, yet I am sorry to say, that the
wickedness of others does abundantly make up that de-
fect ; I mean the restless endeavours of all the enemies of
God and religion, to discredit and defame them ; if by any

PREFACE. 169

means they could be able to ward such a blow to the king-
dom of darkness, as they seem to apprehend from his pi-
ous labours. And what wonder if those who mock God,
and would bring religion itself into contempt, use their ut-
most endeavours to blast the reputation of an author, whose
writings are so eminently serviceable to religion, and tend
so much to advance the glory of God ? all their attempts
of this nature, are so many arguments of the excellency
of what they would decry ; they are the testimonies even of
enemies, in behalf of those admirable books, which they
pretend to ridicule ; and all the scorn and contempt they
express upon this occasion, reflects more honour upon
bishop Beveridge and his works, I had almost said even
than the approbation and esteem of all his and religion's
friends. So much good does God in his infinite wisdom
and mercy produce out of the greatest evil, b}^ turning all
the wit and malice of these reprobates against themselves,
and making them, even against their own wills, instru-
ments of sounding forth the praises of this excellent writer,
at the same time, and by the very same means, that they
vainly attempt to dishonour and reproach him ; as the de-
vils themselves were forced to own our blessed Saviour,
though they knew he came on purpose to destroy them.
It were only to be wished, that in this, as in most other
instances, those children of this world "were not in their ge-
neration so much wiser than the children of light. It is true,
we may as well fear, that dogs should bark out the moon,
as that the utmost malice of these enemies to truth, shall
ever be able to sully a reputation, that has long shined
with so much brightness, among all learned and good
men, both at home and abroad, insomuch that when this
illustrious prelate was a dying, one of the chief of his or-
der deservedly said of him, there goes one of the greatest and
best men England ever bred. No, we have seen all their at-
tempts against him do but add lustre to his fame: how-
ever, it cannot be less the interest of religion to promote
the works of So able a divine, than it is that of atheism and
irreligion to oppose them ; and if all good men would
shew as much zeal in the defence of them and their great
author, and be as industrious to recommend both his writ-
ings and example, as atheists and libertines are to obstruct
the influence of both, this would still be another addition
to the glory of so great a name ; and the good effects we
might hope for, on the lives of men, from such excellent
books, dispersed into many hands, would be at once the

H

170 PREFACE.

best attestation that could be given to the wondrous bene-
fit and usefulness of them, and also the effectual means to
stop the mouths of gainsay ers, by lessening the number of
them daily, and bringing them over from infidelity and
atheism, to the cause of God and religion.

And I cannot close this preface better, than with earnest
prayers to God, that this and all other works of bishop
Beveridge may have that blessed effect ; and that in return
to all the malice of those, who seem to envy us the great
good we may hope for from such pious and instructive dis-
courses, they may by degrees instil, even into their breasts,
some of that spirit of piety, diffused through every page ;
and of atheists and libertines, make them sober men, and
Christians,

THOUGHTS

UPON

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

*/*'W»'V%%'»/W"V»"VWVW'«

JF the principles of the Christian religion were well root-
ed in the hearts of all mankind, what excellent fruit
would they produce ! the earth would put on another
face, bearing some resemblance to heaven itself: idolatry,
with all sorts of wickedness and vice, would be every
where discountenanced and suppressed ; for all would
worship the one living and true God, and him only : there
would be no more wars, nor rumours of wars ; kingdom
would not rise against kingdom, nor nation against na-
tion, but all princes would be at peace with their neigh-
bours, and their subjects at unity among themselves, striv-
ing about nothing but who should serve God best, and do
most good in the world. Then piety and justice, and cha-
rity, would revive and flourish again all the world over,
and particularly in the church and kingdom to which we
belong. Then the prayers would be read twice a day in
every parish as the law requires, and all people would
heartily join together in offering them up to the almighty
Creator of the world. Then all that are of riper years
would, at least, every Lord's day, celebrate the memory
of the death of Christ, by which their sins are expiated,
and the most high God reconciled to them, and become
their God and Father : and as all sorts of people would
thus continually worship God in his own house, so where-
soever they are, the}' would do all they could to serve and
honour him ; whether they eat or drink, or whatsoever they
do, they would do all to his glory. And as for their fellow-
servants, they would all love as brethren, and every one
seek another's good as well as their own : Whatsoever they
would that men should do to them, they would do the same
to all other men. In short, all would then deny ungodli-
H 2

172 THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

ness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and god"
h) in this present world, and so walk hand in hand toge-
ther in the narrow way that leads to everlasting life. This
would be the happy state of all mankind, if they were but
well grounded in that religion which the eternal Son of
God hath planted upon earth.

But not to speak of other people, we of this nation rare-
ly find any such effect of this religion among ourselves ;
though it be as generally professed, and as clearly taught
among us, as ever it was in any nation, there are but few
that are ever the better for it ; the most being here also as
bad both in their principles and practices, as they which
live in the darkest corners of the earth, where the light of
the gospel never yet shined : though the kingdom in ge-
neral be Christian, there are many Heathens in it, people
that never were christened ; many that were once christ-
ened, and are now turned Heathens again, living as with-
out God in the world : many that would still be thought
Christians, and yet have apostatized so far as to lay aside
both the sacraments which Christ ordained, and every
thing else that can shew them to be so : many that privily
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that
bought them, and so bring upon themselves swift destruc-
tion : many that follow their pernicious ways, by reason
of whom the way of truth is evil-spoken of, and through co-
vetousness, with' feigned words, make merchandise of men, as
St. Peter foretold, 2 Peter ii. 1, 2, 3. Many who will not
endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts heap to them-
selves teachers, having itching ears ; and so fulfil the pro-
phecy of St. Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 3. And of those who still
continue in the communion of the church, and in the out-
ward profession of the true Christian faith, There are ?na-
ny, who although they profess to know God, yet in works
they deny hinC being abominable and disobedient, and to
every good work reprobate, Titus i. 16". Many did I say?
I wish I could not say almost all : but alas ! it is too plain
to be denied.

For, of that vast company of people that are called
Christians in this kingdom, how few are they that live as
becometh the gospel of Christ ? that finish the work that
God has given them to do, even glorify him in the world?
How many that refuse or neglect to worship and serve him
upon his own day ? Plow few that do it upon any other
day, when they have any thing else to do ? How many
that never receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper in

THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. 1Y3

their whole lives ? How few that receive it above two or
three times in the year, how often soever they are invited
to it ? Flow many are the proud, the passionate, the co-
x'etous, the intemperate, the incontinent, the unjust, the
profane and impious, in comparison of the humble and
meek, and liberal, and sober and modest, and righteous,
and holy among us ? The disproportion is so vastly great,
that none but God himself can make the comparison : so
little of Christianity is now to be found among Christians
themselves ; to our shame be it spoken. .

It is indeed a matter of so much shame as well as grief,
to all that have any regard for the honour of Christ their
Saviour, that they cannot but be very solicitous to know
how it comes to pass that Ms doctrine and precepts are so
generally slighted and neglected as they are in our days ?
and how they may be observed better for the future than
now they are ? both which questions may be easily re-
solved ; for we cannot wonder that of the many which
profess the Christian religion, there are so few that live
up to it, when we consider how few are duly instructed in
the first principles of it.

The religion which Christ hath revealed to the world, is
by his grace and blessing, settled and established among
us, so as to be made the religion of the kingdom in gene-
ral : and therefore all that are born in it, are, or ought to
be, according to his order or institution, soon after bap-
tized, and so made his disciples, or Christians by profes-
sion. And the church takes security of those who thus
bring a child to be baptized, that when it comes to be ca-
pable of it, it shall be instructed in the catechism which
she for that purpose hath set forth, containing all the prin-
ciples of that religion into which it was baptized. But
notwithstanding this hath been neglected for many years,
whereby it is come to pass that the far greatest part of the
people in this kingdom know little or nothing of the reli-
gion they profess, but only to profess it as the religion of
the country where they live ; they may perhaps be very
zealous for it, as all people are for the religion in which
they are born and bred, but take no care to frame their
lives according to it, because they were never rightly in-
formed about it ; or, at least, not soon enough, before er-
ror or sin hath got possession of them, which one or other
of them commonly doth before they are aware of it ; for
they are always as children tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
H 3

174 THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, Eph.
iv. 14. And whatsoever sin gets dominion over them,
there it reigns and domineers in their mortal bodies, so
that they obey it in the lusts thereof, in the spite of all
that can be said to them out of God's own word ; for they
are no wTay edified by any thing they hear, in that the
foundation is not first laid, upon which they should build
up themselves in that most holy faith that is preached to
them. The word they hear, is a seed that falls by the way-
side, or upon a rock, or else among thorns, and so never
comes to perfection ; their hearts not being prepared before-
hand and rightly disposed for it, by having the principles
of the doctrine of Christ first infused into them.

This therefore being the great cause of that shameful
decay of the Christian religion that is so visible among us,
we can never expect to see it repaired, unless the great
duty of catechising be revived, and the laws that are made
about .it, be strictly observed all the kingdom over ; as
most certainly they ought to be, not only as they are the
laws both of the church and state under which we live,
but likewise for that they are grounded upon the word of
God himself, who expressly commands the same thing by
his apostle, saying, Fathers, provoke not your children to
wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of
the Lord.

For here by nurture, we are to understand, as the
Greek wordpaideia signifies, that discipline which parents
ought to exercise over their children, to prevent their fall-
ing into, or continuing in any wicked course. And by
the admonition of the Lord, is meant the catechising, or
putting them in mind of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of
what he would have them believe and do that they may be
saved. For the original word, nouthesia, which we tran-
slate admonition, properly signifies catechising. (Catechu
sein Nouthetein, Hesych.) And therefore to catechise or
instruct children in the knowledge of God and our Lord
Jesus Christ, is a duty here laid upon all parents by al-
mighty God himself; and all that neglect to educate or
bring up their children in the admonition of the Lord, by
catechising or teaching them the principles of his religion,
they all live in a breach of plain law, a law made by the
supreme Lawgiver of the world, and must accordingly
answer for it at the last day.

Wherefore all that are sensible of the great account
which they must give of all their actions, at that time, to

THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. 1?3

the Judge of the whole world, cannot but make as much
conscience of this as of any duty whatsoever, so as to use
the utmost of their care and diligence, that their children
may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, and so be wise unto salvation.
Neither is this any hard matter for those to do, who live in
the communion of the church, having such a catechism or
summary of the Christian religion drawn up to their hands,
which is easy both for parents to teach, and for children to
learn : and yet so full and comprehensive, that it contains
all things necessary for any man to know in order to his
being saved. As you may clearly see if you do but cast
your eye upon the methods and contents of it ; which may
be all reduced to these five heads, the baptismal vow, the
apostles' creed, the ten commandments, the Lord's prayer, and
the doctrine of the sacraments ordained by our Lord Christ.
It begins where a child begins to be a Christian, and
therefore hath a Christian name given him, even at his
baptism, wherein he was made a member of Christ, a child
of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. Which
great privileges belong to all that are baptized, and to
none else ; none else being in the number of Christ's dis-
ciples ; for our Lord Christ, a little before his ascension
into heaven, left orders with his apostles, and in them
with all that should succeed in his ministry of the church
to the end of the world, to make all nations his disciples,
by baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, as the original words plainly import, Matt, xxviii.
19. And therefore as people of all nations are capable of
being made his disciples ; so none now are, or ever can be
made so any other way, than by being baptized according
to his order. But they who are not thus made his disci-
ples by being baptized unto him, are not the member's
of Christ ; and if they be not the members of Christ,
they cannot be the children of God, nor have any right
to the kingdom of heaven, that being promised only
to such as believe and are baptized, Mark xvi. 16. And
our Saviour himself elsewhere also saith, That except a
man be born again of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot en-
ter into the kingdom of God, John iii. 5. Whereby we may
perceive the great necessity of this sacrament, where it
may be had, as our church observes, in her office for the
ministration of it, to such as are of riper years.

It is to be farther observed, that when our Saviour or-
dained baptism to be the means of admitting persons into
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176 THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION..

his church, or the congregation of his disciples, lest we should
think, as some have done, that he meant it only of those
who are of riper years, he used the most general terms that
could be invented, requiring that all nations should be
baptized; and if all nations, then children also, which
are a great, if not the greatest part of every nation. And
accordingly his church hath always baptized children as
well as adult persons : when any who are come to years of
discretion, were willing and desirous to become Christ's
disciples, that they might learn of him the way to heaven,
they were made so by being baptized ; and if they had
children, they were also baptized at the same time with
their parents ; and so were the children which were after-
wards born to them ; they also were baptized soon after
they were born : and that it is our Saviour's pleasure that
children also should be brought into his church, appears
likewise in that when his disciples rebuked those who
brought children unto him, he was much displeased, and
said unto them, suffer the Utile children to come unto me, and
forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God, Mark x. 14.

But seeing they who are thus baptized according to the
institution of Christ are thereby made his disciples, and in
him the children of God, it is necessary they should then
promise to believe and live from that time forward, ac-
cording as he hath commanded ; which promise therefore
all that are grown up always use to make every one in his
own person, and for that purpose were and ought to be
catechised beforehand, and put in mind of what they were
to promise when they were baptized ; and therefore were
called Catechumens. But children not being capable of
making any such promise themselves, in their own per-
sons, they were always admitted, and required to do it by
their guardians, that is, by their godfathers and godmo-
thers, which brought and offered them to be baptized ;
and are therefore obliged to take care that they be after-
wards catechised or instructed in the principles of that re-
ligion into which they were admitted, and put in mind of
the promise which they theri made of framing their lives
according to it.

This promise, therefore, which children make at their
baptism by their sureties, and which is implied in the very
nature of the sacrament, whether they have any sureties
or no, consists of three general heads :

First, That they will renounce the devil, and all his works,

THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. 177

the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sin-
fid lusts of the flesh.

Secondly, That they will believe all the articles of the
Christian faith.

Thirdly, That they will keep God's holy will and command-
ments, and walk in the same all the days of their life.

Which three things, under which the whole substance
of the Christian religion is contained, being all promised
by children when they are baptized into it, it is absolutely
necessary that they be afterwards put in mind, so soon as
they are capable of the promise, which they then made,
and of the obligation which lies upon them to perform it :
for otherwise it can never be expected that they should ei-
ther do, or so much as know it ; whereas the instructing
them in this, the first part of the catechism, we prepare
and dispose them for the understanding all the rest.

Particularly the apostles' creed, which is next taught
them, containing all those articles of the Christian faith",
which they promised to believe, and nothing else, nothing
but what is grounded upon plain texts of scripture, and
hath always been believed by the whole catholic church in
all ages and places all the world over : here are none of
those private opinions and controverted points which have-
so long disturbed the church, and serve only to perplex
men's minds, and take them off from the more substantial
and necessary duties of religion, as we have found by woe-
ful experience, which our church hath taken all possible
care to prevent, by inserting no other articles of faith into
the catechism which her members are to learn, than what
are contained in this creed received and approved of by the
whole Christian world ; and then acquainting them what
they chiefly learn in it, even to believe in God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, in whose name they
were christened, and therefore must continue in this faith,,
or cease to be Christians.

The other thing which they, who are baptized, promise
is, Thai they will keep God's commandments, which there-
fore are next taught in the catechism, without any mix-*
ture of human inventions or constitutions : those ten com-
mandments which the supreme Lawgiver himself pro-
claimed upon mount Sinai, and afterwards wrote with his
own finger upon two tables of stone. These they are all
bound to learn, because they are bound to keep them all,
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178 THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTTAN EDUCATION.

as they will answer it at the last day, when all mankind
shall be judged by them.

But no man can keep these commandments without
God's special grace, which we have no ground to expect
without praying to him for it. And therefore children are
in the next place taught how to pray according to that
form which Christ himself composed, and commanded us to
say, whensoever we pray, Luke xi. 2. And as he who
believes all that is in the apostles' creed, believes all that he
need believe, and he that keeps all the ten commandments,
doth all that he need to do ; so he that prays this prayer
aright, prays for all things which he can have need of: so
that in this short catechism, which children of five years
old may learn, they are taught all that is needful for them,
either to believe, or do, or pray for.

The last part of the catechism is concerning the two sa-
craments which Christ hath ordained in his church, as
generally necessary to salvation ; that is to say, baptism and
the Lord's supper : both which our church hath there ex-
plained with such extraordinary prudence and caution., as
to take in all that is necessary to be known of either of
them, without touching upon any of the disputes that have
been raised about them, to the great prejudice of the Chris-
tian religion.

Seeing therefore this catechism is so full, that it con-
tains all that any man needs to know, and yet so short,
that a child may learn it : I do not see how parents may
bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord, better than by instructing them in it. I do not say
by teaching them only to say it by rote, but by instruct-
ing them in it, so that they may understand, as soon and
as far as they are capable, the true sense and meaning of
all the words and phrases in every part of it ; for winch
purpose it will be necessary to observe these rules.

First, You must begin betime, before your children
have got any ill habits, which may be easily prevented, but
are not easily cured. When children are baptized, being
born again of water, and of the Spirit, as the guilt of their
original sin is washed away in the laver of regeneration, so
that it will never be imputed to them, unless it break out
afterwards in actual transgressions ; so they receive also
the Spirit of God to prevent all such eruptions, by ena-
bling them to resist the temptations of the world, the fesh,
and the devil, to believe and serve God according as they
then promised ; so far at least, that sin shall 7ioi have do-

THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. 17$

minion over them, that they should obey it in the lusts thereof,
seeing now they are not under the law, but under the grace
of Christ, Rom. vi. 12 , 14. But that the seeds of grace
which were then sown in their hearts,, may not be lost, or
stifled, but grow up to perfection, great care must be tak-
en that they may be taught, so soon as they are capable to
discern between good and evil, to avoid the evil and do the
good, and to believe and live as they promised, when they
were endued with grace to do it. Hast thou children ? saith
the son of Sirach, instruct them, and bow down their neck
from their youth, Eccl. viii. 23. Give thy son no liberty in
his youth, nor wink not at his follies. Bow down his neck
while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he u a
child, lest he wax stubborn and be disobedient unto thee, and
so bring sorrow to thine heart, chap. xxx. 11, 12. Whereas
he that gathercth instruction from his youth, shall find wis-
dom till his old age, chap. vi. 1 8. According to that of the
wise man, Train up a child in the way that he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it, Prov. xxii. 6.
As Timothy from a child had known the holy scriptures,
CZ Tim. iii. 15. And that was the reason that he was so ex-
pert in them when he became a man : which therefore that
your children may also be, the first thing they learn must
be their catechism, where they are taught all the great
truths and duties that are revealed in the holy scripture, as
necessary to salvation,

But how can such persons do this, that cannot read nor
say the catechism themselves ? This, I fear, is the case of
too many among us. There are many who having not
been taught to read when they were young, neglect or
scorn to learn it afterwards, and so lose all the benefit and
comfort which they might receive by reading the holy
scriptures : but this, I confess, is not so necessary, especi*
ally in our church, where the holy scriptures are so con-
stantly read in public, that if people would as constantly
come and hearken to them, they might be wise unto sal~
vation, although they cannot read ; as few heretofore
could, at least in the primitive times, when notwithstancL
ing they attained to the knowledge of God, and of their
duty to him, as well as if they had been the greatest scho-?
lars in the world. But then considering that they could
not read, they supplied that defect by attending more dili-
gently to what they heard out of God's holy word, and
laying it up in their hearts, so that they understood all the
principles of the Christian religion, and were able to in,
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180 THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

struct their children in the same as well as if they could
read. But this is not our case ; for now there are many
who can neither read, nor so much as say the catechism,
having never learned it themselves, and therefore cannot
possibly teach it their children. Such as the apostle speaks
of, who when, for the time, they ought to be teachers, they
have need that one teach them again, which be the first prin-
ciples of the oracles of God, and are become such as have
need of milk, and not of strong meat, Heb. v. 12. And
what must such do ? They certainly, as they tender their
own good, must be doubly diligent in the use of all means
that may tend to their edification and instruction ; as they
desire the good of their children, they must send them to
school, or provide some other person to teach them ;
which if the parents neglect to do, the godfathers and
godmothers of every child should put them in mind of it,
and see that the child be taught, so soon as he is able to
learn, what a solemn vow, promise, or profession, he
made by them at his baptism. And, that he may know
these things the better, they must call upon him to hear
sermons ; and chiefly they must provide that he may learn
the creed, the Lord's prayer, and the ten commandments
in the vulgar tongue, and all other things which a Chris-
tian ought to know and believe to his soul's health, as they
are contained in the church catechism, and then to bring
them to the bishop to be confirmed by him.

But for that purpose, when children have been taught
the catechism, they must be sent to the minister or curate
of the parish where they live, that he may examine and
instruct them in it : examine them whether they can say
it, and instruct them so as to understand it. For though
the words be all as plain as they can well be made, yet the
things signified by those words, are many of them so high,
that it cannot be expected that children should reach and
apprehend them without help, which therefore they must
go to their minister for, whose duty and office it is to ac-
quaint them with the full sense and meaning of every word,
what is signified by it, and what ground they have to be-
lieve it is God's holy word. But to do this to any purpose,
requires more time than is commonly allowed for it in our
days. And that is one great reason they are so few among
us that are built up as they ought to be, in their most holy
faith. Many refuse or neglect to send their children to be
catechised at all : and they who send them, send them so
little, and for so little a time, that it is impossible they

THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. 181

should be much the better for it ; as many have found by-
experience ; who although in their childhood they were
taught the catechism, and could say it readily, yet having
not been sufficiently instructed in it, they afterwards for-
got it again, and know no more than if they had never
learned it. I wish this be not the case of too many parents :
wherefore, that this great work may be done effectually,
so as to answer its end, as children should begin as soon
as ever they are able to learn the catechism, and go on by
degrees till they can say it perfectly by heart ; so when
they can do that, they are still to continue to be instructed
in it all along, till they understand it so well, as to be fit
to receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper, which usu-
ally may be about sixteen or seventeen years of age, more
or less, according to their several capacities. By this
means, as they grow in years, they would grow also in
grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, 2 Pet. iii. 18. This likewise would be a great en-
couragement to the minister to take pains with them, when
they are such as can understand what he saith to them,
and will continue under his care and conduct until they
are settled and grounded in the faith, and have their senses
exercised to discern between good arid evil ; and so shall
be every way qualified to serve God, and do their duty to
him in that state of life to which he shall be pleased after-
wards to call them, upon earth, and then to go to heaven.

If this could once be brought about throughout the king-
dom, that all children that are born and bred up in it,
were thus fully instructed in the knowledge of Christ, and
of that religion which he hath revealed to the world, till
they are fit for the holy communion, and ready to engage
in the affairs of the world, the next generation would be
much better than this, and Christianity would then begin
to flourish again, and appear in its native beauty and lus-
tre. And verily, whatsoever some may think, such espe-
cially as were never catechised themselves, this is as great
and necessary a duty as any that is required in all the Bi-
ble. For God himself by his apostle expressly commands
all parents to bring up their children in the nurture and ad-
monition of the Lord; that is, as I have shewed, to cate-
chise or instruct them in the principles of the doctrine of
our Lord Christ. And therefore they who do it not, live
in the breach of a known law, yea, of many laws. There
being many places in God's holy word, where the same
thing is commanded in other terms by almighty God him-

182 THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

self, saying, These words which I command thee this day,
shall be in thy heart, and thou shall teach them diligently to
thy children, Deut. vi. 7- And again, Therefore shall ye
lay up these words in your heart, and in your soul, and bind
them for a sign upon your head, that they may be as frontlets
between your eyes, and ye shall teach them your children,
chap, xi. 18, 19. so also, chap. iv. 10. This is that which
he commands also by the wise man, Train up a child in
the way he shoidd go, and when he is old he will not depart
from it, Prov. xxii. 6. The word in the original which
we translate, train up, signifies also to dedicate or devote
a child to the service of God, by instructing him how to
do it, and exercising him continually in it ; and therefore,
in the margin of our Bibles, it is translated catechise a
child ; so that we have here both the necessity and useful-
ness of this duty : the necessity, in that it is commanded
to train up, or catechise a child in the ways of God : and
the usefulness, in that what a child is thus taught, will re-
main with him all his life long.

Seeing therefore that God hath laid so strict a command
upon all parents, to bring up their children in the know-
ledge of himself, and of their duty to him, they can ex-
pect no other, but that he should take particular notice
whether they do it or not; and reward or punish them ac-
cordingly. As we see in Abraham, what a special kind-
ness hath God for him on this account ? Shall I hide from.
him, saith the Lord, that thing which I do? Seeing that
Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and
all the nations upon earth shall be blessed in him. But why
had he such an extraordinary favour for Abraham above
all other men ? God himself gives us the reason, saying :
For I know that he will command his children and his house-
hold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, Gen.
xviii. 19. This was the reason that Abraham was so
much in favour, that he was called the friend of God, Jam.
ii. 23.

And how much God is displeased with parents neglect-
ing to bring up their children in his true faith and fear,
and suffering them to grow up and go on in a course of
vice and profaneness, appears sufficiently from that severe
judgment which he inflicted upon Eli and his whole house
for it, saying to Samuel, For I have told him, even Eli,
that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity, which
he knoweth, because his sons made themselves vile, and he re*
strained them not. And therefore I have sworn to the house

THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. 183

of Eli, That the iniquity of Eli's house, shall not be purged
with sacrifice nor offering for ever, 1 Sam. iii. 13, 14.
The execution of which dreadful judgment is left upon re-
cord in the holy scripture, as a standing monument and
caution to all parents, to take heed how they educate their
children.

Be sure the saints of God in all ages have taken as much
care to bring up their children well, as to live well them-
selves ; making as much conscience of this, as of any duty
whatsoever which they owe to God. That the children
which he hath given them, may answer his end in giving
them ; that they may not be insignificant ciphers in the
world, or as fruitless trees that serve only to cumber the
ground ; but that they may serve and glorify God whilst
they are upon the earth, so as to be meet to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in light.

And verily all parents would make this their continual
care and study, if they minded either their own or their
children's good. Many complain, not without cause, that
their children are disobedient and undutiful to them ; but
the cause is chiefly in themselves. When they have neg-
lected their duty to their children, how can they expect
their children should perform their duty to them ? They
were never taught it, how can they do it ? If therefore they
prove stubborn and obstinate, if they give themselves up
to all manner of vice and wickedness ; if instead of com-
fort they be a grief and trouble to their parents, their pa-
rents must blame themselves for it : and when they come
to reflect upon it, their sin in neglecting their duty to God
and their children in their education, will be a greater
trouble to them than any their children can give them.
Whereas when parents bring up their children in the nur-
ture and admonition of the Lord, if their children notwith-
standing happen to miscarry afterwards, they have this
to comfort them, that they did their duty, and have no-
thing to answer upon that account.

But what a mighty advantage would it be to the chil-
dren themselves to be thus continually put in mind of their
baptismal vow, the articles of our faith, the duties of reli-
gion, and what else is contained in the catechism, from
their childhood all along till they come to be men or wo-
men ? Their minds would be then filled with such divine
truths, and with so great a sense of their duty, that there
would be no room Jeft for heresy or sin to enter, at least
not so as to get possession, and exercise any dominion

ISA THOUGHTS UPON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

there. The first impressions that are made upon us are
not soon worn out, but usually remain as long as we live.
As the wise man observes, Train up a child in the way he
should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it, Prov.
xxii. 6. When one hath been all along from his childhood
brought up in the knowledge of God, and his holy will,
it will stick by him so, as to be a constant check upon
him, to keep him within the compass of his duty in all or-
dinary cases ; and if any thing extraordinary happen to
draw him aside, it will make him restless and uneasy, till
he hath recovered himself, and got into the right way
again ; and so it will either keep him innocent, or make
him penitent. In short, by the blessing of God attending,
as it usually doth, this great duty when it is conscientious-
ly performed, is the best means that parents can use,
whereby to breed up their children for heaven, to make
them fellow-citizens with saints, and of the household of
God, both in this world and for ever.

Wherefore if we have any regard either to our own or
to our children's eternal welfare, let us set upon this duty
in good earnest ; let us bring up our children so long in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord, till they fully know
him, and all that he would have them believe and do, that
they may be saved. But we must be sure to teach them
by our example as well as instructions ; we must not tell
them one thing, and do another ourselves ; but shew them
how to keep the faith and laws of God, by keeping them
ourselves before their eyes, all the while we live together
upon earth : that when we are all got one after another,
out of this troublesome and naughty world, we and our
children may at last meet together in heaven, and there
praise and glorify almighty God, we for them, and they
for us, and all for his grace and truth in Jesus Christ our
Lord.

After this general instruction in the principles of our
holy religion, it will be necessary, as soon as our young
Christian is capable of it, to inform him more particularly
in the nature of God, and the great mystery of the Trini-
ty, unto which we are all baptized,, which therefore shall
be my next subject.

THOUGHTS UPON THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 185

THOUGHTS UPON THE KNOWLEDGE
OF GOD.

THOUGH religion in general be a thing that all men
naturally agree in, yet there is nothing, I think, that
men differ so much about, as about the particular acts and
exercise of it : for all nations in the world have some reli-
gion ; but there are scarce two amongst them all that have
the same, yea, in one and the same nation too there are
divers modes of religion professed and practised. No na-
tion or country in the world, but will afford us instances
of this ; and our own, I think, as many as any other what-
soever. For could we but cast our eyes into the several
corners of this land, at this very moment, what variety
might we observe in those acta which the several parties
amongst us account to be religious ! Some we should see
sitting silently for a while together, without either speak-
ing, or hearing a word spoken, until at length up starts a
man or a -woman, or some such thing, and entertains them
with a discourse made up of censure and malice, blasphe-
my and nonsense ; and this is all the religion they pre-
tend to. Others we should find crowded together in se-
veral corners, sometimes praying, sometimes discoursing
as it were, sometimes arguing the case with almighty
God, and acquainting him with what happens in the
world, and that with as much confidence and malapert-
ness, as if he was their fellow-creature, and then very
gravely walk home and please themselves with a vain con-
ceit that they are more religious than their neighbours.
Another sort of people there are amongst us, who are as
superstitious as the former were slovenly and irreverent in
their devotions : for these having been sprinkled with a
little holy water, and performed their obeisance to a cruci-
fix or picture, presently fall a pattering over Ave Maria's
and Pater Nosters to themselves, as fast as they can ;
whilst the priest in the mean while says something too, but
the people generally do not know what it is, nor indeed
what themselves say, it being all in an unknown tongue.
But howsoever, though they know not what they say,
they think that God doth, and therefore satisfy themselves
that they have said something, though they know not
what, and think that God is well pleased with what they
have done, because themselves are so.

186 THOUGHTS UPON THE

Others there are, and by the blessing of God, far more
than all the rest, in this nation, who present themselves
before the great Creator and possessor of the world, in that
solemn and reverent manner as the constitutions of our
church direct, humbly confessing their manifold sins
against God, begging mercy and pardon from him, im-
ploring his favour, and praising his name for all the ex-
pressions of his undeserved love to mankind : and all this
in our vulgar tongue, that Ave all understand, and so per-
form a reasonable service unto God.

And verily, if we consider the institution itself, of that
religious worship which we thus perform, it is certainly
the best that ever was prescribed by any church, as being
most consonant to the general rules of devotion laid down
in the scriptures ; as also most conformable to the disci-
pline and practice of the primitive church. But we must
not think that we serve God aright, because we be present
with them that do so. I do not doubt but that there are
many amongst us who sincerely endeavour to. worship
God, whensoever they present themselves before him in
public, I wish that all of us would do so. But we must
still remember, that we should serve the Lord elsewhere
as well as at church, and on other days as well as upon
the Lord's day. And that if we would be truly religious,
our whole man must be devoted to the service of God, yea>
and our whole time too. We must not think that it is enough
to do something, but we must do all things that are re-
quired of us ; which notwithstanding we can never do, un-
less we know both that God whom we ought to serve, and
that service which we ought to perform unto him. And
therefore David directs his son to the right and only way
to true religion, saying, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9- " And thou,
Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy fathers, and
serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind :" which
words, did we apply them to ourselves, would, by the
blessing of God, put us upon sincere endeavours after real
and universal obedience to all the commands of God, and
persuade us not to content ourselves with vain pretences
to, and professions of religion, as most do ; but strive to
live up unto our profession, and carry and behave our-
selves so as becometh those who desire to be religious, and
to serve God in good earnest ; which that we may do, let
us observe the rule and method which David here pre-
scribes to his son ; first, to know God, and then to servp
him with a perfect heart and a willing mind.

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 187

I shall not trouble the reader with any critical division
of the words, for they naturally divide themselves into two
parts.

First, That we should know, and then that we should
serve God with a 'perfect heart, and with a willing mind.

I shall begin with the first, not only because it is first
placed, but because it necessarily must precede the se-
cond ; it being impossible for us to serve God aright un-
less we knew him : for without this, all our services will
be but like the" altar which the Athenians dedicated, To the
unknown God. By which inscription they manifested to the
world, that they knew that they ought to serve some God,
but they knew not that God whom they ought to serve. But
that we may so know him as to serve him aright, I shall
first shew what it is of God which we must know in order
to our serving him aright.

First, Therefore he that would serve God aright, must
believe and know that he is, Heb. xi. 6. that is, that there
is such a supreme and all-glorious Being in and over the
world that we call God, that made,- preserves, governs,
and disposes of every thing in the world, as seemeth best
to him ; and that it is not only probable, that there is such
a one, but that it is the most certain and necessary truth
in the world ; without which there would be no such thing
as truth or certainty. For, indeed, if God was not, no-
thing could be, he alone being the basis and foundation of
all being in the world, yea, and of all motion too, Acts
xvii. 28. And therefore, every thing that lives, every thing
that moves, nay, every thing that [is, argues God to be ;
which therefore is the first great truth, upon which all the
rest depend ; without which nothing would be true, much
less woidd our services be so : so that the first thing to be
done in order to our serving God, is to know, and believe
that he is, and that he ought to be served and adored by
us.

Secondly, It is necessary to know his essence too, as well
as his existence ; what, as well as that he is ; what he is
in himself, and what he is to us ; that in himself he is, in
and of himself, the source of his wisdom, the abyss of all
power, the ocean of all goodness, the fountain of all hap-
piness, the principle of all motion, and the centre, yea,
perfection of all perfections in the world ; whose nature or
essence is so pure, so glorious, so immense, so infinite, so
eternal, so every way perfect, transcendent, and incom-
prehensible, that the more we think of him, the more we

188 THOUGHTS UPON THE

contemplate upon him, the more we praise and admire
him, the more we may. And the highest apprehensions that
we can have of him, is still to apprehend him infinitely
higher than all our apprehensions of him. And there-
fore, that man best knows God, that knows him to be be-
yond his knowledge, and that knows he can never know
him enough.

But we must know too what he is to us, even the author
and giver of every good thing we have, and who in him-
self is whatsoever we can desire to make us happy ; and
therefore it is, that in the covenant of grace, when he
would assure us that we shall have all things that we can
enjoy, he only promises to be our Cod, Heb. viii. 10.
which is as much as we can desire, and indeed as himself
can promise ; for in promising himself, he hath promised
whatsoever he is, whatsoever he hath, whatsoever he
doth, nay, whatsoever he can do, as God. And thus are
we to look upon God as the only object of all true happi-
ness, and the only centre wherein all the desires and in-
clinations of our souls can rest.

Thirdly, It is necessary also to know the several attri-
butes and perfections which he hath revealed of himself, in
scripture ; that he is so wise to know whatsoever can be
known ; so powerful as to do whatsoever can be done ; so
great and glorious in himself, that we have all just cause
to fear him ; so kind and gracious in his Son, that it is our
duty also to trust in him ; so true, that whatsoever he says
is true, because he saith it ; so good, that whatsoever he
doth is good, because he doth it ; so just, as to punish
every sin that is committed, and yet so merciful as to par-
don every sinner that repenteth ; Chat he is pure without
mixture, infinite without bounds, eternal without begin-
ning, everlasting without end, and every way perfect
without comparison.

Fourthly, We must know also the works of God, what
he hath done, wherein he hath manifested himself to us.
But what hath God done ? Or rather, what hath he not
done ? It was he that raised this stately fabric of the world
we live in, out of the womb of nothing. It was he that
extracted light out of darkness, beauty and perfection out
of a confused chaos. It was he that bedecked the glori-
ous canopy of heaven with those glistering spangles, the
stars. It was he that commanded the sun to run its course
by day, and the moon to ride her circuit by night about
the world, to shew the inhabitants thereof the glory of

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. lg()

their all-glorious Maker. It was he that hung the earth
upon nothing, and spread upon the surface of it a curious
carpet, embroidered Avith all manner, not of painted, but
real flowers, and plants and trees. It was he that first
produced all things out of nothing ; and it is he that still
preserves all things in their being. It is he that ordereth
the affairs of kingdoms, manageth the intrigues of state, di-
recteth the events of wars, and disposes of every particu-
lar person as himself sees good. In a word, whatsoever
was ever made in heaven above or in earth beneath, it is he
that made it ; and whatsoever is still done in heaven above,
or in earth beneath, it is he that doth it ; so that nothing
ever was, or is, or ever wTill be, or can be done, but what
is done by him, as the first and universal cause of all
things.

Fifthly, It is necessary also to know, so as to believe,
that though there is but one God, yet there are three per-
sons, all and every one of which is that one God. I do
not say it is necessary to understand or comprehend this
mystery, for that we cannot do ; but we are not therefore
the less to believe it, because we cannot understand it : for
there are many other things in divinity ; yea, many things
in natural philosophy, and in geometry itself, which we
cannot understand, and yet for all that, both know and
believe them to be true. But how much more cause have
we to believe this, which God himself hath asserted of
himself? nay, and besides that, we have the same obli-
gations to serve and honour every person, as we have to
serve and honour any one person in the sacred Trinity ;
our Saviour himself hath expressly told us, That all men
should honour the Son, even a.s they honour the Father, John
xxv. 23. But that we cannot do, unless we believe the
Son to be God as well the Father ; and by consequence,
unless wTe acknowledge this fundamental article of our
Christian faith, into which we were all baptized.

Secondly, We must consider what kind of knowledge
we ought to have of God, in reference to our serving him
aright.

For we must not think that it is enough to know in ge-
neral that there is a God, and that he is wise and power-
ful, great and glorious, true and faithful, good and gra-
cious ; these things a man may know in general, so as to
be able to discourse of them, and dispute for them too,
and yet come short of that knowledge which is requisite
to our true serving of God : which should be such a know-

190 THOUGHTS UPON THE

ledge as will not only swim in the brain, but sink down
into the heart ; whereby a man is possessed with a due
sense of those things he knows, so that he doth not only
know, but in a manner feel them to be so. Thus David,
who, in the text, calls upon his son to know the God of his
fathers, intimates elsewhere what knowledge he means ;
saying, Oh taste and see that the Lord is good, Psal. xxxiv.
8. Where we may observe, how he requires our spiritual
senses to be employed in our knowledge of God, so as to
see that he is good, yea, and taste it too ; that is, feel and
experience it in ourselves ; which though it may seem a
paradox to many of us, yet there is none of us, but may
find it to be a real truth, and attain unto it, if we be but
careful and constant in our meditations upon God, and
sincere in performing our devotions to him, for by these
means our notions of God will be refined, our conceptions
cleared, and our affections, by consequence, so moved to-
wards him, that we shall taste and experience in ourselves,
as well as know from others, that he is good, and that all
perfections are concentered in him.

But this practical and experimental knowledge of God
doth necessarily presuppose the other, or the general know-
ledge of him, so as to be acquainted with the several ex-
pressions which God in scripture hath made use of, where-
by to reveal himself and his perfections to us ; as when he
is pleased to call himself the almighty God, the all-wise
and infinite, the just and gracious God, and the like ; or
to say of himself, / am that I am ; that is, in and of my-
self eternal. Unless we first know that these and such like
expressions belong to God, and what is the true meaning
and purport of them, it is impossible for us to arrive at
that knowledge of him, which is necessary to our serving
him aright.

And I am come to the last thing to be considered here
concerning the knowledge of God, even that it is necessary
to our serving him ; so that none can serve him that does
not first know him, and therefore that the method, as well
as matter of David's advice is here observable : Know thou
the God of thy fathers, and serve him ; or, first know
him, and then serve him with a perfect heart and a willing
mind.

And verily, one would think that this is a truth so clear,
so evident of itself, that it needs no proof or demonstra-
tion ; for how is it possible for us to know how to serve
God, unless we first know that God whom we ought to

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. If) I

serve ? for all our services unto God should be both pro-
per to his nature, and suitable to his perfections; and
therefore, unless I first know his nature and perfections,
how can I adjust my services to them? As for example, I
am to fear his greatness, and trust on his mercy, and rejoice
in his goodness, and desire his favour : but how can I do
this, unless I know that he is thus great and merciful, good
and favourable ?

Moreover, as a man cannot serve God when he hath a
mind to do it, so neither will he have a mind or heart to
serve him unless he first knows him. For the motions of
the will are always regulated by the ultimate dictates of
the practical understanding ; so that a man chooses or re-
fuses, loves or hates, desires or abhors, according as he
knows any object that is presented to him to be good or
evil. And therefore how can I choose G6d as my chiefest
good, unless I first know him to be so ; or love him as I
ought, above all things, unless I first know him to be bet-
ter than all things ; or perform any true service to him, un-
less I first know him to be such a one, as deserves to have
true service performed unto him ?

Nay, lastly, nothing that we can do can be accepted as
a service to God, unless it be both grounded upon, and di-
rected by a right knowledge of him. God would not ac-
cept of blind sacrifices under the law, much less will he
accept of blind services now under the gospel ; and there-
fore he expects and requires now, that whatsoever we do,
either to or for him, be a Logike Latreia, a reasonable ser-
vice, Rom. xii. 1. That our souls as well as bodies, yea,
and the rational as well as sensitive part be employed in
all the services which we perform to him ; which certain-
ly cannot be, unless we first know him ; so that there is
an indispensable connexion betwixt our knowing and
serving God ; it being as impossible for any man to serve
him, that doth not first know him, as it is to know him
aright, and not to serve him.

But however indispensable this connexion be in its own
nature, the church of Rome can make a shift to dispense
with it ; yea, so far as to assert that ignorance is the mo-
ther of devotion. But you must excuse them, for they do
not mean by devotion, as we do, the real serving of God,
but only the performing of some outward services to him.
And such a kind of devotion, I confess, ignorance may be
the mother of: but a man must be grossly ignorant that
thinks this to be devotion, which is but a piece of pagean-

192 THOUGHTS UPON ^E

try, a mocking instead of serving God. And,, for my
part, I cannot but tremble to think what a dismal, what
a dreadful account the heads of that church must hereafter
give, for daring to keep the people in so much ignorance
as they do ; so as to render them incapable of serving
God, that so they may be the more ready to serve the
church ; that is, the interests and designs of the court of
Rome.

But let them look to that ; whilst we, in the mean while
study to know God before all things else, considering,

First, God therefore made us that we might know him,
and that we might know that he made us. And therefore
it is that he hath made rational creatures capable of reflect-
ing upon him that made us so ; neither did he only make
us at first, but he still preserves us ; we feed daily at his
table, and live upon his bounty. And the very beasts
that any of us keep, know those that keep them ; and
shall we be more brutish than brutes themselves, and not
know him that keeps and maintains us ? Oh how justly
may God than call heaven and earth to witness against us,
as he did once against his people Israel, Isa. i. 2, 3, 4.

Secondly, There is none of us but have attained to
knowledge in other things : some of us have searched into
arts and sciences, others are acquainted with several lan-
guages ; none of us but are, or would be expert in the affairs
of this world, and understand the mysteries of our several
trades and callings ; what, and shall he alone, by whom
we know other things, be himself unknown to us ? What
is, if this be not, a just cause, wherefore God should infa-
tuate and deprive us of all our knowledge in other things ?
seeing we labour more to know them, than him from whom
we receive our knowledge.

Thirdly, Ignorance of God, is itself one of the greatest
sins that we can be guilty of, and which God is most an-
gry for, Hos. iv. 4. And there God himself imputes the
destruction of his people, to the want of knowledge, ver. 6.
Nay, and it is that sin too that makes way for all the rest.
For what is the reason that many so frequently blaspheme
God's name, slight his service, transgress his laws, and in-
cense his wrath against them, but merely because they do
not know him, how great, how terrible a God he is ? For
did they but thus rightly know him, they could not but
regard the thoughts of doing any thing that is offensive to
him ; and therefore the true knowledge of God would be the
2

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 193

best security, and the most sovereign antidote in the world
against the infection of sin, and the prevalency of tempta-
tions over us ; neither would it only preserve us from sin,
but put us upon duty and service, and direct us also in
the performance of it. Insomuch that the hardest duty
will be easy to one that knows God ; the easiest will be
hard to one that knows him not. Hard did I say ? yea,
and impossible too, for although a man may know God,
and yet not serve him, it is impossible that any man should
serve God unless he knows him ; knowledge itself being
both the first duty that we owe to God, and the founda-
tion of all the rest.

And therefore, to conclude, if any desire to perform the
vow, they made in their baptism, to love and fear, to ho-
nour and obey the eternal God that made them: if any de-
sire to be Christians indeed, and holy in all manner of con-
versation ; if any desire to trust on the promises, and observe
the precepts of the great Creator and Possessor of the world,
to live above the snares of death, and to antedate the joys of
heaven; if any desire to live the life, and to die the death of
the righteous, to serve God here so as to enjoy him hereaf-
ter ; let all such but study the scriptures, and frequent the
public ordinances ; be constant and sincere in prayer and
meditation, neglecting no opportunity of acquainting them-
selves with God, but making use of all means possible to
get their hearts possessed with a reverential apprehension
of God's greatness and glory, and with a due sense of his
goodness and perfections, and their work will be soon
done ; for if they thus know God they will serve him too
wTith a perfect heart and a willing mind.

We have seen how we ought to know God ; and we are
now to consider how we ought to serve him ; without
which, indeed, our knowledge of him will avail us no-
thing. For, as the apostle argues, Though I speak with
the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal, 1 Cor. xiii.
1. So here: though we should have the highest notions
and speculations in divinity, that men or angels ever had ;
though we should understand the highest mysteries in reli-
gion, and dive into the profoundest secrets of Christian
philosophy ; though we should excel the greatest school-
men, and the most learned doctors that ever lived ; and
were able to baffle heresies, dispute error and schism out
of the Christian church, and evince the truth of the articles
of our faith, by more than mathematical demonstrations;

I

19% THOUGHTS UPON THE

yet, if after all this, our knowledge be only notional, not
moving our affections, nor putting us upon the practice of
what we know, it is but as sounding brass, or a tinkling
cymbal : it may make a noise in the world, and get us ap-
plause among men, but it will stand us in no stead at all
before the eternal God, yea, it will rise up in judgment
against us another day, and sink us lower into the abyss of
torments. And therefore, though men may, God doth
not look upon this as the true knowledge of himself. Nei-
ther can any one be properly said to know God, that doth
not serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind.
And therefore, having discoursed of that knowledge which
is necessary to our serving God, I shall now endeavour to
shew, how we ought to serve God according to our know-
ledge.

In speaking unto which, I must beg the reader's most
serious and Christian attention, as to a matter which con-
cerns our lives ; yea, our eternal lives in another world.
I hope there are none of those that pretend to instruct, so
brutish and atheistical, as not to desire to serve God : none
so proud and self-conceited, as to think that they serve
him well enough already, or at least know how to do it.
I write only to such as want to be instructed, read books
of practical religion with no other design but to serve
God, and to learn how to serve him better. And if this
be our only design, as I hope it is, let us manifest it to
the world, and to our consciences, by attending to, and
fixing what we read upon our own hearty. For I may
venture to say, that this is the noblest and most necessary
subject that I can write, or any one can read of; and that,
which if seriously weighed, rightly considered, and truly
practised, will most certainly bring us to the highest hap-
piness which our natures are capable of, or our persons
were at first designed for.

Now, for our clear proceeding in a matter of great im-
portance, we will first consider what it is to serve God ?
A question very necessary to be treated of and resolved,
because of the general mistakes that are in the world about
it : many people fancying the service of God to consist in
some few particular acts ; as in saying their prayers, read-
ing the scriptures, going to church, giving an alms now
and then to the poor ; especially if they be but zealous
and resolute in the defence of the party or faction they are
of, so as to promote it to the highest of their parts, estates,
or power, then they think they do God good service, and

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. IQH

that this is all he requires of them. Others think they
serve God by serving of his creatures, as in praying to
saints, bowing to images, and falling down before the eu-
charist when it is carried in procession : nay, many there
are, who think they serve God when they dishonour him,
wresting his scriptures, corrupting his doctrine, opposing
his vicegerents, seducing his people and servants unto er-
ror, and all for the promoting of some temporal interests,
or groundless opinions. But we must know that the ser-
vice of God is a thing of an higher nature, and nobler
stamp than such silly mortals would persuade us it is ;
consisting in nothing less than,

I. In devoting of ourselves, and all we have, or are, or
do, unto the honour of the eternal God ; resigning our
hearts wholly to him, and subduing all our passions and
affections before him. For seeing we were wholly made
by Mm, and wholly depend upon him, if we would serve
God at all, we must serve him with all we are ; every fa-
culty of our souls and member of our bodies employing
themselves in those services which he set them, so as to
live as none of our own, but as wholly God's ; his by crea-
tion, it was he that made us ; his by preservation, it is he
that maintains us; and his by redemption, it is he that hath
purchased us with his own most precious blood ; and there-
fore being thus bought with a price, we should glorify God
both in our soids and bodies, which are his, 1 Cor. vi. 20.

And as we are to serve him with all we are, so also with
all we have. Honour the Lord with all ihy substance, and
with the Jirst-fruits of all thine increase, Prov. iii. 9. What-
soever we have we receive from his bounty, and therefore
whatsoever we have should employ for his glory : our
parts, our gifts, our estates, our power, our time ; what-
soever we call ours, is his in our hands, and therefore to
be improved, not for ourselves, but him ; as our Saviour
shews in the parable of the talents, which the master of
the house distributed amongst his servants ; to seme he
gave one, to some jive, to others ten, that every one might
employ his proportion to his master's use ; neither squats
dcring it away, nor yet laying it up in a napkin. It is God
that is the grand master and possessor of the world, who
parcels it out amongst his creatures, as himself sees good,
but wheresoever he entrusteth any thing, he expects the
improvement of it for himself. And so, I suppose, doth
every one of us from such servants as we keep ; we expect
that what we put into their hands be laid out, not far
I 2

196 THOUGHTS UPON THE

themselves,, but for us ; and that they spend their time in
our service, not their own : and if they do otherwise, none
of us but will say, they do not serve us but themselves.
How then can we expect that God will look upon us as
serving him, when we do not do so much for him as we
expect from our own servantSj though our fellow-crea-
tures ? Or how can we think that we serve him as we
ought, unless we serve him as much as we can? Or that God
should look upon us as his servants, unless we employ and
improve whatsoever we have, not for our own pleasure,
profit, or applause, but for his honour and glory, from
whom we did receive it ? Let us remember our Saviour's
words, Matt. v. 16. Let your light so shine before men that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which
is in heaven.

2. Hence the serving of God consisteth also in the per-
forming of sincere and universal obedience to all his laws
and commands, which is but the natural consequent of the
former : for if our whole man, both soul and body, and
whatsoever we have, or are, ought to be devoted to his
glory, it must needs follow, that whatsoever we do should
be conformable to his precepts ; which also is no more
than eveiy one of us expects from our servants : for those
whom we have covenanted with to be our servants, and
whom we keep upon that very account, that they may
serve us ; we all expect that they should obey all our com-
mands, and do whatsoever in justice and by our covenants
we can enjoin them. But how much more then must we
ourselves be obliged to obey all the laws and precepts of
him that made us, whose creatures we are, and whose
servants, by consequence, we ought to be ?

I say, all his laws and precepts ; for we must not think
to pick and choose, to do some things, and leave other
things undone : for we should take it ill if our servants
Should serve us so ; if when we send them upon several
businesses, they should mind one of them, and neglect all
the other, we should questionless look upon them as very
idle and careless servants : but let us consider and bethink
ourselves, whether we have not served our master the eter-
nal God, as bad as our servants have or can serve us. He
hath given us several laws to observe, and hath set us seve-
ral works to do, and we perhaps can make a shift to do
something that is required of us ; but never think of the
other, and perhaps the principal things too that he expects
from us*

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 197.

Just as if when Moses had broke the two tables of stone,
whereon the ten commandments were written, one man
should have come and snatched away one piece, a second
run away with another piece, and a third with another,
until at length ten several persons had gotten ten several
pieces whereon the ten commandments were severally
written ; and when they had done so, every one of them,
should have striven to keep the law that was written on his
own piece, never minding what was written on the others.
Do you think that such persons as these are, could be re-
puted the servants of God, and to observe his laws, when
they minded only one particular branch or piece of them ?
the case is our own ; we hearing of several laws and com-
mands, which the most high God hath set us, get some
one of them by the end, and run away with that, as if we
were not concerned in any of the rest. But let us still re-
member, that the same finger that wrote one of the com-
mands, wrote all the other too. And therefore he that
doth not observe all, as well as one, cannot properly be
said to observe any at all. Neither indeed doth he serve
God in any thing : for though he may do something that
God requires, yet it is plain, that he doth not therefore do
it because God requires it ; for if he did so, he would do
all things else too that God requires. . And therefore such
a person doth not serve God at all in what he doth ; no,
he serves himself rather than God, in that he doth it not
in obedience to God, but with respect to himself, as to
get himself a name and credit among men, or perhaps to
satisfy his troublesome conscience, which would not let
him be at quiet unless he did it.

But now one that would serve God indeed, hath respect
to all his commandments, Psal. cxix. 6. And walks in all
the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless, as
Zacharias and Elizabeth are said to have done, Luke i. 6.
And thus whosoever would serve the Lord in any thing
must serve him in all things that he requireth. And this
is that which David means in this advice to his son, say-
ing, Know thou the God of thy fathers, and serve him :
that is, observe and do whatsoever he enjoins, and that
too with a perfect heart and a willing mind.

And so I come to the second thing to be considered here;
that is, the manner how we ought to serve God, even with
a perfect heart, and with a willing mind.

First, With a perfect heart ; that is, with integrity and
sincerity of heart, not from any by-ends, or sinister de-

O

198 THOUGHTS UPON THE

signs, but out of pure obedience to the laws of God, as he
is the sovereign of heaven and earth, and in Christ, our
Lord, and our God. A thing much to be observed in all
our services, without which, indeed, they are no services
at all. Insomuch that should we pray our tongues to the
stumps, and fast our bodies into skeletons ; should we fill
the air with sighs, and the sea with tears for our sin ;
should we spend all our time in hearing of sermons, and
our whole estates in relieving the poor ; should we hazard
our lives, yea, give our bodies to be burnt for our religion,
yet nothing of all this would be accepted as a service unto
God, unless it be performed with a sincere obedience to
his laws, and with a single eye, aiming at nothing but his
glory, which ought to be the ultimate end qf all our actions,
1 Cor. x. 31.

Secondly, We must not only serve God with a perfect
heart, but with a willing mind too, benephesck ckephatsoah
properly with a willing soul ; that is, our will and all the
affections of our souls should be carried after, and exer-
cised in the service of almighty God. Our desires are to
be inflamed towards it, our love fixed upon it, and our
delight placed in it. Thus the Israelites are said to have
sought the Lord with their whole desire, 2 Chron. xv. 1 5.
And we are commanded to love the Lord our God, and so
to serve him with all our heart, and with all our soul, Deut.
xi. 13. Yea, we are to delight to do the will of God, Psal.
xi. 8. as our Saviour did, saying, It is my meat to do the
will of him that sent me, and to finish his wor'k, John iv. 34.
Thus we are so to esteem the service of God above our ne-
cessary food, pleasing ourselves in pleasing him, and so
make his service not only our business, but our recreation
too ; and whosoever doth not so, whatsoever he doth for
God, he cannot be said to serve him, because he doth it
against his will, and against the bent and inclination of his
soul. And therefore, though as to the outward act he
may do that which God commands, yet inwardly he doth
it not, because his soul is still averse from it, by which
means it ceaseth to be the service of God ; because it is not
performed by the whole man, even soul and body, both
which are necessarily required in our performance of real
service to him that made them both.

Thirdly, What is the reason why we ought to serve God
so ? Because he searcheth the heart, and undcrstandeth all
the imaginations of the thoughts : that is, he is thoroughly
acquainted with every thought in our hearts, and with

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 199

every motion and inclination of our souls infinitely better
than ourselves are. And therefore it is in vain for us to
think to put him off with outward and formal, instead of
inward and real service : for he doth not only see what we
do, but knows too what we think while we are doing of it ;
and doth not only observe the matter of our actions, but
the manner also of our performing them : it being his great
prerogative to " search the heart, and to try the reins, and
to have all things naked and open unto him," Heb. iv. 1 3.
so that he seeth what the soul doth within doors, in the se-
cret closets of the heart, as clearly as what it doth without
in the open streets of the world : every affection of the soul
being as manifest unto him, as the actions of the body
are ; and therefore hypocrisy is the most foolish and ridi-
culous sin imaginable, making as if we could cheat and
deceive God, and hide our sins from the all- seeing eyes of
omniscience iteelf, or make God believe that we are holy,
because we appear to be so to men.

But to bring this matter more closely to ourselves : we
have been all at church, perhaps, performing our service
and devotions to him that made us ; it is true, as to our
outward appearance, there hath been no great difference
betwixt us, we have been equally present at these public
ordinances, and we do not know but one hath prayed and
heard the word of God both read and preached as well as
another ; so that seemingly our services are all alike as to
us, but are they so to God too ? That I much question :
for he hath taken especial notice all along, not only of the
outward gestures of our bodies, but likewise of the in-
ward behaviour of our hearts and souls before him : and
therefore, as I hope he hath seen many of us serving him
with a perfect heart and a willing mind ; so, I fear he hath
found too many of us tardy, coming before him as his peo-
ple come, and sitting before him as his people sit, while our
hearts in the mean time have been about our covetous-
ness ; and hath plainly seen, though our bodies have been
at church, our souls have been elsewhere, thinking upon
our relations, or estates, or something or other, besides
what our thoughts should have been employed about in so
solemn a duty as the public worship. But know this, O
vain man, whosoever thou art, that God will not be mocked :
and though thou hast not seen, or perhaps so much as
thought of him, he hath seen thee and thy thoughts too ;
yea, at this very moment looks upon thee. And what wilt
thou answer him, the great Judge of the whole world,
I 4

200 THOUGHTS UPON THE

when he shall tell thee to thy face, and call his omnisci-
ence to witness, that he saw thee at this, as at other times,
play the hypocrite with him, making as if thou servedst
him, when thou servedst him not ; and instead of serving
him with a perfect heart and a willing mind, servedst him in
neither heart nor mind. Let us all remember this when
we approach God's house, and also bethink ourselves af-
terwards, whether we have not been guilty of this sin ! if
we have, we may be sure God knows it, and we shall
know it another day. But to prevent what justly may be
our doom, let us repent of our former neglects in this kind ;
and, for the future, whensoever we are serving God, let
us still look upon him as looking upon us, and fix in our
hearts this one thing, That God knows all things in the world.
And therefore let us not think to put God off with such
careless and perfunctory services as heretofore too many of
us have done ; but if we desire to serve him at all, let us
serve him with a perfect heart and a williJig mind.

Thus I have endeavoured to shew both, what it is to
serve God, and how we ought to do it : now let us not
think it sufficient that we know how to serve God, unless
we serve him according to our knowledge. Let us remem-
ber our Saviour's words : //' ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them, John xiii. 17. Which happiness, that
all who read this may attain unto, let me advise them, in
the name of the eternal God that made them, to renounce
and forsake their former masters, sin, Satan, and the world,
whoever may have hitherto been enslaved by them, and
now dedicate themselves wholly to the service of him that
made them for that very purpose that they may serve
him ; yea, and who hath composed our natures so, that
the highest happiness we are capable of, consists in our
serving him : and therefore let us not think, that he calls
upon us to serve him, because he wants our service ; no,
be it known unto all that he is infinitely happy in the en-
joyment of his own perfections, and needs not the ser-
vices of such poor silly mortals as we are, who have no-
thing but what we receive from him ; and therefore he
doth not call upon vis to serve him because he cannot be
happy without us, but because we cannot be happy with-
out him : not because he wants our service, but because
we want it ; it being impossible for us to be happy, unless
we be holy ; or to enjoy God, unless we serve him.

Wherefore all ye that desire to go to heaven, to have
him that made you reconciled to you, and smile upon you ;

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 20i

or that desire to be really and truly happy; set upon the
work which God sent you into the world about, put it not
off any longer, make no more vain excuses, but from tins
day forward, let the service of God be your daily, your
continual employment and pleasure : study and contrive
each day how to advance his glory and interest in the
world, and how you may walk more strictly, more cir-
cumspectly, more conformably to his laws than ever.
But whatsoever service you perform unto him, be sure to
do it with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Think not to
put him off with fancy instead of faith, or with outward
performances instead of real duties ; but remember that
he searcheth the hearts, and tricth the reins of the sons of
men, and observes the inward motions of the soul, as well
as the outward actions of the life : and therefore whereso-
ever you are, whatsoever you do, still bethink yourselves,
that he that made you, still looks upon you ; taking no-
tice not only of the matter of the actions which you per-
form, but also of the manner of your performing them ;
and therefore be sure to have a special care in all your ser-
vices for or unto God, that your " hearts be sincere before
him, and your minds inclined to him," that so you may
" serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind."

But to conclude ; whoever ye are that read this dis-
course, I have shewn you the " things that belong unto
your everlasting peace," have acquainted you with the me-
thod and manner of your serving God in time, in order to
your enjoyment of him to eternity ; how you are affected
with what you have read, and whether you be resolved to
practise it/ yea, or no, it is only the eternal God that
knows. But this I know, that if you will not be persuad-
ed to serve God, yea, and to serve him too with a perfect
heart and a uniting mind, you will one day wish you had,
but then it will be too late. And therefore if you will put
it to the venture, go on still, and with the unprofitable
servant, hide your talents in a napkin, or lavish them out
in the revels of sin and vanity ; let thy belly be still thy
god, and the world thy lord ; serve thyself or Satan, in*
stead of the living God : but know that for all this, God will
bring thee into judgment ; after which expect nothing else
but to be overwhelmed with horror and confusion to eter-.
fifty.

Whereas on the other side, such amongst you as shall
sincerely endeavour from henceforth to serve God with a,
perfect heart and a willing mind, I dare, I do assure them
I 5

202 THOUGHTS UPON THE

in the name of God, their labour shall not be in vain in the
Lord : for God suffers not his enemies to go unpunished,
nor his servants unrewarded.

And therefore go on with joy and triumph in the ser-
vice of so great and so good a master, and devote your-
selves wholly to his service, and employ your talents faith-
fully for his glory. Remember the time is but short ; and
Christ himself will receive you into eternal glory, saying,
Well done, good and faithful servant.

*•%. v*t*v%v-* -v* */% ■% •%-

THOUGHTS UPON THE MYSTERY
OF THE TRINITY.

THOUGH there be many in the world that seem to be
religious, there are but few that are so : one great
reason whereof is, because there are so many mistakes
about religion, that it is an hard matter to hit upon the
true notion of it : and therefore desiring nothing in this
world so much as to be an instrument in God's hand to di-
rect men into the true religion, my great care must, and
by the blessing of God shall be, to instil into them right
conceptions of him, that is the only object of all religious
acts, without which it is impossible to continue, or indeed
to be religious : the true nature and notion of religion
consisting in the right carriage and deportment of our
whole man, both soul and body, towards him that made
us ; whom therefore, unless we truly know, we can ne-
ver be truly religious ; and therefore they that begin their
religion with zeal and passion, begin at the wrong end ;
for indeed they begin where they should end : our zeal for
God, and love unto him, being the highest acts of religion,
and therefore cannot be the first; but they necessarily pre-
suppose the true knowledge of God, without which our zeal
will be blind, and our love both groundless and transient.

But as it is impossible to be truly religious, unless we
know God, so it is very difficult so to know him, as to be-
come truly religious. It is true that there is such a su-
preme Being in and over the world, as we call God ; the
very light of nature teaches, and reason itself demonstrates
it to be the most certain and undeniable. But what he is,
and what apprehensions we ought to have of this glorious
Being, none but himself is able to describe and manifest

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 203

unto us ; so that our conceptions of him are still to be re-
gulated by the discoveries that he hath made of himself to
us ; without which, though we may have some confused
notions of him, yet we can never so know him, as to serve
him faithfully, and, by consequence, be truly religious.

Hence therefore, if we would know God, we must
search the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,
wherein God hath been pleased most clearly to manifest
and discover himself unto us ; I say, both the Old and
New Testaments, for otherwise, our knowledge of God
may be very defective and erroneous, there being several
things which God, in the New Testament, hath most
plainly revealed of himself, . which in the Old Testament
are more darkly and obscurely delivered to us. As for ex-
ample the great mystery of the Trinity ; though it be fre-
quently intimated in the Old Testament, yet it is an hard
matter rightly to understand it without the New : inso-
much, that the Jews, though they have had the law above
three thousand, and the prophets above two thousand
years among them, yet to this day they could never make
this an article of faith ; but they, as well as the Mahome-
tans, still assert, That God is only one in person as well as
nature : whereas nothing can be more plain from the New
Testament, than that there is but one God, and yet there
are three persons, every one of which is that one God :
and so that though God be but one in nature, yet he is
three in persons ; and so three persons, as yet to be but
one in nature.

And, verily, although there was no other text in all the
scripture, whereon to ground this fundamental article of
our Christian faith, that of Matt, xxviii. ig. Go ye there*
fore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is a suffici-*
ent foundation for it ; there being nothing, I think, ne-
cessary to be believed concerning the glorious Trinity,
but what may easily and naturally be deduced from these
words ; which were spoken, it is true, by our Saviour be-
fore his ascension, but I question whether they were tho-
roughly understood, till after the Holy Ghost was come
down on earth : it being only by God himself that we can
come to the true knowledge of him, much less are we able
rightly to apprehend, and firmly to believe three person?,
in the Godhead, without the assistance of one of them, that
is of the Holy Ghost, by whom the other two are wont to
work ; he being the issue, if I may so sav, and breath of

I 6

204 THOUGHTS UPON THE

both. Hence it is, that the wisdom of the church, for
these many centuries, hath thought fit to order, that this
great mystery be celebrated the next Lord's day after the
commemoration of the Holy Spirit's coming down upon
the disciples, and in them, upon all true believers ; both
because all three persons have now manifested themselves
to mankind ; the Father in his creation of them, the Son
in his conversing with them, and the Holy Ghost by his
coming down upon them: and also so shew, that it is
only by the grace and assistance of God's Spirit that we
can rightly believe in this glorious and incomprehensible
mystery which our Saviour hath so clearly revealed to us
in these words, Go ye and teach all nations, &c.

For the opening of which, we must know that our Sa-
viour, in the foregoing verse, acquaints his disciples, that
now all power was given him in heaven and in earth ; by
virtue whereof he here issueth forth his commission to his
apostles, and, in them, to all that should succeed them,
to supply his room, and be his vicegerents upon earth, he
being now to reside in his kingdom of heaven. For saith
lie, all power is given to me in heaven and earth : go ye
therefore and teach all nations. As he also saith elsewhere
to them, As my Father hath sent me, even so I send yov,
John xx. 21. As if he should have said, My Father hav-
ing committed to me all power and authority both in hea-
ven and earth, I therefore authorize and commissionate,
yea, and command you to go and teach all nations, &c.

This therefore is part of the commission which our Lord
and master left with his apostles immediately, before he
parted from them. Those being the last words which St.
Matthew records him to have spoken upon earth ; and
therefore they must needs contain matter of very great im-
portance to his church ; and it must needs highly concern
us all to understand the true meaning and purport of
them. Which that we may the better do, in treating of
them, I shall observe the same method and order as he
did in speaking them.

First, Therefore, here is the work he sends the apostles
about ; Go ye therefore and teach, poreuthentes mm mathc-
tcusate, which more properly may be rendered, Go ye
therefore and disciple all nations, ovmake the persons of all
nations to be my disciples, that is Christians. That this is
the true meaning of the words, is plain and clear, from
the right notion of the word here used mathcteuo, which
turning from mathetcs, a disciple, it always signineth either

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 205

to be or to make disciples, wheresoever it occurs in all the
scriptures ; as matheteutheis, Matt. xiii. 52, which is in*
structed, say we, the Syriac better, damtachlamad, that is,
made a disciple, a Talmid, that is, not only a scholar or
learner, but a follower or professor of the gospel, here
called the kingdom of heaven. Another place where this
word occurs, is Matt, xxvii. 57. ematheteuse tou lesou, where
we rightly translate it, was Jesus' disciple. Another place
is Acts xiv. 21. kai matheteusantes, which we improperly
render, having taught many ; the Syrian and Arabic,
more properly, having made many discijiles. And these
are all the places in the New Testament where this word
is used, except those I am now considering, where all the
eastern languages render it according to its notation, dis-
ciple. The Persian paraphrastically expounds it, Go ye
and reduce all nations to my faith and religion. So that
whosoever pleads for any other meaning of these words,
do but betray their own ignorance in the original lan-
guages, and by consequence, in the true interpretation of
scripture.

I should not have insisted so long upon this, but that the
false exposition of these words hath occasioned that no less
dangerous than numerous sect of Anabaptists in the world;
for the old Latin translation having it, l'mntes ergo, docete
omnes gentes ; hence the German, where anabaptism first
began, and all the modern translations render it as we do,
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them. From
whence it was supposed by some that were not able to
dive into the true meaning of the words, that our Saviour
here commanded that none should be baptized but such
as were first taught the principles of the Christian religion;
which is the greatest mistake imaginable ; for our Saviour
doth not speak one word of teaching before baptism, but
only after, ver. 20. didascontes, his meaning being only
that his apostles should go about the world and persuade
all nations to forsake their former idolatries and supersti-
tions, and to turn Christians, or the disciples of Jesus
Christ ; and such as were so, should be baptized. And
therefore infant baptism is so far from being forbidden,
that it is expressly commanded in these words ; for all dis-
ciples are here commanded to be baptized ; nay, they are
therefore commanded to be baptized, because disciples.
And seeing all disciples are to be baptized, so are intants
too, the children of believing parents ; for they are disci-
ples as well as any other, or as well as then* parents them-

206 THOUGHTS UPON THE

selves : for all that are in covenant with God must needs
be disciples : bat that children are always esteemed in co-
venant with God, is plain, in that God himself command-
ed the covenant should be sealed to them, as it was all
along by circumcision. But that children are disciples as
well as others, our Saviour puts it out of all doubt, saying
of children, of such is the kingdom of God, Mark x. 1 4.
And therefore they must needs be disciples, unless such
as are not disciples can belong to the kingdom of God,
which a man must be strangely distempered in his brain
before he can so much as fancy.

And besides, that children, so long as children, are
looked upon as part of their parents ; and therefore as their
parents are, so are they : if their parents be heathens, so
are the children: if the parents be Jews, so are the chil-
dren : if the parents be Christians, so are the children too ;
nay, if either of the parents be a Christian or disciple, the
children of both are denominated from the better part, and
so looked upon as Christians too, as is plain, 1 Cor. vii. 1 4.
But now are they holy, that is, in a federal or covenant
sense, they are in covenant with God ; they are believ-
ers, Christians, or disciples, because one of their parents
is so.

Now seeing children are disciples as well as others, and
our Saviour here commands all disciples to be baptized, it
necessarily follows that children must be baptized too. So
that the opinion that asserts, that children ought not to be
baptized, is grounded upon a mere mistake, and upon
gross ignorance of the true meaning of the scripture, and
especially of this place, which is most ridiculously mistak-
en for a prohibition, it being rather a command for infant
baptism.

But I must crave the reader's excuse for this digression
from the matter principally intended, though I could not
tell how to avoid it ; nothing being more needful than to
rescue the words of our blessed Saviour from those false
glosses and horrible abuses which these last ages have put
upon them, especially it coming so directly in my way as
this did.

Secondly, Here is the extent of their commission, which
is very large indeed, not being directed to some few parti-
cular persons, but to nations ; not to some particular na-
tions only, but to all nations ; Go ye therefore and disciple
all nations; or all the world, as it is, Mark xvi. 15. This
was that which the prophet Isaiah, or rather God by him

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 207

foretels, Isaiah xlix. 6. which our Saviour himself seems
to have respect unto, Luke xxiv. 46, 47. The meaning
whereof, in brief, is this, that though the Jews hitherto
had been the only people of God, and none but they ad-
mitted into covenant with him, now the Gentiles also are
to be brought in and made confederates or copartners with
them in the covenant of grace ; that the partition- wall be-
ing now broken down, the gospel is to be preached to all
other nations, as well as the Jewish ; Christ being now
come to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the glory
of his people Israel,

But though the words of the commission be so clear to
this purpose, yet the apostles themselves understood it not,
till God had interpreted it from heaven to St. Peter, shew-
ing him in a vision, that he should call no man common or
unclean, Acts x. 27. From which time forward, he, with
the rest of the apostles, observed their commission exactly
in preaching to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. And this
was one end wherefore the Holf Ghost came down
amongst them, even to enable them to do what their master
had commanded them, to preach unto all nations; but
that they could not do, unless they could speak all lan-
guages, which therefore the Holy Ghost enabled them to
do, Acts ii. 4, 5. which also is a clear demonstration of
the true meaning and purport of these words : for there
was no necessity that the spirit should teach the apostles
all languages, but that the Son had first enjoined them to
preach unto all nations.

Thirdly, Hence is the manner whereby they are to ad-
mit all nations into the church of Christ, or into the Chris-
tian religion, by baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. For the opening
whereof we must know that baptism was a rite in common
use amongst the Jews before our Saviour's time, by which
they were wont to admit proselytes into their religion,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, or of God. A
little before our Saviour's appearance in the world, John
Baptist, being sent to prepare the way for him, baptized the
Jews themselves, as many as came unto him, in the name
of the Messiah to come, which was called the baptism of re-
pentance. I indeed baptize you, says he, with water to re-
pentance ; but he that comes after me is mightier than I, Sec.
Matt. iii. 1 1 . But when our Saviour was to go to heaven,
he left orders with his apostles to make disciples; or ad-
mit all nations into the religion that he had preached, con-

208 THOUGHTS UPON THE

firmed with miracles, and sealed with his own blood, by
baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost ; which form of baptism, questionless, his apostles
faithfully observed all along, as may be gathered also from
Acts xix. 2, 3. where we may observe, how when they
said that they " had not so much as heard of an Holy
Ghost," he wondering at that, asked them, " Unto what
then were ye baptized ?" plainly intimating, that if they
had been baptized aright, according to Christ's institution,
they could not but have heard of the Holy Ghost, because
they had been baptized in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. But verse 5. as also
Actsii. 38. chap. viii. L6. we read of baptism administered
in the name of the Lord Jesus ; from whence some have
thought that the apostles baptized only the Gentiles in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
but the Jews in the name of the Lord Jesns only ; because
they believing in the Father already, if they were but bap-
tized in the name of Jesus, and so testified their belief that
he was the Messiah, they could not but believe in his Spi-
rit too ; but this expression of baptizing in the name of
the Lord Jesus, seems to me rather to intimate that form
of baptism which the Lord Jesus instituted : for, doubt-
less, the apostles observed the precepts of our Lord better
than so, as to do it one way, when he had commanded it
to be done another ; and baptized only in the name of
Jesus, when he had enjoined them to baptize in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy GIigsL

Neither did the church ever esteem that baptism valid,
which was not administered exactly according to the in-
stitution, in the name of all the three persons ; which the
primitive Christians were so strict in the observance of,
that it was enjoined, that all persons to be baptized should
be plunged three times into the water, first at the name of
t/ie Father, and then at the name of the Son, and lastly, at
the name of (he Holy Ghost ; that so every person might
be distinctly nominated, and so our Saviour's institution
exactly observed in the administration of this sacrament.

Hence also it was, that all persons to be baptized were
always required, either with their own mouths, if adult,
or if infants, by their sureties, to make a public confession
of their faith in the three persons, into whose names they
were to be baptized : for this indeed was always looked
upon as the sum and substance of the Christian religion,
to believe in God the Father, in God the Son, and in God (he

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 209

Holy Ghost ; and they who believed in these three persons,
were still reputed Christians ; and they who did not were
esteemed infidels or heretics.

Yea, and our Saviour himself hath sufficiently declar-
ed, how necessary it is for us to believe this great myste-
ry ; as also how essential it is to a Christian, seeing that he
requires no more in order to our initiation into his church,
but only that we be baptized in the name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost. In which words we may observe :

First, A Trinity of Persons, into whose names we are
baptized, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This is that
mystery of mysteries which is too high for human under-
standings to conceive, but not too great for a divine faith
to believe; even that although there be but one God,
there are three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost, every one of which is that one and the self-same
God: and therefore it is that baptism is here commanded
to be administered in the name of all three.

Now to confirm our faith in this great mystery, where-
into we are all baptized, I shall endeavour to shew in few
terms, what grounds we have in scripture to believe it.
For which end we must know, that though this great
mystery hath received great light by the rising of the Sun
of righteousness upon the world, yet it did not lie altoge-
ther undiscovered before ; yea, from the very foundation of
the world, the church, in all ages, hath had sufficient
ground whereupon to build their faith on this great and
fundamental truth : for in the very creation of the world,
he that created it is called Chaim, in the plural number :
and in the creation of man, he said, Let us make man in
our own image ; from whence, though not a Trinity, yet
a plurality of persons is plainly manifested ; yea, in the
beginning of the world too, we find both Father, Son, and
Spirit concurring in the making of it.

First, It is said that God created heaven and earth,
and then, That the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters, Gen. i. 1, 2. There are two persons, God, and
the Spirit of God. And then we read how God made the
world by his word : He said, let there be light, and there
was light. From which expression St. John himself con-
cludes, That all things were made by the Son of God, or
his Word, Johni. 3. and so does St. Paul, Col. i. 16.

Thus we read afterwards, The Spirit of the Zord spake
by me, and his word by my tongue, 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. where
we have Jehovah, the Spirit of Jehovah, and the Word of

210 THOUGHTS UPON THE

Jehovah, plainly and distinctly set down. As also in Psal.
xxxiii. 6. and Isa. lxii. 1. where there is the Lord speak-
ing of his Son, and saying, That he will put his Spirit upon
him ; and this also seems to be the reason why the holy
angels, when they praise God, say, Holy, holy, holy, Lord
of hosts, Isa. vi. 3. Rev. iv. 8. saying holy thrice, in re-
verence to the three persons they adore.

Thus we might discover this truth in the Old Testa-
ment ; but in the New we can scarce look over it. For
when Jesus was baptized, Matt. iii. 16. had we, who
know nothing but by our senses, been present at this time
with Jesus at Jordan, our very senses would have convey-
ed this truth to our understandings, whether we would or
no. Here we should have heard a voice from heaven ;
whose was it but God the Father ? Here we should have
seen one coming out of Jordan ; who was that but God
the Son ? Here we should have seen something else too,
in the form of a dove ; who was that but God the Spirit ?
Thus was God the Father heard speaking ; God the Son
was seen ascending out of the water ; and God the Holy
Ghost descending from heaven upon him. The first was
heard in the sound of a voice, the second was seen in the
form of a man, and the third was beheld in the shape of
a dove.

Voce Pater, natus Corpore, Jtamen Ave.

But there are many such places as this all the New Tes-
tament over, where the three persons of the Godhead are
distinctly mentioned, as Luke i. 35. John xiv. 16, 26.
chap. xvi. 7- Gal. iv. 6. But the words of St. Paid are
very remarkable too, 2 Cor. xiii. 14. And yet that all
these three persons were but one God, Gen. xviii. 2, 3. John
x. 30. St. John expressly asserts, saying, There are three
that bear record in heaven, the Father, and the Word, and
the Spirit, and these three are one, 1 John v. 7. Which
certainly are as plain and perspicuous terms as it is possi-
ble to express so great a mystery in. But I need not have
gone so far to have proved that there are three distinct
persons in the Godhead : the words I am treating of be-
ing a sufficient demonstration of it : for as all the three
persons met together at our Saviour's baptism ; so doth
our Saviour here command, that all his disciples be bap-
tized in the name of all three : and therefore 1 cannot but
admire how any one should dare to profess himself to be a

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 211

Christian, and yet deny or oppose the sacred Trinity, into
which he was baptized when he was made a Christian :
for, by this means, he renouncing his baptism, blas-
phemes Christ, unchristians himself, blotting his own
name out of the catalogue of those who were made Chris-
tians only by being baptized in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

II. Here is the Godhead of the Trinity, or of every per-
son in the Trinity, that one as well as the other is God : for
here we see divine worship is to be performed to them all ;
and all that profess the true religion must be baptized in
the name of the Son and Holy Ghost, as well as of the
Father ; which certainly would be the greatest absurdity,
yea the most horrid impiety imaginable, were not they
God as well as he. For, if they be not God, they are
creatures; if they be creatures, reason as well as scripture
forbids the same honour and worship to be conferred on
them, whicli is given to God himself, and only due to
him; which here, notwithstanding, we see is given to
them, and that by our Lord himself, commanding bap-
tism to be administered in his own name and in the name
of the Holy Ghost, as well as in the name of the Father,
and so making himself and the Spirit equal sharers in the
same honour that is given to the Father. So that, was
there no other place in the whole scripture to prove it, this
alone would be sufficient to convince any gainsayer, that
the Son and Spirit are God as well as the Father, or ra-
ther the same God with him. But that I may unveil this
mystery, and confirm this truth more clearly, we will con-
sider each person distinctly, and shew that one as well as
the other is really God.

That the Father is God, none ever denied it, and there-
fore we need not prove it. But, if the Father be God, the
Son must needs be God too ; for the same names, proper-
ties, works and worship, which in scripture are ascribed
to the Father, are frequently ascribed to the Son also in
scripture ; the Father is called Jehovah in scripture, so is
the Son, Hos. i. 7. Jer. xxiii. 6. the Father is called God,
so is the Son, John i. 1. In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God ; with God, as to his person : God as to his nature.
So also John xx. 28. Acts xx. 28, &c. Moreover, is the
Father Alpha and Omega, the first and the last ? So is
the Son, Rev. i. 8. Is the Father eternal ? So is the Son,
Isa. ix. 6. Rev. i. 8. Is the Father almighty ? So is the

212 THOUGHTS UPON THE

Son, Heb. i. 3. Is the Father every where ? So is.the Son,
Matt, xviii. 20. Doth the Father know all things ? So cloth
the Son, John xxi. 17. chap. ii. 24. Did the Father make
all things ? So did the Son, John i. 3. Doth the Father
preserve al] things ? So doth the Son, Heb. i. 3. Doth
the Father forgive sins ? So doth the Son, Matt. ix. 6*. Is
the Father to be worshipped ? So is the Son, Heb. i. 6. Is
the Father to be honoured ? So is the Son, John v. 23.
No wonder therefore that Christ being thus in the form of
God, thought itjw robbery to be equal with God, Phil. ii. 6".
He did not rob God of any glory, by saying himself was
equal to him. The greatest wonder is, how any one can
believe the scriptures to be the word of God, and deny
this great truth, than which nothing can be more plain
from scripture : nothing being more frequently and more
clearly asserted than this is. And verily it is well for us
it is so ; for if Christ was not God, neither could he be
our Saviour. None being able to free us from sins, but
only he against whom they were committed. And there-
fore I cannot imagine how any one can doubt of Christ's
divinity, and yet expect pardon and salvation from him :
all our hopes and expectations from him depending only
upon his assumption of our human nature into a divine
person.

And that the Holy Ghost also is God, is frequently as-
serted in the holy scriptures which himself indited. In-
deed this very inditing of the scriptures was a clear argu-
ment of his Deity, as well as the scriptures indited by him.
What man, what angel, what creature, who but God
could compose such articles of faith, enjoin such divine
precepts, foretel and fulfil such prophecies as in scripture
are contained, who spake unto all, or by the prophets ?
who did they mean, when they said, Thus sailh the Lord
of hosts ? Who was this Lord of hosts, that instructed
them what to speak or write ? Was it God the Father, or
God the Son ; No, but it was God the Holy Ghost : " For
the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost," 2 Pet. i. 21. Acts xxviii. 25. chap. xxi. II. The
Holy Ghost therefore being the Lord of hosts, he must
needs be God, there being no person that is or can be call-
ed the Lord of hosts, but he that is the very and eternal
God.

This also may be gathered from 1 Cor. hi. 16. Know
ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 213

dwclleth hi you ; for none can be the temple of God, but he
in whom God dwells ; for it is God's dwelling in a place
that makes that place the temple of God ; and yet we are
here said to be the temple of God, because the Spirit
dwelieth in us. And elsewhere, Know ye not, saith the
apostle, that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost that
is in you ? 1 Cor. vi. 1£). which could not be unless the
Holy Ghost was God.

Another express scripture we have for it in Acts v. 3, 4.
where St. Peter propounds this question to Ananias, Why
hath Satan felled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost ? and
then tells him in the next verse, Thou hast not lied to men ,
but to God; and so expressly asserts the Holy Ghost to be
God.

Moreover, that the Holy Ghost is truly God, co-equal
to the Father and Son, it is plain, in that the scriptures
assert him to be, to have, and do whatsoever the Father
or Son, is, hath, or doth, as God. For, is the Fath el-
and Son eternal? So is the Spirit, Heb. ix. 14. Is God
the Father and the Son every where ? So is the Spirit,
Psal. exxxix. 7. Is God the Father, and the Son, a wise, un-
derstanding, powerful, and knowing God? So is the Spirit,
Isa. xi. 2. Are we baptized in the name of the Father and
the Son ? . So are we baptized in the name of the Holy
Ghost. May we sin against the Father and the Son ? So
may we sin too against the Holy Ghost. Nay, the sin
against this person only, is accounted by our Saviour to be
a sin never to be pardoned, Matt. xii. 31, 32. We may
sin against God the Father, and our sin may be pardoned;
we may sin against God the Son, and our sin may be par-
doned ; but if we sin or speak against the Holy Ghost,
that shall never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in that
which is to come. But, if the Holy Ghost be not God,
how can we sin against him ? or how comes our sin against
him only, to be unpardonable, unless he be God ? I know
it is not therefore unpardonable, because he is God, for
then the sins against the Father and the Son would be
unpardonable too, seeing they both are God as well as he;
yet though this sin is not therefore unpardonable, because
he is God, yet it could not be unpardonable, unless he
was God. For, supposing him not to be God, but a crea-
ture, and yet the sin against him to be unpardonable, then
the sins against a creature would be unpardonable, when
sins against God himself are pardoned : which to say,
would itself, I think, come near to the sin against the

214 THOUGHTS UPON THE

Holy Ghost. But seeing our Saviour describes this un-
pardonable sin, by blaspheming or speaking against the
Holy Ghost, let them have a care that they be not found
guilty of it, who dare deny the Holy Ghost to be really
and truly God, and so blaspheme and speak the worst that
they can against him.

III. We have seen what ground we have to believe,
that there are three persons in the Godhead, and that every
one of these three persons is God ; we are now to consi-
der the order of those persons in the Trinity, described in
the words before us.

First, The Father, and then the Son, and then the
Holy Ghost : every one of which is really and truly God ;
and yet they are but one real and true God. A mystery
which we are all bound to believe, but yet must have a
great care how we speak of it, it being both easy and dan-
gerous to mistake in expressing so mysterious a truth as this
is. If we think of it, how hard is it to contemplate upon
one numerically divine nature, in more than one and the
same divine person ; or upon three divine persons in no
more than one and the same divine nature ? If we speak
of it, how hard is it to find out fit words to express it ? If I
say the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be three, and every
one distinctly God, it is true ; but if I say, they be three,
and every one a distinct God, it is false. I may say, the
divine persons are distinct in the divine nature ; but I can-
not say, that the divine nature is divided into the divine
persons. I may say, God the Father is one God, and the
Son is one God, and the Holy Ghost is one God ; but I
cannot say, that the Father is one God, and the Son ano-
ther God, and the Holy Ghost a third God. I may say,
the Father begat another who is God ; yet I cannot say
that he begat another God. And from the Father and the
Son proceedeth another who is God, yet I cannot say,
from the Father and the Son proceedeth another God.
For all this while, though their persons be distinct, yet
still their nature is the same. So that though the Father
be the first person in the Godhead, the Son the second,
the Holy Ghost the third ; yet the Father is not the first,
the Son the second, the Holy Ghost a third God : so
hard a thing it is to word so great a mystery aright, or to
fit so high a truth with expressions suitable and proper to
it, without going one way or other from it. And there-
fore I shall not use many words about it, lest some should
slip from me unbecoming of it ; but, in as few terms as I

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 215

can, I will endeavour to shew upon what account the Fa-
ther is the first, the Son the second, and the Holy Ghost
the third person in the Trinity.

First, Therefore, the Father is placed first, and really
is the first person, not as if he was before the other two,
for they are all co-eternal ; but because the other two re-
ceived their essence from him ; for the Son was begotten
of the Father ; and the Holy Ghost proceedeth both from
the Father and Son ; and therefore the Father is termed
by the primitive Christians, Rim kai pege Theotetos, the
Root and the Fountain of Deity. As in waters there is the
fountain or well head, then there is a spring that boils up
out of that fountain, and then there is the stream that flows
both from the fountain and the spring, and yet all these
are but one and the same water ; so here God the Father
is the fountain of the Deity ; the Son, as the spring that
boils up out of the fountain ; and the Floly Ghost, that
flows from both, and yet all three are but one and the same
God. The same may also be explained by another fami-
liar instance ; the sun, you know, begets beams, and from
the sun and beams together proceed both light and heat ;
so God the Father begets the Son, and from the Father
and Son together, proceeds the spirit of knowledge and
grace : but as the sun is not before the beams, nor the
beams before the light and heat, but altogether : so nei-
ther is the Father before the Son, nor Father or Son be-
fore the Holy Ghost, but only in order and relation to one
another ; in which only respect, the Father is the first per-
son in the Trinity.

Seco?idly, The Son is the second person, who is called
the Son, yea, and the only begotten Son of God, because
he was begotten of the Father, not as others are by spiri-
tual regeneration, but by eternal generation, as none but
himself is : for the opening whereof, we must know, that
God that made all things fruitful, is not himself sterile or
barren ; but he that hath given power to animals to gene-
rate and produce others in their own nature, is himself
much more able to produce one, not only like himself,
but of the self-same nature with himself, as he did in be-
getting his Son, by communicating his own unbegotten
essence and nature to him. For the person of the Son was
most certainly begotten of the Father, or otherwise he
would not be his Son ; but his essence was unbegotten,
otherwise he would not be God, and therefore the highest
apprehensions that we can frame of this great mystery, the

216 THOUGHTS UPON THE

eternal generation of the Son of God, is only by conceiv-
ing the person of the Father to have communicated his di-
vine essence to the person of the Son. And so of himself
begetting his other self the Son, by communicating his
own eternal and unbegotten essence to him. I say, by
communicating of his essence, not of his person to him,
for then they would be both the same person, as now they
are of the same essence : the essence of the Father did not
beget the Son by communicating his person to him, but
the person of the Father begat the Son by communicating
his essence to him ; so that the person of the Son is be-
gotten, not communicated, but the essence of the Son is
communicated, not begotten.

This notion of the Father's begetting the Son by com-
municating his essence to him I ground upon the Son's
own words, who certainly best knew how himself was be-
gotten : For, as the Father, saith he, hath life in himself,
so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself John v.
26. To have life in himself, is an essential property of
the divine nature, and therefore wheresoever that is given
or communicated, the nature itself must needs be given
and communicated too.

Now here we see how God the Father communicated
this his essential property, and so his essence to the Son ;
and, by consequence, though he be not a distinct person
from him, yet he hath the same unbegotten essence with
him ; and therefore, as the Father hath life in himself, so
hath the Son life in himself; and so all other essential pro-
perties of the divine nature, only with this personal dis-
tinction, that the Father hath this life in himself not from
the Son, but from himself; whereas the Son hath it, not
from himself, but from the Father : or, the Father is
God himself, not of the Son ; the Son is the same God,
but from the Father, not from himself; and, therefore,
not the Father, but the Son is rightly called by the coun-
cil of Nice, God of Gods, light of lights, yea, very God of
very God.

Thirdly, Having thus spoken of the two first persons in
the sacred Trinity, we come now to the last, the Holy
Ghost. The last, I say, not in nature or time, but only
in order ; for, as to their nature, one is not better or more
God than another ; neither, as to time, is one before ano-
ther ; none of them being measured by time, but all and
every one of them eternity itself. But though not in na-
ture or time, yet in order,* one must needs be before ano-

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 217

ther ; for the Father is of himself, receiving his essence
neither from the Son, nor from the Spirit, and therefore
is, in order, before both ; the Son received his essence
from the Father, not from the Spirit, and therefore, in
order, is before the Spirit, as well as after the Father ;
but the Spirit receiving his essence both from the Father
and the Son, must needs, in order, be after both.

I confess the Spirit is no where in scripture said to pro-
ceed from the Son, and therefore the inserting this into
the Nicene creed, was the occasion of that schism betwixt
the Western and Eastern churches, which hath now con-
tinued for many ages ; in which I think, both parties are
blame- worthy ; the Western churches for inserting this
clause following into the Nicene creed, without the con-
sent of a general council; and the Eastern for denying so
plain a truth as this is : for though the Spirit be not said
to proceed from the Son, yet he is called the Spirit of the
Son, Gal. iv. 6. Rom. viii. 9- which questionless he would
never have been, did he not proceed from the Son as well
as from the Father. And verily, the Father communi-
cating his own individual essence, and so whatsoever he is
(his paternal relation excepted) to the Son, could not but
communicate this to him also, even to have the Spirit pro-
ceeding from him as it doth from himself. So that as what-
soever the Father hath originally in himself, that hath the
Son by communication from the Father : so hath the Son
this, the Spirit's proceeding from him by communication
from the Father, as the Father hath it in himself: and
the Spirit thus proceeding both from the Father and the
Son, hence it is that he is placed after both, not only in
the words before us, but also in 1 John v. ?. and so else-
where.

From what I have hitherto discoursed concerning the
great mystery, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity,
I shall gather some few inferences, and so conclude.

1. Is the Son God, yea, the same God with the Fa-
ther ? Hence I observe, what a strange mystery the work
of man's redemption is, that God himself should become
man. And he that was begotten of his Father, without
a mother from eternity, should be born of his mother, with-
out a father, in time ; that he that was perfect God, like
unto the Father, in every thing, his personal properties
only excepted, should also be perfect man, like unto us in
all things, our personal infirmities only excepted : that he
that made the world should be himself made in it ; that

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218 THOUGHTS UPON THE

eternity should stoop to time, glory be wrapt in misery,
and the Sun of righteousness hid under a clod of earth ;
that innocence should be betrayed., justice condemned,
and life itself should die, and all to redeem man from
death to life. Oh wonder of wonders ! how justly may
we say with the apostle, Without controversy, great is the
mystery of godliness, 1 Tim. iii. 16.

2. Is the Spirit also God ? Hence I observe, that it is
God alone that can make us holy ; for seeing the scripture
all along ascribes our sanctification unto the Spirit of God,
and yet the Spirit of God is himself really and truly God,
it necessarily folioweteh, that the special concurrence and
influence of almighty God himself is necessary to the mak-
ing us really and truly holy.

^5. Are all three persons in the Trinity one and the same
God ? Hence I infer, they are to have one and the same
honour conferred upon them, and one and the same wor-
ship performed unto them. Or, as our Saviour himself
saith, That all men should honour the Son, even as they ho-
7iour the Father, John v. 23. And, ye believe in God, be-
lieve also in me, John xiv. 1. And as we pray to the Fa-
ther, so should we pray to the Son too, as the apostles
did, Luke xvii. 5. and St. Stephen, Acts vii. 59. and St.
Paul to all three, 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

4. Is baptism to be administered in the name of the Fa-
ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ? Hence I
observe how necessary it is to believe in these three per-
sons, in order to our being real and true Christians ; for
we being made Christians in the name of all three, that
man ceaseth to be a Christian that believes only in one ;
for faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the
Holy Ghost, is necessary to the very constitution of a Chris-
tian ; and is the principal, if not the only characteristical
note whereby to distinguish a Christian from another man ;
yea, from a Turk ; for this is the chief thing that the
Turks, both in their Alcoran and other writings, upbraid
Christians for, even because they believe a Trinity of per-
sons in the divine nature. For which cause they frequent-
ly say they are people that believe God hath companions ;
so that take away this article of our Christian faith, and
what depends upon it, and there would be but little dif-
ference betwixt a Christian and a Turk : but by this
means, Turks would not turn Christians, but Christians
Turks, if this fundamental article of the Christian religion
was once removed ; for he that doth not believe this, is no

MYSTERY OF THE TRINITY. 219

Christian upon that very account, because he doth not be-
lieve that by which a Christian is made ; and whatsoever
else errors a man may hold, yet if he believes in God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, I cannot,
I dare not but acknowledge him to be a Christian in ge-
neral, because he holds fast to the foundation of the Chris-
tian religion, though perhaps he may build upon it hay and
stubble, and so his superstructure be infirm and rotten.

I shall conclude with a word of advice to all such as call
themselves by the name of Christ : I suppose and believe
they are all Christians, from their taking that name, and
therefore I need not use any arguments to persuade them
to turn Christians, for so they are already by profession ;
but, seeing that they are Christians, let me desire them to
consider how they come to be so ; even by being baptized
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. And if they desire to be Christians still, I
must advise them to continue steadfast in that faith where-
by they were made so. Of all the errors and heresies
which Satan hath sowed amongst us, let us have an especial
care to avoid such as strike at the very foundation of our
religion ; I mean the Arians, Macedonians, Socinians.
and all manner of Antitrinitarians, such as deny the most
sacred Trinity.

But I hope we have better learned Christ than to heark-
en to such opinions as these are ; and therefore my next
advice in brief is only this, That as we excel others in the
truth of our profession, so we would excel them also in the
holiness of our life and conversation : let us manifest our-
selves to be Christians indeed, by believing the assertions,
trusting in the promises, fearing the threatenings, and
obeying the precepts of Christ, our master, that both infi-
dels and heretics may be convinced of their errors, by see-
ing us out-stripping them in our piety towards God, equi-
ty to our neighbours, charity to the poor, unity among
ourselves, and love to all ; for this would be a clear de-
monstration, that our faith is better than theirs is, when
our lives are holier than theirs are ; and for our encourage-
ment thereunto, I dare engage, that if we believe thus, as
Christ hath taught us, and live as he hath commanded us,
we shall also obtain what he hath promised, even eternal
happiness in the world to come ; where we shall see, enjoy,
and praise that God, into whose name we are baptized,
even Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for evermore. There,
with angels and archangels, with the heavens and all the
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220 THOUGHTS UPON THE MYSTERY, &C.

powers therein ; with cherubim and seraphim, and all the
blessed inhabitants of those everlasting mansions, with the
glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship
of the prophets ; the noble army of martyrs ; all the
company of heaven, and the holy church throughout all
the world, we shall eternally laud and magnify thy sacred
name, " O God the Father of heaven ; O God, the Son,
" Redeemer of the world ; O God, the Holy Ghost, pro-
" ceeding from the Father and the Son ; O holy, blessed
" and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God, ever-
" more praising thee, the Father of an infinite majesty ;
u .together with thine honourable, true, and only Son ;
" thee the King of glory, O Christ ; and thee, O Holy
" Ghost, the Comforter ; still joining with the heavenly
" choir, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of
" hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory ; glory be
" to thee, O Lord most high. We praise thee, we bless
" thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks
" to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly king,
" God the Father almighty. O Lord, the only begotten
" Son, Jesus Christ, O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of
"■ the Father, thou who takest away the sins of the world,
u and sittest at the right hand of God the Father. O bless-
" ed, glorious, and eternal Spirit ; for thou only art holy,
" thou only art the Lord ; thou only, O Christ, with the
*' Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Fa-
" ther : for thine, O Lord, is the kingdom, and the pow-
" er, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen."

" Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto
" us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true
" faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity,
" and in the power of the Divine majesty to worship the
" Unity ; we beseech thee that thou wouldst keep us stead-
" fast in this faith, and ever more defend us from all ad-
" versities, who Hvest and reignest, one God, world
" without end. Amen."

And now having led the Christian through this first
stage of his course, and instructed him in the principles of
his religion, and in the great mystery of the Trinity, into
which he was baptized, it may be fit to bring him into the
world and shew him how he ought to demean himself in re-
gard to the things of it.

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 2£1

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY
RICHES.

SECTION I.

HE that seriously considers the constitution of the
Christian religion, observing the excellency of its
doctrines, the clearness of its precepts, the severity of its
threatenings, together with the faithfulness of its promises,
and the certainty of its principles to trust to ; such a one
may justly be astonished, and admire what should be the
reason that they who profess this not only the most excel-
lent, but only true religion in the world, should notwith-
standing be generally as wicked, debauched and profane.,
as they that never heard of it. For that they are so, is
but too plain and obvious to every one that observes their
actions, and compares them with the practice of Jews,
Turks, and infidels. For what sin have they among them,
which we have not as rife among ourselves ? Are they in-
temperate and luxurious? Are they envious- and malicious
against one another ? Are they uncharitable and censori-
ous ? Are they given to extortion, rapine, and oppression ?
So are most of those who are called Christians. Do they
blaspheme the name of God, profane his sabbaths, con-
temn his word, despise his ordinances, and trample upon
the blood of his only Son ? How many have we amongst
ourselves that do these things as much as they ?

But how comes this about, that they who are baptized
into the name of Christ, and profess the religion wrhich he
established in the wrorld, should be no better than other
people, and in some respects far worse ? Is it because,
though they profess the gospel, yet they do not understand
it ? Nor know what sins are forbidden, nor what duties
are enjoined in it ? That none can plead, especially amongst
us who have the gospel so clearly revealed, so fully inter-
preted, so constantly preached to us as we have. Inso-
much that if there be any one person amongst us, that
understands not what is necessary to be known, in order
to our everlasting happiness, it is because we will not,
wilfully shutting our eyes against the light.

But what then shall we impute this wonder to, that
Christians are generally as bad as Heathens ? Does Christ
in his gospel dispense with their impieties, and give them
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222 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

indulgencies for their sins, and licence to break the moral
law ? It is true, his pretended vicar at Rome doth so ; but
far be it from us to father our sins upon him, who came
into the world on purpose to save us from them. Indeed
if we repent and turn from sin, he hath both purchased
and promised pardon and forgiveness to us, but not till
then : but hath expressly told us the contrary, assuring
us, that except we repent we must all perish, Luke xiii. 3.
I confess there have been such blasphemous heretics
amongst us, called Antinomians, who are altogether for
faith without good works, making as if Christ by erect-
ing his gospel destroyed the moral law ; but none can en-
tertain such an horrible opinion as that is, whose sinful
practices have not so far depraved their principles, that
they believe it is so only because they would have it to be
so, directly contrary to our Saviour's own words, Matt. v.
1?. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the pro-
phets ; I am not come to destroy, bid to fulfil. But I hope
there is none of us but have better learned Christ, than to
think that he came to patronize our sins, who was sent to
bless us by turning away every one of us from our iniquities,
Acts iii. 26. But how come Christians then to be as bad and
sinful as other men ? Is it because they are as destitute as
other men of all means whereby to become better ? No, this
cannot possibly be the reason, for nothing can be more
certain, than that we all have, or at least may, if we will,
have whatsoever can any way conduce to the making us
either holy here, or happy hereafter. We have the way
that leads thereto revealed to us in the word of God ; we
have that word frequently expounded and applied to us :
we have all free access, not only to the ordinances which
God hath appointed, for our conversion, but even to the
very sacraments themselves whereby our faith may be con-
firmed, and our souls nourished to eternal life. And more
than all this too, we have many gracious and faithful pro-
mises, that if we do but what we can, God, for Christ's
sake, will afford us such assistances of his grace and spi-
rit, whereby we shall be enabled to perform universal obe-
dience to the moral law, such as God, for Christ's sake,
will accept of, instead of that perfection which the law re-
quires. So that now, if we be not all as real and true saints,
as good and pious Christians as ever lived, it is certainly
our own faults : for we have all things necessary to the
making of us such, and if we were not wanting to our-
selves, it is impossible we should fail of having all our sins

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 223

subdued under us, and true grace and virtue implanted in
us. Insomuch that since the Christian religion was first
revealed to the world, there have been certainly millions of
souls converted by it, who now are glorified saints in hea-
ven, which once were as sinful creatures upon earth as we
now are. But it seems they found the gospel an effectual
means of their conversion and salvation ; and therefore it
cannot be imputed to any defect in the gospel, or the Chris-
tian religion, that we are not all as good men as ever liv-
ed, andby consequence better than the professors of all
other religions in the world.

But what then shall we say to this wonder of wonders,
that Christians themselves in our age live such loose and
dissolute lives as generally they do? What shall be the
reason that all manner of sin and evil should be both prac-
tised and indulged among us, as much as in the darkest
corners of the world, upon which the gospel never yet
sinned ? Why, when we have searched into all the reasons
that possibly can be imagined, next to the degeneracy and
corruption of our nature, this must needs be acknowledg-
ed as one of the chief and principal, that men living upon
earth, and conversing ordinarily with nothing but sensible
and material objects, they are so much taken up with them,
that those divine and spiritual truths which are revealed in
the gospel, make little or no impression at all upon them:
though they hear what the gospel saith and teacheth, yet
they are no more affected with it, nor concerned about it,
than as if they had never heard of it, their affection being all
bent and inclined only to the things of this world. And
therefore it is no wonder* that they run with so full a ca-
reer into sin and wickedness, notwithstanding their profes-
sion of the gospel, seeing their natural propensity and in-
clination to the things of this world are so strong and pre-
valent within them, that they will not suffer themselves to
think seriously upon, much less to concern themselves
about any thing else.

The apostle, in his first epistle to Timothy, chap. vi. en-
deavouring to persuade men from the over eager desire of
earthly enjoyments, presses this consideration upon us,
that such an inordinate desire of the things of this world
betrays men into many and great temptations, ver. 8, 9*
And then he gives this as the reason of it, ver. 10. For the
love of money is the root of all evil ; that is, in brief, the love
of riches and temporal enjoyments is the great reason why
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224} THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

men are guilty of such great and atrocious crimes as gene-
rally they are ; there being no evil but what springs from
this, as from its root and origin ; which is so plain a truth,
so constantly and universally experienced in all ages, that
the heathens themselves, the ancient poets and philoso-
phers, could not but take notice of it. For Bion the phi-
losopher was wont to say, that Philargyria, the love of mo-
ney, was kakias metropolis, the metropolis of wickedness :
and Apollodorus, alia shedon te to kephalaion ton kakon
eirkas en philargyria, gar panta eni, When thou speakest of
the love of money, thou mentionest the head of all evils, for
they are all contained in that. To the same purpose is that
of the poet Phocylides, e de philochremosune meter kakotctos
apazes, The love of riches is the mother of all wickedness.
What these by the light of nature, hath here divine au-
thority stamped upon it ; God himself asserting the
same thing by his apostle, riza gar panton ton kakon estin
c philargyria, The love of money is the root of all evil ;
which, that we may the better understand, we must con-
sider,

I. What is here meant by money.

II. What by the love of riches.

III. How the love of money is the root of all evil.

I. As for the first, I need not insist long upon it, all
men knowing well enough what money is. But we must
remember, that by money is here understood not only sil-
ver and gold, but all earthly comforts, possessions, and
enjoyments whatsoever, whether goods, lands, houses,
wares, wealth, or riches of any sort or kind whatsoever.

II. By the love of money we are to understand that sin
which the scriptures call covetousness ; and the true na-
ture and notion of it consisteth especially in three things.

1. In having a real esteem and value for wealth or mo-
ney, as if it was a thing that could make men happy, or
better than otherwise they could ; as it is plain all covet-
ous men have their desire of riches proceeding only from
a groundless fancy, that their happiness consists in hav-
ing much, which makes them set a greater value upon
riches, preferring them before other things, even before
God himself. Hence the love of money is altogether in-
consistent with the love of God, 1 John ii. 15. If any man
love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. It be-
ing impossible to love God as we ought, above all things,
and yet to love the world too at the same time.

2. Hence the love of money supposeth also a delight and

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES, %£t>

complacency in the heaving of it, proceeding from the
aforesaid esteem they have for it ; for, being possessed of a
fond opinion that the more they have, the better they are,
they cannot but be pleased with the thoughts of their pre-
sent enjoyments, as the rich man was in the gospel, Luke
xii. 16, 17, 18, 19. who, because his ground brought
forth plentifully, resolved to enlarge his barns, and lay
up stores for many years, and bid his soul take her ease.
How many such fools have we amongst us, who please
and pride themselves with the thoughts of their being
rich ?

3. From tills esteem for, and complacency in money or
wealth, it follows that men are still desirous of having
more, placing their happiness only in riches ; because they
think they can never be happy enough, therefore they
think too they are never rich enough. Hence how much
soever they have, they still desire more, and therefore co~
vetousness in scripture is ordinarily expressed by pleonechia^
which properly signifies an inordinate desire of having
more ; having which kind of desires can never be satisfied,
because they are able to desire more than all the world,
and to raise themselves as high, and as far as the infinite
Good itself. Now such a love of money as this is, con~
sisting in having a real esteem for it, in taking pleasure
and delight in it, in longing and thirsting after it ; this is
that which the apostle here saith is the root of all evil ; that
is, the great and principal cause of all sorts of evil that
men are guilty of, or obnoxious to ; which that I may
clearly demonstrate to you, we must first know in general
that there are but two sorts of evil in the world, the evil
of sin, and the evil of punishment or misery ; and love of
money is the cause of them both.

To begin with the evil of sin, which is the only foun-
tain from whence all other evils flow, and itself doth cer-
tainly spring from the love of money ; as much or more
than from any thing else in the whole world; Insomuch
that the greatest part of those sins which any of us are
guilty of, proceed from this master sin, even the love of
money, as might easily be shewn from a particular enume-
ration of those sins which men are generally addicted to,
But that I may proceed more clearly and methodically in
demonstrating this, so as to convince men of the danger of
this above most other sins, I desire it may be considered
that there are two sorts of sins that we are guilty of, sins of
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226 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

omission, and sins of commission, under which two heads
all sins whatsoever are comprehended.

First, For sins of omission. It is plain that our love of
money is the chief and principal cause that makes us neg-
lect and omit our duties to God and man, as it is manifest
we most of us do. In speaking unto which I must take
leave to deal plainly, for it is a matter that concerns our
eternal salvation ; and therefore howsoever some may re-
sent it, I am bound in duty and conscience to remind men
of their sins, and particularly of this great prevailing sin
of covetousness, or inordinate love of money, which most
men give but too much reason to fear they are guilty of ;
and therefore I may tell them of it, without any breach of
charity. It is true, I cannot pretend to be a searcher of
hearts, that is only God's prerogative, and therefore I
shall not take upon me to judge or censure any particular
persons ; but I shall speak to all in general, and leave every
one to make the particular application of it to himself.
Neither shall I speak of things at random, but I shall in-
stance only in such sins which I can assert upon my own
knowledge that most men allow themselves, and that upon
this account only, because they love money.

For first, What is the reason that so few, indeed scarce
any of us, are at prayers at church upon the week day, to
perform our devotion to him that made us ? Is it because
we think it impertinent to pray unto him ? No, our pre-
sence there on Sunday contradicts that ; and I have more
charity than to think that any are so atheistical as to ima-
gine it to be superfluous to pay our homage to the su-
preme Governor of the world, and to implore his aid
and blessing upon us. But what then should be the
reason of it ? In plain terms it is nothing else but because
men love money, and therefore are loth to spare so much
time from their sports or callings, as to go to church to
pray to God for what they want, and praise his name for
what they have. Let us search into our hearts, and we
shall acknowledge this to be the only reason of it. But it
is a very foolish one, for who can bless us but God ?

2. What is the reason that so many neglect the sacra-
ment of the Lord's supper ? Do we not all look upon it as
our duty to receive it ? I dare say we do ; Christ himself
having commanded it, Luke xxii. lp,. and it being the
only way whereby to manifest ourselves to be Christians ;
what then can be the reason of this neglect of it ? but
merely the love of money, which makes them both to
spend time in preparing and fitting themselves for it.

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 227

But seeing men thus excommunicate themselves by not
coming to the communion, in plain terms they deserve to
be excommunicated by the censures of the church. And
if God should in his providence deprive them of ever hav-
ing an opportunity of receiving the sacrament again, they
must even thank themselves for it. Howsoever this shall
be their present punishment, that they shall be deprived
of it, until they think it worth their while to come unto
it.

3. What is the reason that the sabbath is so profaned ?
That so many take their recreations upon the Lord's day,
but because they cannot spare time for it from getting
money on other days ; thinking the day long, because
they can get little in it, as Amos viii. 5. And why do so
many profane the sabbath, while at church, by thinking
upon the world, but because they love it, Ezek. xxxiii. 1.

4. What is the reason that charity is so cold, but that
the love of money is grown so hot among us ? For do not
we all know it is our duty to relieve the poor ? Hath not
God expressly commanded it ? Hath he not threatened a
curse to them that do it not, and promised a blessing to
theoi that do it ? What then can be the reason that so
many neglect it, but because they love their money more
than God ?

To these might be added many other sins, which the
love of money daily occasions. For what is the reason
that many read the scriptures so seldom and so cursorily as
they do ? What is the reason that the}' either have none^
or commonly neglect their family duties ? that every slight
occasion will make them omit their private devotions ; that
they can find no time to look into their own hearts, to con-
sider their condition, and meditate upon God and Christ,
and the world to come.

What is the reason that many know their shops better
than their hearts, and are acquainted with the temper of
their body more than with the constitution of their souls ?
that they are so careful and industrious in the prosecution
of their worldly designs, so negligent and remiss in look-
ing after heaven ? What is or can be the reason of these
things, but that inordinate love and affection they have for
money, or the things of this world, which makes them so
eager in the pursuit of them, that they forget they have
any thing else to mind, and so much taken up with world-
ly business, that God and Christ, and heaven and soul,
and all, must give way to it ? Oh the folly and madness of
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228 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

sinful men ! What a strange corrupt and degenerate thing-
is the heart of man become ! that we should be so foolish
and unwise, as to prefer our bodies before our souls, earth
before heaven, toys and trifles before the eternal God, and
the worst of evils before the best of goods, even sin itself,
with all the miseries that attend it, before holiness and
that eternal happiness which is promised to it ! And all for
nothing else but the love of a little pelf and trash, which
hath no other worth but what our own distracted fancies
put upon it.

And if the love of money be the root of so many sins of
omission, how many sins of commission must needs sprout
from it ? Indeed they are so many, that it would be an
endless thing to reckon them all up, and therefore I shall
not undertake it, but shall mention only such of them as
every one, upon the first reading, shall acknowledge to
be the cursed offspring of this one fruitful and big-bellied
sin of covetousness, or the love of money ; of which Cicero
observes, that nullum est officium tarn sanctum xitque solemne,
quod non avaritia comminuere at que violate soleat. So we
may say on the other side too, that there is no sin so great
and horrid, but covetousness will sometimes put men upon
it.

Is idolatry a sin ? Yea certainly, one of the greatest that
any man can be guilty of; and yet nothing can be more
plain than that covetousness, wheresoever it comes, draws it
along with it, insomuch that every covetous man is as-
serted by God himself to be an idolater, Eph. v. 5. and
covetousness to be idolatry itself, Col. iii. 15. And the rea-
son is plain, for what is idolatry, but to give that worship
to a creature which is due only unto God ? But what high-
er acts of worship can we perform to God, than to love
him, and to trust in him, which it is certain every covet-
ous man gives to his money, and therefore covetousness
is called p/rilargyria, the love of money ? And we cannot
but be all sensible what trust and confidence men are wont
to repose in their estates and incomes. But such will say,
we do not fall down before our money, nor pray unto it ;
but they trust on it, and that is infinitely more than bare
praying to it : and though they do not bow down before it
in their bodies, yet they make all the faculties of their souls
to bow down and stoop unto it ; they love and desire it ;
they rejoice and delight in having of it ; they are grieved
and troubled for nothing so much as the parting with it,
nor fear any thing so much as the losing of it.

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 229

But they will say again, we do not sacrifice to our bags,
nor burn incense to our estates ; we never did nor intend
to offer so much as a lamb or calf unto it ! It is true, they
do not, but they offer that which is far better, they offer
the poor to it, suffering them to perish with hunger, thirst,
and cold, rather than relieve them with that necessary
maintenance which God has put into their hands for them:
they offer their own bodies to it, exposing them to heats
and colds, to dangers and hazards both by sea and land,
and all for money ; yea, they offer their own souls to it
likewise, as a whole burnt-offering, giving them to lie
scorching in hell flames to eternity, and that upon no
other account but to get money ; and tell me which are
the greatest fools, and most odious idolaters, such as offer
beasts to the sun and flames, or such as offer themselves
both soul and body to dirt and clay ? We cannot but all
acknowledge the latter to be far the worse, and by conse-
quence the covetous man to be the greatest idolater in the
world, and that too only because he is a covetous man.

Moreover, is not extortion and oppression a sin? And
yet we all know that it is the love of money that is the only
cause of it. Is not strife and contention a sin ? whence
comes it but from our lusting after money ? Jam. iv. 1.
Is not perjury a sin? Is not corruption of justice a sin?
Is not cheating and cozenage a sin ? Is not pride and
.haughtiness a sin? Is not unrighteous dealing betwixt
man and man a sin ? Is not theft and robbery a sin ? Is not
treason and rebellion a sin ? Are not all those sins, and
great ones too ? But whence spring these poisonous fruits
into the lives of men, but from the bitter roots of covet-
dusness in their hearts ? It is the love of money that makes
these sins to rise amongst us : it is this that makes men
forswear themselves, and cozen others : it is this that
oft-times makes fathers ruin their children, aiid children to
long for the death of their fathers ; it is this that makes
neighbours go to law, and brethren themselves to be at
variance ; it is this that makes men strive to over-reach
each other, and to blind the eyes of those they deal with :
it is this that hath caused some to murder others, and
others to destroy themselves. What shall I say more ?
There is no impiety that can be committed against God,
nor injury that can be offered unto men, but the love of
money hath been the cause of it in others, and will be so
in us, unless it be timely prevented, and therefore it may
well be termed the root of all the evil of sin.

230 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

And it being the root from whence all the evil of sin
springs, it must needs be the root of all the evil of punish-
ment and misery too, misery and punishment being the ne-
cessary consequent of sin. Indeed this sin carries its mi-
sery along with it, as Seneca himself saw by the mere light
of nature, saying, Nulla avaritia sine poena est, quamvis
satis sit ipsa poenarum : No avarice is without punishment,
though it be itself punishment enough. For what a torment
is it for a man to be always thirsty, and never able to
quench his thirst ? Yet this is the misery of every covetous
man, whose thirst after money can never be satisfied, and
who is desirous of having more, that he can never enjoy
with comfort what he hath, loving money so well, that he
grudgeth himself the use of it. Hence the aforesaid au-
thor observed, that in nullum avarns bonus est, in seipsum
pessimus. The covetous man is good to none, but worst to
himself. And as this is the natural consequent of this sin
in itself, so it is the ordinary punishment that God inflicts
upon men for it, not suffering them to take any pleasure
in the use of what they love, Eccl. vi. 1, 2. And besides
that, what cares and fears, what labours and travels, what
dangers and hazards doth the love of money put men
upon ? How do they rack their brains and break their rest
to get it ; and when it is gotten, what fears are they al-
ways in, lest they should lose it again ? What grief and
trouble do the poor wretches undergo for every petty loss
that befalls them ? so that every covetous man is not only
miserable, but therefore miserable because covetous.

But if their misery be so great in this life, how great
will it be in that to come ? Concerning which there are
two things to be observed : First, that the very having
of riches makes it very difficult to get to heaven, Matt.
xix. 23, 24. 25. Luke xvi. 19, 22. Hence Agur was
afraid of them, Prov. xxx. 8. Neither do we ever read of
any of the patriarchs, prophets, or the saints recorded in
scripture, to have been guilty of this sin, unless Baruch,
who was reproved for it, Jer. xiv. 5.

And as the having of money makes it difficult to get to
heaven, so the loving of it makes it impossible to keep out
of hell. For so long as man is covetous, he is liable to
every temptation, ready to catch at every bait that the de-
vil throws before him ; so that he is led by him as he pleas-
eth, till at length he be utterly destroyed, 1 Tim. vi. 9«
And therefore the same apostle elsewhere tells us, that the
covetous have no inheritance in the kingdom of God, but

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 231

the wrath of God will most certainly fall upon them, Eph.
v. 5, 6. But the wrath of God is the greatest evil of pu-
nishment that is possible for men to bear : indeed it is that
which once being incensed makes hell fire. And yet we
see that the heat of our love to money will enkindle the
flames of God's wrath against us ; yea, and such flames too
as will never be quenched, Mark ix. 24. And so for the
little seeming transient pleasure they take in getting, or
keeping money now, they must live in misery and con-
tempt, in shame and torment for evermore.

Thus now we see that love of money will not only put
us upon the evil of sin, but it will also bring the evil of
punishment upon us, both which the apostle here, ver. 9,
10. imputes to this sin. And therefore he both well may
and must be understood of both these sorts of evil, when
he saith, that the love of money is the root of all evil ; which,
the premises considered, I hope none can deny, and need
I then heap up more arguments to dissuade men from this
sin, and to prevail with them to leave doating upon the^
world, and loving of money ? Is not this one argument of
itself sufficient ? For is it possible for us to indulge our-
selves in this sin, now we know it is the root of all evil ?
and that if we still love money, there is no sin so great
but we may fall into it, and no misery so heavy but it may
fall upon us. Surely if this consideration will not prevail
upon us to despise and contemn, rather than to love and
desire this world, for my part I know not what can. Only
this I know, that so long as man continue in this sin, all
writing and preaching will be in vain to them ; and so
will their hearing be, their going to church, their reading
the scriptures, their hearing them read and expounded to
them ; all this will signify nothing, this root of all evil is
still within us, and will bring forth its bitter fruit do what
we can. And therefore as wTe desire to profit by what we
hear, as ever we desire to avoid any known sin whatsoever,
to know what happiest means to escape either present tor-
ment, or eternal misery, as ever we desire to be real
saints, and to manifest ourselves to be so, to go to heaven,
and live with God and Christ for ever, let not our affec-
tions be entangled any longer in the briars and thorns of
this lower wrorld, let us beware of loving money. If riches
increase, let 2is not set our hearts upon them, Psal. lxii. 10.
but scorn and despise them hereafter, as much as ever
heretofore we have desired or loved them.

But I cannot, I dare not but in charity believe and hope.

232 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

that by this time my readers are something weaned from
their doating upon the present world, and desire to know
how they may, for the future, get off their affections from
it, so as to have this root of all evil extirpated, and quite
plucked up from within them. I hope this is the desire of
all, or at least of most of them; and therefore I shall now
endeavour to shew them how they may infallibly accom-
plish and effect it. In order thereto,

1. Let such persons often consider with themselves how
unsuitable the things of this world are for their affections
and love, which were designed only for the chiefest good.
When God implanted the affection of love within us, he
did not intend it should be the root of all evil, but of all
good unto us ; and therefore he did not give it us, to place
it fondly upon such low and mean objects as this world
presents unto us, but that we should love himself with
all our hearts and souls, Deut. vi. 5. And surely he infi-
nitely deserves our love more than such trash can do.

2. Let them remember that so long as they love mo-
ney, they may pretend what they please, they do not love
God, 1 John ii. 15. nor Christ, Matt. x. 37. Luke xiv.
16. and by consequence they have no true religion at all
in them, James i. 27-

3. Let them often read and study our Saviour's sermon
upon the mount, where he pronounces the meek and low,
not the rich and mighty, to be blessed, Matt. v. 3, 4. and
weigh those strong and undeniable arguments which he
brings, to prevail upon us not to take thought for the
world, nor trouble our heads about the impertinent con-
cerns of this transient life, Matt. vi. 24, 25, 2(), 27, 28.

4. Let them labour to confirm and strengthen their trust
and confidence on the promises of God, who hath assured
us, that if we love and fear him, he will take care of us,
and provide all things necessary for us, Matt. vi. 33. This
is the great argument which the apostle uses, Heb. xiii. 5, 6.

5. Let them remember that they are called to higher
things than this world is able to afford them : the Chris-
tian is an high and heavenly calling ; we are called by it,
and invited to a kingdom and eternal glory, 1 Thess. ii.
12. and therefore ought not to spend our time about such
low and paltry trash as riches and wealth.

6. Let them get above the world, let their conversation
be in heaven, and then they will soon look down upon all
things here below as beneath their concern, Vilescunt tern-
poralia, cum desiderantur aeterna, said St. Gregory. He

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 233

that seriously thinks upon and desires heaven, cannot but
vilify and despise earth. O what fools and madmen do
the blessed angels, and the glorified saints in heaven, think
us poor mortals upon earth to be, when thev- see us busy-
ing ourselves about getting a little refined dirt, and in the
mean while neglecting the most transcendent glories which
themselves enjoy, although they be offered to us !

7. Let them never suffer the vanity of all things here
below to go out of their minds, but remember still, that
get what they can, it is but vanity and vexation of spirit,
as Solomon himself asserted upon his own experience
though he to be sure had more than any of us are likely to
enjoy. And let them not only often repeat the words, but
endeavour to get themselves convinced thoroughly of the
truth of them, which their own experience, duly weighed
and rightly applied, will soon do.

8. Let it be their daily prayer to almighty God, that
he would take off their affections from the world, and in-
cline them to himself, as David did, saying, " Incline
my heart to thy testimonies, and not to covetousness,"
Psal. cxix. 36.

To all these means, let them add the constant and seri-
ous consideration of what they have here read, that the
love of money is the root of all evil ; assuring themselves,
that if they will not believe it now, it is not long before
they will all find it but too true by their own sad and wo-
ful experience, when they shall be stripped of their pre-
sent enjoyments, and so turn bankrupts in another world,
where they will be cast into prison without having a far-
thing to relieve themselves, or so much as a drop of water
to cool their inflamed tongues.

By these and such-like means, none of us but may sup-
press the love of money in us, which is the root of evil,
and so avoid or prevent all the evil which otherways will
proceed from it. Whether any of my readers will be per-
suaded to use the means or no, I know not ; however let
me tell them, that if they are loth to strive to get their af-
fections deadened to the world, it is an infallible sign that
they are too much in love with it, and that this root and
seed of all manner of evil remains in them ; nor can it be
expected they will be persuaded to any one duty whatso-
ever, until they are first prevailed upon to do this, even to
mortify their lusts and affections to the things of this
world. For so long as those are predominant within us,
no grace whatsoever can be exerted, nor duty performed,
nor any sin avoided by us.

234 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

But oh how happy would it be, if it should please the
most high God to set what I have here said home upon
any, as to induce them to set themselves seriously for the
future to the eradicating or rooting up this love of money
out of their hearts? What a holy, what a blessed, what a
peculiar people should we then be, and how zealous of
good works ! Then we should take all opportunities of per-
forming our devotions to almighty God : then we'should
have as many to the sacrament as at a sermon ; then our
churches would be filled all the week, as well as on Sun-
days, and the eternal God constantly worshipped with re-
verence and godly fear : then we shall take delight in cloth-
ing the naked, feeding the hungry, and relieving the op-
pressed : then there would be no such thing as cheating
and cozenage, as lying and perjury, as strife and conten-
tion amongst us. But we should all walk hand and hand
together in the way of piety, justice, and charity upon
earth, until at length we shall come to heaven, where we
shall be so far from loving and desiring money, that we
shall account it as it is, even dross and dirt ; where our
affection shall be wholly taken up with the contemplation
of the chiefest good, and we shall solace ourselves in the
enjoyment of his perfections for evermore. ~

%*«<«%*«''%% »

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY
RICHES.

SECTION II.

f IMMOTHY, after his conversion to the Christian faith,
-■- being found to be a man of great parts, learning, and
piety, and so every way qualified for the work of the mi-
nistry, St. Paul, who had planted a church at Ephesus,
the metropolis or chief city of all Asia, left him to dress
and propagate it, after his departure from it ; giving him
power to ordain elders or priests, and visit and to exercise
jurisdiction over them, to see they did not teach false doc-
trines, 1 Tim. i. S. That they be imblameable in their
lives and conversations, 1 Tim. v. 7. And to exercise au-
thority over them, in case they be otherwise, 1 Tim. v.
1 9- And therefore it cannot in reason but be acknowledg-
ed that Timothy was the bishop, superintendant, or visi-
tor of all the Asian churches, as he was always asserted to
have been by the fathers of the primitive church, as Eii-

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. %6o

sebius reports, saying, Timotheos tcs en Ephcso paroicias
estoritai proios tes en episcopen eilechenai, that Timothy
is reported to have been the first bishop of the province of
Ephesus. Be sure he had the oversight of all the churches
that were planted there ; and not only in Ephesus itself,
but likewise in all Asia, which was subject to his ecclesi-
astical power and jurisdiction.

And hence it is that the apostle St. Paul, in his first
epistle to him, gives him directions how to manage so great
a work, and to discharge so great a trust as was committed
to him, both as bishop "and priest ; both how to ordain and
govern others, and likewise how to preach himself the
gospel of Christ. And having spent the whole epistle in
directions of this sort, in the close of it, as it were at the
foot of the epistle, he subjoins one general caution to be
observed by him : Charge them thai are rich, &c. Which
words, though first directed to Timothy, were in him in-
tended'for all succeeding ministers and preachers of the
gospel ; such I mean wTho are solemnly ordained and set
apart for this work. We are all obliged to observe the
command which is here laid upon us, as without which we
are never likely to do any good upon them that hear us :
for so long as their minds are set altogether upon riches,
and the things of this world, we may preach our hearts
out before we can ever persuade them to mind heaven and
eternal happiness in good earnest. This St. Paul knew
well enough, and therefore hath left this not only as his
advice and counsel, but as a strict command and duty in-
cumbent upon the preachers of the gospel in all ages, that
they charge them that are rich, &c. Where it must be ob-
served in the first place how we are expressly enjoined
to charge them that are rich, &c. a word much to be ob-
served. The apostle doth not say, desire, beseech, coun-
sel, or admonish the rich, but paraggelle tois plousiois,
charge and command them that are rich. The word pro-
perly signifies such a charge as the judges at an assize or
sessions make in the king's name, enjoining his subjects
to observe the established laws and statutes of the kingdom.
And so the word is always used in scripture for the strict-
est way of commanding any thing to be observed or done,
as Acts v. 28. ou paraggelia pareggeilamen humin : Did
we not strictly command you, Luke v. 14. parcggeillen auto.
He charged him to tell no man. Thus therefore it is that we
are here enjoined to charge the rich in the name of the
King of kings, not to be high-minded, nor to trust in un-
certain riches, &c.

236 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

And this is the proper notion, and the only true way of
preaching the word of God, which therefore in scriptures
is ordinarily expressed by the word kerussein, which pro-
perly signifies to publish or proclaim, as heralds do, the
will and pleasure of the prince, and in his name to com-
mand the people to observe it. Thus we are enjoined to
preach the word of God, by publishing his will and plea-
sure to men ; charging them in his name to obey and
practise it. For we come not to them in our own names,
but in his that created and redeemed them ; and therefore
although we neither have, nor pretend to any power or au-
thority over them, from ourselves, yet by virtue of the com-
mission which we have received from the universal and
supreme monarch of the world, we not only lawfully may,
but are in duty bound, to charge and enjoin all in his
name, to observe what he hath commanded them. Inso-
much, that although we pretend not to divine inspiration,
or immediate revelations from God, such as the prophets
had ; yet we, preaching the same word which they did,
may, and often ought to use the same authority which they
used, saying, as they did, Thus saith the Lord of hosts ; ^
for whatsoever is written in the scriptures, is as certainly )
God's word now, as it was when first inspired or revealed J
to them. And therefore it cannot be denied, but that we
have as much power to charge upon all the observation of
what is there written, as they ever had, we being sent
to preach and proclaim the will of God unto all, by the
same person as they were. Hence it is that the apostle in
the name of God commands Titus, and in him all succeed-
ing ministers of the gospel, to speak or preach the word of
God, to exhort and rebuke all with authority, Tit. ii. 15.
From whence nothing can be more plain, that it is our
duty to preach with authority, as those who have received
power from God to make known his will and pleasure to
all men ; or as the apostle here expressly words it, to
charge them not to be high-minded, and the like.

But this I fear may be a very ungrateful subject to
many, and therefore I should not have insisted so long
upon it, but that there is a kind of necessity for it. For
I verily believe, that the non-observance of this hath been,
and still is, the principal reason why people receive so lit-
tle benefit by hearing of sermons as they usually do : for
they look upon sermons only as popular discourses, re-
hearsed by one of their fellow-creatures, which they may
censure, approve, or reject, as themselves see good. And

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 237

we ourselves, I fear, have been too faulty, or at least re-
miss, in this particular ; in that when we preach, we ordi-
narily make a long harangue or oration concerning some
point in polemical, dogmatical, or practical divinity, and
use only some moral persuasions to press upon our audi-
tors the observance of what we say, without interposing or
exercising the authority which is committed to us, so as to
charge them in the name of the most high God, to observe
and practise, what we declare and prove unto them to be
his will, and by consequence their duty. But for my own
part, did I think that preaching consisted only in explain-
ing some points in divinity, and using only moral argu-
ments to persuade men to perform their duty to God and
man, I should not think it worth my while to do it, be-
cause I could not expect to do any good at all by it. For
all the moral arguments in the world can never be so strong
to draw us from sin, as our natural corruptions are to
drive us into it. And therefore we can never expect to
do any good upon men, either by our logic, or rhetoric ;
but our arguments must be fetched from on high, even
from the eternal God himself, or else they are never like-
ly to profit or prevail upon them. We must charge and
command them in God's name, or else we had as good
say nothing.

It is true, did we, who preach God's word, propose no-
thing else to ourselves, but to tickle men's ears and please
their fancies, and so to ingratiate ourselves into their love
and favour, it would be easy to entertain them with dis-
courses of another nature, stuffed with such fine words,
quaint phrases, and high notions, as would be very pleas-
ing and acceptable unto them. But I must take leave to
say, that we dare not do it ; for we know that as our au-
ditors must give an account of their hearing, so it is not long
before we must also give an account of our preaching too ;
for so God himself hath told us beforehand by his apostle,
Heb. xiii. 17- But how shall we be able to look the eter-
nal God in the face, yea or to look our auditors in the face
at that time, if instead of charging their duty upon them,
in order to their eternal salvation, Ave slxmld put them off*
with general discourses, which signifying nothing, only
to please and gratify them whilst we remain with them?
No, we dare not do it, and therefore I wish men would
not expect it from us ; for we must not hazard our own
eternal salvation, to gain their temporal favour and ap-
plause. And therefore seeing God hath been pleased to

238 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

entrust us so far with men's souls, as to direct them in the
way to eternal life : howsoever they resent it, we are
bound in duty, both to God, to them, and to ourselves, to
deal plainly with them, and to use the authority which
he hath here committed to us, where he hath expressly
commanded us in his name, to charge them that are rich
in this world, &c.

Where I desire the reader to observe in the next place,
that we of the clergy are not only empowered to charge
the poorer, or meaner sort of people, who, by reason of
their extreme poverty and want, may seem inferior to us,
but even rich men too ; charge them, saith the apostle,
that are rich in this world. And the reason is, because we
come unto them in his name, who gives them all the riches
they do enjoy, and can take them away again when he
himself pleaseth ; so that he can make the poor rich, and
the rich poor, when he pleaseth • and therefore the poor
and rich are all alike to him ; his power and authority is
the same over both ; and therefore we, coming in his
name, are ordered to make no distinction, but to charge
the one as well as the other ; yea, here we are particular-
ly commanded, to charge them that are rich.

Which is the next thing to be considered in these words,
even whom the apostle means by them that are rich in this
world ? Wliich is a question that needs a serious resolu-
tion. For many men, not thinking themselves as yet to
be rich enough, will be apt to conclude from thence that
they are not to be reckoned amongst those whom the apos-
tle here calls rich in this world. But whatsoever they may
think of themselves, I believe there are but a few, ex-
cept the very poor, who in a scripture sense are not rich
men ; for whatsoever any have over and above their ne-
cessary maintenance, that the scriptures call riches, as is
plain from Agur's wish, give me neither poverty nor riches,
feed me with food convenient for me, Pro v. xxx. 8. From
whence it is easy to observe, that as nothing but the want
of convenient food is poverty ; so whatsoever a man hath
over and above his own convenient or necessary food, is
properly his riches ; and so he that hath it, is in a scrip-
ture sense a rich man, and is therefore called here in my
text j)lousios, quasi polousios, one that hath much sub-
stance, or more than he hath necessary occasion for. And
therefore although some may be richer than others, yet I
believe the generality may justly be reckoned in the num-
ber of rich men here spoken of; at least all such as, by

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 239

the blessing of God, have not only what is necessary for
their present maintenance, but likewise something to spare,
and so may all come under the notion of those whom we
are here commanded to charge not to be high-minded, nor
trust in uncertain riches, &c.

Having thus considered the act which we are here com-
manded to exert, and the object, the rich of this world,
we are now to consider the subject-matter, what that is
which we are here commanded to charge upon them ; but
that is here expressly set down in several particulars, all
which I shall endeavour to explain as they lie in order.

1. That they be not high-minded ; a necessary caution
for rich men. For riches are very apt to puff men up with
vain and foolish conceits of themselves, so as to think them-
selves to be so much the better, by how much they are
richer than other people ; but this is a grand mistake,
which we are here enjoined to use the utmost of our power
and skill to rectify, by charging them that are rich not to
be high-minded ; that is, not to think highly and proudly of
themselves, because they are richer or wealthier than
other men, but to be every way as humble in their own
eyes, and as lowly-minded in the enjoyment of all tempo-
ral blessings, as if they enjoyed nothing : as considering,
1. How much soever they have, they are no way really the
better for it.

1st, Not in their souls ; they are never the wiser nor
holier, nor more acceptable unto God, by their being rich,
Eccl. ix. 1 . Job. xix.

2dly, Nor in their bodies ; they are never the stronger,
nor healthier, nor freer from pain and trouble, nor yet
longer lived than others.

Sdly, Nor in their minds ; their consciences are never
the quieter, their hearts never the freer from cares and
fears, neither can they sleep better than other people,
Eccl. v. 12.

4thly, Nor yet in their estate and condition.

First, Not in this life. For riches can never satisfy
them, nor by consequence make them happy ; but they
may still be as miserable in the enjoyments, as in the want
of all things, Eccl. v. 11.

Secondly, Nor yet in the life to come ; they are never
the nearer heaven, by being higher upon earth ; their gold
and silver can never purchase an inheritance for them in
the land of Canaan, Jam. iii. 5.

2. They are so far from being better, that they are ra-
ther much worse for their having abundance here below.

240 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

1st, They have more temptations to sin, to luxury, to
covetousness, to the love of this world, to the neglect of
their duty to God, to pride and self-conceitedness, to fe-
rity and presumption, Luke xii. 19.

2dly, It is harder for them to get to heaven, than it is
for others ; and, by consequence, the richer they are, the
more danger they are in of being miserable for ever, Matt,
xix. 23. Whence our Saviour himself denounceth a woe
upon them that are rich, Luke vi. 24. and James bids
them weep and howl for their miseries, Jam. v. 1. And
therefore advises us to rejoice rather at poverty than riches,
Jam. i. 9, 10. Now these things being considered as spo-
ken by God himself, none can deny but that the rich are
certainly in a worse condition than the poor ; and by con-
sequence, that men have no cause to be proud or high-
minded, nor to glory 'in their riches, Jer. ix. 2 3. And
therefore whatsoever outward blessings God hath be-
stowed upon us, Let us not be highminded but fear, Rom.
xi. 20.

II. Nor trust in imcertain riches, which I confess is a
very hard lesson for a rich man to learn, nothing being
more difficult than to have riches, and not to trust in them,
as our Saviour himself intimates ; in explaining the one by
the other, as things very rarely severed, Mark x. 23, 24.
But certainly it is altogether as foolish a thing to trust in
riches, as it is to be proud of them. For,

1 . They of themselves can stand us in no stead, they
cannot defend us from any evil, nor procure us any good :
they cannot of themselves either feed us, or clothe us, or
refresh us, or be any ways advantageous to us, without
God's blessing, Prov. xi. 4. How much less can they be
able to deliver us from the wrath to come ? No, we may
take it for a certain truth, our riches may much further
our eternal misery, but they can never conduce any thing
to our future happiness.

2. If we trust in them, be sure they will fail us, and
bring us to eternal misery and desolation ; for to trust in
any thing but God is certainly one of the highest sins we
can be guilty of, it is in plain terms idolatry, He that
trusteth in riches is sure to fall, Prov. xi. 28. For this is to
deny God, Job xxxi. 24, 25, 28.

3. They are but uncertain riches, they make themselves
wings andfiy away, Prov. xxiii. 5. They are in continual
motion, ebbing and flowing, and never continuing in one
stay. So that you are never sure of keeping them one

2

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. * i i

day ; and what reason then can we have to trust on them ?
especially considering, that they are not only uncertain,
but uncertainty itself, as the word here signifies, irusl not
in the uncertainty of riches,

But in the living God ; he, he is to be the only object
of our trust, whether we have, or have not any thing else
to trust on ; or to speak more properly, there is nothing
that we can, upon good grounds, make our trust and confi-
dence, but only him who governs and disposeth of all things
according to his own pleasure. So that it is he, and he alone
that giveth us all things richly to enjoy. It is not our wit
or policy, it is not our strength or industry, it is not our
trading and trafficing in the world, it is none but God that
giveth us what we have, Deut. viii. 18. Prov. x. 22. And
as it is he that maketh men rich, so he can make them poor
again, when he himself pleaseth ; and they have cause to
fear he will do so too, unless they observe what is charged
upon them.

There are four duties still behind, which we are here
commanded to charge all those who are rich to observe.

I. That they do good. In treating of which I might shew
the several qualifications required to the making up of an
action good ; as that the matter of it must be good, as com-
manded, or at least allowed by God : that the manner of
performing it be good, as that it be done obediently, un-
derstandingly, willingly, cheerfully, humbly, and sin-
cerely ; and that the end be good too, so as that it be di-
rected ultimately to the glory of God. But not to insist
upon that now, I shall only consider what kind of good
works the rich are here commanded to do, as they are rich
men. And they are two, works of piety, and works of
charity.

1 . They are here commanded to do works of piety ;
where by works of piety, I mean, not their loving and
fearing, and honouring of God, nor yet their praying to
him, their hearing his word, or praising his name, for
such works of piety as these are, the poorest as well as
the richest persons amongst us are bound to do ; whereas
the apostle here speaks only of such works as they who
are rich are bound to do, upon that account because they
are so. And therefore by works of piety here, I under-
stand such works as tend to the honour *>f his name, to the
performance of worship and homage to him, to the encou-
ragement of his ministers, the propagating of his gospel,
and the conversion of sinners to him ; all which they are

L

242 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLV RICHES,

bound to do, to the utmost of their power, out of the
estates, which for these purposes he hath entrusted with
them. For thus they are expressly commanded to ho-
nour the Lord with their substance, or riches, and with
the first fruits of all their increase, Prov. iii. 9. And the
reason is, because God is the universal Proprietor, the head
Landlord of all the world, and we have nothing but what
we hold under him ; neither are we any more than tenants
at will to him, who may fine us at his own pleasure, or throw
us out of possession whensoever he sees good. Now lest
we should forget this, even upon what tenure it is that we
hold our estates, God hath enjoined us to pay "him, as it
were, a quit-rent or tribute out of what we possess, as an
acknowledgment that it is by his favour and blessing alone
that we do possess it. So that whatsoever we do, or are
able to offer him, is but a due debt which we owe him ;
which if we neglect to pay him, we lose our tenure, and
forfeit what we have to the Lord of the manor, the su-
preme possessor of the world. Hence it is, that in all
ages, they who were truly pious, and had a due sense of
God upon their hearts, were always very careful to pay
this their homage unto God ; insomuch that many of them
never thought they could give enough to any pious use,
wherein to testify their acknowledgment of God's domi-
nion over them, and his right and property in what they
had. A noble instance whereof we have in the children
of Israel ; for when the tabernacle was to be built for the
service and worship of God, they were so far from being
backward in contributing towards it, that they presently
brought more than could be used in the building of it,
Exod. xxxvi. 5, 6, 7. So it was too in the building of the
temple, which David and the chiefs or nobles of Israel
made great preparation for, 1 Chron. xxix. G, 7, 8. And
that they did this, thereby to acknowledge God to be the
Lord and giver of all, is plain from the following words,
ver. 11, 12, 13. The same was also observed in the build-
ers of the second temple, as the raising the first out of its
rubbish, wherein it had lain for many years. And as for
Christians, I need not tell you how forward those who
have been truly pious, have always been in doing such
works of piety, since most of the churches in Christendom,
or be sure in this nation, have been erected by particular
persons. And it is very observable, that the more eminent
any place or age have been for piety and devotion, the
more pious works have been always done in it, for the

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 243

service and worship of almighty God ; which plainly
shews, that where such works are wanting, whatsoever
pretences they may make, there is no such thing as true
piety, and the fear of God. And therefore, as ever we
desire to manifest ourselves to be what we profess, true
Christians indeed, men fearing God, and hating covet-
ousness, we must take all opportunities to express our
thankfulness unto God for what we have, by devoting a*
much as we can of it to his service and honour.

2. Besides these works of piety towards God, the rich
are enjoined also works of charity towards the poor; which
though they have an immediate reference to the poor, yet
God looks upon them as given to himself, Prov. xiv. 31.
chap. xix. 17- Matt. xxv. 40. Hence it is that God ac-
cepts of such works as these also, for part of the tribute
which we owe him ; whereby we acknowledge the re-
ceipt of what we have from him, and express our thank-
fulness unto him for it, without which we have no ground
to expect a blessing upon what we have, nor that it should
be really good to us : for, as the apostle tells us, even/
creature of God is good, if it be received with thanksgiving,
not else, 1 Tim. iv. 4. But no thanksgiving is acceptable
but that which is expressed by works as well as words.
And therefore it is necessary for us to pay this duty and
service to God, out of what we have, in order to the cleans-
ing and sanctifying the residue of our estates unto us,
without which we have not the lawful use of what we pos-
sess, but every thing we have is polluted and unclean to
us, as our Saviour himself intimates, Luke xi. 41. A
thing much to be considered. For I verily believe that
the great reason why so many estates are blasted so soon,
and brought to nothing amongst us, is because men do
not render unto God their duty and tribute out of what
they have ; and therefore it is no wonder that God in his
providence turns them out of their possession, and gives
their estates to other persons who shall be better tenants to
him, and be careful to pay him the duties which he re-
quires of them. And therefore, in order to men's secur-
ing their estates to themselves and posterity, it is abso-
lutely necessary that they observe the duty which we are
here recommended to charge upon all that* are rich in this
world, even to do good with what they have ; and not
only so, but,

II. To be rich in good works, that is, not only to do
good, but to do as much good as . they are able with their"
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144 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES,

riches, so as to proportion their good works to the riches
which God hath given them wherewith to do them, ac-
cording to the apostle's directions, 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Thus in
the place before quoted, Luke xi. 41. where our Saviour
bids the Pharisees to give alms of such things as they have,
his words are, ta enonta dote eleemosynen, give alms as you
are able, for so the words properly signify. And verily
whatsoever we do, unless it be as much as we can, God
will not look upon us as doing any thing at all : for we
must not think to compound with him. When he hath
given us all we have, he expects that we render all that
he requires of us, that is, as much as we are able to pay
unto him. As if a man owes you money, you will not ac-
cept of part instead of the whole ; so neither will God
from us ; we all owe him as much as we are able to devote
to his service and honour, and we must not think to put
him off with part of it ; for he reckons that he receives no-
thing from us, unless it be proportionable to what he hath
bestowed upon us. But how little soever it is that we
give or offer to him, if it be but answerable to our estates,
it will be accepted by him. This our Saviour himself hath
assured us of, Matt. xii. 43, 44. From whence we may
certainly conclude, that there is not the poorest person
whatsoever, but may be rich in good works as the richest,
because God doth not measure the goodness of our works
by their bulk or quantity, but by the proportion which
they bear to our estates ; so that he who gives a penny,
may do as good a work as he who gives a pound ; yen,
and a better too, because his may be as much as he is able,
whereas the other's is not ; I wish all men may seriously
weigh and consider this, lest otherwise they go out of the
world without ever having done one good work in it : for
we may assure ourselves, he that is not thus rich in good
works, doth no good at all with his riches.

But it is farther to be considered here, that this expres-
sion, rich in good works, implies that good works are in-
deed our principal riches ; and that men must not compute
their riches so much from what they have, as from what
they give and devote to God. For what we have is not
ours, but God's in our hands, but what we give is ours in
God's hands, and he acknowledgeth himself our debtor
for it, in that he tells us that we lend it to him, and pro-
raiseth to pay it to us again, Prov. xix. 17. And there-
fore they who cast up their accounts to know how rich
they are, ought not to reckon upon what they have lying

THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES. 245

by them, nor upon their houses and lands that are made
over to them, nor yet upon .what is owing to them by
men ; but should reckon only upon what they have given
to pious and charitable uses, upon what treasure they have
laid up in heaven. For whatsoever they may think at
present, I dare assure them, that will be found to be their
only riches another day. And therefore if any one de-
sires to be rich indeed, let him take my advice, do w hat
good he can with the riches he hath, and then he will be
rich enough ; for this is the way to be rich in good works.
But in order unto that, he must likewise observe what
follows : to be

III. Ready to distribute ; that is, ready upon all occa-
sions to pay his tribute unto God, whensoever he in his
providence calls for it ; taking all opportunities of doing
good, and glad when he can find them, Gal. vi. 7. Thus
therefore whensoever any opportunities present themselves
of expressing our thankfulness unto God, by works either
of piety or charity, whatsoever other businesses may be
neglected we must be sure to la}^ hold on that. For I dare
say, that there is none but will grant me, that there is
all the reason in the world that God should be served in
the first place, and that he should have the first fruits of
all our increase, Pro v. hi. 9- Exod. xxiii. 19. Deut. xxvi.
2. And therefore we cannot but acknowledge, that works
of piety towards God, and of charity to the poor, or as the
scripture calls them in general good works, are always to
be done in the first place ; and whatsoever other works
may be omitted, be sure they must not. But we ought
still to be as ready to pay our duties unto God, as we are
to receive any thing from him, as ready to give as to re-
ceive ; and by consequence as men let no opportunities slip
wherein they can increase their estates, they are much less
to let any opportunities pass wherein they can any way im-
prove their estates for God's glory and other's good ; that
they ought to be ready upon all occasions to distribute what
they can upon charitable and pious uses.

IV. Willing to communicate. As we must do it with a
ready hand, so we must do it with a willing heart too.
Thus we are enjoined to serve God willingly, 1 Chron.
xxviii. 6. and cheerfully, 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7. Indeed God
accepts of none but free-will-offerings. If we be not as
willing to do good works as we are to have wherewith to
do them, we may be confident God will never accept of
them. And therefore in plain terms, if any would be rich

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'21-6 THOUGHTS UPON WORLDLY RICHES.

in good works as becometh Christians, and as it is our "in-
terest to be, they must not stay till they be compelled,
persuaded, or entreated by others to do them ; but they
must set upon them of their own accord, out of pure obe-
dience unto God, and from a due sense of their constant
dependance upon him, and manifest obligations to him ;
yea, so as to take pleasure in nothing in the world so much
as in paying then* respects and service to almighty God,
1 Chron. xxix. 14, 15, 17-

Now to encourage the rich to employ their estates thus
in doing good, the apostle adds in the last place, that this
is the way to lay up for themselves a good foundation agavist
the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. A
strange expression ! yea, such an one, that had not St.
Paul himself spake it, some would have been apt to have
excepted against it for an error or mistake. What, good
works the foundation of eternal life? No, that is not the
meaning of it ; but that good works are the foundation of
that blessed sentence which they shall receive who are
made partakers of eternal life, as is plain from our Savi-
our's own words, Matt. xxv. 34, 35, 36.

And verily, although there be no such intrinsic value in
good works, whereby they that do them can merit any
thing from God by their doing of them • yet nothing can
be more certain, than that God of his infinite mercy in Je-
sus Christ, will so accept of them as to reward us for them
on the world to come. For this our Saviour himself doth
clearly intimate to us in the place before quoted; as also
Matt. vi. 20. Luke xii. 33. xvi. 9. that is, distribute a' id
employ the unrighteous or deceitful riches you have in
this world in such a way as is most pleasing and accepta-
ble unto God, that so he may be your friend, and receive
you into everlasting habitations, when these transient and
unstable riches fail you. From whence I beg leave to ob-
serve, that to do good with what we have, is the only way
whereby to improve our estates for our own good, so as to
be the better for them both in this and also in the world to
come. The Rabbins have a good saying, that barach had-
jcin, good works are the salt of riches, that which pre-
serves them from corruption and makes them savoury and
acceptable unto God, as also useful and profitable to the
owners ; unless wre do good with our estates, we forfeit
our title to them by the non-payment of the rent-charge
which God hath reserved to himself upon them ; and
therefore we may justly expect every moment to be cast

THOUGHTS UrON WORLDLY RICHES. 247

chit of possession ; or howsoever though he may forbear us
a while, yea, so long as We are in this world, what good
what benefit, what comfort shall we have of our estates in
the world to come ? Certainly no more than the rich man
in the gospel had when he lay scorching in hell-fire, and
had not so much as a drop of water to cool his inflamed
tongue. Whereas on the other side, if we do good with
our estates, if we devote them to the service of God, and
to the relief of the poor, by this means we shall not only
secure the possession of them to ourselves here, but shall
also receive comfort and benefit from them in the world
to come ; so that our estates will not die with us, but we
shall receive benefit by them, and have cause to bless God
for them unto all eternity ; the apostle himself assuring us,
that by this means we shall lay up for ourselves a good foun-
dation for the time to come, so as to lay hold on eternal life.

This one argument being duly weighed, I hope I need
not use any more to persuade men to do good with what
they have, and to make the best use of it they can. For
I know I write to Christians, at least to such as profess
themselves to be so ; and therefore to such as believe there
is another world besides this we live in, and by conse-
quence that it concerns them to provide for that, which,
as I have shewn, we may do in a plentiful manner, by the
right improvement of what God hath entrusted with us in
this world. What then do the generality cf men mean to
be so slack and remiss in laying hold of all opportunities
of doing good ! 'What, do they think it possible to lose any
thing they do for God ? or do they think it possible to em-
ploy their estates better than for his service and honour
who gave them to us ! I cannot believe they think so ;
and therefore must needs advise the rich again and again,
not to lay up their talents in a napkin, but to use their
estates to the best advantage for God and their own souls ;
so that when they go from hence into the other world,
they may be received into eternal glory, with a well done,
good and faithful servants, enter into your master's joy.

But fearing lest these moral persuasions may not prevail
so much upon my readers as I desire they might, they
must give me leave further to tell them, that I am here
commanded to charge them that are rich in this world, to
be rich also in good works : and therefore, seeing, as I
have shewn, there are few but who in a scripture sense
are rich in this world ; in obedience to this command
which is here laid upon me, in the name of the most high
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2*S THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL.

God, I charge you, and not I only, but the eternal God
himself, he wills and requires all those whom he hath
blessed with riches in this world, That they be not high-
minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but that they put
their whole trust and confidence only in the living God,
whose all things are, and who gives us whatsoever we
have : that they do good with what he hath put into their
hands, laying it out upon works of piety towards him, and
of charity to the poor, that his worship may be decently
performed, and the poor liberally relieved'; that they be
rich in good works, striving to excel each other in doing
good in their generation ; that they be ready every mo-
ment to distribute, and always willing to communicate to
every good work, wherein they can pay their homage,
and express their thankfulness to him for what they have.

■*.-%. V* ■»-■». A. -w* *.■»■%. ■»

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL,

^P HE most glorious sight, questionless, that was ever to
-*- be seen upon the face of the earth, was to see the Son
of God here, to see the supreme Being and Governor of
the world here ; to see the Creator of all things convers-
ing here with his own creatures ; to see God himself with
the nature and in the shape of man, walking about upon
the surface of the earth ; and discoursing with silly mor-
tals here ; and that with so much majesty and humility
mixed together, that every expression might seem a de-
monstration that he was both God and man. It is true,
we were not so happy as to see this blessed sight; how-
soever, it is our happiness that we have heard of it, and
have it so exactly described to us, that we may as clearly
apprehend it as if we had seen it : yea, our Saviour
himself hath pronounced those in a peculiar manner bless-
ed, who have not seen, and yet have believed, John xx. 29.
that is, who never saw Christ in the manger, nor in the
temple, who never saw him prostrate before his Father in
the garden, nor fastened by men unto his cross ; who ne-
ver saw him preaching the gospel nor working miracles to
confirm it ; who never saw him before his passion, nor af-
ter his resurrection ; and do as firmly believe whatsoever
is recorded of him, as if they had seen it with their eyes.
Such persons our blessed Saviour himself asserts to be truly

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL. 2*9

blessed, as having such a faith as is the substance of things
hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1.

Hence therefore, although we lived not in our Saviour's
time, and therefore saw him not do as never man did, nor
heard him speak as never man spake, we may notwith-
standing be as blessed, or rather more blessed than they
that did ; if we do but give credit to what is asserted of
him, and receive and believe what is represented to us in
his holy gospels, where by faith we may still see him work-
ing miracles, and hearing him declaring his will and plea-
sure to his disciples, as really as if we had then been by
him. And therefore whatever we read in the gospel that he
spake, we are to hearken as diligently to it, as if we
heard him speak it with our own ears, and be as careful
in the performance of it, as if we had received it from his
own mouth ; for so we do, though not immediately, yet
by the infallible pen of them that did so. And seeing he
never spake in vain or to no purpose, nor suffered an idle
or superfluous word to proceed out of his sacred and divine
mouth ; whatsoever he asserted, we are to look upon as
necessary to be believed, because he asserted it. And
whatsoever he commanded, we are to look upon as ne-
cessary to be observed, because he hath commanded it ;
for we must not think that his assertions are so frivolous,
or his commands so impertinent, that it is no great matter
whether we believe the one and obey the other or no : no,
if we expect to be justified and saved by him, he expects to
be believed and obeyed by us, without which he will not
look upon us as his disciples, nor by consequence as Chris-
tians, but as strangers and aliens to him, whatsoever our
professions and pretences are.

It is true, we live in an age wherein Christianity in the
general notion of it is highly courted, and all sects and par-
ties amongst us making their pretences to it ; whatsoever
opinions or circumstances they differ in, be sure they all
agree in the external profession of the Christian religion,
and by consequence in the knowledge that they ought to
be Christians indeed. But I fear that men are generally
mistaken about the notion of true Christianity, not think-
ing it to be so high and divine a thing as -really it is ; for
if they had true and clear conceptions of it, they would
never fancy themselves to be Christians, upon such low
and pitiful grounds as usually they do, making as if Chris*
tianity consisted in not! , but in the external per*

250 THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL.

formance of some few particular duties, and in adhering
to them that profess it ; whereas Christianity is a thing of
a much higher and far more noble nature, than such would
have it ; insomuch, that did we but rightly understand it,
methinks we could net but be taken with it, so as to re-
solve for the future, to the utmost of our power, to live
up to it ; to which could I be an instrument of persuading
any, how happy should I think myself ? Howsoever it is
my duty to endeavour it, and for that purpose I shall now
clear up the true notion of Christianity, that we may know,
not what it is to be professors and pretenders of Christiani-
ty, but what it is to be real Christians, and true disciples
of Christ Jesus, such as Christ will own for his in another
world.

Now to know whom Christ will accept for his disciples,
our only way is to consult Christ himself, and to consider
what it is that he requires of those that follow him, in or-
der to be his disciples ; a thing as easily understood, as it
is generally disregarded ; for nothing can be more plain,
than that Christ requires and enjoins all those that would
be his disciples, to observe not only some few, but all the
commands that he hath laid upon us. Ye are my friends,
saith he, and therefore my disciples, if ye do whatsoever I
command you, John xv. 14. So that unless we do whatso-
ever he commands us, we are so far from being his disci-
ples, that we are indeed his enemies. Nay, they that
would be his disciples, must excel and surpass all others
in virtue and good works, Herein, saith he, is my Father
glorified that ye bring forth much fruit, so shall ye be my dis-
ciples, John xv. 8. yea, and continue in them too, John viii.
31. He tells us also, that they that would be his disciples,
must love him above all things ; or rather, hate all things in
comparison of him, Luke xiv. 26. And that they love one
another, as he hath loved them, John xiv. 35. To name
no more; read but St. Matthew xvi. 24. and there you
may see what it is to be a Christian indeed, or what it is
that Christ requires of those who would be his disciples.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself take up
his cross, and follow me. Did we but understand the true
meaning of these words, and order our conversation ac-
cordingly, we should both know what it is to be true
Christians, and really to be so ourselves. For I think
there is nothing that Christ requires of those who desire to
be his disciples, but we should perform it, could we but
observe, what is here commanded ; which that we may all

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL. 251

do, I shall endeavour to give the true meaning of them,
and of every particular in them as they lie in order.

For, saithhe, If any man will come after me, that is, if
any man will be my disciple ; for masters ye know use to
go before scholars, and disciples to follow after. And our
Saviour here speaks of himself under the notion of a mas-
ter, that hath disciples coming after him, and saith, that
if any one would be one of his disciples so as to go after
him, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow him.
So that here are three things which our blessed Saviour re-
quires of those that Avould be his disciples, and by conse-
quence of us who profess to be so ; for I dare say there is
none of us but desire to be a Christian, or at least to be
thought so ; for we all know and believe Jesus Christ to
be the only Saviour of mankind ; that none can save us
but he, and that there is none of us but he can save; and
that all those who truly come to him for pardon and salva-
tion, shall most certainly have it : hence it is that we would
all be thought at least so wise, and to have so much care
of our'own souls as to go after Christ and be his disciples. I
hope there are but few but who really desire to be so. Yet
I would not have any think that it is so easy a matter to be
a disciple of Christ, or a real and true Christian, as the
world would make it ; no, we may assure ourselves, that
as it is the highest honour and happiness we can attain
unto, so we shall find it the hardest matter in the world to
attain unto it ; not in its own nature, but by reason of its
contrariety to our natural temper and inclinations. For
here we see what it is our blessed Saviour requires of those
that would go after him, even nothing less than to deny
themselves, take up their crosses, and follow him. All
which are far greater things than at the first sight, or read-
ing, they may seem to be.

For first, saithhe, If any man will come after me, lei him
deny himself which being the first thing which Christ re-
quires of those that go after him, it is necessary that we
search more narrowly into the nature of it. For if we fail
in this, we cannot but fail in all the rest. And there-
fore, for the opening of this, I shall not trouble the reader
with the various expositions, and the divers opinions of
learned men concerning these words, but only mind him
in general, that the self-denial here spoken of is properly
opposed to self-love, or that corrupt and vicious habit of
the soul, whereby we are apt to admire and prefer our
own fancies, wills, desires, interests, and the like, before
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252 THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL.

Christ himself* and what he is pleased either to promise to
us, or require of us. And therefore, when he commands
us to deny ourselves, his will and pleasure in general is
this, that we do not indulge, or gratify ourselves in any
thing that stands in opposition against, and comes in com-
petition with his interest in the world, or ours in him,
howsoever near and dear it may be unto us. But to deny
ourselves whatsoever is pleasing to ourselves, if it be not
so to God and Christ too, so as not to live to ourselves, but
only unto him that died for us, to live as those who are
none of our own, but are bought with a price, and there-
fore should glorify God both in our souls and in our bo-
dies, which are his, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. But seeing this is
not only the first lesson to be learned by Christ's disciples,
but that which is necessarily required in order to whatso-
ever else he commands from us, I shall shew you more
particularly what it is in yourselves that you are to deny.

1. You must deny your own reasons in matters of di-
vine revelation, so as to use them no farther than only to
search into the grounds and motives that we have to be-
lieve them to be revealed by God. For this being either
proved or supposed, we are not to suffer our reasons to be
too curious in searching into them, but believe them upon
the word and testimony of God himself, who is the su-
preme truth, or verity itself.

For we who by all our art and cunning cannot under-
stand the reasons of the most common and obvious things
in nature, must not think to comprehend the great myste-
ries of the gospel, which, though they be not contrary to
our reasons, are infinitely above them : For the natural
man receivcth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they
are foolishness to him, neither can he knorc them, because
they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. ii. 1 4. So that to the
understanding of the things of the Spirit, or which the
Spirit of God hath revealed to us, there is a great deal more
required than what we have by nature, even the superna-
tural assistance of the Spirit himself that revealed them.
And therefore, if any man amongst us seemeth to be wise in
this world, let him become a fool, that he -may be wise, 1 Cor.
iii. 18. that is, he that would be wire unto salvation, must
look upon himself as a fool, as one incapable by nature of
understanding the tilings that belong unto his everlasting-
peace, without both the revelation and assistance of God
himself; and therefore must not rely upon his own judg-
ment, but only upon God's testimony in what he doth be-

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL. 253

lieve, not believing what his reason, but What God's word
tells him ; looking upon it as reason enough why he should
believe it, because Cod hath said it.

I know this is an hard doctrine to flesh and blood. For,
as Job tells us, vain man would be wise, though man be bom
like a wild ass's colt, Job xi. 12. Though by nature we be
never so foolish, vain, and ignorant, understanding the
oreat mysteries of the gospel, no more than a wild ass's
colt doth a mathematical demonstration, yet howsoever we
would fain be thought very wise men : yea so wise as to
be able to comprehend matters of the highest, yea of an
infinite nature, within the narrow compass of our finite
and shallow capacities. But this is that which we must
deny ourselves in, if we desire to be Christ's disciples, so
as to acquiesce in his word, and believe what he asserts,
only because he asserts it, without suffering our reason to
interpose, but looking upon his word as more than all the
reasons and arguments in the world besides.

2. You must deny your own wills. Our wills, it is
true, at first were made upright and perfect, every way
correspondent to the will of God himself, so as to will what
he wills, that is, what is really good ; and to nill what he
nills, that is, what is really evil. But being now pervert-
ed, and corrupted with sin, our wills are naturally inclin-
ed to the evil which they should be averse from, and averse
from the good which they should be inclined to. So that
instead of choosing the good and refusing the evil, we are
generally apt to choose the evil and refuse the good : yet
for all that our wills are thus crooked and perverse, we
cannot endure to have them" crossed or thwarted in any
thing, but would needs have our own wills in every thing,
so as neither to do any thing ourselves, nor yet have any
thing done to us, but just as ourselves will, who will usu-
ally just contrary to what we should. But now they that
would be Christ's disciples, roust not be thus self-willed,
but deny themselves the fulfilling of their own wills, when
it doth not consist with the will of God to have them ful-
filled. This our Lord and master hath taught us by his
example as well as precept, saying, Father, if thou be will-
ing remove this cup from me, nevertheless, not my will but
thine he done. Luke xxii. 42. Where v bserve that

our! viour, as man, could hoi 7e a natural

from death, as all men by natiu e have, and that
without sin. And though Christ's will, as man, was ne-
ver so pure and perfect, yet he only submits it to the will

254 THOUGHTS UPON SELP-DENIAL.

of God. He manifested indeed that it was the will of that
nature which he had assumed, not to suffer death, saying,
if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ; but he shews
withal, that the will of man must still be subject to the
will of God ; and that man, even as man, must deny his
own will, whensoever it runneth not exactly parallel with
God's, saying, nevertheless, not my will bid thine be done.

And if Christ himself denied his own pure and perfect
will, that his Father's might be accomplished, how much
more cause have we to deity our wills, which, by nature,
are always contrary to his will, yea, and to our own good
too, preferring generally that which is evil and destruc-
tive to us, before that which is truly good and advan-
tageous for us ? And verily a great part of true Christianity
consisteth in thus resigning our wills to God's not minding
so much which way our own inclinations bend, as what
his pleasure and command is. A notable instance where-
of we have in old Eli, who questionless could not but be
very willing that the iniquity of his sons might be forgiv*
en, and his family prosper in the world; yet however
when God had manifested his pleasure to him, that his
house should be destroyed, he submitted his own wholly
unto God's, saying, // is the Lord, let him do what seem-
eth him good, 1 Sam. iii. 18. And whosoever of us would
be Christ's disciple indeed, must be sure thus to deny and
renounce his own will, whensoever it appears to be con-
trary unto God's, so as even to will, that not his own will
but God's be fulfilled, as our Lord and master himself hath
taught us each day to pray, Thy will be done on earth as it
is in heaven. And whosoever hath learned this art of mak-
ing his own will bow and stoop to God's, hath made a very
good progress in the Christian religion, especially in that
part of it which requires us to deny ourselves.

And seeing we must deny our wills, we must needs deny
our affections too, which are indeed nothing else but the
several motions of the will towards good and evil ; but usu-
ally they are so disorderly and irregular, as to place them-
selves upon objects directly opposite to what they were
designed for ; for that we ordinarily love what we ought
to hate, and hate what we ought to love ; desire what we
ought to abhor, and abhor what we ought to desire ; re-
joice in those things which we ought to grieve for, and
are grieved at such things which we ought to rejoice in :
ao that if we suffer our affections to move according to
their natural tendency and corrupt inclinations, we shall

• THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENTAL. 255

be so far from going after Christ, that we shall continually
be running from him. And therefore it must be our great
care and study to bridle our affections, deny them their
unlawful, and fix them upon their proper objects ; yea, and
to deny ourselves too the lawful use of such things as our
affections are apt to be unlawfully placed upon. As for
example ; it is lawful, yea our duty to love our relations,
but if our love to them becomes exorbitant, so as to love
them more than God, our love to them must be turned
into hatred, in comparison of our love to him, Luke xiv. 26.
And whatsoever lawful thing it is that we take pleasure in,
if once we find that our pleasure in that extinguished, or
but damps that pleasure which we used, or ought to have
in God, we are to deny ourselves such pleasures as these
are, and rather despise ourselves than God.

Yea, we must deny ourselves moreover the use and en-
joyment of our estates and earthly possessions, whenso-
ever they come into competition with his glory : so that if
it comes to that point, that we must either leave our estates
to enjoy Christ, or leave Christ to enjoy our estates ; we
must be willing and ready, without any more ado, to aban-
don and renounce whatever else we have rather than our
interest in Christ. For indeed he is not worthy to be
.Christ's disciple that doth not prefer him before all things
else ; neither he that loves the world at all in comparison
of Christ: For if any man love the world, the love of the Fa-
ther is not in him, 1 John ii. 15. And therefore he that
would be Christ's disciple indeed, must fix his heart so fast
on Christ, that it must hang loose and indifferent as to all
things here below, being no more proud of them, no more
delighted in them, no more concerned about them, than
as if he had them not. So that though he have all things
beside Christ, he must have nothing but him, or at least in
comparison of him ; yea, be ready to part with all, that
he may gain Christ. And though many of us may think
this an hard saying, we may assure ourselves, it is no more
than what we must do, II we desire to be Christ's disciple,
Luke xiv. 33.

Furthermore, we must deny ourselves those sins espe-
cial!)-, and lusts which we have or do still indulge ourselves
in ; for thus the gospel teacheth you in a particular man-
ner, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, Tit. ii. 12. And
therefore we in vain pretend to be true Christians so long
as we live in any one known sin with any love unto it, or
it in it. I suppose none of my readers guilty of all

25G THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL.

sins, and I fear there are few but live in some. No man
but may be naturally averse from some sins, but it is very
rare to find one that is inclined to none ; for ordinarily eve-
ry man hath his darling, his beloved sin, his own sin, as
David himself once had, though he afterwards kept him-
self from it, Psal. xviii. 23. So I fear none of my readers
but have some sin, which he may in a peculiar manner call
his own, as being that which his thoughts run most upon,
and his desires are carried most unto, which he labours
most after, and takes most pleasure in, which he is most
loth to be reproved for, and most easily overcome by.
Now this and whatsoever other sins any of us are addicted
to, we must wholly leave and utterly renounce if ever we
desire to be Christ's disciples. And therefore so long as
any of us live in any known sin, as in pride or prodigality,
in oppression or covetousness, in malice or uncleanness, in
drunkenness, uncharitableness, or any other sin whatso-
ever we must not think ourselves to be Christians indeed.
Christ will never own us for his disciples ; for so long as
we live in any known sin, it is that sin, not Christ, that
is our master ; and therefore if we would list ourselves into
his service, we must be sure to deny ourselves whatsoever
we know to be offensive to him.

There is still another thing behind wherein we must-
deny ourselves, if we desire to go after Christ, and that is,
we must deny and renounce all our self-righteousness, and
all hopes and confidences from ourselves, and from what
we have done, which I look upon as a very great piece of
self-denial ; for naturally we are all prone to sacrifice to
our own nets, to burn incense to our own drags, to boast
of our own good works,' and to pride ourselves with the
conceit of our own righteousness. Though we be never
so sinful, we would not be thought to be so, but would
very fain be counted righteous, not only by men, but by
God himself, for something or other which ourselves do ;
though when all comes to all, we know not what that
should be : but howsoever the pride of our hearts is such,

that j i

adversaries in the world ; mankind in general being so
much in love with themselves, and doting upon what
themselves do, that they cannot endure to renounce and
vilify their own obedience and good works, so much as to
think they stand in need of any other righteousness be-

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENTAL. 257-

sides their own, as if their own righteousness was so per-
fect, that God himself could find no fault with it, nor
make any exceptions against it, but must needs acknow-
ledge them to be just and righteous persons for it.

Whereas, alas ! there is not the best action that ever a
mere mortal did, but if examined by the strict rules of jus-
tice, it is as far from being good, yea, so far, that God
himself may justly pronounce it evil, and by consequence
condemn the person that did it, for doing of it. And
therefore I cannot wonder what it is that any man doth or
can do, for which he can in reason be justified before God,
our very righteousness being, as the prophet tells, but as
filthy rags, and our most holy performances fraught with
sin and imperfection, and therefore so far from justifying
us, that we may justly be condemned for them ; but this
mankind doth not love to hear of, the pride of our hearts
being such, that by all means we must have something in
ourselves whereof to glory before God himself. But woe
be to that person who hath no other righteousness but his
own, wherein to appear before the judge of the whole
world, for however specious his actions may seem to men,
they will be adjudged sins before the eternal God.

He therefore that would come to Christ, although he
must labour after righteousness to the utmost of his power,
yet when he has done all, he must renounce it and look
upon himself as an unprofitable servant : For Christ came
not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Matt. ix.
15'. that is, lie came not to call such persons as think they
have righteousness enough of their oivn to serve their turns,
for such persons think they have no need of him, and there-
fore it would be in vain to call them ; but he calls sinners,
such as may perhaps be as righteous as the others, bid they
do not think themselves to be so, but look upon themselves as
undone for ever, unless they have something else to trust to,
than their oivn good works and obedience to the moral law.
Such persons therefore Christ came to call, and if they
come to him, they cannot but find rest and righteousness
in him ■ and if any of us desire to go after Christ, so as to
be his disciple, we must be sine to look upon ourselves as
sinners, as deserving nothing but wrath and vengeance for
whatsoever we hr-ve done ; we must renounce all our own
righteousness, and be so far from depending upon it, as
to think we have non^ to depend upon, for so really we
have not. And when we have laid aside all thoughts of
©IK own righteousness, as to the matter of justification be*

258 THOUGHTS -UPON SELF-DENIAL.

fore God, then and not till then, shall we be rightly qua-
lified to embrace another's, even that righteousness which
is by faith in Christ. Thus St. Paul, though he had as
much, yea more reason to trust in the flesh or in himself
than others ; for himself saith, That as touching the righte-
ousness of the law, he was blameless, Phil. iii. 6. Yet, saith
he, what things were gain to me, those / counted loss for
Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for
the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.
For whom I have suffered the loss of all thi?igs, and do count
them bid dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him,
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, bid
that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous?iess
which is of God- by faith, ver. 7, 8, 9. Thus therefore it
is that all those must do who desire to be as St. Paul was,
real disciples of Jesus Christ ; as we must forsake our sins,
so we must renounce our righteousness too. It is true, this
is a great and difficult part of self-denial, thus to deny our-
selves all that pride, pleasure and confidence, which we
used to take in the thoughts of our own righteousness and
obedience to the law of God j- but we must remember that
the first thing which our Saviour enjoins those that come
after him, is to deny themselves.

Thus I have shewn what it is in ourselves that we
must deny, and how it is that we must deny ourselves, if
we desire to go after Christ. We must deny ourselves the
curiosity of searching too much into the mysteries of the
gospel, by the light of our own clouded reason ; we must
deny our self-conceit, our self-love, self-interest, self-con-
fidence, and whatsoever proceeds from and terminates in
our sensual and sinful selves, so as to have no delight in,
nor dependance upon ourselves ; yea we must so deny
ourselves, as to be quite taken off of our former selves, and
become other creatures than what we were. Thus St. Am-
brose explains these words, saying, " Seipsum sibi homo
" abneget et totus mutetur, Let a man deny himself to
" himself, so as to be wholly changed from what he was."
But then you will say, what need is there of all this trou-
ble ; what reason can be given that a man must deny him-
self before he can be a true Christian ?

To this I answer, it is reason enough that Christ hath
commanded us to do it ; and surely he best knows whom
he will accept of as his disciples, and what is necessary to
be done in order to our being so : and he hath said in plain
terms, Jf any man will come after me, let him deny himself!,

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL. fc5g

implying, that he that doth not deny himself cannot go af-
ter him.

But besides that, there is an impossibility in the thing*
itself, that any one should be a true Christian, or go after
Christ, and not deny himself, as may be easily perceived,
if they will but consider what true Christianity requires
of us, and what it is to be a real Christian. A true Chris-
tian, we know, is one that lives by faith, and not by sight:
That looks not at the things which are seen, but at those things
which are not seen ; that believes whatsoever Christ hath
said, trusteth on whatsoever he hath promised, and obey-
eth whatsoever he hath commanded ; that receiveth Christ
as his only Priest to make atonement for him, as his only
Prophet to instruct, and as his only Lord and master to
rule and govern him. In a word, a Christian is one that
gives up himself and all he hath to Christ, who gave him-
self and all that he hath to him ; and therefore the very
notion of true Christianity implies and supposes the denial
of ourselves, without which it is as impossible for a man
to be a Christian, as it is for a subject to be rebellious
and loyal to his prince at the same time ; and therefore it
is absolutely necessary that we go out of ourselves before
we can go to him, wre must strip ourselves of our very
selves before we can put on Christ ; for Christ himself hath
told us that no man can serve two masters, for either he will
hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one,
and despise the other, Matt. vi. 24-. We cannot serve God
and mammon, Christ and ourselves too ; so that we must
either deny ourselves to go after Christ, or else deny Christ
to go after ourselves, so as to mind our own selfish ends
and designs in the world.

Wherefore I hope I need not use any other arguments to
persuade any to deny themselves in the sense already ex-
plained ; I dare say there is none amongst us but would
willingly be what we profess, even a real Christian, and
so go after Christ here, as to come to him hereafter. But
we have now seen how Christ himself told us, that we must
deny ourselves, if we desire to serve and enjoy him : and
verily it is an hard case if we cannot deny ourselves for
him who so far denied himself for us, as to lay down his
own life to redeem ours. He who was equal to God him-
self, yea, who himself was the true God, so far denied
himself as to become man, yea, a man of sorrows, and ac-
quainted with grief, for us ; and cannot we deny ourselves
so much as a fancy, a conceit, a sin or lust for him ? How

260 THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL.

then can we expect that he should own us for his friends,
his servants, or disciples ? No, he will never do it, nei-
ther can we in reason expect that he should give himself
and all the merits of his death and passion unto us, so long
as Ave think much to give ourselves to him, or to deny our-
selves for him. And therefore if we desire to be made par-
takers of those glorious things which he hath purchased
with his own most precious blood for the sons of men ; let
us begin here, indulge our flesh no longer, but deny our-
selves whatsoever God hath been pleased to forbid. And
for that end, let us endeavour each day more and more to
live above ourselves, above the temper of our bodies, and
above the allurements of the world, live as those who be-
lieve and profess that they are none of their own, but
Christ's ; his by creation, it was he that made us ; his by
preservation, it is he that maintains us ; and his by re-
demption, it is he that hath purchased and redeemed us
with his own blood. And therefore, let us deny ourselves
for the future to our very selves, whose we are not, and de-
vote ourselves to him whose alone we are ; by this we shall
manifest ourselves to be Christ's disciples indeed, especi-
ally if we do not only deny ourselves, but also take up our
cross and follow him ; which brings me to the second thing
which our blessed Saviour here requires of those who would
go after him, even to take up their cross.

Where, by the cross, we are to understand whatsoever
troubles or calamities, inward or outward, we meet with
in the performance of our'duty to God or man, which they
that would go after Christ must take up as they go along,
without any more ado, neither repining at them, nor sink-
ing under them, for we must not think that Christ invites
us to an earthly paradise of idleness or outward pleasure,
as if we had nothing to do or to suffer for him : for even as
men we cannot but find many crosses in the world, but as
Christians we must expect more, for Christ himself hath
told us, that in the world ?vc shall have tribulation, John
xvi. 53. And therefore whatsoever we meet with, is no
more than what we are to look for ; especially if we walk
uprightly in the way that leads to heaven, we cannot but
expect to meet with many a rub, for God himself hath told
us that it is through many tribulations that we must enter
into the kingdom o/ heaven, Acts xiv. 25. And therefore
we must not think to be carried up to heaven with the
breath of popular applause, nor to swim through a deluge
of carnal pleasures into the haven of everlasting happiness,

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL. 2(}i

No, we must look to be tossed to and fro in this world, as
in a raging and tempestuous ocean, and never look for per-
petual calmness and tranquillity, until we have got above
the clouds, yea, even above the sun and stars themselves.
This world was always a world of trouble, and ever will
be ; its very friends, and they that have their portion here,
can find no quiet nor satisfaction in it ; but the disciples
of Christ they, are not of this world, as Christ himself tells
us, John xvii. 14. And therefore no wonder if the world
frowns more upon them than others ; the way they walk in
is opposite to the world, it is enmity itself to the flesh,
and therefore no wonder if they meet with so much enmi-
ty and opposition here ; the way wherein they go after
Christ is a cross way, it is cross to sin, cross to Satan,
cross to the world, cross to our very selves as we are by
nature, and by consequence cross to all men in the world
but Christ's disciples ; and therefore it is no wonder they
meet with so many crosses in it. But howsoever, if we
desire to go after Christ, he hath told us beforehand what
we must expect ; as he hath borne the cross before us, he
expects that we now bear it after him ; yea, we must not
only bear it,^ but take it up too : not that we should run
ourselves into danger, but that we should baulk no duty
to avoid it, so as to be willing and ready to undergo the
greatest sufferings, rather than to commit the least sin, and
to run the greatest danger rather than neglect the smallest
duty. If whilst we are walking in the narrow path of ho-
liness, there happens to lie a cross in the way we must
not go on one side nor on the other side of it out of the path
we walk in, neither must we kick and spurn it, but we
must patiently take it up, and carry it along with us ; if it
be a little heavy at first, it will soon grow lighter, and
not at all hinder, but rather further our progress towards
heaven.

But here we must have a great care to understand our
Saviour's meaning, and so our own duty aright ; for we
must not think that every trouble we meet with in the
world is the cross of Christ, for we may suffer for our fan-
cy or humour, or perhaps for our sin and transgression of
the laws of God or men; and if so, it is our own cross,
not Christ's which we take upon us ; we may thank our-
selves for it; I am sure Christ hath no cause to thank us :
For this is thank-worthy, saith the apostle, if a man for
conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully,
1 Pet. ii. 19, 20. And therefore the duty which our Savi-

262 THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL.

our here imposeth on us in few terms is this, that we be
ready not only to do, but to suffer what we can for the
glory of God, and the furtherance of the gospel, and that
we omit no duty, nor commit any sin for fear of suffer-
ing ; nor think so much of any trouble that befals us for
Christ's sake, but rather to rejoice at it, even as the
apostles rejoiced, that they were counted worthy to suffer
shame for his name, Acts v. 41. Which was a clear instance
of their performing the duty here enjoined both them and
us, under the name of taking up our cross.

And I hope there is none of us can take it ill, that
Christ hath imposed so severe a duty upon us ; for we
may assure ourselves he requires no more of us than what
himself hath undergone before, so that we can suffer no-
thing for him but what he hath suffered before for us.
Have we grief and trouble in our hearts ? So had he,
Matt. xxvi. 38. Have we pains and tortures in our bo-
dies ? So had he, Matt, xxvii. 29, SO. Are we derided
and scoffed at? So was he, Matt, xxvii. 31. Are we ar-
raigned and condemned, yea, do we suffer death itself?
It is no more than what our Lord and master hath done
before. And let us remember what he told us when he
was upon the earth, The disciple is not above his Master,
nor the servant above his Lord, Matt. x. 24. If we be
Christ's disciples, we cannot expect to fare better in the
world than Christ himself did, neither indeed can we fare
so bad ; for it is impossible that we should undergo so
much for him as he hath undergone for us, ours being only
the sufferings of men, his the sufferings of one who was
God as well as man ; whereby sufferings in general are
sanctified to our human nature, it having already under-
gone them in the person of the Son of God ; so that it can
be now no disparagement at all to undergo any trouble, as
hatred, reproach, poverty, pain, yea, death itself, or any
other calamity, whatsoever in this world, seeing the Son
of God himself, he that made the world, underwent the
same while himself was in it. And therefore we need not
think it below us to stoop down and take up the cross of
Christ, as considering that Christ hath borne it before us,
hath so blessed and sanctified it unto us, that it is now be-
come an honourable, and advantageous, yea, and a pleasant
cross, to them that bear it patiently, thankfully, and con-
stantly, as they ought to do, especially seeing it is such a
cross as leads unto a crown ; whatsoever we can do or suf-
fer for Christ here, will be fully recompensed with glory

THOUGHTS UPON SELF-DENIAL. 26*

hereafter; and therefore instead of being troubled to take
up our cross, we are rather to rejoice that we have any to
take up.

Thus we see in few words, what it is which our Savi-
our commands us, when he enjoins us to deny ourselves,
and take up our cross ; even that we do not gratify our-
selves in any thing that is ungrateful unto him, nor grudge
to take up any cross, or suffer any trouble we meet with
in the world for his sake, thinking nothing too dear to
forsake, nor any thing too heavy to bear for him, who
thought not his own life too dear, nor the cross itself too
heavy to bear for us. What now remains, but that know-
ing our Saviour's pleasure we should all resolve to do it ?
There is none of us but hope and desire to be saved by him ;
but that we can never be, unless we observe what he hath
prescribed in order to our salvation : and amongst other
things, we see how he hath commanded us to deny our-
selves, and to take up our cross. As any of us therefore
desire to be Christians indeed, so as to see Christ's face
With comfort in another world, let us bethink ourselves
seriously what sins we have hitherto indulged ourselves in.
I fear there are but few, if any amongst us, but are con-
scious to themselves, that they have, and do still live, ei-
ther in the constant neglect of some known duty, or else
in the frequent commission of some beloved sin : what that
is, I dare not undertake to tell, but leave that to God and
to men's own consciences ; only I desire them to deal faith-
fully with their own souls, and not suffer themselves
to be fooled into a fond and vain persuasion that they have
any interest in Christ, or are truly his disciples, until they
deny themselves that sin, whatsoever it is, which they
have hitherto indulged themselves in. And let us not think
that we shall deny ourselves any real pleasure or profit,
by renouncing our sins ; for what pleasure can we have in
displeasing God ; or profit in losing our own souls ? No,
we shall gratify ourselves, more than we can imagine, by
denying ourselves, as much as we are able, whatsoever is
offensive or displeasing unto God ; for we may be sure, he
that came into the world on purpose to save us from evil,
commands us nothing but for our own good ; neither would
he ever have obliged us to deny ourselves, if we could
have been saved without it ; and as for the cross, that he
was so well acquainted with, that he would never have
imposed it upon us to take it up, but that it is indispensi-
bly necessary for us. And therefore if we be what we

26l THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO

pretend, real and true Christians, let us manifest it to the
world, and to our own consciences, by denying our-
selves whatsoever Christ hath denied us, and by observ-
ing whatsoever he hath commanded us, even to the tak-
ing up of any cross that he for his own sake shall suffer to
be laid upon * us ; still remembering, that self-denial,
though it be unpleasant, is a most necessary duty ; and
the cross, though it be never so heavy, is but short, and
hath nothing less than a crown annexed unto it, a glorious
and eternal crown, which all those shall most certainly
obtain, who deny themselves.

,\\V\V\VIWW\>

THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO EN-
TER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE.

4 S certainly as we are here now, it is not long but we
-£"*- shall all be in another world : either in a world of
happiness, or else in a world of misery ; or, if you will,
either in heaven or in hell. For these are the two only
places which all mankind, from the beginning of the world
to the end of it, must live in for evermore, some in the
one, some in the other, according to their carriage and be-
haviour here • and therefore it is worth the while to take a
view and prospect now and then of both these places, and
it will not be amiss if we do it now; for which end, I de-
sire the reader, in his serious and composed thoughts, to
attend me first into the celestial mansions, above yonder
glorious sun and the stars themselves, where not only the
cherubims pnd seraphims, angels and archangels, but
many also of our brethren, the sons of men, at this very
moment are enjoying the presence, and singing forth the
praises of the most high God. There are the spirits of just
men made perfect, perfect in themselves, and perfect in
all their actions, perfectly free from all both sin and mise-
ry, perfectly free of all true grace and glory, all their fa-
culties being reduced to that most perfect and excellent
frame and constitution, that their understandings are con-
tinually taken up with the contemplations of the supreme
truth, and their wills in the embracement of their chiefest
good ; so that all the inclinations of their souls rest in
God as in their proper centre, in whom by consequence
they enjoy as much as they can desire, yea as much as

ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 2b5 .

they can be made capable of desiring: for all those infinite
perfections that are concentred in God himself, are now
in their possession, to solace and delight themselves in the
full and perfect enjoyment of them ; by which means they
are as happy as God himself can make them ; insomuch
that at this very moment methinks we may all behold them
so ravished, so transported with their celestial joys, that
it may justly strike us into admiration, how ever creatures
which were once sinful, could be made so pure, so perfect,
and altogether so happy as they are. And could we but
leave our bodies for a while below, and go up to take a
turn in the New Jerusalem that is above, we could
not but be ravished and transported at the very sight both
of the place and inhabitants, every one being far more glo-
rious than the greatest emperors of this world, with no-
thing less than crowns of glory on their heads, and scep-
tres of righteousness in their hands ; where they think of
nothing but the glory of God, discourse of nothing but
praising him, do nothing but adore and worship him :
in a word, whatsoever is agreeable to our natures, what-
soever is desirable to our souls, whatsoever can any
way conduce to make men happy, is fully, perfectly,
eternally enjoyed, by all and every person that is in
heaven. Whereas on the other side, if we bring down
our thoughts from heaven, and send them as low as hell,
to consider the most deplorable estate and condition of those
who inhabit the regions of darkness, them we shall find as
miserable as the others are happ3' ; not only in that they
are deprived of the vision and fruition of the chiefest good,
but likewise in that they are in continual pain and torment,
as great as infinite justice can adjudge them to, and infi-
nite power inflict upon them, insomuch that could we lay
our ear to the entrance of that bottomless pit, what bowl-
ings and shriekings should we hear, what weeping and
wailing, and gnashing of teeth in the midst of those infer-
nal flames, where, as our Saviour himself tells us, The
worm dieth not, and the Jire is not quenched, Mark ix. 44.
That is, where the consciences are always gnawed and
tormented with the remembrance of their former sins, and
the fire of God's wrath is continually burning in them, ne-
ver to be quenched or abated : for certainly as the smiles and
favour of the eternal God constitute the joys of heaven, so
do his frowns and anger make up the flames of hell. To
see him that made us displeased with us, to see mercy it-
self to frown upon us, to see the great and all-glorious

M

266 THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO

Creator of the world, the chiefest good, to look angrily
upon us, and to shew himself offended at us, and incens-
ed against us ! Methinks the very thoughts of it are suffici-
ent to make the stoutest heart amongst us tremble. But
then what shall we think of those poor souls that see and
feel it ? What shall we think of them ? Questionless they
are more miserable than we are able to think them to be.
For we cannot possibly conceive either the greatness of
heaven's glory, or the sharpness of hell's torments ; only
this we know, and may be certain of, that whatsoever is
ungrateful to their minds> whatsoever is troublesome to
their thoughts, whatsoever is contrary to their desires,
whatsoever is painful to their bodies, or whatsoever is or
can be destructive and tormenting to their souls, that, all
they who are once in hell shall fear and feel, and that for ever.

But this is too sad and doleful a subject to insist on long,
neither should I have mentioned it, but for our own good,
and to prepare us the better, both for the understanding
and improving the advice of our Saviour, Matt. vii. 13,
14. Enter ye in at the strait gate, &c. The meaning of
which words, in brief, maybe reduced to these three heads :

First, That it is an easy matter to go to hell, that
place of torments we have now been describing, and by
consequence that many go thither ; for the gate is wide,
and the way is broad that leadeth thither.

Secondly, That it is a hard and difficult thing to get to
heaven, that place of joys we before spake of, and by conse-
quence that but few get thither ; For strait is the gate and
narrow is the way that leadeth to it.

Lastly, Howsoever difficult it is, our Saviour would
have us strive to get to heaven, so as to pass through that
strait gate, and walk in that narrow way that leadeth unto
life.

As for the first, that the gate is wide, and the way
broad that leads to hell, or that it is an easy matter to go
thither, I need not use many words to prove it. For though
there be but few that mind it, I dare say there is scarce
any one but believes it, yea, and hath oftentimes found it
to be true by experience, even that it is an easy matter to
sin, and that, we know, is the broad way that leads to
hell ; so broad, that they who walk in it can find no
bounds or limits in it, wherewithin to contain themselves ;
neither are they ever out of their way, but go which way
they will, they are still in the ready way to ruin and de-
struction. And usually it is as plain as broad, so that men

ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 267

rarely meet with any roughness or trouble in it, but rather
with all the pleasures and delights which they desire, who
look no higher than to please the flesh ; yea, whatsoever
it is that they naturally desire, they still meet with it in
the road to hell ; and whatsoever is ungrateful and irk-
some to them, they are never troubled with k in the ways
of sin. There are no crosses to be taken up, no self to be
denied, but rather indulged and gratified ; there are no
such tedious and troublesome things as examining our
hearts, and mortifying our lusts, as praying or hearing,
as fasting or watching : these are only to be found in the
narrow path that leads to heaven ; the broad way to hell
is altogether unacquainted with them, being strewed ail
along with carnal pleasures and sensual delights, with po-
pular applause, and earthly riches, and such fine things as
silly mortals use to be taken with.

And hence it is, that our Saviour tells us, many there
be which find this way, and go in at this wide gate that
leads to ruin, because they see not whither it leads, but
they see the baits and allurements which are in it, which
they cannot but crowd about as fishes about the hook, or
as flies about a candle, till they be destroyed. Yea, this
way to destruction is so broad, that almost all the world is
continually walking in it ; the gate so wide, that thou-
sands at a time pass through it. And therefore we may
well conclude it is a very easy thing to go to that place of
torments, which even now we speak of, or rather that it
is an hard, a difficult matter to keep out of it, the way be-
ing so narrow that carries from it, that it is a difficult thing
to find it ; and the way so broad that leads unto it, that
none can miss of it that hath but a mind to walk in it.

But I hope none of my readers have, God forbid they
should have, a mind to go to hell ; their taking religious
books into their hands is rather an argument that they have
a mind to go to heaven, and read on purpose to learn the
way thither. And we do well to take all opportunities of
finding out the way to bliss • for we may assure ourselves
it is a very narrow one, it is hard to find it out, but much
more hard to walk in it ; for it is a way very rarely trod-
den, so that there is scarce any path to be seen, most peo-
ple go either on one side, or else on the other side of it ;
some running into the by-paths of error, heresy or schism,
others into the broad way of profhneness or security : in-
somuch that there are but very few that hit upon the right
path that leads directly to the New Jerusalem, the place
M 2

26S THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO

of rest. I speak not this of myself ; no, Christ himself that
came from heaven to earth, on purpose to shew us the way
from earth to heaven, saith, That strait is the gate and nar-
row is the way that leadeth unto life, and Jew there be that
Jind it.

And let not any think that Christ spake these words in
vain, or thatit is no great matter whether we believewhat he
said or no. For questionless, one great reason why so few
ever come to heaven, is because most think it so easy to get
thither, that they need not take any care or pains about it.
For even amongst ourselves, to whom the gospel is so
clearly revealed, men generally think if they do but read
the scriptures, and hear sermons, and live honestly with
their neighbours, so as to harm no body, but pay every one
their own, then they shall as surely come to heaven as if they
were there already ; nay, many are so simple as to think
that their separation from the church militant on earth is
the way to bring them to the church triumphant in hea-
ven ; and others so ridiculous as to believe that a death-bed
repentance is sufficient to entitle them to eternal life. But
stay a while: it is not so easy a matter to get to heaven. In-
deed to me it seems one of the greatest mysteries in the
world, that ever any man or woman should come thither ;
that such sinful worms as we are, who are born in sin,
and live so long in sin and rebellion against the great
Creator of the world, should ever be received so far into
his grace and favour as to enjoy life and eternal happiness
in him. And did we look no farther than ourselves, we
might justly despair of ever obtaining such transcendant
glory which we are altogether so unworthy, of. But the
goodness of God both is and hath been so great to man-
kind, that there is none of us but, in and through the me-
rits of Christ Jesus, is in a capacity of it. Yet we must
not think that it is so easy a thing to come to heaven, as the
devil, the world, and our own base hearts, would per-
suade us it is : if we do, we are never likely to come thi-
ther ; no, we may assure ourselves, as heaven is the great-
est good that we can attain, so doth it require our great-
est care and study imaginable to attain it.

This therefore is that which I shall endeavour to convince
men of, and account myself happy if I can do it. For I
dare say, there is none of us but desires to see Christ in
glory, and to be happy with him and in him for ever ; but
that we can never be, unless we do whatsoever is requir-
ed of us in order to it ; and if we think it is so easy a mat-

ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 9,G§

ter to do whatsoever is required of us, I have just cause to
suspect that we never yet made trial of it, nor set ourselves
seriously upon the performance of those duties which are
enjoined us here in reference to our being happy for ever.
For if we have set upon it in good earnest, we cannot but
have found it very hard and difficult, by reason of our na-
tural averseness from what is good, and inclinations unto
evil. For we all know, that without holiness no man shall
see the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. So that holiness is the way,
the direct and only way, that leads to heaven ; neither is
there any way imaginable of being happy hereafter, but
by being holy here. And though it be an easy thing to
profess holiness, and to perform some external acts of it;
yet to be truly pious and holy indeed, so as we must be if
• ever we would go to heaven, this is every wit as difficult
as the other is easy.

For first I suppose all will grant that he is not truly holy
that lives in any known sin, as the apostle also intimates,
saying, He that is born of God doth not commit sin, 1 John
iii. 9. And therefore he that still indulgeth himself in the
commission of any known sin, he is not yet regenerate, or
born of God, he is not truly holy. So that to our being
so holy here, as that we may be happy hereafter, it is ab-
solutely and indispensibly necessary that we forsake and
avoid to the utmost of our power whatsoever is offensive
unto God, and contrary to his laws. But it is as difficult
as it is necessary to forsake sin as we ought to do. It is
an easy matter, I confess, to rail at sin, to backbite others,
to blame ourselves for it. But that is not the business ;
but to loathe our sins as much as ever we loved them, to
abhor them as much as ever we desired them, and to be as
much averse from them as ever we were inclined to them ;
to forsake sin as sin, and by consequence all sins whatso-
ever, one as well as another ; so as to deny ourselves all
that pleasure we were wont to take in any sin, and all that
seeming profit which we used to receive by it, and that too
out of love to God, and fear of his displeasure : this is to
forsake sin indeed, but it is sooner spoken of than done ;
and it requires a great deal of time, and skill, and pains,
to get so great a conquest over ourselves as this is, to cut
off our right hand, to pluck out our right eye, and cast it
from us ; even renounce and forsake those very beloved
and darling sins, which the temper and constitution of
our bodies, the corruption of our hearts, and constant cus-
tom and practice hath made in a manner natural to us.
M 3

270 THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO

So that our very natures must be changed before we can
ever leave them. And therefore it must needs be a mat-
ter of as great difficulty as it is of moment to master and
subdue those sins and lusts that have been long predomi-
nant in us ; which I dare say many of us have found by
our own sad and woeful experience, having struggled per-
haps many years against some corruption, and yet to this day
have not got it under, nor totally subdued it. And it is
such, and such alone, who are competent judges in this
case ; for they that never strove against their sins, cannot
know how strong they are, nor how hard it is to conquer
them. And therefore it is to those who have made it their
business to destroy and mortify their lusts, that I appeal
whether it be not hard to do it. I am confident they can-
not but have found it, and therefore must needs acknow-
ledge it to be so ; and by consequence that it is no easy
matter to get to heaven, seeing it is so hard to keep out of
hell, and to avoid those sins which otherwise will certainly
bring us thither ; every sin unrepented of having eternal
punishment entailed upon it.

And if it be so hard to forsake sin, how difficult must
it needs be to perform all those duties, and to exert all
those graces which are necessarily required, in order to
our attaining everlasting happiness. It is true, praying
and hearing, which are the ordinary means for the obtain-
ing true grace and holiness, are duties very common and
customary amongst us, but they are never the easier be-
cause they are common, but rather far more difficult. For
we being accustomed to a careless and perfunctory per-
forming these duties, cannot but find it an hard and diffi-
cult matter to keep our hearts so close unto them, as to
perform them as we ought to do, and so as that we may
be really said to do them. For we must not think that sit-
ting at church while the word of God is preached, is hear-
ing the word of God, or being present there while prayers
are read, is real praying : no, no, there is a deal more re-
quired than this to our praying to the great God aright ;
insomuch that, for my own part, I really think that pray-
er, as it is the highest, so is it the hardest duty that we
can be engaged in. All the faculties of our souls, as well
as members of our bodies, being obliged to put forth them-
selves in their seyeral capacities, to the due performance
of it.

And as for these several graces and virtues which our
souls must be adorned withal, before ever they can come

ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 271

to heaven, though it be easy to talk of them, it is not
so to act them. I shall instance only in some i'ew ; as to
love God above all things, and other things only for God's
sake; to hope on nothing but God's promises, and to fear
nothing but his displeasure ; to love other men's persons
so as to hate their vices, and so to hate their vices as still
to love their persons ; not to covet riches when we have
them not, nor trust on them when we have them ; to deny
ourselves that we may please God, and to take up our
cross that we may follow Christ ; to live above the world
whilst we are in it, and to despise it whilst we use it ; to
be always upon our watch and guard, strictly observing not
only the outward actions of our life, but the inward motions
of our hearts; to hate those very sins which we used to love,
and to love those very duties which we used to hate; to choose
the greatest affliction before the least sin, and to neglect
the getting of the greatest gain, rather than the perform-
ing of the smallest duty ; to believe truths which we can-
not comprehend, merely upon the testimony of one whom
we never saw ; to submit our wills to God's, and to de-
light ourselves in obeying him ; to be patient under suffer-
ings, and thankful for all the troubles we meet with here
below ; to be ready and willing to do and suffer any thing
we can for him who hath done and suffered so much for
us ; to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, relieve the in-
digent, and rescue the oppressed to the utmost of our
power : in a word, to be every way as pious towards God,
as obedient to Christ, as loyal to our prince, as faithful to
our friends, as loving to our enemies, as charitable to the
poor, as just in our dealings, as eminent in all true graces
and virtues, as if we were to be saved by it, and yet by
no confidence in it, but still look upon ourselves as unpro-
fitable servants, and depend upon Christ, and Christ alone,
for pardon and salvation.

I suppose I need not tell any one that it is hard and dif-
ficult to perform such duties, and to act such graces as these
are ; but this let me tell the reader, that how hard, how
difficult soever it is, it must be done, if ever we design to
come to heaven, and by consequence it is no easy matter to
come thither. Seeing therefore the way that leads to hea-
ven is thus narrow, and hard, it is no wonder that there
are few that walk in it, or indeed that find it out, as our
Saviour himself assures us ; for people generally love to
swim with the stream, to run with the multitude, though
M 4

2/2 THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO

it be into the gulf of sin and misery. It is very rare to find
one walking in the narrow way, and keeping himself with-
in those bounds and limits wherewith it is inclosed ; and
this seems to have been the occasion of these words in the
gospel of St. Luke, where one said unto Christ, Lord, arc
there few that be saved ? And our Saviour answered in
these words, Strive to enter in at the strait gate : Foi* many,
£ say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able,
Luke xiii. 23, 24. Intimating, not only that there are
few that shall be saved, but likewise that many of those
who seek to be saved shall not attain it; not as if any of those
who really and cordially made it their business to look af-
ter heaven, can ever miss of it ; but, that many of those
who presuming upon their seeming obedience and good
works shall think and seek that way to enter into the king-
dom of God, shall not be able. For many will say unto
me at that day, saith he, Lord, Lord, have we not pro-
phesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils,
and in thy name done many wonderful works ? and
then I will profess unto them, I never knew you : depart
from me, ye that work iniquity, Matt. vii. 22, 23. And
if many of those who are great professors of religion, and
make a plausible shew of piety in the world, shall not-
withstanding come short of eternal happiness, and if out
of those ?nany which are called there are but Jew chosen,
Matt. xx. 16. we may well conclude there are but few in-
deed that walk in the narrow path that leads to life, in
comparison of those innumerable multitudes that continu-
ally flock together in the broad way that leads to ruin and
destruction. One great reason whereof is, because men
generally, though they desire to go to heaven, yet will
not believe it to be so hard a thing as it really is, to get
thither; and therefore setting aside the superficial per-
formance of some few external duties, they give themselves
no trouble, nor take any pains about it ; as if heaven was
so contemptible a thing, that it is not worth their while to
look after it ; or howsoever, as if it was so easy a thing to
attain it, that they cannot miss it whether they look after"
it or no. Whereas questionless, as heaven is the greatest
happiness that we are capable of, so it is the hardest mat-
ter in the world for any of us to attain it.

I say not this to discourage any one, but rather to ex-
cite and encourage all to a greater care and diligence in the
prosecution of eternal happiness, than ordinarily men seem
to have. It is my hearty desire and prayer that every

ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 273

soul among us may live and be happy for ever ; but that
we can never be, unless we be serious, earnest and con-
stant in looking after it, more than after all things in the
world besides. And therefore it is that I have endeavour-
ed to convince men that it is not so easy a thing as they
make it, to go to heaven, the path being so exceeding nar-
row that leads unto it ; which I hope by this time we are
all persuaded of, so as to be resolved within ourselves to
play no longer with religion, but to set upon it in good
earnest, so as to make it not only our great, but Our only
business and design in this world to prepare for another,
and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling,
and by consequence to walk in that narrow way of true
piety and virtue that leads to heaven, without going aside
into the vices on either hand ; or howsoever to use the ut-
most of our endeavour to observe the rules which Christ
hath prescribed us, in order to our living with him for
ever. And oh that I knew what words to take unto my-
self, and what arguments to use, whereby to prevail with
every soul of us to make it our business to get to heaven ;
and by consequence to walk directly in the narrow way,
and through the strait gate that leads unto it. What in-
fluence or effect they may have upon the readers, I know
not, howsoever I shall endeavour to present them with some
such considerations, as I hope, by the blessing of God,
and the assistance of his grace, may be so forcible and pre^
valent upon them, if seriously weighed, that they should
not methinks be able to resist them.

Let us consider therefore in the first place, that though
it be never so hard to get to heaven, yet it is possible ; and
though there be but few that come thither, yet there are
some ; and why may not you and I be in the number of
those few as well as others ? There are many perfect and
glorious saints in heaven at this moment, which once were
sinful creatures upon earth as we now are ; but it seems
the way thither was not so narrow but they could walk in
it, nor the gate so strait but they could pass through it |
and why may not we as well as they ? We have the same
natures whereby we are capable of happiness as they had ;
we have the same scriptures to direct us to it as they had ;
we have the same promises of assistance as they had ; we
have the same Saviour as they had, and why then may we
not get to the same place where they are ? Is the way more
narrow, and the gate more strait to us than it was to
them ? No, surely, it is every way the same. Why then
M 5.

2?4 THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO

should we despair of ever attaining everlasting glory, see-
ing we are as capable of it as any one who hath yet attain-
ed it, ? It is true, if no mortal men had ever got to heaven,
or God had said none ever can get thither, then indeed it
would be in vain for us to expect it, or to use any means to
attain it ; but seeing many of our brethren are already
there, and many more will follow after them, and we are
as capable of coming to them as any other, the straitness of
the gate, the narrowness of the way, or the difficulty of
getting thither, should never discourage us from endea-
vouring after it, no more than it did them, but rather
make us more diligent in the prosecution of it : especially
considering in the next place that we are not only as yet
in a capacity of getting to heaven, but we are all invited
thither, and that by God himself, for he would have all
men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the
truth, 1 Tim. ii. 4. Yea, he hath sworn by himself,
saying, As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure
in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn
from his way and live ; and therefore call upon us all,
Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die,
0 house of Israel ! Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Hence it is that he
sent his prophets to invite us, Ho, every one that thirst-
eth, come ye to the waters, Isaiah lv. 1. Yea, he came
down in his own person to earth, on purpose to invite us
to heaven, and to direct us the way thither : Come to me,
saith he, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest, Matt. xi. 2Q. For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only beg'Jten Son, that whosoever believcth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John iii.
16. Whence we may observe, that there is no exception
made against any person whatsoever, nor by consequence
against any of us. It is the will, yea, and command of
God too, that we all turn from our evil way and live, and
that every soul amongst us walk in that narrow way that
leads to eternal bliss ; and therefore if any of us do perish,
Our blood will be upon our own heads, our destruction is from
ourselves, Hos. xiii. 9. For it is nothing but the perverse-
ness of our own hearts, that can keep any soul of us out of
heaven, however difficult it is to ccme thither. For God
hath shewn how desirous he is to have our company there,
in that he is still pleased to grant us both the space and
means of repentance. If he had no mind to have us saved,
he could have shut us up long ago in hell ; but he is so
far from that, that he doth not only as yet continue our

ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 275

abode on earth, and lengthen our tranquillity here, but he
still Vouchsafes unto us whatsoever is necessary, yea,
whatsoever can anyways conduce to our eternal happiness;
we have his scriptures, we have his sabbaths, we have his
ordinances, we have his sacraments, we have his minis-
ters, we have the promise of his Spirit, we have the over-
tures of Christ, and of all the merits of his death and pas-
sion made unto us ; and what can be desired more to
make men happy : and yet as if all this had not been
enough, he still continues calling upon us, exhorting, com-
manding, yea, and beseeching us most affectionately to
turn, that our souls may live ; for we his ministers are am-
bassadors to mankind for Christ, as though God did be-
seech you by us : We pray you in Christ's stead to be re-
conciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 20. And he hath sent me unto
you that read this, in a particular manner at this time, to
call you back out of the broad way that leads to death, into
the narrow way that leads to life and happiness ; in his
name, therefore I exhort, yea, and beseech you by the mer-
cies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service,
Rom. xii. 3. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, and never
leave till you have got possession of eternal glory.

Nor let us be discouraged at any difficulties that we
meet with in the way, for they will soon be over ; howso-
ever hard and difficult any duty may seem at first, by use
and custom it will soon grow easy. The worst is at our
first setting out ; when once we have been used a while to
walk in this narrow way, we shall find it to be both easy
and pleasant : for, as the wise man tells us, the ways of
wisdom or true piety arc ways of pleasantness, and all her
paths are peace, Prov. iii. 17. Though it be rough at first,
by treading it will soon grow plain ; we shall soon find the
words of Christ to be true, that his yoke is easy, and his
burthen light, Matt. xi. 39. All is but to be willing and
obedient, and resolved upon it, to press through all diffi-i
culties whatsoever to get to heaven, and then by the me^
rits of Christ's passion, and the assistance of his grace, we
need not fear but we shall come thither.

And verily, although the way to Leaven should prove
not only narrow, but hedged in with briars and thorns, sq
that we should meet with nothing but crosses and troubles
in our going to it, yet heaven will make amends for all,
For we may well reckon with the apostle, that the suffer*
U 6

2?<5 THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO

ings of i his life are not worthy to be compared with the glory
that shall be revealed in us, Rom. viii. 18. So that whatso-
ever pains we are at, whatsoever trouble we suffer in or-
der to our attaining everlasting happiness, bears no pro-
portion at all to the happiness we attain by it ; which is so
great, so exceeding great, that our tongues can neither ex-
press, nor our minds as yet conceive it ; consisting not
only in the freedom from all evil, but also in the enjoy-
ment of what is really and truly good ; even whatsoever
can any way conduce to the making us perfectly and com-
pletely happy : so that no duty can be too great to under-
take, no trouble too heavy to undergo for it. Wherefore,
that I may use the w ords of the apostle to my readers, My
beloved brethren, be ye stedfast and immoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know
that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor.
xv. 58.

By this time I hope we are all resolved within ourselves
to follow our Saviour's counsel and advice, even to strive to
enter in at the strait gate, and walk in that narrow way that
leads to life. If we be not, we have just cause to suspect
ourselves to be in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of
iniquity ; but if we be but resolved in good earnest, we
cannot but be very solicitous to know what we must do in
order to it, or Iioav every one of us may enter in at the
strait gate, so as to be happy for ever ? A question of the
highest importance imaginable ; so that it is absolutely ne-
cessary for every soul amongst us to be thoroughly resolv-
ed in it, for it concerns our life, our immortal and eternal
life ; and therefore I shall endeavour to resolve it in as few
and perspicuous terms as possibly I can, that the meanest
capacity may understand it. But I must take leave to say
beforehand, that our knowing of it will signify nothing,
unless we practise it, neither will you be ever the nearer
heaven, because you know the way to it, unless you also
walk in it.

And therefore the first thing I shall propound, in order
to our eternal salvation, is, that we would resolve imme-
diately in the presence of almighty God, that we will for
the future make it our great care, study and business in
this world, to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness
thereof, in the first place, according to our Saviour's advice
and command, Mat:, vi. S3, that we would not halt any
longer between two opinions, and think to seek heaven
and earth together, things diametrically opposite to one

ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 2j(

another. If we really think earth to be better than hea-
ven, what need we trouble ourselves any farther, than to
heap up the riches, and to enjoy the pleasures of this
world ? But if we really think heaven to be better than
earth, as all wise men must needs do, then let us mind
that, and concern not ourselves about this. We know
what our Saviour told us long ago, No man can serve two
masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other,
or else he will hold with the one, and despise the other : ye
cannot serve God and mammon, Matt. vii. 14. that is, in
plain English, we cannot mind heaven and earth both to-
gether ; for we can have but one grand and principal de-
sign in the world; and therefore if our principal design be to
get wealth or any earthly enjoyment, we deceive ourselves,
if we think that we mind heaven at all. For that we can
never properly be said to do, until we mind it before all
things whatsoever in the world besides ; and let us not say,
or think within ourselves, that it is an hard saying, for we
may assure ourselves it is no more than what we shall find
to be really true ; and that never a soul of us shall ever
know what heaven is, that doth not first prefer it before
all things here below, and by consequence make it his
principal, if not only design to get thither.

Supposing us therefore to be thus resolved within our-
selves, my next advice is, that we break off our former
sins by repentance, and shewing mercy to the poor, and
that for the future we live not in the wilful commission of
any known sin, nor yet in the wilful neglect of any known
duty. Where it is evident, I advise to no more than what
all men know themselves to be obliged to do ; for I dare
say, there is none of us know so little, but what if he
would but live up to what he knows, he could not be but
both holy and happy. Let us but avoid what we our-
selves know to be sin, and do what we know to be our
duty, and though our knowledge may not be so great as
others, yet our piety may be greater and our condition bet-
ter. But we must still remember, that one sin will keep
us out of heaven as well as twenty ; and therefore, if we
ever desire to come thither, we must not only do some or
many things, but all things, whatsoever is required of us,
to the best of our knowledge. I speak not this of myself^
but Christ himself hath told us the same before, even that
we must keep the commandments, all the commandments,
it' we desire to enter into eternal life, Matt. xix. 16", 17.
Not as if it was indispensibly necessary to observe every

«78 THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING, &C.

punctilio and circumstance of the moral law, for then no
man could be saved ; but that it must be both our sted-
fast resolution, and our chief study and endeavour to avoid
whatsoever we know to be forbidden, and to perform what*
soever we know to be commanded by God.

And though by this we shall make a fair progress in the
narrow way to life, yet there is still another step behind,
before we can enter in at the strait gate, and that is to be-
lieve in Jesus Christ, as our Saviour himself has taught us,
Matt. xix. 21. The sum of which duty in brief is this, that
when we have done all we can in obedience to the moral
law, yet we must still look upon ourselves as unprofitable
servants, and not expect to be justified or saved by virtue
of that obedience, but only the merits of Christ's death
and passion ; humbly confiding that, in and through him,
the defects of our obedience shall be remitted, our persons
accepted, our natures cleansed, and our souls eternally
saved. This is not only the principal, but the only thing
which Paul and Silas directed the keeper of the prison to,
in order to his salvation, as comprehending all the rest un-
der it, or at least supposing them, Acts xvi. 31.

Thus therefore, though obedience be the way, faith is
the gate through which we must enter into life. But see-
ing the gate is strait as well as the way narrow, and it is
as hard to believe in Christ as to observe the law, we must
not think to do either by our own strength, but still im-
plore the aid and assistance of almighty God, and depend
upon him for it. For Christ himself saith, No man can
come unto me, except the Father which sent me, draiv him,
John vi. M. But we can never expect that he should
draw us, unless we desire it of him ; and therefore it must
be our daily prayer and petition at the throne of grace,
that God would vouchsafe us his especial grace and assist-
ance, without which I cannot see how any one that knows
his own heart, can expect to be saved. But our comfort
is, if we do what We can, God will hear our prayers, and
enable us to do what otherwise we cannot ; for he never yet
did, nor ever will fail any man that sincerely endeavours
to serve and honour him.

Lastly, Although we are to trust in God for the answer
of our prayers in this particular, yet we must not expect
that he should do it immediately from himself, but wTe must
use those means which himself hath appointed whereby to
work faith, and by consequence all other graces in us.
Now the scripture tells us that faith comes -by hearing.

THOUGHTS UPON THE IMITATION OF CHRIST. 27&

Rom. x. 17. Wherefore, if we desire to believe, so as to
be saved, we must wait upon God in his public ordinances,
and there expect such influences of his grace and Spirit
whereby we may be enabled to walk in the narrow way,
and enter in at the strait gate that leads to life.

Thus I have shewn you in a few terms, how to do the
great work which you came into the world about, even
how to get to heaven, For howsoever hard it is to come
hither, let us but resolve, as we have seen, to mind it be-
fore all things else, fear God and keep his commandments
to the utmost of our power, believe in Christ for the par-
don of our sins, and acceptance both of our persons and
performances ; pray sincerely to God, and wait diligently
upon him for the assistance of his grace, to do what he re-
quires from us. Let us do this, and we need not fear but
our souls shall live. If we leave "this undone, we ourselves
shall be undone for ever. And therefore let me advise all
to dally no longer in a matter of such consequence as this,
but now know the way to heaven, to turn immediately
into it, and walk constantly in it. Though the way be
narrow, it is not long, and though the gate be strait, it
opens into eternal life. And therefore to conclude, let us
remember we have now been told how to get to heaven ;
it is not in my power to force men thither, whether they
will or no ; I can only shew them the way. It is their in-
terest as well as duty to walk in it ; which if they do, I
dare assure them in the name of Christ, it is not long but
they will be admitted into the choir of heaven, to sing hal-
lelujahs for evermore.

iv»\«\v»

THOUGHTS UPON THE IMITATION
OF CHRIST.

IF we seriously consider with ourselves, that wonder of
all wonders, that mystery of all mysteries, the incarna-
tion of the Son of God, it may justly strike us into asto-
nishment, and an admiration what should be the reason
and the end of it ; why the great and glorious, the almigh-
ty and eternal God, should take our weak and finite na-
ture into his infinite and incomprehensible person ? Why
the Creator of all things should himself become a creature?
And he that made the world be himself made into it ? Why
the supreme Being of all beings, that gives essence and
existence to all tilings in the world, whose glory the hea-

280 THOUGHTS UPON THE

ven of heavens is not able to contain, should clothe him-
self with flesh and become man, of the self-same nature
and substance with us, who live, and move, and have our
being in him ? certainly it was not upon any frivolous or
ordinary account that the most high God manifested him-
self to the sons of men in so wonderful and extraordinary
a manner as this was. But he did it questionless upon
some design that was as great and glorious as the act itself.
And if we would know what his end and design in com-
ing into the world was, the scriptures assure us in gene-
ral, that it was for the salvation of mankind whose nature
he assumed. For this is a faithful saying, and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners, 1 Tim. i. 25. And he himself tells us, That God
so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlast-
ing life, John iii. 16. Now for the accomplishment of this
no less glorious than gracious design, there are two things
which it was necessary he should do for us, whilst he was
upon earth, even expiate our former sins, and direct us
unto holiness for the future ; both which he hath effected
for us : the one by his death, and the other by his life.

For by his death he hath paid that debt which we owed
to God, having made complete satisfaction to God's justice
for those sins whereby we have incurred his displeasure ;
for death was threatened to all mankind in case of disobe-
dience, and by consequence all mankind being disobedi-
ent, are obnoxious to it. Neither would it stand with the
justice of God, to falsify his word, nor yet with his glory,
to put up the injuries that we have committed against
him, without having satisfaction made unto him for them.
But it being impossible that a finite creature should satis-
fy for those sins which were committed against the in-
finite God : hence the infinite God himself was pleas-
ed to undertake it for us, even to satisfy himself for those
sins which were committed against him ; which he did, by
undergoing that death which he had threatened to us in
our own nature, united to the person of his own and only
Son, God co-equal, co-essential, co-eternal, with himself,
who is therefore said to be a propitiation for our sins, 1 John
ii. 2. Neither can there any reason imaginable be alleged,
why the Son of God himself should suffer death, unless it
was upon our account, and in our stead, whose nature he
assumed, and in which he suffered it. But not to insist
upon that now : the human nature in general having thus
suffered that death in the person of the Son of God, which

IMITATION OF CHRIST. 2S1

all mankind was otherwise bound to have undergone in
their persons ; hence it comes to pass, that we are all in a
capacity of avoiding that death which we have deserved by
our sins, if we do but rightly believe in Christ, and apply
his suffering to ourselves.

And as Christ by his death and passion hath thus satis-
fied for our sins, so hath he by his life and actions given
us an exact pattern of true piety and virtue. And although
I cannot say, it was the only, yet questionless one great
end wherefore he continued so long on earth, and con-
versed so much amongst men, and that so many of his ac-
tions are delivered to us with so many circumstances as
they are, was, that we, by his example, might learn how
to carry and beh?ve ourselves in this lower world. For as
from that time to this, so from the beginning of the world
to that time, there had never been a man upon the face of
the earth, that had lived so conformably to the law of
God, that it was safe or lawful for another to follow him
in all things. For all flesh was corrupt, and the very best
of men were still but men, subject to failures in their lives,
as well as errors in their judgments ; yea those very per-
sons whom the scriptures record, and God himself attest-
eth to have been eminent in their generation for piety and
justice, did oftentimes fail in both. Noah is asserted by
God himself to have been righteous in his generation,
Abraham to be the father of the faithful, Moses to be the
meekest man upon earth, David to be a man after God's
own heart, Solomon to have been the wisest man that ever
lived, and Job to be a jicrfect and upright man, one that
feared God, and eschewed evil : yet none of these most ex-
cellent persons but had their vices as well as virtues : and
it is observable, that the more eminent any were in piety,
the more notorious sins God hath sometimes suffered them
to slip into, to keep them humble. So that from the first
to the second Adam, there never lived a man of whom it
could be said, this man never sinned, never transgressed
the laws of God, and therefore may in all things be imitat-
ed by men.

But now as the first was made, the second Adam conti-
nued all along most pure and perfect, both in thought,
word, and action: for he did ?io sin, neither was guile found
in his mouth, 1 Pet. ii. 22. Never so much as a vain
thought ever sprang up in his most holy heart, not so much
as an idle word ever proceeded out of his divine lips, nor
so much as an impertinent or frivolous action was ever per-
formed by his sacred and most righteous hands ; his whole

282 THOUGHTS UPON THE

life being nothing else but one continued act of piety to-
wards God, justice towards men, love and charity towards
all. And as himself lived, so would he have all his disci-
ples live whilst they are here below ; and therefore enjoins
them that go after him, not only to deny themselves, and
take up their crosses, but also to follow, or imitate him to
the utmost of their power in their life and actions. So
that he now expects that all those who profess themselves
to be his disciples, do first deny themselves whatsoever is
offensive unto him ; and then take up their cross so as to
be ready and willing to do or suffer any thing for him that
hath done and suffered so much as he hath for us. And
then lastly, that they write after the copy that he hath set
them, and walk in the steps wherein he hath gone before
them ; even that they follow him through all duties and
difficulties whatsoever, so as still to do unto the utmost of
their power as he did, otherwise they in vain pretend to
be his disciples. For he that saiih he abidcth in him, ought
himself also io walk even as he walked, 1 John ii. 6. that is,
he that professeth to believe in Jesus Christ, should live as
he lived while he was upon earth. Hence St. Paul, a true
disciple of Christ, saith, Be ye followers of me, even as I
also am of Christ, 1 Cor. xi. 1. As he followed Christ, he
would have others to follow him ; but he would have them
follow him no farther than as he followed Christ.

It is true, we were bound to be holy and righteous in all
our ways, whether we had ever heard of Christ's being so
or no, the lav/ of God first obliged us to be so ; but how-
soever, we have now an additional obligation upon us to
be holy, As he who hath called us was holy in all manner of
conversation, 1 Pet. i. 15. For the scripture tells us ex-
pressly, that Christ hath left us an example that we should
follow his steps, 1 Pet. ii. 21. And our Saviour himself
commands all that come to him, to learn of him, Matt,
xi. 29, 30. And therefore we can never expect that he
should own us for his disciples, unless we own him for
our Lord and Master, so far as to obey and follow him ;
he having commanded all those that- come to him, to deny
themselves, take up their crosses and follow him. And
seeing we all, I hope, desire to be Christians indeed, as I
have explained the two former of these duties, I shall now
endeavour to give the true meaning of the latter too, that
we may all so follow Christ here, as to come to him here-
after.

Now for the opening of this, we must know that we nei-

IMITATION OF CHRIST. 283

tber can or ought to follow Christ in every thing he did
when lie was here below ; for even whilst he was here be-
low, he was still the most high and mighty God, the same
that he had been from eternity, and often manifested his
power and glory to the sons of men, whilst he was con-
versing with them in their own nature, wherein it would
be horrid presumption for us to pretend to follow him.
As for example, He knew the very thoughts of- men, Matt.
xii. -25. which I suppose is something past our skill to do.
Hence also he judged and censured others, Woe unto you,
saith lie, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like
to painted sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful out-
wardly, but are within Jull of dead mens bones, and cf all
unclcanness, Matt, xxiii. 21, 28. But this we could not
do though we might, not being able to search into others
hearts ; neither may we do it, though we could, Christ
himself having expressly commanded the contrary, say-
ing, Judge not, that ye be not judged, Matt. vii. 1. Our
Saviour also, as God, foretold future events, Luke xxi. 6.
and wrought miracles, such as were clear demonstrations
of his infinite power and Godhead ; but in this he is to be
believed and admired, not followed or imitated by us.
Thus also when he sent his disciples to loose another man's
colt, and bring him away, Luke xix. 30. that he did as
Lord and Sovereign of the world, or as the supreme Pos-
sessor and universal Proprietor of all things ; as when he
commanded the Israelites to spoil the Egyptians, and car-
ry away their jewels and raiment ; for all things being his,,
he may give them to whom he pleaseth ; and though it
would have been a sin to have taken them away without
his command, yet his command gave them a property in
them, a right and title to them, and they had sinned un-
less they had obeyed the command. So here our Savi-
our sent for the colt, as if it had been his own, for so
really it was, as he is God, which he manifested himself
to be at the same time, in that he inclined the heart of
the civil owner thereof to let him go, only upon the disci-
ples saying, that the Lord had need of him, Luke xix. 33,
34>. But this he did not for our example, but to shew forth
his own power and glory.

There are some things also which our blessed Saviour
did, as God-man, or as the Mediator betwixt God 'and
man, as his making atonement and satisfaction for the sins
of mankind, his instituting offices and ordinances, and sa-
craments in his church, and the like ; which have an im*

284 THOUGHTS UPON THE

mediate respect to his office of Mediator, and being done
upon that account, we neither may nor can imitate him in
such things. But the things which he would have us to
follow him in, are such and such only as he did as mere
man, that had no immediate dependance upon or reference
to either his Godhead or Mediatorship. For he having
honoured our nature so far, as to take it into his oWn di-
vine person, so as to become really and truly man ; as so,
he did whatsoever man is bound to do, both as to God
himself, and likewise unto man ; and being absolutely per-
fect in all the faculties of the soul, and members of his
body, he infinitely surpassed all other men both in divine
graces and moral virtues ; so that as he never committed
anyone sin, so neither did he neglect any one duty, which
as man he was bound to perform either to God, or men,
but still observed every punctilio -and circumstance of the
moral law ; by which means he left us a complete pattern
of truth and universal holiness, and hath enjoined us all to
follow it.

Hoping therefore, that all who profess themselves to
be the friends and disciples of Jesus Christ, desire to ma-
nifest themselves to be so, by following both his precepts
and example, I shall give the reader a short narrative of his
life and actions, wherein we may all see what true piety
is, and what real Christianity requires of us: and may not
content ourselves as many do, with being professors, and
adhering to parties or factions amongst us, but strive to be
thorough Christians, and to carry ourselves as such, by
walking as Christ himself walked ; which that we may at
least know how to do, looking upon Christ as a mere man,
I shall shew how he did, and by consequence how we
ought to carry ourselves both to God and man, and what
graces and virtues he exercised all along for our example
and imitation.

Now for our more clear and methodical proceeding, in
a matter of such consequence as this is, I shall begin with
his behaviour towards men, from his childhood to his
death.

First, Therefore, when he was a child of twelve years
of age, it is particularly recorded of him, that he was sub-
ject or obedient to his parents, his real mother and reput-
ed father, Luke ii. 51. It is true, he knew at that time
that God himself was his Father, for, said he, wist ye not
that I must be about my Fathers business ? chap. ii. 49.
And knowing God to be his Father, he could not but

IMITATION OF CHRIST. 285

know likewise that he was infinitely above his mother ;
yea, that she could never have borne him, had not himself
first made and supported her. Yet howsoever, though as
God he was Father to her, yet as man she was mother to
him, and therefore he honoured and obeyed both her and
him to whom she was espoused. Neither did he only re-
spect his mother whilst he was here, but he took care of
her too when he was going hence. Yea, all the pains he
suffered upon the cross could not make him forget his duty
to her that bore him ; but seeing her standing by the cross,
as himself hung on it, he committed her to the care of his
beloved disciple, who took her to his own home, John xix.
27. Now, as our Saviour did, so are we bound to carry
ourselves to our earthly parents, whatsoever their temper
or condition be in this world. Though God hath blessed
some of us perhaps with greater estates than ever he bless-
ed them, yet we must not think ourselves above them,
nor be at all the less respectful to them. Christ, we see,
was infinitely above his mother, yet as she was his mo-
ther, he was both subject and respectful to her. He was
not ashamed to own her as she stood by the cross, but, in
the view and hearing of all there present, gave his disciple
a charge to take care" of her ; leaving us an example, that
such amongst us as have parents, provide for them if they
need it, as for our children, both while we live, and when
we come to die.

And as he was to his natural, so was he too to his civil
parents the magistrates under which he lived, submissive
and faithful : for though as he was God, he was infinitely
above them in heaven, ye as he was man, he was below
them on earth, having committed all civil power into their
hands, without reserving any at all for himself. So that
though they received their commission from him, yet now
himself could not act without receiving a commission
from them. And therefore having no commission from
them to do it, he would not intrench so much upon their
privilege and power, as to determine the controversy be-
twixt the two brethren contending about their inheritance;
Man, saith he, ?vho made me a judge or a divider over you ?
Luke xii. 14. And to shew his submission to the civil ma-
gistrates, as highly as possible he could, rather than of-
fend them, he wrought a miracle to pay the tax which they
had charged upon him, Matt. xvii. 27- And when the
officers were sent to take him, though he had more than
twelve legions of angels at his service to have fought for

286 THOUGHTS UPON THE

him if he had pleased, yet he would not employ them, nor
suffer his own disciples to make any resistance, Matt. xxvi.
52, 53. And though some of late days, who call them-
selves Christians, have acted quite contrary to our blessed
Saviour in this particular, I hope better things of my rea-
ders, even thai, they will behave themselves more like
Christ, who, though he was supreme Governor of the
world, yet would not resist, but submitted to the civil
power, which himself had entrusted men withal.

Moreover, although whilst he was here, he was really
not only the best but greatest man upon earth, yet he car-
ried himself to others with that meekness, humility, and
respect, as if he had been the least ; as he never admired
any man for his riches, so neither did he despise any man
for his poverty ; poor men and rich were all alike to him.
He was as lowly and respectful to the lowest, as he was to
the highest that he conversed with : he affected no titles
of honour, nor gaped after popular air, but submitted him-
self to the meanest services that he could, for the good
of others, even to the washing his own disciples' feet, and
all to teach us that we can never think too lowly of our-
selves, nor do any thing that is beneath us ; propound-
ing himself as our example, especially in this particular,
" Learn of me/' saith he, " for I am meek and lowly in
heart," Matt. xL 29.

His humility also was the more remarkable, in that his
bounty and goodness to others was so great, for he went
about doing good, Acts x. 38. Wheresoever you read he
was, you read still of some good work or other he did
there. Whatsoever company he conversed with, they
still went better from him than they came unto him, if they
came out of a good end. By him, as himself said, " the
blind received their sight, and the lame walked, the le-
pers were cleansed, and the deaf heard, the dead were
raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto
them," Matt. xi. 5. Yea, it is observable, that we never
read of any person whatsoever that came to him, desiring
any kindness or favour of him, but he still received it, and
that whether he was friend or foe. For indeed, though
he had many inveterate and implacable enemies in the
world, yet he bore no grudge or malice against them, but
expressed as much love and favour for them as to his great-
est friends. Insomuch that when they had gotten him
upon the cross, and fastened his hands and feet unto it, in
the midst of all that pain and torment which they put him
to, he still prayed for them, Luke xxiii. 34.

IMITATION OP CHRIST. 287

Oh ! how happy, how blessed a people should we be,
could we but follow our blessed Saviour in this particular !
How well would it be with us, could we but be thus lov-
ing to one another, as Christ was to all, even his most
bitter enemies ? We may assure ourselves it is not only
our misery but our 'sin too, unless we be so. And our
sin will be the greater, now we know our Master's plea-
sure, unless we do it. And therefore, let all such amongst
us, as desire to carry ourselves as Christ himself did, and
as becometh his disciples in the world, begin here.

Be submissive and obedient both to our parents and go-
vernors, humble in our own sight, despise none, but be
charitable, loving, and good to all : by this shall all men
know that we are Christ's disciples indeed.

Having thus seen our Saviour's carriage towards men,
we shall now consider his piety and devotion towards
God : not as if it was possible for me to express the excel-
lency and perfection of those religious acts which he per-
formed continually within his soul to God, every one of
its faculties being as entire in itself, and as perfect in its
acts, as it was first made or designed to be. There was no
darkness, nor so much as gloominess in his mind, no er-
ror or mistake in 1 lis judgment, no bribery nor corruption
in his conscience, no obstinacy or perverseness in his will,
no irregularity nor disorder in his affections, no spot, no
blot, no blemish, not the least imperfection or infirmity in
his whole soul. And therefore even whilst his body was on
earth, his head and heart were still in heaven. For he ne-
ver troubled his head, nor so much as concerned himself
about any thing here below, any further than to do all
the good he could, his thoughts being wholly taken up
with considering how to advance God's glory and man's
eternal happiness. And as for his heart, that was the al-
tar on which the sacred fire of divine love was always
burning, the flames whereof continually ascended up to
heaven, being accompanied with the most ardent and fer-
vent desires of, and delight in, the chiefest good.

But it must not be expected that I should give an exact
description of that eminent and most perfect holiness which
our blessed Saviour was inwardly adorned with, and con-
tinually employed in ; which I am as unable to express as
desirous to imitate. But howsoever, I shall endeavour to
mind the reader in general of such acts of piety and de-
votion, which are particularly recorded, on purpose for
our imitation.

288 THOUGHTS UPON THE

First, Therefore, it is observed of our Saviour, thsXfrvm
a child he increased in wisdom, as he did in stature, Luke ii.
62. Where by wisdom we are to understand the know-
ledge of God, and divine things. For our Saviour having
taken our nature into his person, with all its frailties and
infirmities, as it is a created being, he did not in that na-
ture presently know all things which were to be known.
It is true, as God, he then knew all things as well as he
had from all eternity : but we are now speaking of him as
man, like one of us in all things except sin. But we con-
tinue some considerable time after we are born before we
know any thing, or come to the use of our reason ; the ra-
tional soul not being able to exert or manifest itself until
the natural phlegm and radical moisture of the body,
which in infants is predominant, be so digested that the
body be rightly qualified, and its organs fitted for the soul
to work upon, and to make use of. And though our Savi-
our came to the use of his reason, as man, far sooner than
we are wont to do, yet we must not think that he knew
all things as soon as he was born ; for that the nature he
assumed was not capable of; neither could he then be said,
as he is, to increase in wisdom, for where there is a per-
fection there can be no increase.

But here before we proceed farther, it will be necessary
to answer an objection which some may make against this.
For, if our Saviour as man knew not all things, then he
was not perfect, nor absolutely free from sin, ignorance
itself being a sin.

To this I have these things to answer ; first, it is no sin
for a creature to be ignorant of some things, because it is
impossible for a creature to know all things ; for to be om-
nicient is God's prerogative, neither is a creature capable
of it, because he is but finite, whereas the knowledge of
all things, or omniscience, is itself an infinite act, and
therefore to be performed only by an infinite being. Hence
it is that no creature in the world ever was, or ever could
be made omniscient ; but there .are many things which
Adam in his integrity, and the very angels themselves
are ignorant of; as our Saviour, speaking of the day of
judgment, saith, Of that day and hour, knowcth no man,
no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but
the Father, Mark xiii. 32. But the angels are nevertheless
perfect, because they know not this. Nay, it is observ-
able that the Son himself, as man, knew it not : neither,
saith he, the Son, but the Father ; and if he knew it not

IMITATION OF CHRIST. §89

then, much less was it necessary for him to know it when
a child.

Secondly, As to be ignorant of some things is no sin, so
neither is any ignorance at all sin, but that whereby a
man is ignorant of what he is bound to know : For all sin
is the transgression of ike law. And therefore, if there
be no law obliging me to know such or such things, I
do not sin by being ignprant of them, for I transgress no
law. Now, though all men are bound by the law of God
to know him, and their duty to, him, yet infants, fo long
as infants, are not, neither can be obnoxious or subject to
that law, they being in a natural incapacity, yea, impos-
sibility to perform it; but as they become by degrees
capable of knowing any thing, they are obliged question*
less to know him first, from whom they receive their
knowledge.

And thus it was that our blessed Saviour perfectly ful-
filled the law of God ; in that although he nrght still con-
tinue ignorant of many things, yet howsoever lie all .Jong
knew all that he was bound to know, and as he grew by
degrees more and more capable of knowing any thing, so
did he increase still more in true wisdom, cr in the know-
ledge of God : so that by that time he was twelve years
old, he was able to dispute with the great doctors and
learned Rabbis among the Jews ; and after that, as he
grew in stature, so did he grow in wisdom too, and in fa-
vour both with God and man.

"And verity, although we did not follow our blessed Sa-
viour in this particular when we were children, we cu<dit
howsoever to endeavour it now we are men and women,
even to grow in wisdom, and every day add something to
our spiritual stature, so as to let never a day pass over oil*
heads, without being better acquainted with God's good-
ness to us, or our duty to him. And by this example
of our Saviour's growing in wisdom when a 'child, we
should also learn to bring up our children in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord ; and not to strive so much to
make them rich, as to use all means to make them wise
an^l good, that they may do as their Saviour did, even grow
in Wisdom and in stature, and in the favour both of God
and man.

And as our Saviour grew in wisdom when a child, so did
he use and manifest it when he came to be a man, by de-
voting himself wholly unto the service of the living God,
and to the exercise of all true grace and virtue : wherein

N

290 THOUGHTS UPON THE

his blessed soul was so much taken up, that he had nei-
ther time nor heart to mind those toys and trifles which
silly mortals upon earth are so much apt to dote on. It
is true, all the world was his, but he had given it all away
to others, not reserving for himself so much as an house
to put his head in, Matt. viii. 20. And what money he
had hoarded up, you may gather from his working a mi-
racle to pay his tribute or poll money, which came not to
much above a shilling. Indeed, he came into the world,
and went out again, without ever taking any notice of any
pleasures, honours, or riches in it, as if there had been no
such thing here, as really there was not, or ever will be ;
all the pomp and glory of this deceitful world having no
other being or existence, but only in our distempered
fancies and imaginations, and therefore our Saviour, whose
fancy was sound, and his imagination untainted, looked
upon all the world and the glory of it as not worthy to be
looked upon, seeing nothing in it wherefore it should be
desired. And therefore instead of spending his time in
the childish pursuit of clouds and shadows, he made the
service of God not only his business, but his recreation
too, his food, as well as work. It is my meat, saith he,
io do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work,
John iv. 34. This was all the riches, honours and plea-
sures, which he sought for in the world, even to do the
will of him that sent him thither, to finish the work which
he came about ; and so he did before he went away ; Fa-
ther, I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work
which thou sentest me to do, John xvii. 4. If therefore we
would be Christ's disciples, so as to follow him, we see
what we must do, and how we must behave and carry our-
selves whilst we are here below ; we must not spend our
time, nor throw away our precious and short-lived days
upon the trifles and impertinences of this transient world,
as if we came hither, for nothing else but to take and scrape
up a little dust and dirt together, or to wallow ourselves
like swine in the mire of carnal pleasures and delights.
No, we may assure ourselves we have greater things to
do, and far more noble designs to carry on whilst we con-
tinue in this vale of tears, even to work out our salvation
with fear and trembling, and to make our calling and elec-
tion sure, and to serve God here, so as to enjoy him for
ever. This is the work we came about, and which we
must not only do, but do it too with pleasure and delight,
ahd never leave until we have accomplished it ; we must

IMITATION OF CHRIST* 291

make it our only pleasure to please God, account it our
only honour to honour him, and esteem his love and fa-
vour to be the only wealth and riches that we can enjoy ;
we must think ourselves no farther happy, than we find
ourselves to be truly holy, and therefore devote our lives
wholly to him, in whom we live. This is to live as Christ
lived, and by consequence as Christians ought to do.

I might here instance in several other acts of piety and
devotion, which our Saviour was not only eminent for,
but continually exercised himself in, as his humble and
perfect submission and resignation of his own will to God's,
his most ardent love unto him, and zeal for him, as also
his firm and steadfast trust and confidence in him ; so that
nothing could ever disquiet or discompose his mind, but
still his heart was fixed trusting in the Lord. In all
which, it is both our duty and interest to follow him ;
our happiness as well as holiness consisting in our depen-
dance upon God, and inclinations to him.

But Ave should do well to observe withal, that our Savi-
our performed external as well as inward worship and de-
votion unto God ; particularly we often find him praising
God and praying unto him ; and that with his eyes lift up
to heaven in a most humble and reverential posture, John
xvii. 1 . Luke xxii. 4. Matt. xxvi. 3.9. yea, when he was to
choose and ordain some of his disciples to the work of the
ministry, and to succeed him after his departure, under
the name of apostles, he spent the night before in prayer
to God, Luke vi. 12. I confess the words there used, en
teproseuche tou Theou, will scarce admit of that interpreta-
tion or exposition, signifying rather in a strict sense, that
he went into a place appointed for prayer, which was usu-
ally called proseuche, a place of prayer, which kind of
places were very frequent in Judea, and some of them
continued till Epiphanies' time, as himself asserts ; and
they were only plots of ground inclosed with a wall, and
open above, and were ordinarily, if not always, upon
mountains, whither the Jews used to resort to pray toge-
ther in great multitudes. And this seems to be the proper
meaning of these words, where our Saviour is said to go
into a mountain, and to continue all night, en tc proseuche
tou Theou, in one of these Proseuchas of God, a place dedi-
cated to his service. Yet howsoever we cannot suppose but
that he went thither to do what the place whither he went
was designed for, even to pray : and by consequence, that
seeing he stayed there all night, questionless he spent the
N 2

§9^ THOUGHTS UPON THE

whole night in prayer and meditation, in order to so great
a work as the ordaining his apostles was.

Here therefore is another copy which our master Christ
hath set us to write after ; a lesson that all must learn and
practise that would be his disciples. Though we ordinari-
ly converse with nothing but dirt and clay, and with our
fellow worms on earth, yet as Christ did, so should we of-
ten retire from the tumults and bustles of the world to
converse with him that made us ; both to praise him for
the mercies we have received, and to pray unto him for
what we want ; only we shall do well to have a care that
we do not perform so solemn a duty as this is, after a care-
less and perfunctory manner, because none sees but God ;
for his seeing us is infinitely more than if all the world be-
side should see us ; and we must still remember that pray-
er is the greatest work that a creature can be engaged in,
and therefore to be performed with the greatest serious-
ness, reverence, and earnestness that possibly we can raise
up our spirits to. And besides our daily devotions which
we owe and ought to pay to God, whensoever we set upon
any great and weighty business, we must be sure to fol-
low our Saviour's steps in setting some time apart propor-
tionably to the business we undertake, wherein to ask
God's counsel, and desire his direction and blessing in the
most serious and solemn manner that possibly we can. I
need not tell the reader what benefit we shall derive by
this means, none of us that shall try it, but will soon find
it by experience.

I shall observe only one thing more concerning our Sa-
viour's devotion, and that is, that although he took all
occasions to instruct and admonish his disciples and follow-
ers, whether in the fields or upon the mountains, in pri-
vate houses, even wheresoever he could find an opportu-
nity to do it ; yet upon sabbath-days he always frequented
the public worship of God ; he went into the synagogues,
places appointed for public prayers, and reading and hear-
ing the word, a thing which I fear many amongst us do
not think of, or at least not rightly consider it ; for if they
did, they would not dare methinks to walk so directly con-
trary to our blessed Saviour in this particular ; for St.
Luke tells us, that when he came to Nazareth, where he had
been brought np, as his custom was, he went into the syna-
gogue on "the sabbath-day, Luke iv. l6« From whence none
of us but may easily observe that our Saviour did not go
into a synagogue or church by the bye, to see what they

IMITATION OF CHRIST. S9S

were doing there, neither did he happen to go in by
chance upon the sabbath-day, but it was his custom and
constant practice to do so, even to go each sabbath-day to
the public ordinances, there to join with the congrega-
tion in performing their service and devotions to almighty
God.

And here I must take leave to say, that was there no
other lav/, nor any other obligations upon us (as there be
many) to frequent the public worship of God, this prac-
tice and example of our blessed Saviour doth sufficiently
and effectually oblige us all to a constant attendance upon
the public ordinances. For as we are Christians, and pro-
fess ourselves to be his disciples, we are all bound to fol-
low him, he commands us here and elsewhere to do it ;
and certainly there is nothing that we can be obliged to
follow him in, more than in the manner of bis worship-
ping God. And therefore whosoever out of any humour,
fancy, or slothfulness shall presume to neglect the public
worship of God, he doth not but act contrary to Christ's
example, but transgresses all his command, that enjoins
him to follow that example. What they who are guilty of
this will have to answer for themselves when they come to
stand before Christ's tribunal, I know not. But this I
know, that all those who profess themselves to be Chris-
tians, should follow Christ in all things that they can, and
by consequence in this particular ; and that they sin who
do not.

But in whatsoever other things we may fail, I know
the generality of us do herein follow our Saviour's steps,
that we are usually present at the public worship of God ;
but then I hope this is not all that we follow him in, but
that as we follow him to the public ordinances, so we do
likewise in our private devotions, yea, and in our behavi-
our both to God and man ; which that we may the better
do, I have endeavoured to shew wherein we ought especi-
ally to follow Christ, in being obedient to our parents, sub-
ject to our governors, lowly to the lowest, loving and cha-
ritable unto all ; as also in growing m wisdom and the
knowledge of God, in contemning the world, in devoting
ourselves wholly to the service of God, in resigning ou*
wills to his, in loving of him, in trusting on him above
all things else, in daily praying unto God, and frequent-
ing his public ordinances • to which I may also add, in de-
fying ourselves, and taking up our crosses, which he him-
self hath done before us, as well as required of us.
N 3

29* THOUGHTS UPON THE IMITATION OF CHRIST.

What now remains, but that seeing the steps wherein
our Saviour walked, we should all resolve to walk toge-
ther in them. And I hope that I need not vise arguments
to persuade any to it ; it is enough, one would think, that
Christ himself, whose name we bear, expects and com-
mands it from us. And in that the sum of all religion con-
sisteth in obeying and following Christ, the circumstances
of whose life are recorded on purpose that we may imitate
him unto the utmost of our power, not only in the matter
but manner of our actions, even in the circumstances as
well as in the substance of them.

But this I dare say we all both know and believe, even
that it is our duty to follow Christ ; and therefore it is a
sad, a dismal thing to consider, that among them that
know it there are so few that do it ; but even those that
go under the name of Christians themselves, do more ge-
nerally follow the beasts of the field, or the very fiends of
hell, rather than Christ our Saviour. For all covetous
worldlings that look no higher than earth, and all luxurious
epicures that labour after no other but sensual pleasures,
whom do they imitate but the beasts that perish ? And as
for the proud and arrogant, the deceitful and malicious se-
ducers of their brethren, and oppressors of their neigh-
bours, all backbiters and false accusers, all deriders of re-
ligion, and apostates from it, they are of their father the
devil, and his works they will do. And if all such per-
sons should be taken from amongst us, how few would be
left behind that follow Christ ? Very few indeed ! but I
hope there would be some. And oh, that all who read
this would be in the number of them, even that they
would all from this day forward resolve to come as near
our blessed Saviour in all their actions both to God and
man, as possibly they can ; which if we once did, what
holy, what happy lives should we then lead ! How should
we antedate both the work and joys of heaven ! And how
certain should we be to be there ere long, where Christ
that is the pattern of our lives here will be the portion of
our souls for ever ?

Thus I have shewn what Christ requires of those who
would be his disciples, enjoining them to deny themselves,
take up their cross and follow him. And now I have done
my duty in -explaining these words, it is all my readers' as
well as mine to practise them, which I heartily wish we
would all resolve to do ; and I must say it highly con-
cerns us all to do so, for we can never be saved but by

THOUGHTS UPON OUR CALL AND ELECTION. 29

Christ, nor by him, unless we be his disciples ; neither
can we be his disciples, unless we do what is here required
of us. And therefore, if we care not whether we be sav-
ed or no, we may think no more of these things, nor trou-
ble our heads about them ; but if we really desire to come
to heaven, let us remember he who alone can bring us thi-
ther, hath told us, that we must deny ourselves, and take
up our cross, and follow him.

*/».'v'W% •*."*■».»■%"*»■'»

THOUGHTS UPON OUR CALL AND
ELECTION.

MANY are called, saith our Saviour, Matt. xxii. 14-. but
few chosen. O dreadful sentence, who is able to
hear it without trembling and astonishment ! If he had
said, that of all men that are born in the world there are
but few saved, this would not have struck such a fear and
horror into us ; for we might still hope that though Turks,
Jews and Heathens, which are far the greatest part of the
world, should all perish, yet we few in comparison ot
them, who are baptized into his name, who profess his
o-ospel, who enjoy his ordinances, who are admitted to his
Sacraments, that all who are called to him, might be cho-
sen and saved by him ; but that of those very persons who
are called, there are but few chosen : what a sharp and ter-
rible sentence is this ? Who can bear it? Especially consi-
dering by whom it was pronounced, even by Christ him-
self. If a -mere man had spoken it, we might hope it was
but a human error; if an angel had uttered it, we might
think it possible he might be mistaken; but that Christ
himself the eternal Son of God, who is truth, and infalli-
bility itself, that he should assert it ; that he who laid
down his life to redeem ours, that he who came into the
world on purpose to call and save us, that he in whom
alone it is possible for us to be chosen to salvation, that he
should say, Mamj are callea but few chosen : this is an
hard saying indeed, which may justly make our ears to
tingle, and our hearts to tremble at the hearing of it. And
yet we see our Saviour here expressly saith it, and not
only here neither, but again, Matt. xx. 16. Whence we
may gather, that it is a thing he would have us often thmk
of 'and a matter of more than ordinary importance, in that
N V

2£)fl THOUGHTS UPON OUR

he did not think it enough to tell us of it at once, but he
repeated it in the same words again, that we might be
sure to remember it, and take especial notice of it, that
many are called but few chosen.

In which words, that we may understand our Saviour's
meaning aright, we must first consider the occasion of
them in this place, which in brief was this. Our Saviour
according to the custom that obtained in those days amongst
the wise men of the east, delighting to use parables, there-
by to represent his heavenly doctrine more clearly to the
understanding of his hearers ; in this chapter compares the
kingdom of God to a certain king thai made a marriage. for
his son, and sent his servants to call thtm that nere hidden to
the wedding, ver. 2, 3. Where, by the king, he means
the eternal God, the universal monarch of the world, who
intending to make a marriage betwixt his Son and the
church, styled the spouse of Christ, he sent to his guests
before bidden, even the Jews, the seed of Abraham his
friend, and at that time his peculiar people. But they not
hearkening to the first invitation, he sends to them again,
ver. 4. Yet they still made light of it, having, it seems,
as we most have, other business to mind, and therefore
went their way, some to their farms, others to their mer-
chandize, ver. 5. By which our Saviour intimates, that
one great reason why men accept not of the overtures of
grace made unto them in the gospel, is, because their
minus are taken up with the cares of this world, looking
upon their farms, their trades and merchandize, as things
of greater moment than heaven and eternal glory. Yea,
some of them took the servants which were sent to invite
them, and treated them spitefully, and slew them, ver. 6.
Why, what is the matter ? What injury have the servants,
the prophets, the apostles, or ministers of Christ done
them ? What, do they come to oppress them, to take their
estates from them ? To disgrace or bring them into bon-
dage ? No, they only come to invite them to a marriage-
feast, to tender them the highest comforts and refresh-
ments imaginable both for their souls and bodies. And
tins is all the recompense they give them for their kind-
ness, not only to refuse it, but to abuse them that bring
it ? Well might this glorious king he angry and incensed
at such an affront offered him as this was, and therefore,
he sent forth his .amies and destroyed those murderers, and
burnt up their city, ver. ?• as we all know he did to the
murdering Jews, who soon after tins were destroyed, and

CALL AND ELECTION. 297

their royal city Jerusalem burnt. But now the feast is pre-
pared, shall there be none to eat it ? Yes, for seeing they
who were first bidden were not worthy to partake of his
dainties, he orders his servants to go into the high-ways,
and bid as many as they could find to the marriage, ver.
6, 9. The Jews having refused the gospel, God sends to
invite the Gentiles to it, who hitherto had been reckoned
aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the co-
venant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the.
world, Eph. ii. 12. But now they are also bidden to the
wedding, they are called to Christ, and invited to partake
of all the privileges of the gospel. For the servants having
received the command, went out into the high-way, even
into all the by-places and corners of the world, and gather-
ed together as many as they found, both bad and good, and
the wedding was furnished with guests, ver. 10. But
amongst these too," when the king came to see his guests,
he saw one that had not on a wedding-garment, ver. 1 L
Under which one are represented all of the same kind,
who have not on the wedding-garment, that is, who walk
not worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called, not
being clothed with humility, faith, and other graces suit-
able to a Christian. All which, notwithstanding they
were invited, yea and come in too upon their invitation,
yet they are cast out again into outer darkness, Matt. xx.
12, 13. And then he adds, for many are called, but few
chosen ; as if he should have said, the Jews were called,
but would not come ; the Gentiles are called, they come,
but some of them were cast out again ; so that of the
many which are called, there are but few chosen. For
many are called, but few chosen.

Which short, but pithy saying of our blessed Saviour,
that we may rightly understand, we shall first consider the
former part of it, Many are called, and then the latter, but
few chosen. That we' may apprehend the full meaning of
the first part of this proposition, Many are called, there are
three things to be considered ;

I. What is here meant by being called,

II. How men are called.

III. How it appears that many arc called.

I. As for the first, what we are here to understand by
being called. We must know that this is meant only of
God's voice to mankind, making known his will and plea-
sure to them, calling upon them to act accordingly, and
N 5

2f)8 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

so inviting them to his service here, and to the enjoyment
of his presence hereafter.

But to explain the nature of it more particularly, we
must consider the terminus a quo, and the terminus ad quod,
what it is God calls us from, and what it is he calls us to, both
which we shall speak to, jointly or together.

1. He calls us from darkness to light, from error and
ignorance to truth and knowledge. As he made us ra-
tional and knowing creatures at first, so he would have us
to be again, so as to understand and know him that made
us, and that gave us the power of understanding and know-
ing ,• and not employ the little knowledge we have only
about the affairs of our bodies, our trades, and callings in
this world, nor yet in learning arts and sciences only, but
principally about the concerns of our immortal souls, that
we may know him that is the true God, and Jesus Christ
whom he hath sent ; without which, all our other know-
ledge will avail us nothing. We are still in the dark, and
know not whither we are going ; out of which dark, and
by consequence uncomfortable as well as dangerous estate,
God of his infinite mercy is pleased to call us, that we
should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of
darkness into this marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. ().

2. God calls us from superstition and idolatry, to serve
and worship him. For we are called to turn from idols
to serve the living and true God, 1 Thes. i. 9- Thus he call-
ed Abraham out of Chaldea, and his posterity the Israelites
out of Egypt, places of idolatry, that they might serve
and worship him, and him alone. Thus he called our an-
cestors of this nation out of their heathenish superstitions
to the knowledge and worship of himself, and of his Son
Jesus Christ our Lord. And thus he called upon us to

flee from idolatry, 1 dor. »x. 14. not only from heathenish
or popish, but from- all idolatry whatsoever, and by conse-
quence from covetousness, which God himself tells us in
plain terms is idolatry, Col. iii. 5. And so indeed is our
allowing ourselves in any known sin whatsoever ; for we
idolize it by setting it up in our hearts and affections, in-
stead of God ; yea, and bow down to it, and serve it,
though not in our bodies, yet in our souls, which is the
highest kind of idolatry, which God calls us from.

3. Hence he also calls from all manner of sin and pro-
faneness, to holiness and piety, both in our affections and
actions. For, as the apostle saith, God hath not called us to
unckanness but to holiness3 1 Thes. iv, 7« Where by un-<

CALL AND ELECTION. 2Q9

cleanness he means all manner of lusts and corruptions
which defile the soul, and make it unclean and impure in
the sight of God. These God doth not call us to, but
from : it is holiness and universal righteousness that h<?
calls us to, and commands us to follow. This is the great
thing that Christ in his gospel calls for : For the grace of
God, which is in his gospel, hath now appeared to all men,
teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should five soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil
?vorld, Titus ii. 'l l3 12. He now commandeth all men every
where to repent and turn to God, Acts xxvii. 30. Hence
he is said to have called us with an holy calling, 2 Tim. i. 9-
And as he who hath called us is holy, so ought we to be holy
in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. i. 15. Thus therefore
we are called to be an holy people, a people zealous of
£ood works, a people wholly devoted to the service of the
living God. In brief we are called to be saints, a people
consecrated unto God ; and therefore as every vessel in
the temple was. holy, so we being called to be.the temples
of the Holy Ghost, every thing in us should be holy ; our
thoughts should be holy, our affections holy, our words
holy, our desires holy, every faculty of our souls, every
member of our bodies, and every action of our lives, should
be holy, every thing within us, every thing about us. every
thing that comes from us should be holy, and all because
our calling is holy ; and we ought to walk worthy of our
vocation wherewith we are called, Eph. iv. 1 ,

4. God calls us from carnal and temporal things., to mind
heaven and eternal glory. He sees and observes how ea-.
ger we are in prosecuting of this world's vanities, and
therefore calls upon us to leave doting upon such transi-
tory and unsatisfying trifles, and to mind the things that
belong to our everlasting peace ;• not to be conformed to
this world, but transformed by the renewing of our mint Is,
that we may prove what is that good, that acceptable and
perfect will of God, Rom. xii. 2. To set our affections upon
things above, and not upon things that arc upon the earth,
Col. iii. 2. To seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness
in the first place, Matt, vl 33. Hence it is styled an hea-
venly catling, Heb. iii. 1. and an high calling, Phil. iii. 14.
because we are called by it to look after high and heavenly
things. He that made us hath so much kindness for us,
that it pities him to see us moil and toil, and spend our
strength and labour about such low and pitiful, such im=
pertinent and unnecessary things, which himself knows

300 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

can never satisfy us : and therefore he calls and invites us
to himself, and to the enjoyment of his own perfections,
which are able to fill and satiate our immortal souls.

5. Kence lastly, we are called from misery and danger,
to the state of happiness and felicity. As he called Lot out
of Sodom, when fire and brimstone were ready to fall
upon it ; so he calls us from the world and sin, because
otherwise wrath and fury will fall upon our heads. Or, as
he called Noah into the ark, to preserve him from the
overflowing flood ; so he called us into his service, and to
the faith of his Son, that so we may escape that flood of
misery which will suddenly drown the impenitent and un-
believing world. And therefore we must not think that
he calls and invites to him, because he stands in need of
us, or wants our service ; no, it is not because he cannot
be happy without us, but because we cannot be hap-
py without him, nor in him neither, unless we come
unto him. This is the only reason why he calls us so
earnestly to him : For as I live, saiih the Lord, I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn
from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye
die, 0 house of Israel! Ezek. xxxiii. 11, Let us not stand
therefore pausing upon it, and considering whether we
shall hearken to God's call or no, nor say severally with-
in ourselves, how shall I part with my profits ? How shall
I deny myself the enjoyment of my sensual pleasures ?
How shall I forsake my darling and beloved sins ? But ra-
ther say, how shall I abide the judgment of the great
God ? How shall I escape if I neglect so great salvation as
I am now called and invited to ? For we may assure our-
selves this is the great and only end why God calls so pa-
thetically upon us to come unto him, that so we may be
delivered from his wrath, and enjoy his love and favour
for ever.

Thus we see what it is that God calls mankind both
from and to ; he calls them from darkness to light, from
idolatry to true religion, from sin to holiness, from earth
to heaven, and from the deepest misery, to the highest
happiness that they are capable of.

II. The next thing- to be considered is, how God is
pleased to call us ; for which we must know, that,

1. He that vouchsafe th to call some with his own mouth,
as I may so speak, even by immediate revelations from
himself. Thus he called Abraham and Moses, and seve-
ral of the patriarchs of the Old Testament. And thus he
ealled Paul, Christ himself calling from heaven to hima

CALL AND ELECTION. 301

Saul, Said, why persecutest thou me ? Acts ix. 4. And it
is observable, that whosoever were thus called, they al-
ways obeyed. But this is not the calling here spoken of.

2. God calls all mankind by his works and providences.
All the creatures in the world are so many tongues declar-
ing the wisdom, power, goodness, and glory of God,
unto us, and so call upon us to praise, honour, and obey
him. And all his providences have their several and dis-
tinct voices : his mercies bespeak our affections, and his
judgments our fear. Hear ye , saith he, the rod, and who
hath appointed it, Micah vi.' 9. The rod, it seems, hath
a voice which we are bound to hear. But though many,
yea all the world be called this way, yet neither is this the
calling our Saviour means, when he saith, many are called,
but Jew chosen.

3. Lastly, Therefore God hath called many by the mi-
nistry of his word, and of his servants the prophets, the
apostles and their successors declaring it, and explaining it
to them. Thus God spake to our fathers by the prophets,
rising up early, and sending them to call sinners to re-
pentance, by shewing them their sins, and the dangerous
consequents of them. As when he sent his prophet Isaiah
he bids him cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice as a trum-
pet, and shew my people their transgressions, and the house
of Jacob their sins, Isa. Iviii. 1." And they being convinc-
ed of, and humbled for their sins, then he sent his pro-
phets to invite them to accept of grace and pardon from
him, saying, in the language of the same prophet, Ho,
every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money, come ye, buy and cat; come, buy wine and
milk without' money and without price, Isa. lv. 1, 2, 3. And
God having thus at sundry times, and in divers manners,
spoken in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in
these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath ap-
pointed heir' of all things, by whom also he made the worlds,
Heb. i. 1, 2. Who therefore said with his own mouth,
that He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repent-
ance, Matt. ix. 13. Hence as soon as ever he entered upon
his ministry, he called to mankind, saying. Repent, and
believe the gospel, Mark i. 15. And come unto me all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, Matt. xi. 28. And when
he was to depart hence, he left orders with his apostles,
to go and call all nations, and teach them what he had
commanded, promising that himself would be with them
to the end of the world, Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. By virtue

302 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

therefore of this commission, not only the apostles them-
selves, but all succeeding ministers in all ages to the end
of the world, are sent to call mankind to embrace the gos-
pel, and to accept of the terms propounded in it. So that
when we his ministers preach unto them, or call upon
them to repent and turn to God, they must not think we
come in our own name ; for, as the apostle tells the Co-
rinthians, we are the ambassadors for Christy as though God
did beseech you by us ; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye
reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 20. Hence in scripture we are
called also kerukes, heralds, and our office is kerussein, to
'proclaim as heralds, the will and pleasure of almighty God
unto mankind, to^ofFer peace and pardon to all that have
rebelled against our Lord and master the King of heaven,
if they will now come in, and submit themselves unto
him ; if not, in a most solemn and dreadful manner, to
denounce his wrath and heavy displeasure against them.
So that as the angel was sent to call Lot out of Sodom,
when the Lord was going to rain fire and brimstone from
heaven upon it : so God being ready every moment to
shower down his fury and vengeance upon the impeni-
tent and unbelieving world, he sends us to call men out of
it, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light,
from the power of Satan unto God, Acts xxvi. 18. and to
invite them to his court, to live with him, and be happy
for ever.

And that this is the proper meaning of our blessed Savi-
our in this piace, where he saith, many are called, is plain
from the parable whereon these words are grounded ;
where the king is said to have sent his servants to call the
guests which were bidden to the marriage feast, and put
words into their mouths, telling them what to say, ver. 4,
as he hath given us also instructions, how to call and in-
vite mankind in his holy word. And when of the many
which were called, there would but few come ; hence our
Saviour uttered this expression, that many are called, but
few chosen. From whence it is clear and obvious, that our
Saviour means not such as were called immediately from
God himself, for they were but few; nor yet such as are
called by the works of creation and providence, for so not
many only, but all are called ; but he means such as are
called by his word, and by his servants and ministers read-
ing, preaching, and explaining of it.

III. And verily that many have been, and still are call-
ed in this sense, which is the next thing I promised la

CALL AND ELECTION. 303

shew, I need not stand long to prove. For our Saviour,
having commanded his apostles to go and call all nations
to his faith, which is the proper meaning of that place,
Matt, xxviii. 19. it cannot be denied, but that the apostles
presently dispersed themselves, and preached the gospel
to all nations ; which they did so effectually, that in few
years after, even in St. Paul's time, The myst erg of the gos-
pel was made known to all nations for the obedience of faith,
Rom. xvi. 26. And in St. John's time, some were redeem-
ed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,
Rev. vii. 9. Yea, so mightily grew the word of God and
prevailed, that the ancients compared it to lightning, that
immediately dispersed itself, and was seen all the world
over. So that in less than two hundred years, ab ortu solis
ad occasum lex Christiana suscepta est, The Christian reli-
gion was received all the world over, from east to west, as
Lactantius, who then lived, asserts. From which time
therefore, how many thousands of millions of souls have
been called to the faith of Christ by the preaching of his
gospel ? And not to speak of other nations, how soon did
the Sun of righteousness rise upon these western parts of
the world, and particularly upon this nation, wherein we
dwell ; several of Christ's own disciples and apostles, as
Simon Peter, Simon Zelotes, James the son of Zebedee,
Joseph of Arimathea, Aristobulus, and St. Paul himself,
being all recorded by ecclesiastical writers, to have preach-
ed the gospel to this nation. Be sure in less than two hun-
dred years the Christian faith was here received. Tertullian
himself saying expressly, Britannorum inaccessa Romanis
loca, Christo subdita : The Romayis could scarcelg come at
. Brittany, but Christ hath conquered it. And soon after
him, Arnobius saith that the gospel Nee ipsos Lidos latuis
a parte orientis, nee ipsos Britannos, a parte Occidents,
Was not concealed either from the Indians in the Eastern
parts of the world, nor from the Britons themselves in the
West. And since the gospel was first here planted, how
many have been called by it to the faith of Christ ? Yea,
through the* mercy of the most high God, how many at
this moment are called all the nation over ? And to come
still closer to ourselves, all that read this, have, I doubt
not, been often called heretofore, and now are called
again. For in the name of the most high God, and of his
Son Christ, / pray and beseech you all, as strangers a?id pil-
grims, to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the
tout, 1 Pet. ii. 11. to repent of your sins, and believe the

$04t THOUGHTS UPON OUR

gospel. I call and invite you also to accept the offers of
grace and pardon which are made you in Jesus Christ, to
sit down with him at his own table, and feed by faith upon
his body and blood, that so you may partake of the merits
of his death and passion, and so live with him for ever-
more. Thus you are all called, but I fear there are but
few chosen.

Having thus explained and proved the first part of this
proposition, that many are called, we must now consider
the meaning, truth, and reasons of the other part of it,
but few are chosen. Polloi gareisi kletoi ; holigoi tie cllelrtoi.
For many are called, but Jew chosen ; that is, there are but
few which are so approved of by God, as to be elected and
chosen from the other part of the world, to inherit eternal
life. That this is the main drift and scope of our blessed
Saviour in these words, is plain from the foregoing para-
ble, which gave him occasion to pronounce them : for
there all that were first called refused to come to the mar-
riage-feast which they were invited to, and of them which
came, some had not on their wedding-garment ; that is,
although they came in to the outward profession of the
gospel, yet did not walk worthy of the vocation where-
with they were called, and therefore they likewise were
excluded ; upon which our Saviour adds these words,
For many are called, bid few chosen. From whence it is
easy to observe his meaning in general to be only this, that
although many were called to partake of the privileges and
oraces of his gospel, yet seeing of those who were called,
many would not come at all, and of those who come,
many do not come so as the gospel requires of them, with
their wedding-garment on ; hence of the many who are
called, there are but few chosen to partake of the marriage-
feast, that is, of the glorious promises made in the gospel,
to those that come aright unto it. Few, not absolutely in
themselves considered, but few comparatively in respect
of the many which are not chosen ; or rather few in com-
parison of the many which are called. For if we consider
them absolutely in themselves, they are certainly very
many, our Saviour himself saith, Many shall come from
the east and west, and shall sit clown with Abraham, &c.
Matt. viii. 11. And in the Revelations you read of many
thousands that were sealed of every tribe. Yeja, there was
a great multitude which no man could number -fall nations,
and kindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne,
and before the Lamb, clothed with white, and palms in their

CALL AND ELECTION. 305

hands, Rev. vii. 9. Insomuch that for all the numberless
number of fallen or apostatized angels, St. Austin was of
opinion, that there will be as many men saved, as there
are angels damned, or rather more. For saith he, upon
the fall of angels and men, he determined to gather toge-
ther, by his infinite grace, so many out of the mortal pro-
geny, id hide svppleat et insiauret partem quce Idpsa est an-
gelorum, th<d he might from thence make up and restore that
part of angels which was fallen ; ac sic ilia dllecta et super a'
civitas jioafraudeiur suorum numero civium, quineliatnfor-
tassis et uveriore loetetur. And so that beloved city which is
uhove, may not he deprived of the number of its citizens, but
perhaps rejoice in having more. Aug. de Civ. Dei, 1. 22.
c. 1. Which notion he grounds upon those words of our
Saviour in this chapter, For in the resurrection they neither
marry nor are given in marriage, but are isangeloi, as the
angels of God in heaven, Matt. xxii. 30, or, as the words
may be interpreted, they are equal to the angels, and equal
in number to the fallen, as well as in quality to the elect
angels, as that learned and pious father expounds it. But
howsoever that be, this is certain, that the number of men
chosen and saved will be very great, considered absolute-
ly in themselves ; and yet notwithstanding, if they be
compared with the many more which are called, they are
but very few. Christ's flock is, as himself styles it, mihron
poimnion, a very little, little flock, Luke xii. 32. that is,
in comparison of the vast multitudes of souls that flock af-
ter the world and sin. As in a garden there are but few
choice flowers in comparison of the weeds that grow in it,
there are but very few diamonds and precious stones in
comparison of pebbles and gravel upon the sea-shore ; in
the richest mines there is far more dross than gold and sil-
ver. So is it in the church of Christ ; there is but little
wheat, in comparison of the tares that come up with it ;
Christ hath a great many hangers-on, but few faithful and
obedient servants ; there are many that speak him very
fair, and make a very plausible profession of the faith and
religion which he taught, but where shall we find one that
practketh it ?■ If there be here one, and there another,
two cr three in a parish, or perhaps in a whole city, what
is this to the innumerable company of such as are called by
him, and baptised into his name, and yet leave him to
follow after the world and vanity ? Oh, what just ground
had our Saviour to say, Many are called, but few chosen ?
But to demonstrate the. truth of tins proposition still

306 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

more fully, and as clearly as possibly I can, I must first
Jay down one principle as a Postulatum, which I suppose
all will acknowledge to be true, and that is this, that
whatsoever profession a man makes of the Christian reli-
gion, it will avail him nothing without the practice of it ;
or if you will take it in our Saviour's own words, Not every
one, saith he, that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my
Father which is in heaven, Matt. vii. 2 1 . Or, as the apos-
tle expresseth it, For not the hearers of the law are just be-
fore God, but the doers of the law shall be justified, Rom.
ii. 13. That is, it is not our hearing and knowing our
duty that will stand us in any stead before God, but our
doing of it ; it is not our believing that we may be saved by
believing in Christ, whereby we can be saved, without
actual believing in him, without such a faith whereby we
depend upon him, for the pardon and salvation of our im-
mortal souls, and consequently for the assistance of his
grace and Spirit, whereby we may be enabled to obey his
gospel, and to perform all such things as himself hath told
us are necessary in order to our everlasting happiness : and
whatsoever faith we pretend to, unless it comes to this,
that it puts us upon universal obedience to all the com-
mands of God, we may conclude it will do us no good, for
it is not such a faith as Christ requires, which always
works by love, conquers the world, subdues sin, purifies
the heart, and sanctifies the whole soul wheresoever it
comes. It is such a faith as this which is the wedding-
garment, without which no man is chosen or admitted to
partake of those celestial banquets, which Christ our Sa-
viour hath provided for us. And therefore no man can
have any ground at all to believe or hope himself to be
elected or chosen to eternal salvation, that is not holy in
all manner of conversation; God himself having told us
expressly, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord,
Heb. xii. 14. So that having God's own word for it, we
may positively and confidently assert, that no man in the
world can upon any just grounds be reputed as chosen by
God, that doth not in all things, to the utmost of his pow-
er, conform himself, and adjust his actions to the laws
and commands of God. So that how many soever are call-
ed, how many soever come into the outward profession of
the Christian religion, yet none of them can be said to be
chosen, but such as are real and true saints. And how
few those are, is a matter which we have more cause to

CALL AND ELECTION. 307

bewail than to prove. Howsoever, that we may see that
we have but too much reason to believe this assertion of
our blessed Saviour, that many are called but few chosen,
I desire we may but consider the state of Christendom in
general, and weigh the lives and actions of all such as pro-
fess to believe in Christ, view them well, and examine them
by the gospel rules, and then we shall soon conclude that
there are but few chosen ; or to bring it home more close-
ly to ourselves, who are all called, and take out from
amongst us all such persons as come not, up to the terms
of the gospel, and we shall find that there are but few be-
hind, but few indeed who can be discerned and judged by
the light either of reason or scripture, be chosen by God
to eternal life. For take out from amongst us,

1. All atheistical persons, who though they are baptiz-
ed into the name of Christ, and so are called to the faith
of Christ, yet neither believe in Christ nor God, such fools
as say in their heart there is no God, Psal. xiv. 1 . For all
will grant, that they are not chosen by God, who do not
so much as believe that there is any God to choose them.
Neither can it be imagined that the all- wise God should
choose such fools as these to be with him, who will not so
much as acknowledge him to be. And yet how many
such fools have we amongst us, whose practices have so
depraved their principles, that they will not believe there
is any God, because they wish there was none? And
when these are taken from amongst the called, I fear the
number of the chosen amongst them will be much lessened,

2. Take out from amongst us all ignorant persons, that
understand not the common principles of religion, or the
fundamental articles of that faith which they are called to :
for that these are not chosen, is plain, in that though they
be called by Christ, yet they know not what he would
have them do, nor yet who it is that calls them. And
therefore as God would have all men to be saved, so for
that end he would have them come to the knowledge of
the truth, 1 Tim. ii. 4. That is, he would have them
know all such truths as himself hath revealed to them in
the gospel, as necessary to be known in order to their
eternal salvation, without which knowledge it is impossi-
ble for a man to perform what is required of him ; for
though a man may know his duty, and not do it, no man
can do his duty unless he first know it. And therefore
gross ignorance and saving faith cannot possibly consist or
stand together : for saving faith is always joined with, or
puts a man upon sincere obedience to all the commands

SOS THOUGHTS UPON OUR

of God : but how can any man obey the commands of
God, who neither knows that God whose commands they
are, nor yet what these commands are, which God will
have him to obey ? No certainly, a blind man may as
well follow his temporal calling, how intricate soever it
be, as he that is grossly ignorant, the high calling of a
Christian ; for he is altogether incapable of it, and so not
only unworthy, but unfit to be chosen to it. Hence God
himself hath told us, that he is so far from choosing such
as live and die in this manner without understanding, that
he will never shew them any mercy or favour. For it is
a people, saith he, of no understanding, therefore he (hat
mads them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed
them will shew them no favour, Isa. xxvii. 11. Neither doth
he ever blame mankind for any thing in the world more
than for not knowing, and therefore not considering him
that made and feeds them, Isa. i. 2, 3. Hcs. iv. 1. And
that we may be still farther assured that he chooseth no
such persons to dwell with him, as do not know him and
his commands, he hath given it us under his hand, that
he rejects them, saying, My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also
reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me : seeing thou
hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also for get thy chil-
dren, Hos. iv. 6.

That therefore no persons that are grossly ignorant, and
live and die in that condition, are chosen to eternal salva-
tion, I suppose, the premises considered, all will acknow-
ledge. But alas ! how many such persons are there in the
world, how many amongst ourselves ? How many who
are very cunning and expert in the management of any
worldly business, but are mere novices, or rather idiots in
matters of true religion : or, as the prophet words it, Who
are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge ?
Jer. iv. 22. How many such ignorant and sottish people
are there in every corner of the land ? and in this city it-
self ! where they do or may hear the word of God read
and expounded to them every day, and yet ask them se-
riously of the grounds of the Christian religion, and the
reason of the hope that is in them, and they are no more
able to give a satisfactory or rational answer, than if they
had never heard of any such book as the Bible in the
world, or had been born and bred in the remotest corners,
of America, where the sound of the gospel never yet
came. But all such, how many soever they be, though

CALL AND ELECTION. 30J>

they be called, they must stand aloof off; for so long as
they are such, we may be confident they are not chosen.
Insomuch, that should we take away no other from the
number of the called, but only such as know not what
they are called to, it would appear but too clearly to be
true, that of the many which are called, there are but few
chosen.

3. Take out from amongst us all vicious, profane, de-
bauched and impenitent persons, all that make a mock of
sin and that jeer at holiness, that live as without God in
the world, as if they had neither God to serve, nor souls to
save ; as if there was -neither a heil to avoid nor a heaven
to enjoy, and therefore make it their business to gratify
their' flesh, and to indulge their appetite with carnal and
sensual pleasures, looking no higher than to be fellow-
sharers with the brutes that perish ; such as in their be-
witching cups stick not to fly in the face of heaven itself,
and dare challenge Gocl himself to damn them ; and make
lying their usual dialect, and swearing their pleasing rhe-
toric ; and are so far from being troubled for their sins,
that they take pleasiu-e and delight in them ; so far from
being ashamed of them, that they make them their pride
and glory, and so make it their pleasure to displease God,
and their highest honour to dishonour him that is honour
and perfection itself. For that no such persons as these
who live and die in such notorious crimes upon earth, are
chosen to live with God in heaven, none can deny that
believes the scriptures to be true, which in plain terms as-
sure us of the contrary. Know ye not, saith the apostle,
that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ?
Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adul-
terers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with man-
kind ; nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. vi.
9, 10. And St. John tells us, that only they who do the
commandments enter into the city of heaven : But with-
out are dogs, and sorcerers, and mh&remongers, and mtir-
derers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and makeih a lie,
Rev. xxii. 14, 15. So that all such persons without timely
repentance, are most certainly excluded from the number
of the chosen. And how many are there amongst us, who
allow themselves in some such sin or other ; or rather
where shall we find a man that doth not ? But to all per-
sons that continue in such sin, I may say, stand you by,
you have no ground as yet to think that you are chosen,

310 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

but have rather all the reason in the world to believe, that
you go on in such a sinful course, you will never know
what heaven or happiness is. But when all such are
taken out of the number of the called, what a piteous
scantling will be left behind ! In plain terms, we have
just cause to fear that ignorant and dissolute persons
make up the greatest part of those who are called Chris-
tians.

At. Take out from amongst us all hypocritical and false-
hearted persons, that seem indeed to be honest and good
men, but still retain some secret sin or other, which will
as certainly keep them out of heaven, as the most notori-
ous and scandalous crime that is ; such as our Saviour
compares to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear
very beautiful, bid are within full qf dead, men's bones, and
of all uncleanness, Matt, xxiii. 27. Such whose outward
conversation is altogether unblameable ; so that no man
can charge them with theft, perjury, drunkenness, un-
cleanness, and the like ; but hi the mean while, they are
malicious, uncharitable, censorious, proud, self-conceit-
ed, disobedient to parents of magistrates, covetous, am-
bitious, and the like. And so though they be free from
those sins, which others are guilty of, yet they are guilty
of as bad sins, which the others may be freed from. To
which also may be added all such as make indeed a great-
er shew of piety, and seem mighty zealous for the little
circumstances of religion, but neglect the weightier mat-
ters of the law, the love of God, mercy, justice, and the
like. But for all the vain hopes and high conceits that
such persons may have of themselves, they are far from
being such as the gospel requires of them, and by conse-
quence from the number of the chosen here spoken of.
For the Pharisees were such persons as these, and yet our
Saviour himself tells us, That except our righteousness ex-
ceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall
in no ways enter into the kingdom of God, Matt. vi. 20.
And when he tells us elsewhere, That except we repent we
must all likewise perish, Luke xiii. 3. his meaning is, not
that we must repent of some, or many, or most, but of
all our sins, and so repent of them as to turn from them ;
and so turn from all sin, as for the future to be holy in
all manner of conversation, otherwise our Saviour himself
assures us that he will never save us, but we must perish
without remedy.

Let any man consider this, and then tell me what he

CALL AND ELECTION. oil

thinks of the number of the chosen, whether it be not
very small indeed, in comparison of the many which are
called. For not to speak of other parts of Christendom,
all the people of this nation are called, are called to the
faith of Christ ; and how many they are, I cannot say we
all know, for it is past any man's knowledge. But where
is the man amongst us all, that doth not harbour some se-
cret lust or other in his bosom : yea, of the many men in
this nation, where is he that can say with David, / have
kept myself from mine iniquity ? Or, to use the words of the
prophet, Run ye to and fro through the streets of the city,
and see now and know, and seek if ye can find a man, if
there be any that executeth judgment, that sccketh the truth,
that scrveth the Lord with a perfect heart and a willing mind.
I do not deny, but there are a great many professors of re-
ligion amongst us, who would fain be accounted more
strict and holy than their neighbours are, so as to be reck-
oned the religious ; as the friars and nuns are in the church
of Rome : but are they therefore to be esteemed the elect
and chosen of God, because they fancy themselves to be
so ? Or rather is not their pride and self-coneeitedness an
argument that they are not so ? Blessed be God for it, I
have no spleen nor rancour against any of them, but
heartily wish they were as truly good and holy as they
would seem to be. But what ? Is not pride a sin ? Is not
self-conceitedness a sin ? Is not irreverence in God's wor-
ship a sin ? Is not disobedience to magistrates a sin ? Is
not uncharitableness or censoriousness a sin ? Certainly all
these will be found to be sins another day. And therefore
whatsoever pretences men may make unto religion, if they
allow themselves in such sins as these, they are as farJVom
being in the number of the chosen, as the most dissolute
and scandalous persons in the world : but when these two
are removed from the called, how few of them will appear
to be chosen ?

5. Yet once again. Take out all such as believe not in
our Lord Jesus Christ, but being morally honest and faith-
ful in performing their duty to God and man, trust more
in their own good works than to his merit and mediation.
For that all such are to be excluded, is plain from the
whole tenor of the gospel, which assures us, that there is
no salvation to be had but only by Jesus Christ ; nor by
him neither, but only by believing in him. But if Christ
should come this day to judgment, would he find faith
upon earth ? Verily, I fear, he would find but very little.

312 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

if any at all amongst us: he might, I believe, find some
pretty strict and circumspect in obeying 'of his other laws,
or at least in endeavouring to do so. But for a man to do
all that is required of him, and yet to count himself an un-
profitable servant : for a man to do all he can, and yet rest
upon nothing that he hath done, but to depend wholly
upon another, even upon Jesus Christ for life and happi-
ness ; this is hard indeed to fiesh and blood, and as rare to
find as it is to find a rose among the weeds and thistles of
a barren wilderness, or a diamond amongst the gravel
upon the sea-shore, here and there I believe there may be
found one, but so rarely, that they can scarce be termed
any, be sure but very few in comparison of the many who
are called.

Now, let us put these things together, and we shall
easily grant that this saying of our Saviour was but too
true, that many are called, but few chosen. And to bring
it closer to ourselves, we are all called to repent, and be-
lieve the gospel : now take out from amongst us all igno-
rant persons that have heard indeed, but understand not
what they hear; all atheistical, persons, that believe not
really there is a God to judge them ; all debauched sinners
that live in open and notorious crimes ; all pharisaical hy-
pocrites that avoid open, but indulge themselves in secret
sins, that have the form bid not the power of godliness ; and
all such who are as St. Paul was before his conversion, as
touching the righteousness of the law blameless, but yet be-
lieve not in Jesus Christ. Take out, I say, all such per-
sons as I have named from amongst us, and what a small
number proportionably should we have left behind ? how
many would be excluded the presence of God ? how few
would continue in it ! What cause should we then have
to say with our Saviour, that many are called, bid few
chosen.

Having thus explained the meaning, and confirmed the
truth of this proposition, that many are called, but few
chosen, we must consider the reasons of it, how it come3
to pass that of the many which are called there are but few
chosen: a thing which I confess we have all just cause to
wonder and admire at : Are not all men rational creatures ?
Are they not able to distinguish betwixt good and evil ?
Do not they understand their own interest ? What then
should be the reason that so many of them should be call-
ed and invited to the chiefest good, the highest happiness
their natures are capable of, yet so few of them should
4

CALL AND ELECTION. ol~

mind or prosecute it, so as to be chosen or admitted into
the participation of it ? What shall we ascribe it to, the
will and pleasure of almighty God, as if he delighted in
the ruin of his creatures, and therefore although he calls
them, he would not have them to come unto him ? No,
that cannot be ; for in his revealed will, which is the only
rule that we are to walk by, he hath told us the contrary in
plain terms, and hath confirmed it too with an oath, say-
ing, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in
the death of the wicked, but that he should turn from his way
and live, Ezek. xxxiii. 11. And elsewhere he assures us,
that he would have all men saved, and to come to the know-
ledge of the truth, 1 Tim. ii. 4>. And therefore if we be-
lieve what God saith, nay, if we believe what he hath
sworn, we must needs acknowledge that it is his will and
pleasure, that as many as are called, should be all chosen
and saved. And indeed, if he had no mind that we should
come when we are called to him, why should he call us to
come ? Why hath he given us his word, his ministers, his
ordinances, and all to invite and oblige us to repent and
turn to him, if after all he was resolved not to accept of
us, nor would have us come at all ? Far be it from us that
we should ever have such hard and unworthy thoughts of
the great Creator and governor of the world, especially
considering that he hath told us the contrary, as plainly
as it was possible for him to express his mind to us. I do
not deny, but that according to the apostle, known unto
God are all his works from the beginning of the world, Acts
xv. 18. And there are several passages in scripture which
intimate unto us God's eternal election of all that are tru-
ly pious, to live with him for ever. But it is not for us
to be so bold and impudent, as to pry into the secrets of
God, nor so curious as to search into his eternal and in-
comprehensible decrees ; but we must still remember the
words of Moses, that secret things belo?ig unto the Lord our
God, but those things which are revealed belong unto us, that
we may do all the words of this law, Dent. xxix. 2£. What-
soever is necessary for us to believe or do, in order to our
eternal salvation, is clearly revealed to us in the holy
scriptures, and therefore what we there read belongs unto
us to know, neither are we to look any farther than to his
revealed will. But God in the scriptures doth plainly tell
us, not only in the places before quoted, but elsewhere,
that he is not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance, 2 Pet. iii. 9« This is the re-

O

0'14 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

vealed will of God, which we are to acquiesce in, and rest
fully satisfied with, so as to act accordingly, without con-
cerning ourselves about things that are too high for us,
and no way belong unto us. And therefore it is not his
secret, but revealed will, that we are to search for the
reasons of this proposition, that many arc called, but few
chosen.

Now consulting the word of God to find out the reasons
of this so strange assertion, That many are called, and few
chosen, I know no better or fitter place to search for them
than this parable, which gave our blessed Saviour the oc-
casion of asserting it ; in which it is very observable that
he meddles not at all with any reasons a priori, deduced
from the eternal decrees of his Father, but he only sug-
gests to us the reasons a posteriori, drawn from the dispo-
sition and carriage of men, why so many are called, and
yet so few chosen.

For the opening whereof we must know that the end
and intent of this parable, was only to shew the enter-
tainment which his gospel had then, and should still meet
with in the world ; many refusing to embrace it at all, and
of those who embrace it, many still walking unworthy of
it. So that the issue and consequence of it will be, that
though many be called to it, there are but few chosen.
And he hath so worded the parable that we need not seek
any farther for the reasons of this conclusion from it, they
being almost clearly couched in the parable itself ; which
that we may the better understand, I shall open and ex-
plain them particularly, so as to make them intelligible, I
hope, to the meanest capacity.

I. The first reason therefore why so many are called,
but so few chosen, is because they who are called to Christ,
will not come unto him ; for this is the first reason which
our Saviour himself in the parable assigns for it : M The
king/' saith he, " sent his servants to call them that were
bidden to the marriage, and they would not come," Matt,
Xxiii. 3. And they would not come ; so that the great
fault is still in the wills of men, which are generally so de-
praved and corrupt, that though they be called never so
oft, and cannot but in reason acknowledge that it is their
interest to come, yet they have so strange an aversion to
the holiness and purity of the gospel which they are called
to, that they will not come unto it, only because they will
not ; for here they who are first bidden, give no reason
for their refusal, only it is said, they would not come-

CALL AND ELECTION. 31jS

And good cause why, for when we have searched into all
the reasons imaginable, why men do not fully submit
themselves to the obedience of the gospel, they will all
resolve and empty themselves into this, that they will not
because they will not. Let ministers say what they can,
let the scriptures say what it will, let God himself say what
he pleases, yet sinners men are, and sinners they will be,
in spite of them all; as the prophet rebuking'the people
for their sins, said, " But thou saidst, there is no hope ;
No, for I loved strangers, and after them will I go," Jer.
ii. 25. And so it is to this day ; we tell them of their sins,
and the dangerous consequences of them ; we tell them
that they must not love the world, but seek the king-
dom of God and his righteousness in the first place ;
we tell them from Christ's own mouth, that except they re-
pent and forsake their sins, they must perish ; but they
say in effect, that we had as good hold our tongues ; for
they have loved the world, and after it they will go,
they have found pleasure in the commission of their sins, v
and therefore they will commit them ; Christ calls them
to come unto him, and they know no reason why they
should not, but howsoever they will not come : if we were
but once willing, the work was done ; for what our wills
are really inclined to, we cannot but use the utmost of our
endeavour to attain. But the mischief is, men read the
gospel, they hear Christ calling upon them to believe and
obey it, but their wills are still averse from it, there is a
kind of antipathy and contrariety within them, against
such exact and real holiness, as the gospel requires of them.
So that if they perish, they must blame themselves for it,
it is their own choice they choose and prefer their sins, with
all the miseries that attend them, before the gospel of
Christ, with all the glory and happiness which is offered
in it ; and therefore as God said to his people, " Turn ye,
turn ye, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Ezek,
xxxiii. 11. so say I to these men, repent and believe the
gospel, for why will ye die, why will ye perish eternally?
Have you any reason for it ? None in the world but your
own wills. Christ hath told you in plain terms, * Him
that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out," John vi.
85. but if you will not come unto him, who can help that?
Are not yourselves only in the fault ? Will not your blood
be upon your own heads ? What could Christ have\ done
more for you than he hath done ? What could he have
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31(5 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

suffered more for you than he hath suffered ? How could
he call you to him more plainly or pathetically than he
doth ? But if after all this, you will not come unto him,
you must even thank yourselves for all the torments you
must ere long suffer and undergo. And this is indeed the
case of the greatest part of mankind, that though they be
called and invited to partake of all the merits of Christ's
death and passion, yet they will not come unto him. And
this is the first and great reason why so many are called,
and yet so few chosen, John v. 40.

II. The second reason is, because men do not really be-
lieve that they are invited to such glorious things as in-
deed they are, as our Saviour himself intimates in the pa-
rable. For when they who were bidden would not come
upon the first invitation, as not believing the message that
those servants brought them, the king sent forth other
servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, behold I have
prepared my dinner, my oxen and my failings are killed, and
all things are ready, come unto the marriage, Matt. xii. 4.
When the first servants were not believed, he sent others
with fuller instructions, giving them orders to acquaint
the guests, that all things were now ready, and to assure
them that it was to a marriage-feast they were invited.
But it seems, whatsoever the first or second servants could
say, it was to. no purpose, they would not believe them,
and therefore sent them away as they came ; whereby our
Saviour exactly discovers to us the entertainment that his
gospel always did, and still would meet with in the world.
Before his own coming into the world, he sent his pro-
phets to invite mankind to accept of the terms propound-
ed in it, and to call upon them to repen^ and turn to God,
that their sins might be blotted out, and their souls admit-
ted into the grace and favour of almighty God, and so par-
take of eternal glory, which the prophets call men to^ un-
der the notion of a feast ; Feast of fat things, a feast of
wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow , of wines on
the lees well refined, Isa. xxv. 6. which they called all men
to, saying, Ho, every one that thirsicth, come ye to the wa-
ters, Isa. lv. 1. But how their message was received the
same prophet declares, saying, Who hath believed our re-
port, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? Isa. liii.
1 . and so is it since. For when the prophets could not
be credited, God afterwards sent his apostles, and still to
, this day is sending servant after servant to invite men to
grace and pardon, to heaven and eternal happiness. But

CALL AND ELECTION. 317

we his ministers may still say with the prophet, Who hath
believed our report ? We tell men that unless they repent
and turn to God, iniquity will be their ruin ; we tell them
also, that if they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, they
shall be saved, and if they be holy here, they shall be
happy hereafter. But what signifies our telling them of
these things, if they believe not what we say ? And yet
who doth ? Men give us the hearing, censure what they
have heard, and that is all the use they make of it, never
really or firmly believing any one truth that we make
known or expound unto them ; and this being the case not
only of some few, but of the greatest part of mankind,
hence it comes to pass, that so many are called and so few
chosen ; even because they who are called do not believe
it, and so it is all one with them whether they be called or
no. Be sure God chooseth none but such as believe the
word he sends unto them, for as the apostle saith, God
hath chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, James ii. 5.
If they be not rich in faith, they are not for his purpose ;
and seeing there are but few that are so, hence of the
many which are called, there are but few chosen.

III. Another reason why of the many which are called
there are so few chosen, is because they have no real esteem
or value for the things which they are called to ; as it is in
the parable, when the servants were sent to call upon them
to make haste to the feast, because all things were ready,
it is said that they made light of it, ver. 5. They did not
think it worth their while to go, though it was to a feast,
a marriage-feast, yea to the marriage-feast of so great a
person as the king's son : no, not though they were invit-
ed by the king himself unto it. Thus it was in ancient
time, and thus it is still ; the king of heaven sends to in-
vite men to his court, to lay aside their filthy garments,
and to put on the robes that he hath prepared for them,
that they be holy as he is holy, and so live with him and
be happy for ever. But they make light of such things as
these, they can see no such beauty in Christ, why they
should desire him ; no such excellency in God himself,
why they should be in love with him ; and as for heaven,
they never were there yet, and therefore care not whether
they ever come there or no ; though they be called, they
matter not whether they be chosen to it or no ; and hence
likewise it is that of the many which are called, there are
but few chosen.

IV. Another reason is, because they who are called are

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318 THOUGHTS UPON OUR

generally addicted to the things of this life, they have the
serpent's curse upon them, to feed upon the dust of the
earth, and therefore slight all the overtures that are made
them of heaven and eternal happiness. As our Saviour
himself intimates in this parable, saying, that when ihey
were invited they made light of it, and went their tray, one
to hisjann, another to his merchandize ver. 5. Thus we
read of the Pharisees, that they being covetous, when they
heard the words of Christ, they derided them, Luke xvi.
14. And thus it is to this day ; though men be called to
Christ, they are so much taken up with worldly businesses
that they can find no time to come unto him ; but away
they go again, one to his trade, another to his merchan-
dize. These are the things that most men's minds are
wholly bent upon, and therefore they will not be persuad-
ed to leave them to go to Christ.

It is true, if he called them to great estates, if he called
them to a good bargain, if he called them to crowns and
sceptres in this world, then they would all strive which
should be chosen first : but the things that he calls us to
are quite of another nature ; he calls us to repent of our
sins, to believe in him, to contemn the world, to have our
conversations in heaven. But these are things which men
do not love to hear of, as being contrary to their earthly
temper and inclinations; and therefore, we who are God's
ministers may call our hearts out before they will set them-
selves in good earnest to mind them. Or to bring it home
still closer to us, how often have we all been invited to
that spiritual feast, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper,
but how few are there that come unto it, when the whole
congregation is called to partake of it ? scarce one in twen-
ty think it worth their while to stay to have their share in
it. What can be the reason of this, but that our minds
are taken up with other things, which we fancy to be of
far greater concernment to us than all the merits of Christ's
death and passion ? and therefore, it is no wonder that
so many of us are called, and so few chosen, seeing we
ourselves choose the toys and trifles of this transient world,
before all those real joys which" in the gospel we are called
and invited to.

V. In the next place, many of them which are called,
have so strange an antipathy to God and goodness, that
they do not only slight their heavenly, in comparison of
their earthly calling ; but they hate and abuse such as are
sent to calf them, as our Saviour himself intimates, ver. 6.

CALL AND ELECTION. 319

O barbarous cruelty ; what hurt, what injury is done unto
them ? They are invited to a feast, and for this they are
angry, and 'kill the messengers which are sent to invite
them/ Thus it hath been in all ages. This was the en-
tertainment, this the requital that most of the prophets re-
ceived for the divine message they brought to mankind.
Matt, xxiii. 37. Yea, Christ himself, the Son and heir
of God, was put to death for inviting men to life and hap-
piness, and so were his apostles too : and so it is to this
day. There is still a secret malice and hatred in men's
hearts against such as endeavour to preach the gospel
clearly and fully to them. We tell them of their sins, we
acquaint them of the danger they are in, we call upon
them to forsake and avoid them, we invite them to Christy
and so to heaven and eternal happiness ; for this many ol
them are angry with us, and incensed against us. They
may forgive us this wrong, I can assure them we intend
them no evil, but all the good we can do or desire to our
own souls ; that whatsoever the success be, it is still our
duty to call upon them, to advise them of their duty, and
if possible to reclaim them from their sins ; and if they be
angry with us for that, as many are, they cannot wonder
at&our Saviour's saying, that many are called, but few
chosen*

VI. The last reason which our Saviour gives in this pa-
rable, why many are called, bid few chosen, is because of
those who are called, and come too at their call, many come
not aright, which he signifies by the man that came with-
out his wedding-garment, ver. 11, 12, 13. where although
he mentions but one man, yet under that one is compre-
hended all of the same kind, even all such persons as have
the gospel preached to them, and so are called and invited
to all the graces and privileges proposed in it, all such as pro-
fess to believe in Christ, and to expect happiness and salva-
tion from him, yet will not come up to the terms which he
propounds in his go&pel to them, even to walk worthy of
the vocation wherewith they were called, Eph. iv. 1. And
indeed this is the great reason of all, why so many which
are called there are so few chosen, because there are so
few which do all things which the gospel requires of them.
Many like Herod will do many things, Mark vi. 20. and
are almost persuaded to be Christians, as Agrippa was,
Acts xx vi. 8. How zealous are some for, how violently
are others against, the little ceremonies and circumstances
of religion, and in the meanwhile neglect and let slip the
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320 THOUGHTS UPON OUR, &C.

power and substance of it ? How demure are some in their
carriage towards men, but irreverent and slovenly in the
worship of almighty God ? How devout would others
seem towards God, but are still careless and negligent of
their duty towards men ? Some are all for the duties of
the first table without the second, others for the second
without the first. Some are altogether for obedience and
good works, without faith in Christ ; others are as much for
faith in Christ, without obedience and good works. Some
would do all themselves, as if Christ had done nothing for
them ; others fancy that Christ hath so done all things
for them, that there is nothing left for themselves to do :
and so betwixt both these sorts of people, which are the
far greater part of those who are called, either the merits,
or else the laws of Christ are slighted and contemned. But
is this the way to be saved ? No, surely : if I know any
thing of the gospel, it requires both repentance and faith
in Christ, that we perform sincere obedience to all his laws,
and yet trust in him, and him alone, for pardon, accept-
ance, and salvation. And whosoever comes short of this,
though he be called, we may be sure he is not chosen,
though he come to the marriage-feast with those that are
invited, yet wanting this wedding-garment, he will be
cast out again with shame and confusion of face. So that
it is not our doing some, or many, or most of the things
which the gospel requires, that will do our business, unless
we do all to the utmost of our skill and power. But where
shall we find the man that doth so ? What ground have we
but to acknowledge that our Saviour had too much cause
to say, Many are called, but few chosen ; which I fear is
but >:oo true, not only of others, but ourselves too.

I say not this to discourage any one : no, it is my
hearty desire and prayer to the eternal God, that every
soul of us might be chosen and saved. But my great fear
is, that many think it so easy a matter to go to heaven,
that if they* do but say their prayers, and hear sermons
now and then, they cannot miss of it, and therefore need
not trouble themselves any farther about it. But they
must give me leave to tell them, that this will not serve
their turn ; if it would, most of those which are called
would be chosen too. Whereas our Saviour himself tells
us, in plain terms, the contrary. And yet this should be
so far from discouraging of us, that it should rather excite
us to greater diligence about it than heretofore we may
have used, as our Saviour himself intimates in his answer

THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION. 321

to this question, Luke xiii. 23, 24. And verily, what
oreater encouragement can we have, than to consider, that
though there be bat few chosen, yet there are some ? For
why may not you and I be in the number of those few as
well as others ? Are we not all called to Christ ? Are not
we all invited, yea, commanded to believe in his name,
and obey his gospel, that so we may partake of everlasting
glory ? Let us then all set about that work in good earn-
est, which we are called to. Let us but fear God, and
keep his commandments, and but believe in his Son for his
acceptance of us j and then Ave need not fear, for though
of the many others which are called, there are but few
chosen ; yet we few who are called shall be all chosen ;
chosen to live with God himself, and Jesus Christ, and to
sing forth his praises for evermore.

•».-v%.«.».-».-v»<

Thoughts upon the Appearance of Christ the Sun of
Righteousness, or the Beatific Vision.

SO long as we are in the body, we are apt to be govern-
ed wholly by its senses, seldom or never minding any
thino- but what comes to us through one or other of them,
Though we are all able to abstract our thoughts when we
please from matter, and fix them upon^ things that are
purely spiritual, there are but few that ever do it. But
few, even among those also that have such things revealed
to them by God himself, and so have infinitely more and
firmer ground to believe them, than any one, or all their
senses put together can afford. Such are the great truths
of the gospel, for which we have the infallible word and
testimony of the supreme truth ; yet seeing they are not
the objects of sense, but only of our faith, though we pro.
fess to believe them, yet we take but little notice of them,
and are usually no more affected with them, than as if there
were no such thing in being. Hence it hath pleased God,
in great compassion to our infirmity, not only to reveal
and make known such spiritual things to us, m plain and
easy terms, but likewise to bring them as near as possible
to our senses, by representing them to us under the namea
and characters of such sensible objects as bear the great,
est resemblance to them ; that we, who are led so mucU
by our senses, may by them also be directed how to ap«

322 THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION.

prebend those spiritual objects which he hath told us of, '
on purpose that we may believe them upon his word.

Thus he often usetli the words, hand, eye, and the like,
to signify his own divine perfections to us. And thus it
was that our Saviour preached the gospel to the people,
by parables and similitudes of things commonly seen and
done among themselves. The prophets also frequently
took the same course, as might be shewn by many in-
stances ; but one of the most remarkable is that in Mai.
iv. 2. where the prophet in the name of God speaking of
Christ's coming into the world, -expresses it by the rising
of. the sun, saying, To you that fear my name shall the Sun
of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings.

For that Jesus Christ is that Sun of righteousness here
spoken of, is so plain from the context, and the whole de-
sign of the prophet, that I need not insist upon the prov-
ing of it ; but shall only observe, that this being the last
of all the prophets in the Old Testament, he shuts up his
own and all the other prophecies with a clear prediction
of Christ, and his fore-runner John the Baptist, whom he
calls Elijah, or Elias, and concludes his prophecy with
these words concerning him, Behold, I will send you Elijah
the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day
of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to
the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest
I come and smite the earth, (or rather the land) with a curse,
Mai. iv. 5, 6. For that by Elijah is here meant John the
Baptist, we are assured by Christ himself, Matt. xi. 14.
And it is very observable, that as this prophet ends the
Old Testament with a prediction of Elias, so St. Luke be-
gins the new with a relation how John the Baptist was
born, and so came into the world a little before Christ, as
the morning-star that appeared before the rising of the Sun
of righteousness.

But of the day which shall come at the rising of that
glorious Sun, the prophet saith, that it shall burn as an
oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly,
shall be stubble, and the day that comet h shall burn them
vp, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them nei-
ther root nor branch, ver. 1. It will be a terrible day to
those that shall obstinately refuse to walk in the light of
it ; they shall be all consumed, as we read the unbeliev-
ing Jews were at the destruction of Hierusalem, that hap-
pened soon after that sun was up. But then turning him-
self, as it were to his own people, almighty God, here by
his prophet, cheers and comforts them, saying unto them

THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION. 323

Bid unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteous*
ness arise, with healing in his wings, &c. He shall arise
to all, but to the other with such a scorching heat as shall
burn them up, to these with healing in his wings, or rays,
so as not to hurt, but heal them of all their maladies.

Now that which I chiefly design by God's assistance, to
shew from these words, is, what thoughts they suggest to
us concerning our blessed Saviour, by calling him the Sun
of righteousness. But to make the way as plain as I can,
we must first consider, to whom he is here said to arise
with healing in his wings, even to those that fear the name
of God ; 2 e. to those who firmly believing in God, and be-
ing fully persuaded of his infinite power, justice, and
mercy, and also of the truth of all his threats and pro«
mises, stand continually in awe of him, not daring to do
any thing willingly that may offend him, nor leave any
tiling undone, that he would have them do. Such, and
such only, can be truly said to fear God. And therefore
the fear of God in the scriptures, especially of the Old
Testament, is all along put for the whole duty of man.
There be no duty that a man owes, either to God or his
neighbour, but if he really fears God, he wjll endeavour
all he can to do it. But this necessary supposes his belief
in God, and his holy word, or rather proceeds originally
from it. For, he that comelh unto God, so as to fear and
obey him, must believe that he is, and- that he is a rcwarder
of them who diligently seek him, Heb. xi. 6. So that, as no
man can believe in God, but he must needs fear him ; so
no man can fear God, unless he first believes in him. From
whence it necessarily follows, that by those who are here
said to fear the name of God, we can understand no other
but only such as are possessed with a firm belief in him,
and with a full persuasion of the truth and certainty of
those divine revelations that he hath made of himself, anc}
of his will to mankind and therefore live accordingly.

Of these, and these only, it is here said, that to them
shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his witigs.
Not to any other ; no other being able to see his light, nor;
capable of those healing influences that proceed from him.
For though he be a Sun, he is -not such a sun as we see
with our bodily eyes in the firmament, but the Sun of
righteousness, shining in the highest heavens, beyond the
reach of our senses, visible only to the eye of faith, the
evidence of things not seen. Insomuch, that although^
he be risen, and darts down his beams to this lower wor\d
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324- THOUGHTS UPON 1HE BEATIFIC VISION.

continually, yet they who have not faith, can neither see
him, nor enjoy any more benefit by him, than as if he was
not risen, or did not shine at all. As if a man be born
stark blind, though the sun shine never so clear about
him, he sees no more than he did before, but lives in the
dark at noon-day as much as at midnight ; neither can ye
ever make him understand what light or colours afe ; for
having "not that sense, by which alone such things can be
perceived, he "can never understand what you mean by
such things, so as to form any true notion of them in his
mind : so it is in our present case ; though the Sun of righ-
teousness be risen, and shines most gloriously in the world,
yet being the object only of our faith, without that a man
can discern nothing of him. He may perhaps talk of light,
but all the while he knows not what he means by the
words he useth about it. For he useth them only as words
in course, taken up from those he talks with, without hav-
ing any effect or operation at all upon his mind ; whereas
they who really believe God's word, and what there is re-
vealed concerning the Sun of righteousness, they see his
light, they feel his heat, they experience the power and
efficacy of his influences • and therefore, although they
who have no faith (as few have) can be no way profited by
what they shall hear or read of him, yet they who have,
and act it out of what they hear or read out of God's holy
word concerning him, they will find their thoughts and ap-
prehensions of him cleared up, and their affections inflam-
ed to him ; so as to love and honour him for the future, as
the fountain of all that spiritual life, and light, and joy
they have : For to them he will arise with healing in his
wings.

He did not only arise once, but he continually ariseth
to those who believe in God, and fear him. For thus
saith the Lord, u to you that fear my name shall the Sun
of righteousness arise with healing in his wings." It is
true, he speaks more especially of his incarnation, or vi-
sible appearance in the world ; but, by this manner of
speaking, he intimates withal that this Sun of righteous-
ness is always shining upon his faithful people, more or
less, in all ages from the beginning to the end of this
world. For in that it is said, he shall arise, it is plainly
supposed that he was the Sun of righteousness before, and
gave light unto the world, though not so clearly as when
he was actually arisen. As we see and enjoy the light of
the sun, long before he riseth, from the first dawning of

THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION. 325

the clay, though it grows clearer and clearer, all along as
he comes nearer and nearer to his rising : so the Sun of
righteousness began to enlighten the world as soon as it
was darkened by sin ; the day then began to break, and
it grew lighter and lighter in every age. Adam himself
saw something of this light, Abraham more ; Abraham re-
joked to see my day, saith this glorious Sun, he .saw it and
'was glad, John viii. 56. David and the prophets after
him "saw it most clearly, especially this, the last of the
prophets ; he saw this Sun in a manner rising, so that he
could tell the people that it would suddenly get above
their horizon, The Lord whom ye seek, saith he, shall sud-
denly come to his temple, ftfal. iii. 1. and acquaints them
also with the happy influences it would have upon them,
saying, in the name of God, " Unto you that fear my
name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in
his wings."

The Sun of righteousness ; that is, as I observed before,
Jesus Christ the righteous, who is often foretold and spoke
of under the name and notion of the sun or star that giv-
eth light unto the world ; there shall come a star out of Ja-
cob, said Balaam, Numb. xxiv. 17- And he shall be, as
the light of the morning when the sun riseth, saith David,
2 Sam. xxiii. 4. And the prophet Isaiah speaking of his
coming, saith, " The people that walked in darkness have
seen a great light, and they that dwelt in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined," Isa.
ix. 2. For that this was spoken of Christ, we have the
authority of the evangelists, Matt. iv. 16. To the same
purpose, is that of the same prophet, " Arise, shine, for
thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon
thee. For behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and
gross darkness the people ; but the Lord shall arise upon
thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee," Isa. Ix. 1, 2.
" The sun shall be no more the light by day, neither for
brightness shall the moon give light unto thee : but the
Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God
thy glory," ver. 19. To which we may add the many-
places where Christ is called Nazareth, which we tran-
slate the Branch, as, " I will bring forth my servant the
branch," Ezek. iii. 8. " Behold the man, whose name is
the Branch," chap. vi. 12. "I will raise up to David a
righteous Branch," Jer. xxiii. 5. " And a Branch of
Righteousness," chap, xxiii. 25. In all which places the
original word signifies also the rising of the sun, and is ac»

326 THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION.

cordingly rendered by the LXX. Analole Oriens, not that
part of heaven where the sun riseth, but the sun itself as
.rising there. And so it is translated also both in the Syriac
and Arabic versions. And where it is said, " In that day
shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful/' Isa. iv. 2. In
the LXX. it is epilampsei ho Theos, God shall shine forth.
In the Syriac, " The rising of the Lord shall be for glory."
In Arabic, " The Lord shall rise as the sun." And that
this is the true sense of the word in all these places, appears
from the prophecy of Zacharias the father of John the Bap-
tist ; for, speaking of Christ's coming, he expresses it ac-
cording to our translation, by saying," The day-spring
from on high hath visited us," Luke i. 78. But in the ori-
ginal it is the same word that the LXX. use in all the afore-
said places. Anatole Oriens, the rising-sun. And it is
much to be observed, that all the said places of the pro-
phets are interpreted of the Messiah or Christ, by the Tar-
gum or Chaldee paraphrase made by the ancient Jews
themselves ; for Tash, the rising-sun, is there translated
Messiah, the Christ, as if it was only another name for
the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. From all which it
appears, that when the prophet here calls our Saviour
Christ, the Sun of righteousness, he speaks according to
the common sense and practice of the church.

And verily he may well be called the Sun, both in respect of
what he is in himself, and in respect of what he is to us. As
there is but one sun in the firmament, it is the chief of all
creatures, that we see in the world. There is nothing upon
earth, but what is vastly inferior, the very stars of heaven
seem no way comparable to it. It is the top, the head,
the glory of all visible objects : in like manner, there is
but one Saviour in the world, he is exalted far above all
things in it, not only above the sun itself, but above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but
also in that which is to come. " All things are put under
his feet, and he is given to be head over all things to the
church, Eph. i. 21, 22. The very angels, authorities,
and powers of heaven, are all made subject to him, 1 Pet.
iii. 22. And that is the reason that he is said to be at the
right hand of God, because he is preferred before, and set
over the whole creation, next to the almighty Creator him-
self, where he now reigns, and doth whatsoever he pleas-
eth in heaven and in earth,

THOUGHTS UPON' THE BEATIFIC VISION. 327

And as the sun is in itself also the most glorious, as well
as the most excellent creature we see, of such transcen-
dant beauty, splendour and glory, that we cannot look
steadfastly upon it, but our eyes are presently dazzled ; so
is Christ the Sun of righteousness : when he was transfi-
gured, his face did shine as the sun, Matt. xvii. 2. When
St. John had a glimpse of him, he saw his countenance as
the sun that skineth in his strength, Rev. i. lG. When he
appeared to St. Paul going to Damascus at mid-day,
" there was a light above the brightness of the sun shining
round about him, and them that journeyed with him,"
Acts xxvi. 13. And it is no wonder, " For he is the
brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of
his person," Heb. i. S. And 'therefore must needs shine
more gloriously than it is possible for any mere creature
to do ,• his very body, by reason of its union to the divine
person, is a glorious body, Phil. iii. 21. The most glori-
ous, doubtless, of all the bodies in the world, as far ex-
ceeding the sun, as that doth a clod of earth ; insomuch,
that could we look upon our Lord as he now shines forth
in all his glory in the highest heavens, how would our eyes
be dazzled ? Our whole souls amazed and confounded at
his excellent glory ? The sun would appear to us no
otherwise than as the moon and stars do, when the sun is
up. And he that so far excels the sun in that very pro-
perty, wherein the sun excels all other things, may well
be called the Sun : the Sun by way of pre-eminence, the
most glorious sun in the world, in comparison whereof no-
thing else deserves to be called by that name. Neither
may our blessed Saviour be justly called by this glorious
name, only for what he is in liimself, but likewise from
what he doth for us ; as may be easily demonstrated from
all the benefits that we receive from the sun. I shall in-
stance in some of the most plain and obvious.

First, Therefore, the sun we know is the fountain of
all the light that we have upon earth, without which we
could see nothing, not so much as the way that is before
us, but should always be groping and stumbling in the
dark ; whereas by it we can discern every thing that is
about us, or at any distance from us, as far as our sight
can reach. In which respect our blessed Lord is the Sun
indeed; the light of the world, John viii. 12. " The true
light that ltghteth every one that cometh into the
world," chap. i. 9- " A light to lighten the Gentiles, and
the glory of his people Israel;' Luke i. 32. A marvellous

328 THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION.

light, 1 Pet. ii. 9. Whereby we can see things that are
not visible to the eye, as plainly as we do those that are.
For this Day-spring from on high, the Sun of righteousness
hath visited us, " to give light to them that sit in dark-
ness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet
into the way of peace," Luke i. 78, 79- To shew us the
invisible things of God, and direct us to all things belong-
ing to our everlasting peace and happiness. He hath made
them all clear and manifest to us in his gospel. But what*
soever makcth manifest is light, Eph. v. 13. Wherefore he
is said to have brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10. Because he hath there so clearly
revealed them to us, that by the light of his holy gospel
we may see all things necessary to be known, believed, or
done, in order to -eternal life, as plainly as we can see the
most visible objects at noon-day.

By this light we can see as much of the glory of God
himself, as our mortal nature can bear. For, " No man
hath seen God at any time ; the only begotten Son which
is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him,"
John i. 1 8. " Neither knoweth any man the Father, save
the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him,"
Matt. xi. 27. So that no man ever had or can have any
right knowledge of the true God, but only by his Son our
Saviour Christ. But by this means they that lived before
might see him as by twilight ; we who live after this Sun
is risen, may see him by the clearest light that can be
given of him; for he hath fully revealed and declared him-
self to us in the gospel.

By this glorious light, we can see into the mystery of
the eternal Trinity in unity, so as to believe that God the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one, one Jehovah, one
God. That God the Father made all things at first by his
word, and still upholds and orders all things according to
his will : that God the Son was made flesh, became man,
and as such died upon the cross, and so offered up himself
as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world ; that he arose
again, went up to heaven, and is now there at the right
hand of God ; that upon our repentance and faith in him
our sins are pardoned, and he that made us is reconciled to
us by the merits of his said death ; that by the power of
Ills intercession which he now makes in heaven for us, we
are justified or accounted righteous in him, before him,
and in him our almighty Father ; that God the Holy
Ghost abides continually with his church, moving upon^

THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION. 32Q

actuating and influencing- the means of grace that are there
administered ; that he sanctifies all that believe in Christ,
lecids them into all truth, comforts them in their troubles,
and assists them in doing whatsoever is required of them.
These and many such great and necessary truths, as lay
in a great measure hid before, are now, by the light of the
Sun of righteousness shining in his gospel, made so plain
and evident, that all may see them, except they wilfully
shut their eyes, or turn their backs upon them.

And though the sun in the firmament enlightens only
the air, to make it a fit medium through which to see this
glorious light that comes from the Sun of righteousness,
enlightening men's minds too, and opens their eyes to be-
hold the wondrous things that are revealed in the Jaw of God,
Psal. cxix. IS. And that too so effectually in some, that
the}' likewise are able to enlighten others, to open their
eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, Acts xxvi.
18. Insomuch that they are also the light of the world,
Matt. v. 14. Not originally in themselves, but by com-
munication from him, .as the moon is first enlightened by
the sun, and then reflects its light to the earth.

Moreover, the sun is the first cause under God, not
only of light, but also of all the life that is in any creature
upon earth, without which nothing could live, no, not so
much as a vegetable, much less an animal life ; for that
which we call life, wherewith such creatures as have or-
gans fitted for it, are actuated and quickened, so as to be
said properly to live, it all depends upon the heat and in-
fluence of the sun. Should the sun once cease to be, or to
influence the world, all living creatures would immediate-
ly expire and die. So is Christ the Sun of righteousness,
the fountain of all spiritual life. " In thee," saith David,
" is the fountain of life, in thy light shall we see light,"
Psal. xxxvi. 9. where we see that light and life in this sense
also go together ; they both proceed from the same foun-
tain, the Sun of righteousness : who therefore saith, " I
am the light of the" world, he that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life," John
viii. 12. That light which hath life always proceeding
from it, and accompanying it ; so that he is both life and
light itself. " I am," saith he, " the way, the truth, and
the life," John xiv. 6*. And our life, as the apostle calls
him, Col. iii. 4. Even the life of all that believe in him.
The life that I now live in the flesh, saith the same apostle,
/ live by the faith of the Son' of God, Gal. ii. 20. " And

330- THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION.

therefore he who believeth, and so hath the Son, he hath
life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not life," John
v. 12.

From all which it appears, that all men by nature are
dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. ii. 1 . " But when any arise
from the dead by faith, it is Christ that gives them life,
chap. v. 1 4. " Who came into the world on purpose that
they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly," John x. 10. More abundantly, that is, in
the highest and most excellent manner that is possible for
men to live ; for this life which the Sun of righteousness
raises believers to, is the life of righteousness, an holy, an
heavenly, a spiritual, divine life; it is the life of faith,
whereby they live to other purposes, and in a quite differ-
ent manner from other men ; they live to God, and not
unto the world ; they live in a constant dependance upon
him, and submission to him ; they live with a firm belief
of his word, and sincere obedience to his laws ; they live
altogether in his service, so that " whether they eat or
drink, or whatsoever they do, they still do it to the glory
of God," 1 Cor. x. 3 1 . In short, they strive all they can
to do the will of God upon earth, as the holy angels do it
in heaven, and so have their conversation there, where
their Saviour and their treasure is.

But this life is infused in them, only by the rays of the
Sun of righteousness, by the Holy Spirit which proceed-
eth from Christ, whereby they being born again, and
made the children of light, thus walk in newness of life ;
and so it is nourished also, preserved and strengthened
only by him, who therefore calls himself the Bread of Life,
John vi. 35, 48. And " the bread of God, which com-
eth from heaven, and giveth life unto the world, ver. 33.
the living bread, of which if any man eateth, he shall
live for ever," ver. 51. And this bread which he gives is
his flesh, " which he gave for the life of the world," ibid.
" For his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink in-
deed ; so that whoso eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood,
hath eternal life, and he will raise him up at the last day,
that he may live for ever, ver. 55, 56, 58. For Christ is
the resurrection and the life ; whosoever believeth in him,
though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever
liveth and believeth in him shall never die," chap. ix. 25,
26. Though his body may die, yet not his soul : and his
body also at the last day shall be raised again to life, by
the power of this glorious Sun : " For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive," 1 Cor. xv. 22.

THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION. 331

Seeing therefore that Jesus Christ is the fountain of
the life of righteousness, the author of that spiritual and
eternal life which the righteous live, as the sun is of oar
natural, he also may most properly be called the Sun of
righteousness, as he is in the words before us. And so he
may be likewise from his cheering and refreshing our spi-
rits in the inward man as the Sun does in the outward.
The light of the eyes, saith the wise man, rejoiceth the heart,
Prov. xv. SO. And truly the light is .sweet, and a pleasant
thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun, Eccl. xi. 7- This
we all find by daily experience, and so do we too, that the
light and heat of the sun agitate or move our animal spi-
rits in so beuign and delicate a manner, that we are always
more cheerful and pleasant when the sun shines clearly
than we are in a dark night or a cloudy day. But in this
the Sun of righteousness infinitely exceeds the other, for
he is the fountain not only of some, but of all the true joy
and comfort that his faithful people have, or ever can have
in the world. It all proceeds from him, whom having not
seen they love, in whom, though now they see him not,
yet believing, they rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of
glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. For upon their believing in him, as
having been delivered for their offences, and raised again
for their justification, he manifesteth himself and his spe-
cial love and favour to them, in the pardon of their sinSj
and their reconciliation to almighty God, whereby their
souls are filled, not only with unspeakable, but glorious
joy, of the same nature of that which the saints in heaven
are continually transported with. This is that which is
called the lifting up the light of God's countenance, and
his causing his face to shine upon them, Psal. iv. 6. lxvii.
1. and Ixxx. 3. Numb. vi. 25. When the Sun of righte-
ousness thus shineth upon them, refreshing and comfort-
ing their hearts, by the sweet influences of that holy Spirit
that proceedeth from him.

But the sun doth not only refresh the earth, but makes
it fruitful ; it is by this means, under God, that plants
grow and bring forth fruit, and that animals do the re-
spective works which God hath set them. So is Christ
the cause or author of all the good and righteous works
that are done in the wrorld ; he himself saith, without me
ye can do nothing, John xv. 5. And his apostle could say
upon his own experience, / can do all things through Christ
that strengthened me, Phil. iv. 13. And that the fruits, all
the fruits of righteousness, are by Jesus Christ, or comQ,

332 THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION.

from him, chap. i. 11. Who therefore in this respect also
may well be termed the Sun of righteousness.

To which we may likewise add, that as the works which
God hath made upon earth by his power, although they
have no light in themselves whereby they can be seen,
yet they appear in all their beauty and colours by the sun
reflecting his light upon them ; so the works which his
servants do by his assistance and grace, although they have
no real worth, nor are exactly righteous in themselves,
yet by the Sun of righteousness reflecting his righteous-
ness upon them, they seem or are accounted righteous in
the sight of God ; or, as St. Peter speaks, they are accept'
able to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. ii. 5. Without whom
therefore there could be no such thing as righteousness
seen upon earth, no more than there could be colours
without light. But, as by one man's disobedience many
were made sinners, so by the obedience of om shall many be
made righteous, Horn. v. 19. both sincerely righteous in
themselves, and accepted of as righteous before God, by
his righteousness imputed to them. So that all righteous-
ness, both as it is performed by men, and as it is approv-
ed of by God, comes only from Jesus Christ. And this
seems to be the great reason, wherefore he is here called in
a peculiar manner the Sun of righteousness, and promised
to arise to his people with healing in his wings, that they
may grow up as calves in the stalls ; to shew that it is by
him only that they are healed of their infirmities, and re-
stored to a sound mind, so as to grow in grace and bring
forth the fruits of righteousness; such righteousness as by
him is acceptable to God, from whom they shall there-
fore at the last day receive the crown of righteousness, that
crown which this Sun of righteousness hath procured for
them.

Upon these, among many other accounts, Jesus Christ
the Saviour of mankind may be truly called the Sun of
righteousness, as he is here by the Spirit of truth itself,
for our admonition and comfort. For hereby we are put
in mind how to think of our blessed Saviour, and to exer-
cise our faith in him, so as to love and honour him with all
our hearts, and to put our whole trust and confidence in
him for all things necessary to our eternal salvation. For-
asmuch as we are by this means given to understand, that
what the sun is to this lower world, the same is Christ to
his church. But the sun, as we have heard, is the most
excellent, and most glorious that we see in the world. It

THOUGHTS UPON THE BEATIFIC VISION. 335

is the next cause, under God, of all the light that is in the
air, and of all the life that any creatures live upon the
earth. It is that which refresheth the earth, and makes it
fruitful. It is that also which gives a lustre to all tilings
that are about us, so as to make them pleasing and delight-
ful to the eye.

And accordingly, whensoever I think of my blessed Sa-
viour, the Sun of righteousness, I apprehend, or rather
by the eye of faith I behold him in the highest heavens,
there shining in glory and splendor infinitely greater than
any mortal eye can bear, invested with supreme majesty,
honour, and authority over the whole creation. I behold
him there surrounded with an innumerable company of
holy angels, as so many fixed stars, and of glorified saints
as planets enlightened by him ; all his satellites or servants
waiting upon him, ready upon all occasions to reflect and
convey his benign influences or favour to his people upon
earth. I see him yonder, by his own light, I behold him
displaying his bright beams, and diffusing his light round
about, over his whole church, both that which is trium-
phant in heaven, and that which is militant here on earth ;
that all the members of it may see all things belonging to
their peace. I behold him continually sending down his
quickening Spirit upon those who are baptized into, and
believe in his holy name, to regenerate them, to be a
standing principle of a new and divine life in them. I be-
hold him there manifesting himself, and causing his face
to shine upon those who look up to him, so as to refresh
and cheer their spirits, to make them brisk and lively, and
able to run with patience the race that is set before them. I
behold him there continually issuing forth his holy Spirit,
to actuate and influence the'administration of his word and
sacraments ; that all who duly receive them may thereby
grow in grace, and be fruitful in every good word and
work. I behold the Sun of righteousness shining with so
much power and efficacy upon his church, that all the
good works which are done in it, though imperfect in
themselves, do notwithstanding appear through him as
good and righteous in the sight of God himself, and are
accordingly rewarded by him. In short, as the sun was
made to govern the day, so I behold the Sun of righteous-
ness as governing his church, and ordering all things both
within and without it, so as to make them work together
for the good of those who love God, till he hath brought
them all to himself, to live with them in the highest hea-

334< THOUGHTS UPON the beatific vision.

vens, where they also shall by his means shine forth as the
sun in the kingdom of t heir Father for ever, Matt. xiii. 4^.

Could we keep these and such-like thoughts of our bless-
ed Saviour always fresh in our minds, could we be always
thus looking upon him, as the Sun of righteousness shin-
ing continually upon us and his whole church, what holy,
what heavenly, what comfortable lives should we then
lead ? We should then despise the pomps and vanities of
this wicked world, as nothing, as less than nothing, in
comparison of this most glorious Sun and his righteous-
ness. We should then with St. Paul, count all things but
loss in comparison of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord,
and should count them hut dung, that ive may win Christ,
and be found in him, not having our own righteousness which
is of the law, bid that which is through the faith of Christ ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil. iii. 8, 9-
We should then leave gazing upon the trifles of the lower
world, and should be always looking up to the Sun of
righteousness, so as to be enlightened by him, Psal. xxxiv.
5. W^ith such a light as will discover to us the glories o
the other world, together with the way that leads to it.

We should then abhor and detest the works of darkness,
and walk as the children of light, and accordingly shine
as lio-hts in the world. And then we should have the light
of God's countenance shining continually upon us, en-
lightening, enlivening, and refreshing our whole souls,
and purifying both our hearts and lives so, as to make us
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light ; in that everlasting light which comes from the Sun
of righteousness, who liveth and reigneth, and shineth
with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God blessed for
ever.

FINIS.

HENRY MOZLEY

Has this Day Published, Price 2s. 6rf. bound,

Handsomely Printed in duodecimo, and Embellished with seven very excellent
Maps — viz.

THE WORLD, EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, NORTH

AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, AND THE

BRITISH ISLES,

A SYSTEM OF

GEOGRAPHY,

FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS,

i

ON A NEW AND PERFECTLY EASY PLAN :

In which the European Boundaries are stated, as
settled by the Peace of Paris, November, 1815.

BY J. BIGLAND,

Author of Letters on Ancient and Modern History — History of England,
— Geographical and Historical View of the World, S[C. Qc.

THIRD EDITION.

Sold also by G. Cowie and Co. Poultry, London, and by all Book-
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" BUT although elementary books on this important science
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These considerations have induced me to attempt a synopsis of
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tive to the learner — After having been occupied a great part of
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service to the rising generation." — vide preface.

This is a very useful little book for the younger boys in a school,
being calculated to convey as much geographical information as
their minds are capable of receiving and of retaining, without ei-
ther perplexing or loading their memories. — The Maps, necessari-
ly on a small scale, are neatly executed.

Antijacolin Review, June, 1810,

H. MOZLEY

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